Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Bluff Springs Township, Illinois

Rules another office applies inside Bluff Springs Township

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

• Building permitRequired

  Construction on land inside Bluff Springs township that is in unincorporated Cass County, handled by the Cass County zoning officer

  • Agricultural-use land is outside the zoning ordinance's permit requirements: the ordinance states that it shall not be construed to require permits with respect to land used for agricultural purposes, as herein defined.
  • Permit applications are obtained from and reviewed by the county zoning officer.

  “failure to obtain a building permit before starting a project may result in a fine.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside Bluff Springs township that is in unincorporated Cass County. Zoning here is administered by Cass County, not by the township; the township itself has not been shown to adopt a zoning ordinance.

  • The county ordinance applies to unincorporated areas of the county and to villages without their own zoning ordinance; land inside any municipality with its own zoning is not covered.
  • Whether every parcel in Bluff Springs township is unincorporated was not verified against a municipal boundary map.

  “this applies to the unincorporated areas of the county as well as villages that do not have a zoning ordinance.”

• Zoning districtsPartial

  County zoning districts applicable to unincorporated land inside Bluff Springs township

  • District text is published in the ordinance PDF; the zoning map is kept on file with the county clerk and was not opened, so parcel-level district assignment is not confirmed.
  • Districts: A agricultural, CD conservation, R-1 to R-4 residential, B-1 to B-3 business, M-1 to M-3 industrial, PD planned development.

  “3.1 establishment for the purpose of this ordinance, the county of cass is hereby divided into the following zoning districts: a cd r-1 r-2 r-3 r-4 b-1 b-2 b-3 m-1 m-2 m-3 pd”

• Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

  Single-family residence in the agricultural district in unincorporated Cass County, inside Bluff Springs township

  • Applies to residences constructed in the agricultural district; other residential districts are not covered by this claim.

  minimum living area: >= 800 square feet · minimum width: >= 14 feet

  “2. the minimum living area of any residence constructed in an agricultural district must be at least eight hundred (800) square feet. 3. the minimum width of any residence constructed in an agricultural district must be at least fourteen (14) feet.”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  Single-family residence or detached structure in the agricultural district in unincorporated Cass County, inside Bluff Springs township

  • A farmstead is permitted on a minimum lot or parcel of three acres.
  • Keeping livestock on a non-agricultural residential lot requires at least five acres and is subject to animal-count limits in the ordinance.

  minimum lot size: >= 3 acres

  “1. the minimum lot size permitted for the construction of a single-family residence or detached structure in an agricultural district is a minimum of three (3) acres.”

• SetbacksSpecified

  Residences and structures in the agricultural district in unincorporated Cass County, inside Bluff Springs township

  • Front setback depends on the road type: 50 feet from federal or state highway right-of-way, 35 feet from county or township road right-of-way.
  • Side and rear setbacks apply to residences and detached structures.

  front setback, federal or state highway right-of-way: >= 50 feet · front setback, county or township road right-of-way: >= 35 feet · side and rear setback: >= 35 feet

  “5. the minimum front setback requirement for all structures constructed in an agricultural district must be at least fifty (50) feet from federal highway right-of way, fifty (50) feet from state highway right-of-way and thirtyfive (35) feet from county or township road right-of-way.”

• Living in an RVTemporary only (with conditions)

  Occupying a recreational vehicle or other wheeled vehicle for sleeping on a lot of record in unincorporated Cass County inside Bluff Springs township

  • Requires a temporary permit from the zoning enforcement officer, renewed annually.
  • Vehicle may not be occupied more than 182 days per calendar year.
  • Vehicle may not be permanently attached to septic tank or water.
  • Vehicle must be capable of being removed, enclosed in a fenced or plant-screened area, currently licensed, and placed at least 100 feet from all property lines.
  • Lot of record must be at least three acres.

  maximum occupancy: <= 182 days per calendar year · minimum lot of record: >= 3 acres · setback from property lines: >= 100 feet

  “a. the vehicle may not be occupied more than 182 days per calendar year.”

• Camping on your landLimited

  Temporary camping with wheeled sleeping vehicles on a lot of record in unincorporated Cass County inside Bluff Springs township

  • Requires a temporary permit from the zoning enforcement officer, renewed annually.
  • Maximum 182 days occupancy per calendar year; lot of record at least three acres; vehicle placed at least 100 feet from all property lines and enclosed in a fenced or plant-screened area.

  maximum occupancy: <= 182 days per calendar year

  “g. the vehicle must be placed at least 100 feet from all property lines.”

• Manufactured homesLimited

  Mobile or manufactured home used as a dwelling on a lot in the agricultural district in unincorporated Cass County inside Bluff Springs township

  • Outside an approved mobile home park, a mobile home may not be used as a dwelling unit on the lot.
  • The ordinance lists temporary and farm-related mobile home permits (one-year term, renewable) and a mobile home while a house is being built; the full terms were not read in the passage opened.

  “6) mobile home units – no mobile home shall be used as dwelling unit on any lot, tract, or parcel, other than a lot, tract or parcel approved as a mobile home park as hereinafter provided, except that a mobile home unit may be occupied and maintained by:”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Limited — Mobile homes in the R-3 single-family residential district in unincorporated Cass County, if a parcel in Bluff Springs township is zoned R-3

    “mobile homes (providing section 18.2, mobile home park regulations is complied with)”

• Who permits septicMixed (with conditions)

  Private sewage (septic) systems on land inside Bluff Springs township; the Illinois Department of Public Health regulates installation statewide and local health agencies may also review plans

  • Illinois Department of Public Health regulates systems with no surface discharge, such as septic tanks and seepage fields.
  • About 90 local health agencies in Illinois review sewage disposal construction plans, either under a local ordinance or as an agent of the department.
  • Whether the Cass County Health Department (Beardstown) is the local agency serving Bluff Springs township was not confirmed on an official page; its own site describes it as a certified local health department but does not state septic review.

  “the illinois department of public health (idph) regulates the installation of all private sewage disposal systems that have no surface discharge”

• Septic permitRequired

  New private sewage (septic) systems installed on land inside Bluff Springs township

  • Plans are reviewed and approved before construction; the page does not state the permit fee or the local agency that issues the approval for Cass County.

  “staff also review and approve plans for private sewage disposal systems and alternative private sewage disposal systems before construction.”

• Permit processPartial

  Building permit process for land inside Bluff Springs township that is in unincorporated Cass County

  • Process is handled by the county zoning officer (phone and email listed on the county page); no step-by-step timeline or fee schedule is published on the pages opened.

  “property owners and contractors can obtain applications for building permits and receive assistance by contacting the cass county zoning officer.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption from permits in unincorporated Cass County
• Building code adopted — Building code adopted for unincorporated Cass County land inside Bluff Springs township
• Inspections — Building inspections for unincorporated Cass County land inside Bluff Springs township
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy for unincorporated Cass County land inside Bluff Springs township
• Lot coverage — Lot coverage limits in unincorporated Cass County inside Bluff Springs 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.