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

Rules another office applies inside Brookside Township

Brookside 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

  Erection, moving, or alteration of buildings in unincorporated Brookside township under county zoning

  • The county residential application is a certificate of zoning compliance application, and the county zoning page lists a residential building permit application.
  • For a residence or structure that will contain a bathroom, a county health permit must be issued before a building permit (see septic_permit).
  • Applicants may need a floodplain, flowage easement, or address check per the application form.

  “Application is hereby made for a Certificate of Zoning Compliance, as required under the ZONING ORDINANCE OF CLINTON COUNTY, for the erection, moving or alteration, and use of buildings and premises.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Unincorporated land inside Brookside township, Clinton County, Illinois, where no township zoning ordinance has been found

  • The county zoning ordinance applies to the unincorporated areas of the county as well as villages without their own zoning ordinance, per the county zoning office.
  • Not verified whether Brookside township has adopted its own zoning ordinance; this claim assumes it has not, because none was located.
  • The county zoning office also administers the subdivision and floodplain ordinances.

  “The Clinton County Zoning Ordinance became effective January, 1991 and applies to the unincorporated areas of the county as well as within villages that do not have their own zoning ordinance.”

• SetbacksSpecified

  Front setbacks for structures on lots fronting county or township roads outside incorporated limits, unincorporated Brookside township, all districts

  • Along interstate and state routes the minimum setback is 75 ft from easements or right-of-way line.
  • Subdivisions existing before January 1, 1991 use R-2 district setbacks.
  • Side and rear setbacks for R-1 and A-R are not reliably read from the column-aligned table and are not stated here; see followups.

  front setback from county road centerline: 100 ft (county roads outside incorporated limits of any city, village or incorporated town) · front setback from township road centerline: 75 ft (township roads)

  “Except along County roads outside the incorporated limits of any city, village or incorporated town, the minimum setback shall be 100 ft from the center line of the road, & Township roads the minimum setback shall be 75 ft from the center line of the road).”

• Building heightDistrict specific (with conditions)

  R-1 single-family residential district, unincorporated Brookside township

  • Height measured per county application site-plan instructions (ground to peak).
  • Value read from the column-aligned table row; the R-1 column is the third entry after A and A-R.

  maximum structure height (R-1): <= 35 ft

  “Maximum Height Structure None 35 ft 35 ft 35 ft 35 ft 35 ft None”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • District specific (with conditions) — A-R agricultural-residential district, unincorporated Brookside township

    “Maximum Height Structure None 35 ft 35 ft 35 ft 35 ft 35 ft None”

• Who permits septicMixed (with conditions)

  Private sewage systems on land inside Brookside township: the Clinton County Health Department reviews and permits; the state (IDPH) sets the regulatory framework

  • The state (IDPH) regulates installation of all private sewage disposal systems with no surface discharge, and about 90 local health agencies review plans under local ordinance or as IDPH's agent.
  • The county application directs applicants to the Clinton County Health Department (Environmental Health Programs Manager) for private sewage permits.
  • The county health department's own rule text was not located or opened.

  “The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) regulates the installation of all private sewage disposal systems that have no surface discharge (such as septic tanks and seepage fields) as well as those that discharge treated effluent up to 1,500 gallons per day to the ground surface (such as sand filters and aerobic treatment systems).”

• Septic permitRequired

  Residence or structure containing a bathroom on land inside Brookside township, unincorporated Clinton County

  • A county health permit must be issued before a building permit is issued; construction may proceed after the permit.
  • The county health department packet is listed on its website; applicants should allow 2 to 3 weeks for a soil sample and at least 15 days for the health application process.
  • Lot area for systems that use a soil absorption field must meet Clinton County Health Department regulations (county setback schedule).

  health application processing time: >= 15 days (plus 2 to 3 weeks for a soil sample)

  “To apply for a Certificate of Zoning Compliance for a residence or structure that will contain a bathroom, a permit from the Clinton County Health Department is required prior to a building permit being issued.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Land divisions and subdivision plats in unincorporated Brookside township

  • Subdivision plat review is administered by the county zoning office; family split and plat requirements were not reviewed.
  • Subdivisions existing before January 1, 1991 use R-2 setback requirements.

  “The zoning office also administers the Subdivision and Floodplain Ordinances.”

• Driveway accessLimited

  New entrance or mailbox along a county highway in unincorporated Brookside township

  • Access on county highways goes through the Clinton County Highway Department (county engineer), per the application.
  • Access on state or township roads was not addressed; township road access rules were not located.

  “To apply for a new entrance or mailbox required along a county highway, please contact: ❖ DAN BEHRENS- COUNTY ENGINEER Clinton County Highway Department”

• Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

  Residential zoning certificate of compliance (building permit) fees for unincorporated Brookside township

  • Minimum fee $50.00 per the county resolution.
  • The fee resolution is stated as updated December 16, 2024; the source does not state an effective date, so effective_at is null.
  • Late fee is doubled; all fees are non-refundable.
  • Separate fee rates apply to commercial, agricultural, and other uses; only residential is recorded here.

  residential zoning certificate fee: per 0.135 USD per sq ft (minimum fee $50.00)

  “Zoning Certificates of Compliance (Building Permit) Residential $0.135 per sq. ft. Min. fee: $50.00”

• Permit processPartial

  Zoning permit process in unincorporated Brookside township

  • The county publishes a residential application and fee resolution, but the full process steps, timelines and inspection steps were not located.
  • Health permit must come before building permit where a bathroom is included.
  • Permit applications for zoning amendments, variances, and special uses are routed to the county zoning board of appeals.

  “The department accepts applications for zoning amendments, variances, and special uses which are processed and forwarded to the Clinton County Zoning Board of Appeals.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption for permits in unincorporated Brookside township
• Building code adopted — Whether any building code is adopted for Brookside township land
• Inspections — Building inspections for work in unincorporated Brookside township
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy for new dwellings in unincorporated Brookside township
• Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling size in unincorporated Brookside 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.