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

Western Township’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Construction, enlargement, alteration, repair, movement, demolition, or occupancy change of a building or structure in unincorporated Western Township.

  • A permit must be obtained before starting work.
  • Agricultural buildings and structures are exempt from building-code regulations.
  • The cited instructions apply to unincorporated areas.

  “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.”

• Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

  Buildings and structures in unincorporated Western Township subject to Henry County building regulation.

  • The instructions say agricultural buildings and structures are exempt from building-code regulations.
  • The cited code applies in unincorporated areas.

  code edition: International Building Code 2000 Edition (County instructions state it replaced the prior Uniform Building Code edition on April 17, 2001.)

  “Henry County adopted the Uniform Building Code 1976 Edition on May 8, 1979; replaced the code with Uniform Building Code 1988 Edition on December 12, 1989 and replaced the code with International Building Code 2000 Edition on April 17, 2001.”

• InspectionsRequired

  Work requiring a building permit in unincorporated Western Township.

  • The permit holder must notify the building official at least 24 hours before inspection.
  • Work may not proceed beyond the stated point without approval.
  • Required inspections include setback, footing/foundation, frame, and final inspections.

  advance notice: >= 24 hours (Notice to the building official that work is ready for inspection.)

  “All construction or work for which a permit is required shall be subject to inspection by the building official. [...] 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 occupancyRequired

  Buildings or additions constructed after the zoning ordinance's effective date, and vacant land newly used, in unincorporated Western Township.

  • A change from one permitted use to another permitted use is excepted.
  • The premises must be completed, inspected, and certified conforming to plans and specifications before a regular certificate is issued.
  • A temporary certificate may be issued for no more than six months during completion or partial occupancy.

  temporary certificate duration: <= 6 months (During completion of an addition or partial occupancy.)

  “No building or addition thereto, constructed after the effective date of this Ordinance shall be occupied, and no land vacant on the effective date of this ordinance shall be used for any purpose until a certificate of occupancy has been issued by the Zoning Enforcing Officer.”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Unincorporated land in Western Township under the Henry County zoning ordinance.

  • District maps are incorporated into the ordinance and are filed with the Zoning Enforcing Officer.
  • The ordinance expressly limits the district list to land outside incorporated areas in Henry County.

  published residential districts: R-1 Single Family Residence; R-2 Single Family Residence; R-3 Single General Residence; R-4 Mobile Home Residence; R-5 Summer Home

  “For the purposes of this ordinance, all land lying outside of the incorporated areas in Henry County is hereby divided into the following districts: [...] R-1 Single Family Residence R-2 Single Family Residence R-3 Single General Residence R-4 Mobile Home Residence R-5 Summer Home”

• Minimum dwelling sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Dwellings in the listed Henry County zoning districts, where mapped in unincorporated Western Township.

  • The application directs applicants to verify zoning and setbacks; actual district applicability depends on the official zoning map.
  • The chart identifies floor-area values for the listed districts.

  AG-1/R-1/M-1 minimum ground-floor area per dwelling: 825 square feet · R-2/B-1 minimum ground-floor area per dwelling: 825 square feet · R-3/R-5 minimum ground-floor area per dwelling: 600 square feet · R-4 minimum ground-floor area per dwelling: 600 square feet

  “Minimum bulk requirements in feet for lot size and width; front, side and rear yard set back; ground floor living area per dwelling; and maximum lot coverage area as follows:”

• Minimum lot sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Lots in the listed Henry County zoning districts, where mapped in unincorporated Western Township.

  • Actual district applicability depends on the official zoning map.

  AG-1/R-1/M-1 minimum lot size: 43560 square feet · R-2/B-1 minimum lot size: 15000 square feet · R-3/R-5 minimum lot size: 12000 square feet · R-4 minimum lot size: 3600 square feet

  “AG-1, R-1 43,560 150 40 10 40 825 20% [...] AG-2, B-1 15,000 100 40 10 40 825 80% [...] CO-1, HI-1 12,000 80 30 7 30 600 30% [...] R-4 3,600 36 25 7 10 600 30%”

• Who permits septicCounty (with conditions)

  Private sewage-disposal systems serving construction and development in unincorporated Western Township.

  • The county instructions identify the Henry County Environmental Health Department as the regulator.
  • The building permit form directs applicants to obtain a sewage-disposal-system permit before starting the project.

  “Henry County Environmental Health Department at 4424 US Hwy 34 Kewanee, IL (309-852-0197 or 792-4011) regulates private sewage disposal and water supply systems.”

• Septic permitRequired

  Private sewage-disposal systems associated with a construction project in unincorporated Western Township.

  • Obtain the permit from the Henry County Health Department before starting the project.

  “PLEASE OBTAIN NECESSARY PRIVATE WATER WELL AND SEWAGE DISPOSAL SYSTEM PERMITS FROM THE HENRY COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT BEFORE STARTING PROJECT”

• Well permitRequired

  Private water wells associated with a construction project in unincorporated Western Township.

  • Obtain the permit from the Henry County Health Department before starting the project.

  “PLEASE OBTAIN NECESSARY PRIVATE WATER WELL AND SEWAGE DISPOSAL SYSTEM PERMITS FROM THE HENRY COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT BEFORE STARTING PROJECT”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Subdivision development within Henry County's subdivision jurisdiction in Western Township.

  • For a plat in a flood-prone area, the County Board may require protective measures.
  • County staff may conduct a pre-filing conference before initial-plat submission.

  “Except as specifically provided below, every person who proposed to subdivide any land located within the subdivision jurisdiction of Henry County shall file six (6) copies of the preliminary plat of said subdivision”

• Driveway accessRequired

  Driveway access associated with a construction project in unincorporated Western Township.

  • The permit must be obtained from the highway authority with jurisdiction.
  • The driveway must be installed before construction starts.

  “Driveway access permits are required from highway authority with jurisdiction and must be installed prior to starting construction project.”

• Building in a floodplainLimited

  Subdivision plats for flood-prone areas in Western Township within the county's subdivision jurisdiction.

  • The County Board may require protective measures under local, state, and federal floodplain-management regulations.

  “Whenever a plat is submitted for an area that is subject to flooding, the County Board may require appropriate protective measures as provided in local, State and Federal floodplain management regulations.”

• Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

  Building permits in unincorporated Western Township.

  • Fee is based on the total value of all work, including materials and labor.
  • The schedule labels Chapter 1 as effective September 1, 2017.

  work valuation range: $1-$1,000 USD (Published fee is $33.00.)

  “Chapter 1. (Effective September 1, 2017) The fee shall be as follows: Sec. 108. Fees. A Fee shall be paid to the Henry County Treasurer for the total value of all work to be performed including materials and labor.”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Building-permit applications for unincorporated Western Township.

  • The application must be completed.
  • For new structures or additions, a plot plan is required.
  • Henry County Health Department approval of the plot plan is required before a building permit may issue.

  “Plot plans are required only for new structures or additions to existing structures to illustrate compliance with set back regulations. [...] Henry County Health Department must approve plot plan before building permit can be issued.”

Still unanswered

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

• Building height — Buildings in Western Township.
• Living in an RV — Long-term RV occupancy on land in Western Township.
• Camping on your land — Temporary camping on land in Western Township.
• Tiny homes — Tiny-home occupancy in Western Township.
• Manufactured homes — Manufactured-home occupancy in Western 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.