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

Rules another office applies inside Tolono Township

Tolono 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 in unincorporated Tolono township. The permit is the Champaign County zoning use permit, not a township building permit.

  • Permits are required for all construction and land use except that related to the agriculture exemption (the brochure's exact wording is 'permits are required for all construction and land use except that related to the "agriculture exemption"').
  • Inside the Village of Tolono limits, the village's own permit rules apply instead and were not opened.

  “yes, a zoning use permit is required for any construction or land use in the country.”

• InspectionsLimited

  Construction in unincorporated Tolono township under an approved zoning use permit

  • These are zoning compliance inspections; no building-code inspection program was located.

  “zoning compliance inspections are conducted to assure compliance with an approved zupa and to ensure compliance with the zoning ordinance.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside Tolono township outside incorporated municipalities. The rule is the Champaign County Zoning Ordinance (adopted 1973), not a Tolono township ordinance. The Village of Tolono zoning ordinance applies only inside village limits.

  • Champaign County's own brochure describes its zoning as applying to the unincorporated area; this is county zoning, not a township-adopted ordinance.
  • The brochure says the zoning ordinance was adopted on October 10, 1973; that date is recorded as effective_at.

  “the champaign county zoning ordinance was adopted on october 10, 1973.”

• Minimum lot sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Lots in the AG-1 Agriculture district in unincorporated Tolono township. The county's main single-family R district was not verified.

  • The minimum lot area number for AG-1 was not confirmed; the 2022 memo says only that a 2.53-acre lot is more than twice the minimum area.
  • A variance (ZBA Case 052-V-22) was needed for a lot 35 feet short of the width requirement, so the width is enforced in practice.

  minimum average lot width: 200 feet (AG-1 district only; minimum lot area not numerically confirmed)

  “the requirement for a minimum average lot width of 200 feet in the ag-1 zoning district was established with the adoption of the zoning ordinance on october 10, 1973.”

• Building heightSpecified

  Residential accessory buildings in the AG-1 Agriculture district in unincorporated Tolono township. Principal building height limits were not verified.

  • Height is measured from grade to a point midway between the highest and lowest points of the roof (ordinance section 3.0, as quoted in the 2016 memo).

  maximum height, residential accessory building: 15 feet (lots less than one acre in area) · maximum height, residential accessory building: 24 feet (lots one acre or more in area)

  “the maximum height for a residential accessory building in the ag-1 agriculture district is established in section 5.3, footnote 4 of the zoning ordinance as 15 feet on lots less than one acre in area, and 24 feet on lots one acre or more in area.”

• Who permits septicMixed (with conditions)

  Private sewage systems in Champaign County areas outside Champaign and Urbana city limits, which includes unincorporated land in Tolono township. The health district page does not name the village of Tolono.

  • The page names the Illinois Private Sewage Disposal Code and the Illinois Private Sewage Licensing Act as rules, plus the Health Ordinance of Champaign County (No. 969) and its fee ordinance.
  • Use the county forms for all areas of Champaign County outside the Champaign and Urbana city limits.

  “for all other areas of champaign county, please use the county forms.”

• Septic permitRequired

  New or renovated private sewage systems in Champaign County areas outside Champaign and Urbana city limits, including unincorporated Tolono township

  • Applications are processed within 15 days.
  • Work requires at least 48 hours' notice to the office before it starts.
  • An application must be submitted with the appropriate permit fee (fee amounts not shown on the page opened).

  “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

  New or renovated private sewage systems in Champaign County areas outside Champaign and Urbana city limits, including unincorporated Tolono township

  • Inspection is by health district staff to confirm installation according to code.

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

• Agricultural exemptionAvailable (with conditions)

  Construction and land use related to agriculture in unincorporated Tolono township

  • The brochure names an 'agriculture exemption' from permits but does not state its conditions; check the zoning ordinance.

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

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Division of land in unincorporated Tolono township

  • Plats are reviewed by the Environment and Land Use Committee and approved by the County Board; application fees apply.
  • The Illinois Plat Act also applies.

  “these regulations (and the illinois plat act) govern the division of land in most of the unincorporated area.”

• Building in a floodplainLimited

  Development in mapped special flood hazard areas in unincorporated Tolono township

  • The county administers its special flood hazards development regulations; the page does not say which parcels they cover. Check the county flood map for each parcel.

  “the department administers the champaign county special flood hazards development regulations”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption for unincorporated Tolono township
• Building code adopted — Whether a building code is adopted for unincorporated Tolono township
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy for new homes in unincorporated Tolono township
• Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling size in unincorporated Tolono township
• Setbacks — Setbacks in unincorporated Tolono 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.