Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Concord Township, Illinois

Concord Township’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  New construction on unincorporated land inside Concord Township that is subject to Bureau County Planning & Zoning jurisdiction

  • The County states this generally; listed projects include decks, sheds of 144 square feet or more, garages, gazebos, accessory structures, dwellings, commercial and industrial buildings, and additions.
  • The County states that reroofing, window work, siding replacement, and similar maintenance generally do not require a permit.

  shed area threshold: >= 144 square feet (Listed by the County as a project needing a permit.)

  “Generally, any new construction requires a building permit which must be obtained prior to beginning construction.”

• Building code adoptedNot adopted (with conditions)

  Unincorporated land inside Concord Township that is subject to Bureau County Planning & Zoning jurisdiction

  • This does not address a separately incorporated municipality or a municipality with its own building code.
  • The County FAQ separately describes a state commercial-building inspection and certificate requirement in non-building-code jurisdictions.

  “Bureau County has not adopted a building code. However, a number of cities and villages with their own municipal zoning control within Bureau County have adopted building codes.”

• InspectionsRequired

  Construction permitted by Bureau County on unincorporated land inside Concord Township

  • The inspections are zoning-compliance inspections, not building inspections.
  • The stated stages are stake-out, footings, and final completion.

  zoning compliance inspections: 3 inspections (Typically conducted during construction.)

  “Typically, three zoning compliance inspections are conducted during the course of construction”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Unincorporated land inside Concord Township that is subject to Bureau County zoning jurisdiction

  • The current County ordinance index publishes district sections for Agricultural, Resort-Recreational, Rural Estate, R-1, R-2, R-3, B-1, B-3, M-1, and M-2.
  • The applicable district for a particular Concord Township parcel was not established by the opened sources.

  “Article III – Zoning Districts – Agricultural”

• Agricultural exemptionConditional

  Agricultural uses inside Concord Township that are under Bureau County zoning jurisdiction

  • The exemption is according to state law.
  • The County advises a person who believes a use may be exempt to verify with the zoning department and legal counsel.

  “Certain agricultural uses are exempt from meeting local zoning requirements according to state law.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Division of land inside Concord Township that is under Bureau County Zoning Ordinance jurisdiction

  • The County states that its Planning & Zoning Department regulates division of lands under the jurisdiction of the County Zoning Ordinance.
  • The County states that the regulations were adopted in 1969 and revised in 1979.

  “The Planning & Zoning Department is charged with regulating the division of lands under the jurisdiction of the Bureau County Zoning Ordinance.”

• Building in a floodplainLimited

  Development in designated special flood-hazard areas inside Concord Township that are subject to Bureau County jurisdiction

  • The limitation applies to land designated by federal special flood-hazard maps as subject to 100-year flooding.
  • Where applicability is uncertain, the applicant must provide certified elevation information to the Planning & Zoning Department.

  “They are fairly restrictive and allow only limited development activity.”

• Permit processPartial

  Zoning and building-permit applicants on unincorporated land inside Concord Township that is subject to County jurisdiction

  • The County directs prospective builders to contact the department before work begins.
  • The County publishes links to zoning, building-permit, and mobile-home permit applications.

  “If a citizen wishes to build in an area under the jurisdiction of the Bureau County Zoning Ordinance, this department should be contacted before the project begins to be certain all local regulations are met.”

Rules another office applies inside Concord Township

Concord Township does not set these itself; the county, a health district or the state does, and they apply to every address inside its limits.

• Who permits septicCounty (with conditions)

  Septic systems located inside Concord Township, Bureau County

  • The County directs persons seeking evaluations, permits, or information to the Bureau County Health Department.

  “Please contact the Bureau County Health Department for evaluations, permits, questions and concerns with wells and septic systems located in Bureau County.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Concord Township or Bureau County directly.

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residential construction inside Concord Township
• Local zoning — Land inside Concord Township, Bureau County, Illinois
• Minimum dwelling size — Dwellings inside Concord Township
• Minimum lot size — Lots inside Concord Township
• Setbacks — Structures inside Concord Township

Each answer was extracted from an official source and independently re-checked against that source by a second reviewer. That is an evidence check, not legal advice. Rules change; confirm with the authority before you buy or build.