Ah, the signs of spring.

The sun is out, temperatures are warm, lawns are beginning to resemble wild African savannas, and landscapers are combing neighborhoods looking for business.

But how can you tell if a landscaper--especially one who rolls up to your front door uninvited--is authorized to work in the village?  

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Businesses are required to be licensed to operate in Frankfort, even those that aren't based in the village. That means the village has a record on file, so you can call Village Administration offices to double check a landscaper's legitmacy.

At Monday's Land Use and Policy Committee meeting, Trustee Dick Trevarthan, who owns his own landscaping company in Frankfort, expressed concern over unauthorized contractors. Village Administrator Jerry Ducay said code enforcement officials will have lists of licensed landscapers this spring and summer.

The following are the Frankfort-based landscapers licensed in the village:

• Aladdin Landscaping
• Elemental Landscaping
• Emerald Sites Services
• Fawn Landscaping & Nursery
• Golden Gate Nursery
• Green Arbor Landscape
• J. Brtis Landscape
• JT Landscaping/Design
• Jabaay's Outdoor Creations
• Rein's Landscaping & Design
• Trevarthan Landscape

Check the media gallery in this article for the village's list of landscapers based outside of Frankfort. That list includes contractors who have been licensed in the past but might not have renewed that license, Ducay stated in an e-mail to Frankfort Patch, adding that it's common for landscapers to wait until they get a job before renewing.