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

Rules another office applies inside Sandwich Township

Sandwich 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

  Construction in unincorporated portions of Sandwich Township; incorporated areas are outside this county permit statement.

  • Work may not begin until the county permit is issued.
  • The permit card must be displayed on the property.

  “reviews and issues all building permits for construction in unincorporated DeKalb County”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  Farm residences in the A-1 Agricultural District in unincorporated Sandwich Township, if the parcel is zoned A-1.

  • A special-use lot size and width are designated in the special-use permit.
  • An existing single-farm-residence subdivision of at least two acres may be approved under the stated nonconforming-lot provisions.

  minimum farm-residence lot area: 40 acres · minimum lot width at minimum front setback line: 500 feet (Lot including a farm residence.)

  “The minimum lot area for a farm residence shall be forty (40) acres. The minimum lot width at the minimum front setback line for a lot including a farm residence shall be 500 feet.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — Permitted and special uses in the RC-1 Residential Conservation District in unincorporated Sandwich Township, if the parcel is mapped RC-1.

    “The minimum lot area for all permitted and special uses shall be one acre unless a larger parcel is required by the zoning administrator to accommodate a drain field for a septic system or adequate separation between septic wastes and well water.”

• SetbacksSpecified

  Buildings in the RC-1 Residential Conservation District in unincorporated Sandwich Township, if the parcel is mapped RC-1.

  • A side lot line adjoining a street must meet the front-setback requirement.

  front setback from street right-of-way: >= 40 feet · side setback: >= 20 feet (A side lot line adjoining a street must meet the front-setback requirement.) · rear setback: >= 50 feet

  “The minimum side setback shall be 20 feet, except where a side lot line adjoins a street, in which case the side setback shall not be less than that required in paragraph E.1. above.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — Buildings in the A-1 Agricultural District in unincorporated Sandwich Township, if the parcel is zoned A-1.

    “All buildings shall be set back not less than twenty (20) feet from all side or rear lot lines. Where a side or rear lot line adjoins a street, the minimum side or rear setback for all buildings shall not be less than that established above for front setbacks.”

• Lot coverageSpecified

  Lots in the RC-1 Residential Conservation District in unincorporated Sandwich Township, if the parcel is mapped RC-1.

  maximum lot coverage: <= 20 percent

  “Lot coverage shall not exceed 20 percent.”

• Manufactured homesLimited

  One manufactured home as interim special-use living quarters in the agricultural district in unincorporated Sandwich Township, if the parcel is zoned A-1.

  • The manufactured home is limited to living quarters for financially or physically dependent relatives of the primary-structure occupant.
  • The applicant must establish hardship.
  • Interim-special-use procedures and time limitations or other conditions may apply.

  manufactured homes: 1 per lot (Only as an interim special use for financially or physically dependent relatives, upon proof of hardship.)

  “Interim Special Uses may include one manufactured home per lot, intended as living quarters for financially or physically dependent relatives of the occupant of the primary structure, provided the applicant establishes that a hardship exists.”

• Who permits septicCounty (with conditions)

  Private sewage disposal systems in DeKalb County, including Sandwich Township.

  • The program enforces local and state laws and ordinances pertaining to sewage disposal.

  “The primary goal of the Sewage Disposal Program is to prevent the transmission of disease caused by exposure to sewage. The program ensures proper installation and repair of all privately owned sewage disposal systems. The program enforces local and state laws and ordinances pertaining to sewage disposal.”

• Septic permitRequired

  Septic-system installations, repairs, or modifications in DeKalb County, including Sandwich Township.

  • Installations, repairs, and modifications must be done by Illinois Department of Public Health Licensed Septic System Installation Contractors.

  contractor-installed septic permit fee: 415 USD · homeowner-installed septic permit fee: 615 USD

  “A) Yes. All septic system installations, repairs or modifications in DeKalb County must be done by Illinois Department of Public Health Licensed Septic System Installation Contractors. Call the Environmental Health Division for more information.”

• Well permitRequired

  Well drilling in Sandwich Township.

  • The permit must be obtained from the health department.

  water well permit/inspection/sample fee: 310 USD (The county page states that $100 of the well permit fee is a state-statute fee.)

  “A) Yes. By law a permit must obtained from the health department.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Subdivision proposals in unincorporated portions of Sandwich Township.

  • Review and approval are by the Planning, Zoning and Development Committee and the County Board.

  “Subdivision review and approval is the jurisdiction of the Planning, Zoning and Development Committee and the County Board.”

• Driveway accessLimited

  Building-permit applications for parcels in unincorporated Sandwich Township with no driveway entrance or only an agricultural field entrance.

  • The application requires an access permit from the appropriate road authority in the stated circumstance.

  “A copy of the access permit from the appropriate road authority (if construction is to occur on a parcel possessing no driveway entrance or only an agricultural field entrance).”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  County building-permit applications for unincorporated portions of Sandwich Township.

  • Application requires the listed submittals, including application fees due at application.
  • The county conducts zoning review followed by site inspection.
  • Residential construction is reviewed by the County Building Inspector; commercial and industrial projects go to a third-party plan-review service and incur additional review fees.
  • The typical turnaround stated is one to three weeks, depending on project complexity.

  typical turnaround: 1 to 3 weeks (Depending on project complexity.)

  “A Zoning Review of the application, followed by a Site Inspection, will then be conducted.”

Still unanswered

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

• Building code adopted — Unincorporated land in Sandwich Township.
• Certificate of occupancy — Unincorporated land in Sandwich Township.
• Local zoning — Land within Sandwich Township, including any incorporated municipal territory within the township.
• Minimum dwelling size — Dwellings in unincorporated Sandwich Township.
• Building height — Principal residential buildings in unincorporated Sandwich 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.