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

Rules another office applies inside Brown Township

Brown 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

  New construction and land use inside Brown township where county zoning applies (unincorporated land, not within any city or village)

  • The requirement is a county zoning use permit from the Champaign County Department of Planning and Zoning, not a building permit under a named building code.
  • The county brochure says the permit requirement applies to unincorporated land; land inside an incorporated municipality is governed by that municipality.
  • The county zoning ordinance fee section exempts structures and uses owned or operated by government bodies and agriculture from zoning use permit fees (section 9.3.1); the agriculture exemption is recorded separately.

  “All construction requires an approved Zoning Use Permit.”

• InspectionsLimited

  Inspections of construction and land use inside Brown township where county zoning applies

  • The county inspections described are zoning compliance inspections to check the approved zoning use permit and zoning ordinance; the brochure does not describe a building-code inspection program.
  • Applies to unincorporated land only.

  “Zoning Compliance Inspections are conducted to assure compliance with an approved ZUPA and to ensure compliance with the Zoning Ordinance.”

• Certificate of occupancyLimited

  Occupancy approval for construction inside Brown township where county zoning applies

  • The county issues zoning compliance certificates; the brochure does not say every dwelling needs one.
  • The zoning ordinance states that no certificate of compliance shall be issued for occupancy of a manufactured home located outside a manufactured home park until a tiedown installation report is submitted, where required.

  “We issue zoning use permits and maintain permanent files, inspect construction and land use to ensure compliance with the County zoning ordinance, investigate alleged violations, and issue zoning compliance certificates.”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  County zoning district designations that apply to land in unincorporated Brown township

  • District designations and the official zoning map are maintained by the county; the zoning map was not opened.
  • Districts include AG-1, AG-2, CR, R-1 through R-5, B-1 through B-5, I-1 and I-2, and the rural residential overlay (RRO).

  “Principal USES Zoning DISTRICTS CR AG-1 AG-2 R-1 R-2 R-3 R-4 R-5 B-1 B-2 B-3 B-4 B-5 I-1 I-2”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  AG-1 Agriculture district lots inside Brown township where county zoning applies (main rural district)

  • Footnotes (5), (13), (14), (15) on the AG-1 row were not opened; they may add exceptions.
  • Lot-size and width columns read from the schedule row; the header labels were not fully captured in the extracted text.
  • Lots near a hazardous liquid pipeline have an extra pipeline-impact-radius rule (section 4.3.4); not verified for AG-1 lots.

  minimum lot area: 1 acre (footnotes (5), (13), (14), (15) not opened) · average lot width: 200 feet

  “AG-1 AGRICULTURE 1 Acre 200 50 NR10 85 75 55 15 25 20% (5), (13), (14), (15)”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — R-1 Single Family Residence district lots inside Brown township where county zoning applies (main single-family residential district; applies only if land is zoned R-1)

    “R-1 Single FAMILY Residence 9,000 80 35 2 1/2 85 75 55 10 20 30% (5), (8)”

• Living in an RVProhibited

  Living in a travel trailer, motor vehicle or tent as a dwelling on land inside Brown township where county zoning applies

  • The rule bars use as a dwelling; it does not address short visits or RV storage.
  • Applies to unincorporated land only; a municipality's own rules govern inside its limits.
  • Septic and well permits still apply to any residence.

  “No MOTOR VEHICLE, TRAVEL TRAILER or tent shall be used as a DWELLING.”

• Manufactured homesLimited

  Manufactured homes used as dwellings on land inside Brown township outside a manufactured home park

  • All manufactured homes must have wheels and hitches removed and meet federal or Illinois manufactured housing standards, with listed exceptions (manufactured home parks, temporary construction dwellings, caretaker dwellings on institutional sites).
  • No certificate of compliance for occupancy is issued for a manufactured home outside a park until a tiedown installation report is submitted, if the Illinois tiedown rules require one.
  • Manufactured home parks are governed by the R-5 district and section 6.2 of the ordinance.

