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

Lovejoy Township’s own rules

• Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

  Construction subject to the Iroquois County building-permit process in unincorporated Lovejoy Township.

  • The application states that work under the permit must conform to County building ordinances and the accompanying plans and plot diagram, except changes authorized or required by the Building Officer.

  adopted codes: International Building Code; National Electrical Code; State Plumbing Code

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

• InspectionsRequired

  Construction receiving an Iroquois County permit in unincorporated Lovejoy Township.

  • The county directs the applicant to contact the appropriate 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-”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Unincorporated land inside Lovejoy Township, where the Iroquois County Zoning Ordinance applies; the available official source does not establish that Lovejoy Township itself adopted the ordinance.

  • The ordinance expressly applies to unincorporated areas of Iroquois County; incorporated municipal land is outside this stated jurisdiction.
  • Buildings, land uses, structural alterations, relocations, and enlargements are subject to regulations applicable to their zoning district.

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

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Unincorporated Lovejoy Township under the Iroquois County Zoning Ordinance, subject to the County Zoning Atlas.

  • District boundaries are shown on the County Zoning Atlas, which the ordinance states is on file in the County Clerk's office.

  districts: A-1; A-2; RR-1; UR-1; RH-1; WF-1; B-1; B-2; B-2A; B-2B; M-1; M-2; M-3; PD

  “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”

• Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

  A-1 Agricultural District, unincorporated Lovejoy Township.

  • The quoted bulk requirements are within the A-1 Agricultural District provisions for a one single-family dwelling for relatives of the landowner on the same farmstead, only on a tract exceeding 75 acres.

  minimum total floor area: 900 square feet (A-1 relative-of-landowner farmstead dwelling provision.)

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

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  A-1 Agricultural District, unincorporated Lovejoy Township.

  • The quoted requirement is within the A-1 Agricultural District bulk requirements for the relative-of-landowner farmstead dwelling provision.

  minimum buildable lot size: 20000 square feet (A-1 relative-of-landowner farmstead dwelling provision.)

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

• SetbacksSpecified

  A-1 Agricultural District, unincorporated Lovejoy Township.

  • The quoted requirements are within the A-1 Agricultural District bulk requirements for the relative-of-landowner farmstead dwelling provision.

  front yard: 80 feet from center of road · rear yard: 20 feet from property line · side yard: 8 and 15 feet from property line

  “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

  A-1 Agricultural District, unincorporated Lovejoy Township.

  • The quoted requirement is within the A-1 Agricultural District bulk requirements for the relative-of-landowner farmstead dwelling provision.

  maximum structure coverage: <= 20 percent of buildable lot area (A-1 relative-of-landowner farmstead dwelling provision.)

  “Structure must not exceed 20% of buildable lot area”

• Building heightSpecified

  A-1 Agricultural District, unincorporated Lovejoy Township.

  • The quoted requirement is within the A-1 Agricultural District bulk requirements for the relative-of-landowner farmstead dwelling provision.

  maximum height: <= 35 feet (A-1 relative-of-landowner farmstead dwelling provision.)

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

• Agricultural exemptionConditional

  Agricultural land divisions in unincorporated Lovejoy Township under the County subdivision ordinance.

  • The divided parcels must be five acres or more.
  • The division must not involve any new streets or easements of access.

  minimum exempt agricultural 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 Lovejoy Township.

  • An incorporated municipality may adopt subdivision regulations within the stated adjacent one-and-one-half-mile area after adopting and recording an official comprehensive plan.
  • Preliminary and final plats must be submitted to the Regional Planning Commission.
  • Before approval, endorsement, and recording, no land may be subdivided and no lot or parcel offered for sale.
  • Agricultural divisions into parcels of at least five acres that involve no new streets or easements of access are exempt.

  “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.”

• Driveway accessLimited

  Driveways intersecting designated arterial roads in the A-1 Agricultural District in unincorporated Lovejoy Township.

  • The spacing exception applies where two driveways are parallel and no more than 10 feet apart.

  minimum arterial-road driveway spacing: >= 1000 feet (Parallel driveways spaced no more than 10 feet apart.)

  “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.”

Rules another office applies inside Lovejoy Township

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

• Who permits septicLocal (with conditions)

  Private sewage systems in Lovejoy Township served by the Iroquois County Public Health Department.

  • The program applies state and local requirements.
  • The program source says permits are issued on properties located in both counties, but does not name Lovejoy Township separately.

  “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

  New or repaired private sewage disposal systems inside Lovejoy Township served by the Iroquois County Public Health Department.

  • A completed application and permit fee are reviewed for approval.
  • If the application cannot be approved, the applicant is told to complete and resubmit it.
  • The septic must be constructed according to the Illinois Department of Public Health Private Sewage Disposal Licensing Act and Code.

  “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

  Completed private sewage systems inside Lovejoy Township served by the Iroquois County Public Health Department.

  • The installer must give the Department 24-hour notice on completion.
  • Inspection is performed by an LEHP or LEHPIT.

  notice before septic inspection: 24 hours

  “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.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residential construction inside Lovejoy Township.
• Living in an RV — Long-term RV occupancy on private land in Lovejoy Township.
• Camping on your land — Temporary camping on private land in Lovejoy Township.
• Tiny homes — Tiny-home occupancy in Lovejoy Township.
• Manufactured homes — Manufactured-home occupancy in Lovejoy 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.