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

Rules another office applies inside Rich Township

Rich 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 code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

  Building construction in unincorporated Cook County parcels inside Rich township. Incorporated municipalities inside Rich township set their own building codes.

  • The 2021 International Building Code, Residential, Mechanical, Energy Conservation, Fire and Existing Building codes were adopted with local amendments, per the county posting.
  • The 2014 State of Illinois Plumbing Code and the 2014 Cook County Electrical Code remain in their entirety, per the county posting.
  • Drawings had to conform to the new codes after December 1, 2021, per the county posting.

  “an ordinance adopting the following regulatory codes with local amendments for all of unincorporated Cook County”

• InspectionsRequired

  Permitted construction on unincorporated Cook County parcels inside Rich township

  • Inspection stages are assigned when the permit is issued.
  • Two critical submissions are also required during construction: a spot survey and a final grade survey, per the county permit tips.

  “Inspections are required all during the construction process.”

• Local zoningVaries (with conditions)

  Parcels inside Rich township that are unincorporated Cook County. Incorporated parcels inside Rich township are governed by their own municipality's zoning, which this record does not cover.

  • Applies only where the parcel is not inside a municipality's corporate limits.
  • Rich Township's own page does not show that the township adopted zoning; the county ordinance is treated here as the rule that applies because no township ordinance was found.
  • Cook County's zoning page limits its zoning classification search to unincorporated parcels.

  “parcels located in unincorporated Cook County (only).”

• Who permits septicCounty (with conditions)

  Private sewage disposal (septic) systems inside Rich township, where the parcel is not in a municipality with its own septic ordinance

  • Cook County Department of Public Health reviews and approves private sewage disposal systems throughout Cook County except in four incorporated villages (Barrington Hills, Inverness, Palos Park, South Barrington), none of which is a Rich township municipality.
  • The county page names IDPH as the governing body whose rules the county uses to approve septic systems.

  “ccdph reviews and approves all private sewage disposal systems throughout cook county; except in incorporated barrington hills, inverness, palos park, and south barrington, which have their own idph-approved septic ordinances.”

• Septic permitRequired

  A new septic system or one built on a home inside Rich township, outside the four excepted villages

  • Application requires a completed private sewage disposal application, seven sets of plans, a soil report and a check or money order payable to the Cook County Department of Public Health.
  • Building and zoning requires health department approval of a septic system at submittal for new construction served by a septic field.

  “ccdph reviews and approves all private sewage disposal systems throughout cook county; except in incorporated barrington hills, inverness, palos park, and south barrington, which have their own idph-approved septic ordinances.”

• Well permitRequired

  Homes inside Rich township not served by a public water system

  • Cook County Building and Zoning requires health department approval of wells before home construction projects involving wells proceed.
  • The well permit requirement is listed as a submittal item for new construction on the county permit tips.

  “well permit (if not served by public water system).”

• Permit processPartial

  Building permit applications for unincorporated Cook County parcels inside Rich township

  • Steps published: submit digital application (files 10MB or less by email), permit status tracking, deficiency response, permit fee invoice, permit mailed on payment.
  • Process described mostly relates to new construction; other project types require contacting the department.

  “before completing the permit application, please refer to the link below for the application submittals necessary for the type of work to be done”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption for construction inside Rich township
• Zoning districts — Zoning districts for land inside Rich township
• Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling size for single-family homes inside Rich township
• Minimum lot size — Minimum lot size for the main single-family residential district inside Rich township
• Setbacks — Yard setbacks for the main single-family residential district inside Rich 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.