Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Sangamon Valley Township, Illinois

Sangamon Valley Township’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Buildings, land uses, structural alterations, relocations, and additions subject to the Cass County Zoning Ordinance on unincorporated land inside Sangamon Valley township.

  • Routine maintenance or repair is exempt.
  • Alterations of an existing building with replacement value below $300 are exempt.
  • A service connection to a municipally owned and operated utility is exempt.
  • Agricultural use is exempt except as required by ordinance Section 2.2.
  • Work or a change in use not substantially started within 90 days requires a new permit.

  start-work deadline: <= 90 days (A new permit is required if authorized work or change in use is not substantially started within 90 days.)

  “The zoning officer is also responsible for the review and issuance of building permits and the processing of applications for variances, conditional uses, special use permits, and rezoning request.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land in Sangamon Valley township that is in unincorporated Cass County; the operative zoning ordinance is administered by Cass County, not shown by the official sources as a township-adopted ordinance.

  • The Cass County ordinance applies to unincorporated areas; incorporated land may be governed separately.
  • No official Sangamon Valley township site or township ordinance was located in the research budget.

  “This applies to the unincorporated areas of the county as well as villages that do not have a zoning ordinance. The zoning ordinance generally provides regulations that govern the use of property and includes such things as zoning districts, minimum lot sizes, setbacks, flood plain regulations, sign regulations, and variance criteria.”

• Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

  Agricultural District in unincorporated Sangamon Valley township.

  minimum living area: >= 800 square feet (Residence constructed in an agricultural district.)

  “The minimum living area of any residence constructed in an agricultural district must be at least eight hundred (800) square feet.”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  Single-family residences or detached structures in the Agricultural District of unincorporated Sangamon Valley township.

  minimum lot size: >= 3 acres (Single-family residence or detached structure in agricultural district.)

  “single-family residence or detached structure in an agricultural district is a minimum of three (3) acres.”

• Living in an RVTemporary only (with conditions)

  Wheeled vehicles designed for sleeping or camping on lots of record in unincorporated Sangamon Valley township.

  • A temporary permit from the Zoning Enforcement Officer is required and renewed annually.
  • Occupancy is limited to 182 days per calendar year.
  • The vehicle cannot be permanently attached to septic or water, must be removable, screened, currently licensed, and at least 100 feet from property lines.
  • The lot must be at least three acres and lot owner, vehicle owner, and occupant must be the same.

  maximum occupancy: <= 182 days per calendar year · minimum lot size: >= 3 acres · minimum property-line distance: >= 100 feet

  “However, temporary usage of lots of record, either with or without dwellings may be permitted for wheeled vehicles designed for sleeping or camping by temporary permit from the Zoning Enforcement Officer, provided the following conditions are met: A. The vehicle may not be occupied more than 182 days per calendar year.”

• Camping on your landLimited

  Temporary camping in wheeled vehicles on lots of record in unincorporated Sangamon Valley township.

  • A temporary permit is required.
  • The vehicle may not be occupied more than 182 days in a calendar year.
  • Further vehicle, screening, setback, acreage, licensing, and ownership conditions apply.

  maximum occupancy: <= 182 days per calendar year

  “However, temporary usage of lots of record, either with or without dwellings may be permitted for wheeled vehicles designed for sleeping or camping by temporary permit from the Zoning Enforcement Officer, provided the following conditions are met: A. The vehicle may not be occupied more than 182 days per calendar year.”

• Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

  Cass County zoning petitions, use permits, certificates of compliance, variations, and appeals affecting unincorporated Sangamon Valley township.

  • The County Board establishes fees from time to time.
  • The ordinance page does not state a current general fee amount.

  “Fees pertaining to petitions for zoning amendments, use permits, certificates of compliance, variations, and for appeals to the Board of Zoning Appeals shall be established by action of the County Board from time to time.”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Zoning permits in unincorporated Sangamon Valley township.

  • Applications are made in triplicate on forms furnished by the County Zoning Enforcement Officer.
  • The application must include listed information where applicable, including a proposed sewage plan if municipal sewer service is unavailable and proposed water-supply plan if municipal water service is unavailable.
  • A new permit is required where authorized work or change of use is not substantially started within 90 days.

  application copies: 3 copies · start-work deadline: <= 90 days (New permit required if not substantially started.)

  “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:”

Rules another office applies inside Sangamon Valley Township

Sangamon Valley 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)

  Private sewage disposal systems inside Sangamon Valley township.

  • The Health Department is an agency of the Cass County Board of Health.
  • The ordinance applies within the limits of Cass County.

  “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 Sangamon Valley township.

  • Application is made to the Board of Health or its authorized representative with information sufficient for review.
  • The permit may be refused where public or community sewerage is available.
  • A permit is issued only to a homeowner or Illinois-licensed private sewage-disposal-system contractor.
  • A construction permit is void if construction does not start within six months.

  permit validity: 6 months (Void if construction has not started within that period.)

  “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 individual sewage disposal system serving the homeowner's personal residence inside Sangamon Valley township.

  • The system cannot be covered or placed in operation until Health Department inspection and written approval.
  • The authorized representative may inspect during construction.
  • The owner or occupant must provide reasonable access for necessary compliance inspections.

  “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

  On-site private sewage disposal systems inside Sangamon Valley township.

  • A valid Health Department permit is required before construction, alteration, or extension.
  • The Board of Health may refuse a permit where public or community sewerage is available.
  • A subsurface seepage field must provide at least 200 square feet of seepage area.

  minimum seepage area: >= 200 square feet (Where a subsurface seepage field is installed as a component of a private sewage disposal system.)

  “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.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — General residential construction in Sangamon Valley township.
• Building code adopted — Construction in Sangamon Valley township.
• Inspections — General building construction in Sangamon Valley township.
• Certificate of occupancy — Buildings in Sangamon Valley township.
• Well permit — Private wells in Sangamon Valley 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.