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

Concord Township’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Any building, structure, or alteration subject to the county application process on unincorporated land inside Concord Township.

  • Construction must not begin until the permit is issued.
  • Beginning construction without a building permit carries a stated $1,000-per-day fine.

  unpermitted-construction fine: 1000 USD per day (Beginning construction without a Building Permit.)

  “There will be a fine of $1,000 per day for beginning construction without a building permit.”

• Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

  Construction subject to the Iroquois County building-permit process on unincorporated land inside Concord Township.

  • The application states that work under the permit must conform to Iroquois County Building Ordinances.

  “Iroquois County has adopted the International Building Code, National Electrical Code and State Plumbing Code.”

• InspectionsRequired

  County-permitted construction on unincorporated land inside Concord Township.

  • Contact the appropriate construction, electrical, or plumbing inspector before construction on the project.

  “Building code requires inspections for your permit. Please contact the appropriate inspector prior to any construction on your project-”

• Certificate of occupancyRequired

  Move-in following county-permitted construction on unincorporated land inside Concord Township.

  • The application calls the document a Certificate of Completion.
  • Moving in without it carries a stated $50-per-day fine.

  move-in without certificate fine: 50 USD per day (Moving in without Certificate of Completion.)

  “There will be a fine of $50.00 per day for moving in without certificate of completion.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Unincorporated land inside Concord Township; incorporated areas are outside the county ordinance's stated jurisdiction.

  • County zoning applies only to unincorporated areas of Iroquois County.
  • Buildings, land uses, alterations, relocations, enlargements, and additions are subject to regulations applicable to the district.

  “The jurisdiction of this ordinance shall include all lands and waters within the unincorporated areas of Iroquois County.”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Unincorporated land inside Concord Township, according to the county zoning atlas and ordinance.

  • District boundaries are established by the Zoning Atlas of Iroquois County, Illinois, which is on file in the County Clerk's office.

  “For the purpose of this ordinance, the County of Iroquois is hereby divided into the following zoning districts: A-1 Agriculture District A-2 Agriculture District RR-1 Single-Family Residential District UR-1 Single Family Residential RH-1 Rural Homestead District WF-1 Waterfront Residence District B-1 Business District B-2 Shopping Center District B-2A Neighborhood Shopping Center B-2B Community Shopping Center M-1 Industrial District M-2 Industrial District M-3 Extraction District PD Planned Development District”

• Manufactured homesLimited

  Manufactured or mobile homes in agricultural districts on unincorporated land inside Concord Township.

  • No dwelling or mobile home may be erected, located, or maintained in an Agricultural District unless it meets § 3.4(1) conditions.
  • A mobile home must meet ANSI A119.1 specifications.

  “No dwelling or mobile home may be erected, located, or maintained in an Agricultural District unless it meets the conditions set forth in this Section 3.4(1).”

• Accessory dwellingsLimited

  Employee living quarters in the A-1 Agricultural District on unincorporated land inside Concord Township.

  • Must be located on a tract exceeding 75 acres.
  • May not be rented or otherwise used as a separate dwelling.

  minimum tract size: > 75 acres (For employee living quarters in the A-1 Agricultural District.)

  “Living quarters such as apartment, or room for persons employed on the premises and not rented or otherwise used as a separate dwelling, but only if located on tracts exceeding 75 acres in size.”

• Agricultural exemptionAvailable (with conditions)

  Agricultural land divisions on unincorporated land inside Concord Township.

  • Parcel must be five acres or more.
  • The division cannot involve new streets or easements of access.

  parcel size: >= 5 acres (No new streets or easements of access.)

  “The division of land for agricultural purposes into parcels of five (5) acres or more in size which does not involve any new streets or easements of access.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Subdivision of unincorporated land inside Concord Township.

  • Incorporated municipalities may adopt subdivision regulations for the specified adjacent 1.5-mile area after adopting and recording a comprehensive plan.
  • Agricultural division into parcels of at least five acres without new streets or access easements is exempt.

  agricultural exemption parcel size: >= 5 acres (No new streets or easements of access.)