  “All MANUFACTURED HOMES shall have wheels and hitches removed and meet the requirements of the National Manufactured Home Construction and Safety Standards (24 CFR Part 3280) or the Illinois Manufactured Housing & Mobile Home Structure Rules (77 Ill. Admin. Code, Part 880) whichever applies”

• Accessory dwellingsProhibited

  A second home or accessory dwelling on one lot inside Brown township where county zoning applies (for example, a home for elderly parents or guests)

  • Stated in the county's own planning and zoning FAQ, not in the ordinance text; the accessory-structure section (7.x) was not opened, so this is a brochure statement.
  • The FAQ says each home needs its own zoning lot and that creating one may not be possible without a map amendment or subdivision.
  • Does not apply inside incorporated municipalities.

  “No. Second homes are not allowable on any land.”

• Who permits septicLocal (with conditions)

  Private sewage disposal systems for land inside Brown township outside the City of Champaign and City of Urbana

  • The Champaign-Urbana Public Health District page says properties inside Champaign or Urbana city limits use separate C-U forms; all other areas of Champaign County use the county forms.
  • Parcels in another incorporated municipality should be checked separately.

  “For systems within Champaign or Urbana city limits, please use the C-U forms. For all other areas of Champaign County, please use the County forms.”

• Septic permitRequired

  New or renovated private sewage disposal system on land inside Brown township outside the cities of Champaign and Urbana

  • Application must be submitted with the appropriate permit fee.
  • Applications are processed within 15 days.
  • Work requires a minimum of 48 hours' notice to the health district before starting.
  • Work must be done by a homeowner or an Illinois Department of Public Health-licensed sewage contractor.

  application processing time: 15 days

  “For new or renovated private sewage disposal systems installed in Champaign County, a homeowner or an Illinois Department of Public Health-licensed sewage contractor must obtain a construction permit from our office before any work is conducted.”

• Septic inspectionRequired

  Installation of a new or renovated private sewage disposal system inside Brown township outside the cities of Champaign and Urbana

  • Inspection is by health district staff to confirm the system was installed according to code.

  “Our staff will conduct inspections to determine that systems have been installed according to code.”

• Well permitRequired

  Private water well construction or renovation on land inside Brown township outside the cities of Champaign and Urbana

  • Work must be done by an Illinois Department of Public Health-licensed well contractor.
  • Application with fee; processed within 15 days; 48 hours' notice before work; staff inspection.

  application processing time: 15 days

  “Before work can begin on wells in Champaign County, a construction permit must be obtained from our office.”

• Agricultural exemptionAvailable

  Agricultural construction and land use in unincorporated Brown township

  • The brochure says permits are required for all construction and land use except that related to the agriculture exemption; the exemption's conditions are defined in the ordinance, which was not read in full.
  • The fee section of the ordinance also exempts agriculture from zoning use permit fees.

  “Permits are required for all construction and land use except that related to the “agriculture exemption”.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Division of land into new lots inside Brown township, in the unincorporated area

  • Plats are reviewed by the Environment and Land Use Committee and approved by the County Board; application fees apply.
  • The brochure says the subdivision regulations govern the division of land in 'most' of the unincorporated area, so some parcels may be exempt; the exemptions were not read.
  • Zoning review of proposed lot splits and land divisions is provided at no fee.

  “These regulations (and the Illinois Plat Act) govern the division of land in most of the unincorporated area.”

• Building in a floodplainLimited

  Development on land in a special flood hazard area inside unincorporated Brown township

  • Floodplain development permits apply where land is in the special flood hazard area; the brochure says construction in the floodplain is allowed in general with extra fees, longer review and a licensed engineer or surveyor.
  • Other land in Brown township is not in the floodplain permit area; check the flood map for the parcel.

  “Floodplain Development Permit applications are accepted and processed. Application fees apply.”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Zoning use permit process for construction in unincorporated Brown township

  • Applications are accepted and processed by the Champaign County Department of Planning and Zoning, Brookens Administrative Center, Urbana; office hours Monday to Friday 8:00 am to 4:30 pm excluding county holidays.
  • Health-district septic and well permits are separate and run through C-UPHD.

  “The Department of Planning & Zoning accepts and processes applications for zoning use permits.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Whether an owner may build a home on their own land without a licensed contractor inside Brown township
• Building code adopted — Which residential building code, if any, governs new homes inside Brown township
• Local zoning — Whether Brown township itself adopts and administers a zoning ordinance for land inside its limits
• Minimum dwelling size — Minimum floor area for a dwelling inside Brown township where county zoning applies
• Camping on your land — Temporary camping on private land inside Brown 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.