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

Rules another office applies inside Patton Township

Patton 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

  Buildings erected, reconstructed, or structurally altered in Patton Township's unincorporated county-zoning area.

  • Permit must be issued by the Zoning Enforcing Officer before work starts.
  • Additional permits or approvals may be required by other governments or agencies.
  • Agricultural-use buildings require a permit but have no construction-permit fee by statute.

  “No buildings shall hereafter be erected, reconstructed or structurally altered, nor shall any work be started upon same until a construction permit for the same has been issued by the Zoning Enforcing Officer”

• InspectionsRequired

  Permitted construction in Patton Township's unincorporated county-zoning area.

  • Inspections are made by the Zoning Enforcing Officer or a duly appointed assistant.

  “He shall examine premises for which permits have been issued, and shall make necessary inspections to see that the provisions of law are complied with.”

• Certificate of occupancyRequired

  Buildings requiring building permits in Patton Township's unincorporated county-zoning area.

  • Application for a certificate for a new building, reconstruction, or alteration must be made coincident with the building-permit application.
  • A temporary certificate may be issued for up to one year during completion or partial occupancy, subject to safety restrictions.

  “No building requiring a building permit shall be occupied before a Certificate of Occupancy has been issued.”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Patton Township's unincorporated county-zoning area; actual district assignment is parcel-specific under the county zoning map.

  • The ordinance identifies AG-1, CO-1, R-1, R-2, R-3, B-1, B-2, and I-1 districts in its density table.

  “Ford County is hereby divided into eight types of districts: AG-1 Agricultural CO-1 Conservation R – 1 Residential (single family) R – 2 Residential (two family) R – 3 Residential (multiple family) B – 1 Highway Business B – 2 General Business I – 1 Industrial”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  Single-family dwellings in R-1 District inside Patton Township's unincorporated county-zoning area.

  • The density table lists water and septic tank service for R-1.

  minimum lot area per single-family dwelling: 20000 square feet · minimum lot width: 100 feet

  “R – 1 100 20,000 20,000 N. A. N. A. Water **”

• SetbacksSpecified

  AG-1 Agricultural District inside Patton Township's unincorporated county-zoning area.

  • Additional yard requirements and listed exceptions apply.

  front yard: 50 feet · side yard: 20 feet · rear yard: 50 feet

  “District Front Yard Side Yard Rear Yard AG-1 50 20 50”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — R-1 District inside Patton Township's unincorporated county-zoning area.

    “District Front Yard Side Yard Rear Yard R - 1 30 10 30”

• Building heightSpecified

  R-1 District inside Patton Township's unincorporated county-zoning area.

  • Public, semi-public, public-service, hospital, institutional, school, church, temple, tower, spire, tank, chimney, stack, and flag-pole exceptions are governed by the ordinance's height exceptions.

  maximum building height: 35 feet

  “Thirty-five feet in the CO-1, R-1 and R-2 Districts.”

• Living in an RVLimited

  Inhabited trailers in Patton Township's unincorporated county-zoning area.

  • Except where otherwise permitted, inhabited trailers must be in a trailer court with a conditional-use permit.
  • For campground seasonal structures, occupancy cannot be for an entire calendar year.

  “Except where otherwise permitted, all inhabited trailers shall be located in a trailer court which has received a conditional use permit”

• Camping on your landLimited

  Campgrounds in the AG-1 Agricultural District inside Patton Township's unincorporated county-zoning area.

  • Campgrounds are conditional uses.
  • Seasonal or movable structures may include tents and travel trailers, but occupancy cannot be for an entire calendar year.
  • Seasonal-use cabins must comply with R-3 requirements.

  “The tracts may have located on them structures of a seasonal, temporary, or movable nature, such as a tent, travel trailer, [...] but not mobile homes (provided that the occupancy of any of the foregoing shall not be for an entire calendar year).”

• Manufactured homesLimited

  Manufactured homes in the AG-1 Agricultural District inside Patton Township's unincorporated county-zoning area.

  • Allowed only for persons engaged in agricultural pursuits.
  • Must be on permanent foundations and subject to state sewage-disposal and water-supply regulations and highway setback requirements.

  “Manufactured homes on permanent foundations, modular homes and single family homes for persons engaged in agricultural pursuits, subject to sewage disposal and water supply regulations of the state and to highway setback requirements.”

• Accessory dwellingsProhibited

  Accessory buildings in Patton Township's unincorporated county-zoning area.

  • This finding concerns occupancy of an accessory building as a dwelling; it does not resolve all possible principal-building or separate-lot residential configurations.

  “Accessory buildings may not be used for dwelling purposes.”

• Who permits septicLocal (with conditions)

  Private sewage systems serving residents of Ford County, including Patton Township.

  • Systems remain subject to the Illinois Private Sewage Disposal Licensing Act and Code.

  “Enforces regulations governing the installation and/or sealing of private well and installation of sewage systems.”

• Septic inspectionLimited

  Private sewage systems inside Patton Township.

  • The application says a Department representative may conduct necessary inspections; it does not state that every system receives a mandatory inspection.
  • The application lists a $150 inspection fee, $100 permit fee, and total fee of $250.

  inspection fee: 150 USD · permit fee: 100 USD · total fee: 250 USD

  “I am aware that a representative of the Ford County Public Health Department may conduct necessary inspections to ensure my system is installed in accordance with the IPSDLA&C.”

• Off-grid sanitationLimited

  AG-1 Agricultural District land inside Patton Township's unincorporated county-zoning area.

  • Private and community sewage disposal is a permissive AG-1 use.
  • Water and sewage facilities must conform to Illinois Department of Public Health standards; sewer discharge to a stream, water course, or lagoon needs an Illinois Environmental Protection Agency permit.

  “Private and community sewage disposal, water supply and storage tanks.”

• Agricultural exemptionConditional

  Agricultural-use buildings in Patton Township's unincorporated county-zoning area.

  • The exemption is from the construction-permit fee, not from obtaining a permit.
  • The page attributes the no-fee rule to statute.

  construction permit fee: 0 USD (Agricultural-use building)

  “Agricultural use buildings require a permit; however, by statute no fee is charged.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Subdivisions of land in Patton Township outside incorporated municipal corporate limits that have an effective zoning ordinance.

  • County Board approval is required before a covered map, plat, or subdivision may record or be valid.
  • Agricultural divisions into parcels of three acres or more without a new street or easement access are excluded from the definition of subdivision.
  • A division of no more than five lots or tracts into no more than three lots without a new street or easement may record with Plat Officer written approval rather than County Board approval.

  “Except where cities, towns or villages have subdivision regulation ordinance controls, no map, plat or subdivision [...] shall be entitled to record in the county or have any validity until it has been approved by the County Board.”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  County construction permits in Patton Township's unincorporated county-zoning area.

  • Plans or a measured sketch and layout showing required setbacks are required.
  • All fees must be paid before issuance.
  • Changes after approval must be submitted for approval.
  • Notice of Completion should be filed on or about January 1 each construction year until completion.

  “PLANS: Copy of building plans or a sketch of the proposed improvement with all measurements included. [...] Layout of building(s) showing required setbacks.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residential construction in Patton Township's unincorporated county-zoning area.
• Building code adopted — Construction inside Patton Township's unincorporated county-zoning area.
• Minimum dwelling size — Single-family dwellings inside Patton Township's unincorporated county-zoning area.
• Lot coverage — Residential lots inside Patton Township's unincorporated county-zoning area.
• Tiny homes — Tiny-home occupancy inside Patton Township's unincorporated county-zoning area.

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.