  “No person shall subdivide any tract of land which is located within any unincorporated area of the county that is not in conformity with the provisions of these regulations, except that incorporated municipalities may adopt subdivision regulations to control the platting of subdivisions within the adjacent one and one-half (l -1/2) mile area of their corporate limits after the adoption of an official comprehensive plan, and the recording thereof with the County Clerk.”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  County building permits for unincorporated land inside Concord Township.

  • Fee and plot plan must accompany application.
  • Building plans must accompany application; permit will not issue without them.
  • Construction cannot start until permit issuance.

  “FEE AND PLOT PLAN MUST ACCOMPANY APPLICATION”

Rules another office applies inside Concord Township

Concord Township does not set these itself; the county, a health district or the state does, and they apply to every address inside its limits.

• Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

  A-1 Agricultural District on unincorporated land inside Concord Township.

  • Applies under the A-1 bulk requirements.

  minimum total floor area: 900 square feet · minimum building width: 22 feet

  “BUILDING: Minimum Total Floor Area: 900 square feet Minimum Building Width: 22 feet Maximum Height: 35 feet”

• Lot coverageSpecified

  A-1 Agricultural District: a single-family dwelling for a landowner's relative on the same farmstead, on unincorporated land inside Concord Township.

  • Relative dwelling must be on the same farmstead and a tract exceeding 75 acres.

  maximum structure coverage: <= 20 percent of buildable lot area

  “Minimum Buildable Lot Size: 20,000 sq. ft. Structure must not exceed 20% of buildable lot area Minimum Yards in buildable lot:”

• Building heightSpecified

  A-1 Agricultural District on unincorporated land inside Concord Township.

  • Applies under the A-1 bulk requirements.

  maximum height: <= 35 feet

  “BUILDING: Minimum Total Floor Area: 900 square feet Minimum Building Width: 22 feet Maximum Height: 35 feet”

• Who permits septicCounty (with conditions)

  Private sewage disposal systems inside Concord Township.

  • The program issues permits under state and local requirements.

  “Issue permits to install private sewage disposal systems on properties located in both counties in accordance with state and local requirements, and provide education to the public about private sewage disposal systems.”

• Septic permitRequired

  Construction or repair of a private sewage disposal system inside Concord Township.

  • A completed application and permit fee are reviewed for approval.
  • If unapproved, the applicant is notified and must complete and resubmit the application.

  “After receipt of a completed Application for Permit to Construct or Repair a Private Sewage Disposal System and the permit fee, a Licensed Environmental Health Practitioner (LEHP) will review the application for approval.”

• Septic inspectionRequired

  New or repaired private septic systems inside Concord Township.

  • Installer must give the health department 24-hour notice upon completion.
  • The inspection records distances to specified site features.

  completion notice: 24 hours (Notice to the Iroquois County Public Health Department upon completion.)

  “The septic installer shall give the Iroquois County Public Health Department 24 hour notice on completion of the septic system so that the Licensed Environmental Health Practitioner (LEHP) / Licensed Environmental Health Practitioner in Training (LEHPIT) may go to the site and inspect the septic system.”

• Well permitRequired

  Private water wells inside Concord Township.

  • Completed application, $100 permit fee, and $150 inspection fee are reviewed for approval.
  • Well driller must give 24-hour completion notice for inspection.

  permit fee: 100 USD · inspection fee: 150 USD · completion notice: 24 hours (Notice to the county public health department.)

  “after receipt of a completed application, the permit fee of $100, and the inspection fee of $150, the health authority will review the application for approval.”

• Driveway accessLimited

  Driveways intersecting designated arterial roads in the A-1 Agricultural District on unincorporated land inside Concord Township.

  • Parallel driveways may be closer only where they are no more than 10 feet apart.

  minimum driveway separation: >= 1000 feet (Except where two driveways are parallel to each other and spaced no more than 10 feet from each other.)

  “All driveways intersecting arterial roads, as designated shall be a minimum of 1000 feet apart, except where two driveways are parallel to each other and spaced no more than 10 feet from each other.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residential construction inside Concord Township.
• Living in an RV — RV occupancy on private land in Concord Township.
• Camping on your land — Temporary camping on private land in Concord Township.
• Tiny homes — Tiny-home occupancy in Concord Township.
• Off-grid sanitation — Off-grid sanitation inside Concord 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.