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

Rules another office applies inside Berreman Township

Berreman 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

  Construction or excavation on unincorporated land inside Berreman Township.

  • Accessory structures under 120 square feet with no electrical or plumbing do not require a building permit, but must comply with zoning setbacks.
  • A separate permit is required for each building under County Code § 7-1-4.

  “A permit must be obtained prior to beginning any construction or excavation. This include: New Houses, Accessory Buildings, Decks, Structural Changes or Repair, any work that involves electrical wiring, plumbing, and/or life safety codes.”

• InspectionsRequired

  County-permitted construction on unincorporated land inside Berreman Township.

  • Permit bearers must provide 24 hours' advance notice.
  • Listed stages include footing forms, framing, rough-in, and final inspection before moving in.

  “All bearers of building permits are required to give the building and zoning administrator twenty four (24) hours' advance notice of the readiness of a particular building unit for inspection following completion of the following stages of construction:”

• Certificate of occupancyRequired

  Buildings subject to the County building code on unincorporated land inside Berreman Township.

  • Approval follows final inspection.
  • Occupancy and use are not allowed until the certificate is issued.

  “Occupancy and use shall not be allowed until the certificate is issued.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Unincorporated land inside Berreman Township, where Jo Daviess County rather than the township administers zoning.

  • This finding does not establish a Berreman Township zoning ordinance.
  • County zoning applies to unincorporated land; incorporated areas, if any, require their own review.

  “The Planning and Development Department is responsible for administering and enforcing the County's building code, zoning ordinance, Guest Accommodations Ordinance, Subdivision Regulations, and Telecommunications Ordinance”

• SetbacksDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Agricultural and R-1 district building sites inside unincorporated Berreman Township.

  • The cited permit packet identifies these figures for Ag and R-1.
  • Road frontage setbacks vary by road authority.

  side setback: 20 ft (Ag and R-1) · rear setback: 40 ft (Ag and R-1)

  “Side & Rear Setbacks. (In Ag & R-1, Side setback is 20’, & Rear setback is 40’)”

• Who permits septicCounty (with conditions)

  Private sewage systems inside Berreman Township.

  • The County Environmental Health Department reviews septic applications and coordinates permits with Building and Zoning.

  “You or your septic contractor, are required to obtain a septic permit from the Jo Daviess County Environmental Health Department.”

• Septic permitRequired

  Private sewage installations serving construction inside Berreman Township.

  • A septic permit or sign-off must issue before a building permit.
  • A licensed septic installation contractor applies for the permit.

  “A septic permit or sign off must be issued prior to the issuance of a building permit.”

• Septic inspectionRequired

  New private sewage installations inside Berreman Township.

  • Inspection occurs after the installation contractor completes installation.
  • Inspection checks location, sizing, and compliance with applicable state code and county ordinance.

  “Inspection - once the septic installation contractor has completed the septic installation, an inspection takes place to check if the system was installed in the correct location, is sized properly, and meets applicable state code and county ordinance.”

• Well permitRequired

  Private water wells inside Berreman Township.

  • Wells must be installed by a licensed well driller and inspected.
  • A written variance may be requested when state-code and local-ordinance compliance is impractical or impossible.

  “All private water wells are to be permitted, installed by a licensed well driller, and inspected to determine if the installation meets applicable state code and local ordinance.”

• Agricultural exemptionConditional

  Agricultural buildings subject to County building-permit fees inside unincorporated Berreman Township.

  • The code says agricultural buildings may be exempt; it does not establish that every agricultural building is exempt.
  • This is a fee exemption finding, not a determination of any zoning agricultural-use exemption.

  “Any application for a building permit shall be accompanied by a fee as set by the county board. Fees shall apply to all new construction of any building or structure regulated by this chapter. Agricultural buildings may be exempt.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Subdivision activity on unincorporated land inside Berreman Township.

  • County Planning & Development administers and enforces County Subdivision Regulations.

  “The Planning and Development Department is responsible for administering and enforcing the County's building code, zoning ordinance, Guest Accommodations Ordinance, Subdivision Regulations, and Telecommunications Ordinance”

• Building in a floodplainRequired

  Development within floodplains under Jo Daviess County jurisdiction inside Berreman Township.

  • County floodplain officer processes development permits and inspects development projects.
  • Other required local, state, and federal permits must also be obtained.

  “The floodplain officer shall be responsible for the general administration of this chapter and ensure that all development activities within the floodplains under the jurisdiction of Jo Daviess County meet the requirements of this chapter.”

• Short-term rentalsLimited

  Guest accommodations and short-term rentals on unincorporated land inside Berreman Township.

  • County Planning & Development administers the Guest Accommodations Ordinance and issues Guest Accommodations Licenses.
  • Short-term-rental properties have different requirements from a single-family house.

  “Properties used in the Guest Accommodations Program (Short Term Rental) do have different requirements than for a single-family house.”

• Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

  County building permits for unincorporated construction inside Berreman Township.

  • The County's building-permit packet lists a $75 application base fee and a $4-per-$1,000 valuation charge.
  • No work, including excavation, may start before payment.

  application base fee: 75 USD · building permit fee: per 4 USD per $1,000 cost value

  “Application fee (Base Fee) ------------------------------------------------$ 75.00 Building Permit fee Schedule $4.00 per thousand dollar cost value (Value x 0.004)”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  County building permits for unincorporated construction inside Berreman Township.

  • The County states review is approximately 15–20 working days after receiving a completed application packet.
  • No work, including excavation, may start before payment.
  • Construction must start within six months and have consistent inspections for the permit to remain valid.

  “Review time is approximately 15 - 20 working days after we have received a completed application packet.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residential construction inside Berreman Township.
• Building code adopted — Buildings inside Berreman Township.
• Minimum dwelling size — Dwellings inside Berreman Township.
• Minimum lot size — Lots inside Berreman Township.
• Lot coverage — Lots inside Berreman 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.