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

Philadelphia Township’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Commercial or residential projects on unincorporated land inside Philadelphia Township subject to Cass County zoning.

  • Routine maintenance or repair, alterations under $300 replacement value, municipally operated utility service connections, and agricultural uses except as required by ordinance section 2.2 are listed permit exceptions.
  • Work or a change of use not substantially started within 90 days requires a new permit.

  “No permit shall be required for: 1. Routine maintenance or repair of buildings, structures, or equipment such as repainting or reroofing a building, or reballasting a railroad track. 2. Alterations of existing building having a replacement value of less than $300. 3. Construction of a service connection to a municipally owned and operated utility. 4. Any agricultural use, except as required in Section 2.2”

• Owner-builder exemptionConditional

  A homeowner installing or servicing a private sewage system serving the homeowner’s personal residence inside Philadelphia Township.

  • The homeowner exception applies only to the homeowner's personal residence and does not waive sewage permitting or compliance standards.

  “All private sewage disposal systems within the limits of Cass County shall be installed and/or serviced by Illinois licensed private sewage disposal system contractors; provided however, that a home owner may install and/or service a private sewage disposal system which serves his own personal residence.”

• InspectionsLimited

  County-permitted work inside Philadelphia Township.

  • The cited inspection power concerns enforcement of permit rules; the ordinance does not establish a universal residential building-inspection schedule.

  “A permit shall be revoked by the Zoning Enforcement Officer when he shall find from personal inspection or from competent evidence, that the rules or regulations under which it has been issued are being violated.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Unincorporated land inside Philadelphia Township, where Cass County administers zoning; no Philadelphia Township zoning ordinance was located.

  • Cass County states its ordinance applies to unincorporated county areas and villages without their own zoning ordinance.

  “The Cass County Zoning Officer administers the Cass County Zoning Ordinance. This applies to the unincorporated areas of the county as well as villages that do not have a zoning ordinance.”

• Manufactured homesLimited

  Mobile-home use in Cass County-zoned land inside Philadelphia Township.

  • Generally limited to an approved mobile-home-park parcel.
  • Farm-owner/operator/tenant, certain relatives, and agricultural employees have specified exceptions.
  • A temporary mobile home while the owner builds a house requires a one-year permit renewable at Planning Commission discretion, setbacks, diligent construction effort, and water/sewage facilities.

  “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 :”

• Who permits septicCounty (with conditions)

  Private sewage disposal systems inside Philadelphia Township.

  • The ordinance defines the Cass County Health Department as an agency of the Cass County Board of Health.

  “HEALTH DEPARTMENT shall mean the Cass County Health Department, an agency of the Cass County Board of Health.”

• Septic permitRequired

  Construction, alteration, or extension of an individual sewage disposal system inside Philadelphia Township.

  • Permit applications go to the Board of Health or authorized representative.
  • A construction permit is valid for six months; if construction has not started, it is void.
  • The Board may refuse a permit where public or community sewerage is available.

  “It shall be unlawful for any person to construct, alter or extend individual sewage disposal systems within Cass County unless he holds a valid permit issued by the Health Department stating the name of such person for which the specific construction, alteration, or extension is proposed.”

• Septic inspectionRequired

  A homeowner-installed private sewage system for the homeowner’s personal residence inside Philadelphia Township.

  • The system may not be covered or placed in operation before Health Department inspection and written approval.

  “An individual sewage disposal system which has been installed by a homeowner for his personal residence shall not be covered or placed in operation until the said installation shall have been inspected and written approval of the said system shall have been issued by the Health Department.”

• Off-grid sanitationLimited

  Private sewage disposal inside Philadelphia Township.

  • Private sewage construction requires a permit.
  • The Board may refuse the permit if public or community sewerage is available.
  • A subsurface seepage field must provide at least 200 square feet.

  minimum seepage area: >= 200 square feet

  “Where a subsurface seepage field is installed as a component part of a private sewage disposal system, the seepage area provided shall be in accordance with Appendix H of the Private Sewage Disposal Licensing Act and Code. A minimum of 200 square feet of seepage area shall be provided.”

• Mandatory utility hookupConditional

  Private-sewage permit applicants inside Philadelphia Township.

  • The Health Board may refuse a private-sewage permit when public or community sewerage is available.
  • For commercial establishments, subdivisions, and multifamily dwellings, reasonable distance is no greater than 1,000 feet; adjoining or abutting sewer-line locations are also defined as available.

  reasonable sewer distance: <= 1000 feet (Commercial establishment, subdivision, or multifamily dwelling)

  “a reasonable distance for the purpose of this provision shall be deemed to be not greater than 1000 feet for a commercial establishment, subdivision or multi-family dwelling.”

• Agricultural exemptionAvailable (with conditions)

  Agricultural uses inside Philadelphia Township subject to Cass County zoning.

  • The zoning ordinance preserves requirements under section 2.2.

  “No permit shall be required for: 1. Routine maintenance or repair of buildings, structures, or equipment such as repainting or reroofing a building, or reballasting a railroad track. 2. Alterations of existing building having a replacement value of less than $300. 3. Construction of a service connection to a municipally owned and operated utility. 4. Any agricultural use, except as required in Section 2.2”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Flag-lot subdivision activity on Cass County-zoned land inside Philadelphia Township.

  • Each flag lot must be at least five acres, the pre-creation lot at least 20 acres, have at least 20 feet of road frontage and a common driveway, and be platted, surveyed, and approved by the County Planning Commission.

  “All lots must be platted and surveyed. (And be approved by the County Planning Commission”

• Driveway accessLimited

  Flag lots inside Philadelphia Township subject to Cass County zoning.

  • Limited to flag-lot requirements; a general driveway-access-permit rule was not established by the opened sources.

  minimum public road frontage: >= 20 feet (Flag lot; common driveway required)

  “Minimum public road frontage is at least twenty (20) feet. (And use a common driveway)”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Cass County zoning-permit applications for unincorporated land inside Philadelphia Township.

  • Applications are triplicate and require applicable applicant/site, survey, sewage, and water-supply information.
  • Sewage and water plans are required if municipal service is unavailable.

  “Applications for a permit shall be made in triplicate to the County Zoning Enforcement Officer on forms furnished by the County Zoning Enforcement Officer and shall include the following where applicable:”

Still unanswered

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

• Building code adopted — Construction inside Philadelphia Township.
• Certificate of occupancy — Residential occupancy inside Philadelphia Township.
• Living in an RV — RV occupancy on private land inside Philadelphia Township.
• Camping on your land — Temporary camping on private land inside Philadelphia Township.
• Tiny homes — Tiny-home occupancy inside Philadelphia 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.