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

Rules another office applies inside Danforth Township

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

• Building permitRequired

  New construction inside Danforth township under the county building/construction/development permit process (unincorporated area)

  • Construction may not begin until a permit application is filed with the county; fine stated for beginning without a permit.
  • Incorporated village of Danforth may have its own permit rules; not researched.

  fine for beginning construction without permit application: 1000 USD per day

  “Be aware the county has established a fine of $1,000 per day for beginning construction without a permit”

• InspectionsRequired

  Permitted construction inside Danforth township (unincorporated area) under the county building code

  • County lists building/construction, electrical and plumbing inspectors; inspection must be scheduled before construction on the project.

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

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Unincorporated land inside Danforth township, on the assumption that the township has not adopted its own zoning ordinance (not verified). Incorporated village of Danforth is not covered.

  • Township-level zoning adoption was not verified; no official Danforth township site or ordinance was located.
  • The county zoning ordinance text read is the copy hosted at the 2014 upload path; its amendment history was not confirmed on an official page.

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

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  County zoning districts applicable to unincorporated land inside Danforth township

  • Districts include A-1 and A-2 agriculture, RR-1 and UR-1 single family residential, RH-1 rural homestead, WF-1 and WF-2 waterfront, business, industrial and planned development districts (from the ordinance table of contents).
  • Mapping is in the zoning atlas, which was not opened.

  “For the purpose of this ordinance, the County of Iroquois is hereby divided into the following zoning districts:”

• Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

  Single-family dwellings in the A-1 Agricultural district of unincorporated Danforth township

  • Dimensional rule in the county zoning ordinance; the copy read is the 2000 text with 2004 amendments per the ordinance header in search results.

  minimum total floor area: 900 square feet

  “Minimum Total Floor Area: 900 square feet”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — Single-family dwellings in the RR-1 single family residential district of unincorporated Danforth township

    “Minimum Total Floor Area: 900 square feet”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  New buildable lots in the RR-1 single family residential district of unincorporated Danforth township

  • Lot area depends on whether community sewer and water are available: 10,000 sq ft with both, 20,000 sq ft without.
  • Dimensional rule from the county zoning ordinance; current figures not confirmed.

  minimum buildable lot area with community sewer and water: 10000 square feet · minimum buildable lot area without community sewer and water: 20000 square feet

  “Buildable Lot (with community sewer and water) Minimum Area: 10,000 square feet Buildable Lot (without community sewer and water) Minimum Area: 20,000 square feet”

• SetbacksSpecified

  Principal buildings in the RR-1 single family residential district of unincorporated Danforth township

  • Front yard measured from road centerline; side yards 8 and 15 feet.

  front yard from road centerline: 80 feet · rear yard from property line: 20 feet · side yard from property line (minimum): 8 feet (15 feet on the other side as stated in the ordinance)

  “Minimum Yards in buildable lot: Front: 80 feet from center of road Rear: 20 feet from property line Side: Minimum 8 and 15 feet from property line”

• Lot coverageSpecified

  Structures on lots in the RR-1 single family residential district of unincorporated Danforth township

  • Measured as a percentage of lot area.

  maximum ground coverage of lot area: <= 30 percent

  “Maximum Ground Coverage: 30% of lot area”

• Building heightSpecified

  Single-family dwellings in the A-1 Agricultural district of unincorporated Danforth township

  maximum building height: <= 35 feet

  “minimum total floor area: 900 square feet minimum building width: 22 feet maximum height: 35 feet”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — Buildings in the RR-1 single family residential district of unincorporated Danforth township

    “building: maximum ground coverage: 30% of lot area minimum total floor area: 900 square feet maximum height: 35 feet minimum building width: 22 feet”

• Who permits septicCounty (with conditions)

  Private sewage (septic) systems on land inside Danforth township; the county public health department administers them countywide

  • Enforces the county sewage disposal ordinance together with the Illinois Department of Public Health Private Sewage Disposal Licensing Act and Code.
  • Health department office: 1001 East Grant Street, Watseka.

  “enforcing the sewage disposal ordinance of iroquois county as well as the illinois department of public health private sewage disposal licensing act and code”

• Septic permitRequired

  Newly built or repaired septic systems on land inside Danforth township

  • Permit is issued by the county public health department before the system is built or repaired.
  • Fees and application steps were not on the opened page; see the Documents and Forms page for the Private Sewage Application.

  “issuance of permits for newly constructed or repaired septic systems”

• Septic inspectionRequired

  Newly constructed or repaired septic systems on land inside Danforth township

  • Inspections are performed by the county public health department.

  “inspections of newly constructed or repaired septic systems”

• Well permitRequired

  Newly constructed private water wells on land inside Danforth township

  • Governed by the Iroquois County water well ordinance and the IDPH water well construction and pump installation codes.
  • Inspections of newly constructed or repaired wells are also run by the county health department.

  “issuance of permits for newly constructed wells”

• Permit processPartial

  Building/construction/development permit process for land inside Danforth township (unincorporated area)

  • Forms are published; the review steps, fees and processing times were not on the opened page.

  “Building/Construction/Development Permit Application”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder construction in Danforth township
• Building code adopted — Which building code applies inside Danforth township
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy for new homes in Danforth township
• Living in an RV — Long-term RV occupancy on private land in Danforth township
• Camping on your land — Temporary camping on private land in Danforth 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.