Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Goose Lake Township, Illinois

Goose Lake Township’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Buildings and appurtenances on unincorporated land inside Goose Lake Township that is outside municipal limits.

  • Applies when the work is regulated by Grundy County Title 6.
  • A written application, site drawing, health-department well and septic permit, and plans are required as applicable; plans may be waived for specified minor alterations and residential accessory buildings not over 700 square feet.
  • A permit lapses if foundation and subfloor are not completed within six months or the building is not completed within one year, unless extended in writing.

  accessory-building plan-waiver threshold: <= 700 square feet (Only if sufficiently described in the application; waiver also applies to qualifying minor alterations.)

  “plans may be waived for minor alterations not involving any structural changes and for residential accessory buildings not over seven hundred (700) square feet in area, if sufficiently described in the application.”

• Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

  Unincorporated land inside Goose Lake Township that is outside municipal limits and regulated by Grundy County Title 6.

  • The county code adopts 2021 International Codes with amendments; Illinois State Plumbing Code applies to plumbing.
  • Incorporated areas inside the township may be regulated by their municipality instead.

  building code edition: 2021 International Codes with Amendments (County amendments apply.)

  “the following codes are hereby adopted by reference and made a part of this ordinance as if set out at length herein. a building code: 2021 international codes with amendments.”

• InspectionsRequired

  New structures and changes of use on unincorporated land inside Goose Lake Township where the county UDO applies.

  • A certificate of occupancy for new construction follows successful completion of all final inspections.
  • Change-of-use occupancy requires an on-site zoning-officer inspection.

  “no occupancy permit for a change in use of an existing structure shall be granted until an on site inspection has been conducted by the zoning officer.”

• Certificate of occupancyRequired

  New structures or a change in use on unincorporated land inside Goose Lake Township where the county UDO applies.

  • The zoning officer issues the certificate after construction or remodeling is complete and required inspections have passed.
  • For a complete application, the zoning officer must approve, authorize, or deny within five working days.

  complete application decision period: <= 5 working days

  “no new structure or change in use of an existing structure shall be occupied until a certificate of occupancy is issued by the zoning officer.”

• Who permits septicCounty (with conditions)

  Private sewage-disposal systems serving land inside Goose Lake Township.

  • The county health department approves dwelling sewage systems.
  • State EPA permit is additionally required for a surface-discharging system designed for more than 15 persons.

  surface-discharge system capacity: > 15 persons (State Environmental Protection Agency permit required.)

  “every building occupied as a dwelling shall have a sewage system as provided herein, approved by the county health department.”

• Septic permitRequired

  Construction or alteration of a private sewage-disposal system inside Goose Lake Township.

  • The county-health-department permit must be obtained before work; the fee doubles if work starts before issuance.
  • All permits expire after one year; written extension requests go to the environmental health director before expiration.
  • A septic or well application must be approved before a permit issues unless a municipal system is available.

  permit expiration: 1 year from issuance (Extension may be granted or denied by the health department.)

  “no private sewage disposal system shall be constructed or altered unless a permit shall first have been obtained from the county health department.”

• Well permitRequired

  Construction, deepening, or sealing of private water wells inside Goose Lake Township.

  • Community public-water-system wells and monitoring wells are exempt from the health-authority permit requirement.
  • The permit is valid for 12 months; construction must begin within that period.

  permit validity: 12 months (Void if construction has not started within that period.)

  “no water well shall be constructed, deepened or sealed except in accordance with this chapter, and it shall be unlawful to proceed with such work unless a permit has first been obtained from the health authority.”

• Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

  County building permits for unincorporated land inside Goose Lake Township outside municipal limits.

  • Fees are set by a schedule adopted by County Board resolution and must be paid with the application.
  • The retrieved section does not state the dollar amounts.

  “payment of the fees, as required by the schedule of fees adopted by resolution by the grundy county board, shall be made with the application.”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  County building permits for unincorporated land inside Goose Lake Township outside municipal limits.

  • Application is written and signed by the owner or authorized agent.
  • The building officer examines the application and plans within 10 days; conforming work receives a written permit.

  application and plan examination: <= 10 days

  “examination of the application and plans shall be made within ten (10) days by or under the direction of the building officer.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residences inside Goose Lake Township.
• Local zoning — Land inside Goose Lake Township.
• Minimum dwelling size — Dwellings inside Goose Lake Township.
• Minimum lot size — Lots inside Goose Lake Township.
• Setbacks — Structures inside Goose Lake 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.