Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Town of Cortland, Illinois

Town of Cortland’s own rules

• Building code adoptedAdopted

  Residential construction inside Cortland town

  • 2021 IRC adopted with local amendments
  • Electrical via NFPA 70 and plumbing via Illinois Plumbing Code per local amendments

  IRC edition: 2021

  “the following sections of the international residential code for one and two-family dwellings, 2021 edition are hereby amended as follows:”

• Local zoningPresent

  Land inside Cortland town limits

  • Title 9 Zoning Regulations of the town code

  “it shall be unlawful to erect or alter any building within this municipality unless the following minimum lot areas and bulk regulations are complied with:”

• Zoning districtsPublished

  Zoning districts inside Cortland town (AG, R-1 to R-4, C-1, C-2, I-1, I-2, P-1)

  • Aspen Drive overlay district also referenced

  “this entire municipality is hereby divided into the following zoning districts: district designation agricultural ag single-family residence r-1 high density single-family residence r-2 two-family residence r-3 multiple-family residence r-4 limited retail business c-1 general commercial c-2 light industrial i-1 heavy industrial i-2 recreation and open space p-1”

• Minimum dwelling sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)

  R-1 and R-2 single-family residential districts in Cortland town

  • AG districts include only dwellings as quarters for employees solely engaged in agricultural uses; no AG minimum size stated
  • Occupancy: one family or an individual plus no more than two lodgers, boarders or guests

  R-1/R-2 minimum floor area: >= 600 sq ft

  “R-1 and R-2 zoning districts shall have a minimum floor area of six hundred (600) square feet.”

• Minimum lot sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)

  AG, R-1 and R-2 districts in Cortland town

  • Other districts (R-2 6,000 sq ft, R-3, R-4, C, I, P) in the same table
  • Lot width and depth also specified

  AG lot area: None · R-1 lot area: >= 9000 sq ft · R-2 lot area: >= 6000 sq ft

  “ag none none none 35 30 none none 30 r-1 9,000 75 100 35 30 6 15 30 r-2 6,000 50 100 35 25 6 12 25”

• SetbacksDistrict specific (with conditions)

  AG and R-1 districts in Cortland town

  • Columns: front, side, rear, corner side yard setbacks; R-2 and other districts differ
  • Recorded plat setback lines less than the code minimum do not control (9-1-10)

  AG front: >= 30 feet · AG corner side: >= 30 feet · R-1 front: >= 30 feet · R-1 side: >= 6 feet · R-1 rear: >= 15 feet · R-1 corner side: >= 30 feet

  “ag none none none 35 30 none none 30 r-1 9,000 75 100 35 30 6 15 30”

• Building heightDistrict specific (with conditions)

  AG and R-1 districts in Cortland town

  • Building height is the maximum and cannot be exceeded; industrial districts list none

  AG max height: <= 35 feet · R-1 max height: <= 35 feet

  “ag none none none 35 30 none none 30 r-1 9,000 75 100 35 30 6 15 30”

• Living in an RVTemporary only (with conditions)

  Travel trailers and RVs on lots in Cortland town residential districts

  • Max two RVs per lot
  • Not exempt rule applies outside permitted travel trailer parks
  • Temporary use permit, no fee, up to 30 days per vehicle per calendar year, for transient public use in a residential district
  • No commercial use; no front yard parking except on driveway meeting setbacks

  temporary use max: <= 30 days per vehicle per year

  “no travel trailer or other recreational vehicle shall be used as a dwelling, excepting that a property owner may obtain a temporary use permit within seventy-two (72) hours, having no fee charged to the applicant, for a period not to exceed thirty (30) days per vehicle in a calendar year for use of such mobile structures by the transient public in a residential district.”

• Camping on your landLimited

  Temporary RV occupancy in Cortland residential districts

  • 30 days per vehicle per calendar year by no-fee temporary use permit

  “no travel trailer or other recreational vehicle shall be used as a dwelling, excepting that a property owner may obtain a temporary use permit within seventy-two (72) hours, having no fee charged to the applicant, for a period not to exceed thirty (30) days per vehicle in a calendar year for use of such mobile structures by the transient public in a residential district.”

• Off-grid sanitationLimited

  Privies, septic tanks and cesspools inside Cortland town

  • Prohibited except as otherwise provided in the sewer chapter

  “except as hereinafter provided, it shall be unlawful to construct or maintain any privy, privy vault, septic tank, cesspool, or other facility intended or used for the disposal of sewage.”

• Mandatory utility hookupSewer (with conditions)

  Properties used for human occupancy abutting a street, alley or right-of-way with a public sanitary sewer inside Cortland town

  • Connection within 90 days after official notice
  • Public sewer must be within 100 feet of the property line
  • Owner pays at own expense

  distance to sewer: <= 100 feet · connection deadline after notice: 90 days

  “said connection is to occur within ninety (90) days after date of official notice to do so, provided that said public sewer is within 30.5 meters (100 feet) of the property line.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  New subdivisions inside Cortland town (flood damage prevention provisions)

  • Proposals must include base flood elevation, floodway boundary, and engineer's drainage statement
  • Full subdivision ordinance not reviewed

  “new subdivisions, manufactured home parks, annexation agreements, planned unit developments, and additions to manufactured home parks and subdivisions shall meet the damage prevention and building protection standards of sections 8-4-6 and 8-4-7 of this chapter.”

• Building in a floodplainRequired

  Buildings in the floodplain inside Cortland town

  • Applies to new buildings or additions valued over $1,000 or 70 sq ft, substantial improvements, manufactured home installation, and RVs on site over 180 days per year
  • Methods: fill, elevation, crawl space; nonresidential dry floodproofing

  freeboard: 1 foot above base flood

  “all buildings located in the floodplain shall be protected from flood damage below the flood protection elevation.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Town of Cortland or DeKalb County directly.

• Building permit — Building permits inside Cortland town
• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption inside Cortland town
• Inspections — Building inspections inside Cortland town
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificates of occupancy inside Cortland town
• Lot coverage — Lot coverage inside Cortland town

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.