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

Rules another office applies inside Woodbine Township

Woodbine 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

  Buildings and structures on unincorporated land inside Woodbine Township.

  • A county building officer may reduce or waive plan-submission requirements where plan review is unnecessary; agricultural-building applications need only an accurate site plan.
  • One-story detached accessory structures of 120 square feet or less with no electrical or plumbing work do not require a building permit but must comply with zoning setbacks.

  “No person, firm or corporation shall erect, construct, enlarge or modify any building or structure, or change the use of any existing building without first obtaining a separate permit therefor, as defined in this chapter, for each such building.”

• Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

  Residential construction on unincorporated land inside Woodbine Township.

  • County code adopts the 2021 International Residential Code, 2021 International Building Code, 2020 NEC, 2014 Illinois Plumbing Code, 2018 Illinois Accessibility Code, 2021 International Mechanical Code, 2021 International Fuel Gas Code, and 2021 Illinois Energy Conservation Code.

  “Codes Adopted: The following technical codes are hereby adopted and made a part of this ordinance, as if fully set out in this chapter.”

• InspectionsRequired

  Permitted construction on unincorporated land inside Woodbine Township.

  • Permit holders must give the building and zoning administrator 24 hours' advance notice at listed stages, including final inspection before moving into the structure.

  “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

  Permitted buildings on unincorporated land inside Woodbine Township.

  • Certificate follows administrator approval after final inspection; occupancy or use before issuance is a separate offense.

  “Upon approval by the building and zoning administrator, following final inspection, a certificate of occupancy will be signed and given to the owner. Occupancy and use shall not be allowed until the certificate is issued.”

• SetbacksSpecified

  Construction in the county Agricultural or R-1 Rural Residential district on unincorporated land inside Woodbine Township.

  • Site plan must show road and property-line setbacks.
  • Frontage setbacks differ by road authority.

  side setback: 20 ft (Agricultural and R-1 districts) · rear setback: 40 ft (Agricultural and R-1 districts) · township-road frontage setback from property line: 50 ft · township-road frontage setback from roadway centerline: 80 ft

  “side & rear setbacks. (in ag & r-1, side setback is 20’, & rear setback is 40’)”

• Who permits septicCounty (with conditions)

  Private sewage-disposal systems inside Woodbine Township.

  • The county Environmental Health Department reviews septic applications and issues permits.

  “the department staff reviews plans, issues permits, and inspects the construction of new and replacement private septic systems”

• Septic inspectionRequired

  New private septic installations inside Woodbine Township.

  • Inspection occurs once installation is complete.

  “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 Woodbine Township.

  • Well must be installed by a licensed well driller and inspected; the licensed driller applies for the permit.
  • A variance may be requested where compliance with state code and county ordinance 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-building permit applications on unincorporated land inside Woodbine Township.

  • The agricultural building remains subject to a permit; only an accurate site plan is required for its permit application.

  “To obtain a permit to construct an agricultural building, only an accurate site plan is needed.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Subdivision of unincorporated land inside Woodbine Township.

  • Title 9 excludes incorporated municipalities and recognizes overlapping municipal subdivision jurisdiction within 1.5 miles.

  “This title shall apply to all land in the county not exempted herein or not within an incorporated municipality.”

• Driveway accessRequired

  New-address sites and driveway access inside Woodbine Township.

  • The applicable road authority may be the Jo Daviess County Highway Department, Township Road Commissioner, or Illinois Department of Transportation.

  “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

  Development in floodplain areas on unincorporated land inside Woodbine Township.

  • No permit issues unless development complies with Chapter 10.
  • All other required federal, state, and local permits, approvals, or permit-not-required letters must be obtained first.

  “No person, firm, corporation, or governmental body not exempted by law shall commence any development in the floodplain without first obtaining a development permit from the floodplain officer.”

• Short-term rentalsLimited

  Guest-accommodation and short-term-rental use outside incorporated cities, villages, and towns, including unincorporated land inside Woodbine Township.

  • Bed-and-breakfast facilities are excluded from this provision.
  • Each independently owned or used dwelling unit must be licensed individually.
  • License ends on the last day of the calendar year following issuance and can be renewed for one-year periods.

  “It shall be unlawful for any person to occupy for rental, a guest accommodation, including lodging or rooming houses as defined by the NFPA, exclusive of a bed and breakfast facility, within the boundaries of the county, but outside the limits of the cities, villages and incorporated towns, without having first secured a license therefor from the county building and zoning administrator granted in compliance with the terms of this chapter.”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  County building permits for unincorporated land inside Woodbine Township.

  • Completed packet review is approximately 15-20 working days; solar permits can take longer and require energy-company interconnect sign-off.
  • No work, including excavation, may start before fee payment.
  • Work must start within six months and receive consistent inspections.

  “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 Woodbine Township or Jo Daviess County directly.

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built dwellings inside Woodbine Township.
• Minimum dwelling size — Dwellings inside Woodbine Township.
• Minimum lot size — Residential lots inside Woodbine Township.
• Lot coverage — Lots inside Woodbine Township.
• Building height — Structures inside Woodbine 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.