Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Shawneetown, Illinois

Shawneetown’s own rules

• InspectionsRequired

  Mobile homes installed inside Shawneetown city limits (not site-built homes)

  • Inspection is by the health and safety commissioner after installation and set-up.
  • Ordinance also requires a city manager inspection 30 to 60 days after a mobile home is placed on a lot in the city.

  “all mobile homes, whether new, used, rebuilt, or modified in any way shall upon installation and set-up be inspected by the health and safety commissioner to confirm compliance with this ordinance, and all applicable ordinances of the city of shawneetown.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside Shawneetown city limits

  • The official city planning page says the planning and zoning commission reviews proposed amendments to zoning ordinances, which indicates the city has zoning ordinances and administers them.
  • The zoning ordinance text was not located on the city website, in the municipal code search, or in the 1976 ordinance compilation, so districts and dimensional standards are not verified.

  “the planning & zoning commission reviews proposed amendments to zoning ordinances, site plans and plat applications, and also makes recommendations to the council regarding the current and future development of the city of shawneetown.”

• Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

  Mobile homes inside Shawneetown city limits only; site-built dwelling minimum not located

  • Applies to mobile homes; no minimum for site-built homes located.

  minimum usable interior living space: >= 600 sq ft

  “which has less than six hundred square feet of usable interior living space.”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  Mobile home parks inside Shawneetown city limits; single-family lot minimum not located

  • Park minimum tract two acres; minimum width and depth of 250 feet each.
  • Mobile home spaces within a park must be at least 50 feet wide and 100 feet deep.
  • Outside a park, the lot must be of sufficient size to accommodate setbacks; no numeric lot area found.

  minimum mobile home park tract: >= 2 acres · minimum park width and depth: >= 250 feet (applies to each of width and depth)

  “no mobile home park shall be located in the city of shawneetown on a tract less than two acres in area.”

• SetbacksSpecified

  Single-wide mobile homes located outside a mobile home park inside Shawneetown city limits

  • Distance measured from the overall width and length of the mobile home.
  • Main single-family residential district and any rural district setbacks not located.

  minimum distance from boundary line, single-wide mobile home outside park: >= 10 feet

  “no single-wide mobile home shall be located within ten feet of any boundary line.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — Mobile home parks inside Shawneetown city limits (park boundary and internal spacing)

    “no part of any mobile home or other structure in any mobile home park shall be situated closer than twenty five (25) feet to any boundary line of the park.”

• Living in an RVLimited

  Campers and RVs used as a residence on private land inside Shawneetown city limits

  • Occupancy as a residence is allowed for up to 14 consecutive days within a calendar year unless the city council approves a longer period.
  • Ordinance is titled regulating mobile homes, campers, and mobile home parks; the 14-day rule is in Section 3(y).

  maximum consecutive days occupied as residence per calendar year without council approval: <= 14 days (longer period with city council approval)

  “no camper unit/rv shall be occupied as residence within the limits of the city of shawneetown for longer than 14 days consecutive days within a calendar year without city council approval.”

• Camping on your landLimited

  Campers and RVs occupied on private land inside Shawneetown city limits; tent camping not addressed

  • Camper or RV occupancy is capped at 14 consecutive days per calendar year without city council approval.
  • No tent or general temporary camping rule was located.

  maximum consecutive days occupied per calendar year without council approval: <= 14 days (longer period with city council approval)

  “no camper unit/rv shall be occupied as residence within the limits of the city of shawneetown for longer than 14 days consecutive days within a calendar year without city council approval.”

• Manufactured homesLimited

  Mobile homes used as a dwelling on a lot outside a mobile home park inside Shawneetown city limits

  • Requires a special use permit issued by city council after hearing and vote; the council vote is final.
  • Unit must be at least 600 sq ft usable interior living space, rest on a foundation, be tied down under the Illinois Mobile Home Tiedown Act, be connected to city water and sewer, and be no more than 25 years old at application.
  • Ordinance text also says no dependent or independent mobile home shall be located in the city to be used as a dwelling place after the effective date; this appears to conflict with the special use permit clause and is unresolved in the record.
  • Permit must be used (mobile home placed) within six months of issuance or it expires.
  • Mobile home parks require a separate permit (see permit fees and minimum lot size claims).

  minimum usable interior living space: >= 600 sq ft · maximum age at special use permit application: <= 25 years

  “the shawneetown city council may issue a special use permit to locate a mobile home outside a mobile home park.”

• Mandatory utility hookupWater and sewer (with conditions)

  Mobile homes located inside Shawneetown city limits (site-built homes not addressed by this ordinance)

  • Applies to mobile homes only; the connection rule for site-built homes was not located.
  • Water connection is made with a suitable water meter connection as provided by city ordinance (ordinance book 9.206); sewer connection as provided by city ordinance (ordinance book 9.304).

  “all mobile homes to be located in the city of shawneetown shall be connected to the city sewer system as provided by ordinance of the city of shawneetown.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Plats and site plans inside Shawneetown city limits

  • The planning and zoning commission reviews plat applications and makes recommendations to council.
  • Subdivision design standards and the approval procedure were not located.

  “the planning & zoning commission reviews proposed amendments to zoning ordinances, site plans and plat applications, and also makes recommendations to the council regarding the current and future development of the city of shawneetown.”

• Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

  Special use permit application for a mobile home outside a park, and mobile home park permit application

  • Fee is charged with the application; building permit fees not published.
  • Mobile home park fee covers publication, postage and legal fees.

  mobile home special use permit application fee: 150 USD (covers inspection and legal fees) · mobile home park permit application fee: 150 USD (covers publication, postage and legal fees)

  “a fee of one hundred fifty dollars ($150.00) shall accompany the application to cover the cost of inspection and legal fees involved in the issuance of said special use permit.”

• Permit processPartial

  Mobile home special use permit process outside a mobile home park

  • Application filed with a certified form, hearing before city council, council vote is final.
  • Building and general site permit process for other construction not published.

  “the city council shall vote upon the applications and the vote of the city council shall be final with regard to issuance of a special use permit.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Shawneetown or Gallatin County directly.

• Building permit — Site-built construction inside Shawneetown city limits
• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builders inside Shawneetown city limits
• Building code adopted — Construction inside Shawneetown city limits
• Certificate of occupancy — New dwellings inside Shawneetown city limits
• Zoning districts — Zoning districts inside Shawneetown city limits

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.