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

Dunleith Township’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Construction or excavation on Dunleith Township land administered by Jo Daviess County.

  • Accessory structures under 120 square feet with no electrical or plumbing do not require a building permit, but must comply with zoning setbacks.

  accessory-structure exemption floor area: < 120 square feet (Only where it contains no electrical or plumbing.)

  “A permit must be obtained prior to beginning any construction or excavation.”

• Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

  Dunleith Township land subject to Jo Daviess County building administration, including unincorporated land.

  • The County Planning and Development Department administers the County building code; incorporated municipal rules may separately apply.

  International Residential Code edition: 2021

  “Residential Code: International Residential Code 2021 edition, including appendix chapters A, B, C, D, E, G, J, M, and Q, (see international residential code section R101.2.1, 2021 edition), published by the International Code Council, Inc.”

• InspectionsRequired

  Permitted construction on Dunleith Township land administered by Jo Daviess County.

  • Owner or contractor must contact Planning and Development for all inspections; final inspection is before occupancy.

  “Inspections are required. Call the Planning & Development Department at (815) 591-3810 before the work is ready. Allow as much time for scheduling as practical.”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Unincorporated Dunleith Township land subject to Jo Daviess County zoning.

  • Published County districts are AG, R-1, R-2, C, M, I, PD, RP, and CON.

  “In order to accomplish the purposes and intent of this title and the objectives set forth in the preamble of this chapter, the unincorporated portions of Jo Daviess County, Illinois, are hereby organized in the following districts:”

• SetbacksSpecified

  AG and R-1 districts on unincorporated Dunleith Township land subject to County zoning.

  • Road frontage setbacks differ by road authority.

  side setback: 20 feet (AG and R-1 districts.) · rear setback: 40 feet (AG and R-1 districts.)

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

• Living in an RVLimited

  RV storage at private homes on unincorporated Dunleith Township land subject to County zoning.

  • Rule addresses an RV stored on the premises.

  living-or-sleeping maximum: <= 30 days per calendar year (While stored on the premises.)

  “No recreational vehicle shall be used for living or sleeping purposes for a period exceeding thirty (30) days in a calendar year while stored on the premises.”

• Manufactured homesLimited

  Manufactured homes in recreational vehicle parks on unincorporated Dunleith Township land subject to County zoning.

  • This is a recreational-vehicle-park restriction, not a general Township-wide determination.

  “Mobile homes and manufactured homes shall not be allowed.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Subdivision activity on Dunleith Township land administered by Jo Daviess County.

  • County Planning and Development administers the 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”

• Driveway accessRequired

  New address locations on Dunleith Township land administered by Jo Daviess County.

  • The applicable road authority must sign off; the roadway may be controlled by the County, Township Road Commissioner, or IDOT.

  “Prior to an address being issued, the Road Authority will need to sign off that the location has a safe access.”

• Building in a floodplainRequired

  Wet-floodproofing construction in floodplain development on Dunleith Township land subject to County floodplain rules.

  • Technique must be reviewed and approved by the floodplain administrator and a registered professional engineer or architect before issuance of the floodplain development permit.

  “Wet floodproofing construction techniques must be reviewed and approved by the floodplain administrator and a registered professional engineer or architect prior to the issuance of any floodplain development permit for construction.”

• Short-term rentalsLimited

  Guest accommodations, including transient rentals, on Dunleith Township land administered by Jo Daviess County.

  • A transient basis is any period less than 30 consecutive days; County guest-accommodations administration and licensing apply.

  transient period: < 30 consecutive days

  “GUEST ACCOMMODATIONS: | Any facility containing sixteen (16) or fewer units, used as sleeping accommodations, which are made available to the public on a transient basis, for a charge. A transient basis shall be any period of time less than thirty (30) consecutive days.”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Building permits for Dunleith Township land administered by Jo Daviess County.

  • Estimated review is 15–20 working days after a complete application packet; solar permits may take longer and require energy-company interconnect signoff.

  estimated review time: 15-20 working days (After receipt of a completed application packet.)

  “Review time is approximately 15 - 20 working days after we have received a completed application packet. Solar permits might take longer and will require interconnect sign off from the energy company prior to approval.”

Rules another office applies inside Dunleith Township

Dunleith 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 septicCounty (with conditions)

  Private sewage systems serving Dunleith Township land.

  • A licensed septic installation contractor applies for the permit.

  “The department staff reviews plans, issues permits, and inspects the construction of new and replacement private septic systems; performs septic evaluations for real estate transactions.”

• Septic permitRequired

  New private septic systems serving Dunleith Township land.

  • Building and Zoning must receive the septic permit before a building permit can be obtained.

  “All septic systems are to be permitted, installed by a licensed contractor or homeowner, and inspected to determine if the installation meets applicable state code and local ordinance.”

• Septic inspectionRequired

  Installed private septic systems serving Dunleith Township land.

  • Inspection checks location, size, state code, and county ordinance compliance.

  “All septic systems are to be permitted, installed by a licensed contractor or homeowner, and inspected to determine if the installation meets applicable state code and local ordinance.”

• Well permitRequired

  Private water wells on Dunleith Township land.

  • Well must be installed by a licensed well driller and inspected for state-code and local-ordinance compliance.

  “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.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residential work in Dunleith Township.
• Local zoning — Land inside Dunleith Township.
• Minimum dwelling size — Single-family dwellings inside Dunleith Township.
• Minimum lot size — Residential lots inside Dunleith Township.
• Lot coverage — Land inside Dunleith 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.