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

Loraine Township’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Unincorporated Loraine Township construction, enlargement, alteration, repair, moving, demolition, or occupancy change of a building or structure.

  • An owner or authorized agent must obtain the permit before work; failure can result in a stop-work order and potential fines up to $500.
  • Agricultural buildings and structures are exempt from the building code regulations.

  potential fine: <= 500 USD (Failure to secure permit before starting work may result in fines and penalties.)

  “Any owner or authorized agent (contractor)who intends to construct, enlarge, alter, repair, move, demolish or change occupancy of a building/structure shall first obtain required building permit.”

• Owner-builder exemptionConditional

  Private sewage disposal systems inside Loraine Township.

  • Limited to an owner who owns and occupies a single-family dwelling and whose system serves that owner's personal single-family residence.
  • The owner still must obtain the required construction permit.
  • Otherwise systems must be installed or serviced by Illinois private sewage disposal system installers or servicers.

  “a person who owns and occupies a single family dwelling may install, construct, maintain and/or service or clean a private sewage disposal system which serves his own personal single family residence.”

• Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

  Buildings and structures in unincorporated Loraine Township under Henry County's building program.

  • Agricultural buildings and structures are exempt from the building-code regulations.

  International Building Code edition: 2000

  “replaced the code with International Building Code 2000 Edition on April 17, 2001.”

• InspectionsRequired

  Work in unincorporated Loraine Township for which Henry County requires a building permit.

  • Notify the building official at least 24 hours before the work is ready for inspection.
  • Work may not proceed beyond an indicated point without building-official approval.
  • Failure to request required inspections or proceeding without approval is an ordinance violation that may result in a stop-work order and potential fines up to $500.

  inspection notice: >= 24 hours

  “It shall be the duty of person doing work authorized by a permit to notify building official that work is ready for inspection a minimum of 24 hours in advance.”

• Certificate of occupancyLimited

  Structures in unincorporated Loraine Township subject to the County building-permit process.

  • The source requires final inspection approval before occupation or use; it does not expressly label that approval a certificate of occupancy.

  “Final: requested after project is completed and ready for use. DO NOT OCCUPY OR USE STRUCTURE WITHOUT REQUIRED FINAL INSPECTION APPROVAL.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Unincorporated land inside Loraine Township; the applicable zoning and land-use program is administered by Henry County, not shown by this research to be a township ordinance.

  • Applies only where the parcel is in unincorporated Henry County; incorporated municipal land is outside the cited county program.

  “Henry County Zoning and Building Department is responsible for development and implementation of several land use management programs in the unincorporated areas of the county.”

• Who permits septicLocal (with conditions)

  Private sewage disposal systems inside Loraine Township.

  • Henry County Health Department is the Health Authority for the construction-permit rule.

  “health authority means the administrator or health officer of henry county health department or his or her designee.”

• Septic permitRequired

  Construction, alteration, repair, extension, or capacity enlargement of a private sewage disposal system inside Loraine Township.

  • A valid Health Authority construction permit is required.
  • A surface-discharging system application after February 10, 2014 must first obtain a USEPA General Permit when required.
  • The construction permit is issued only to a registered installation contractor or an owner installing the owner's own residential single-family system.
  • The Health Authority acts on applications within seven working days.
  • Permit is valid six months; if construction has not started, it is void.

  permit validity: 6 months (Void if construction has not started within the period.) · application decision period: <= 7 working days (After receipt of application.)

  “the health authority shall act upon all applications within seven (7) working days of receipt thereof.”

• Septic inspectionLimited

  Aerobic treatment units and systems receiving a Henry County construction permit inside Loraine Township.

  • A construction permit includes a pre-cover inspection.
  • Owners of aerobic treatment units must maintain an active service policy for semi-annual inspections and maintenance for as long as the unit operates.

  aerobic-unit inspection frequency: per semi-annual (Applies to homeowners with an aerobic treatment unit.)

  “all homeowners who have any type of aerobic treatment unit on their property shall have in force at all times, an active service policy through the installation contractor, manufacturer or distributer to perform the required semi-annual inspections and maintenance as well as additional necessary service for as long as the unit is in operation.”

• Off-grid sanitationLimited

  Human occupancy, use, or assembly inside Loraine Township without public sewer service.

  • Adequate sanitary and safe disposal facilities are required.
  • Private sewage methods cannot be maintained where a sanitary sewer is available within 200 feet of the property line.

  sewer availability distance: <= 200 feet (Measured from property line.)

  “No building, structure, area or premise shall be constructed or maintained for human occupancy, use or assembly, without adequate facilities for the sanitary and safe disposal of human excreta together with all liquid and solid wastes that could hazard the public health or create objectionable nuisance conditions.”

• Mandatory utility hookupSewer (with conditions)

  Properties inside Loraine Township with a publicly operated sanitary-waste collection and disposal system available within 200 feet of the property line.

  • Connections and discharges must comply with the ordinance and the rules of the municipality operating and maintaining the public system.
  • The source addresses public sewer, not a public-water connection mandate.

  public sewer availability distance: <= 200 feet (Measured from the property line.)

  “Where a publicly operated system for collection and disposal of sanitary wastes is available within two-hundred (200) feet of the property line, the utilization of such public sewage systems shall be considered the only safe and sanitary means of sewage and excreta disposal.”

• Agricultural exemptionAvailable (with conditions)

  Agricultural buildings and structures in unincorporated Loraine Township.

  • The cited exemption is from County building-code regulations; County instructions separately state that Illinois law exempts agricultural buildings and structures from zoning regulations except minimum setback from road right-of-way requirements.

  “Agricultural buildings/structures are exempt from building code regulations (see ag exemption).”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Subdivisions, re-divisions, tracts, parcels, and lots inside Loraine Township that use or will use private sewage disposal.

  • No plat, subdivision, or lot-boundary change may be approved and recorded unless each proposed lot is suitable for an approved private sewage disposal system.
  • For a private-sewage/private-water subdivision, the stated minimum lot size is one acre.
  • New subdivisions or re-divisions proposed after August 9, 2014 may not be approved if any lot requires the specified surface-discharge system.

  minimum lot size: 1 acre (Subdivisions or parcels utilizing both private sewage disposal systems and private water supplies.)

  “No plat, subdivision, or any changes in lot boundaries shall be approved and recorded unless every proposed lot is considered suitable for an approved private sewage disposal system.”

Still unanswered

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

• Minimum dwelling size — Single-family dwellings inside Loraine Township.
• Minimum lot size — Residential lots inside Loraine Township.
• Setbacks — Residential structures inside Loraine Township.
• Lot coverage — Residential lots inside Loraine Township.
• Building height — Buildings inside Loraine 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.