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

Rules another office applies inside Sumner Township

Sumner 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

  Building work in unincorporated Kankakee County, including land inside Sumner township outside any municipality (new homes, additions, manufactured homes, sheds and similar work are listed as examples)

  • Per the guide, the planning department administers the building permit process and plans must be submitted; municipalities handle their own permits.
  • Septic and well approvals, erosion control, and road-authority entrance approvals are separate reviews the guide lists as needed for some projects.
  • Source is the 2008 county guide; fees and current procedure not verified.

  “Building activity in the unincorporated areas of the County may require a building permit. Below are examples of projects which require a building permit”

• Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

  Building construction in unincorporated Kankakee County, including land inside Sumner township outside any municipality

  • The county guide lists 2003 International Residential, Mechanical, Building, Property Maintenance, Energy Conservation, Fuel Gas and Fire codes, 2005 National Electrical Code, 2004 Illinois Plumbing Code and 1997 Illinois Accessibility Code.
  • The guide is a 2008 addition and says the county periodically adopts updated codes, so the edition list may be superseded.

  “Building Codes have been adopted by the County to ensure the health, safety and welfare of all County residents.”

• InspectionsRequired

  Permitted building work in unincorporated Kankakee County, including Sumner township land outside municipalities

  • The guide says owners must request inspections by calling the building division at least 48 hours in advance; the county does not guarantee a specific time.
  • Inspections are performed Monday through Friday 8:30 to 4:30 per the guide.
  • Source is the 2008 county guide.

  inspection notice: >= 48 hours (county will try to accommodate but does not guarantee a time)

  “Inspections are required periodically throughout the construction period.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside Sumner township that is outside any municipality: the Kankakee County zoning ordinance (Chapter 121) applies because the county administers zoning there. This is county zoning, not a township-adopted ordinance.

  • Kankakee County administers zoning for the villages of Cabery, Irwin, Reddick and Union Hill; Sumner township is not on that list, and the county directs other communities to a municipal contacts page.
  • The county zoning ordinance text is published through amendments dated August 12, 2008, per the county Zoning Division page.

  “Kankakee County regulates the zoning for parcels located outside of municipal boundaries.”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Zoning districts in unincorporated Kankakee County, including Sumner township land outside municipalities

  • The county FAQ lists A-1, A-2, R1, R2, RE, C1, C2, I1 and I2 districts; the FAQ defers C1, C2, I1 and I2 requirements to the ordinance page.
  • A zoning map is part of the ordinance and is updated each March, per the county Zoning Division page.

  “A-1 (Agriculture) [...] A-2 (Agriculture Estate) [...] R1 (Residential) [...] R2 (High-Density Residential) [...] RE (Rural Estate) [...] C1 (Restricted Commercial) [...] C2 (General Commercial) [...] I1 (Light Industrial) [...] I2 (Industrial)”

• SetbacksSpecified

  Principal structures in the A-1 (Agriculture) district, unincorporated Kankakee County, including Sumner township land outside municipalities

  • Setbacks apply to principal structures only, per the county FAQ.
  • Side setback is 30 feet interior and 50 feet on a corner lot.
  • Source is the county FAQ table; the ordinance text it refers to was not opened.

  front setback: 50 feet · side setback (interior lot): 30 feet (50 feet on a corner lot) · rear setback: 100 feet

  “The setbacks outlined below are for principal structures: [...] A-1 (Agriculture) | 50 feet | 30 feet - interior / 50 feet - corner lot | 100'”

  3 more reviewed findings on this topic

  • Specified — Principal structures in the R1 (Residential) district, unincorporated Kankakee County, including Sumner township land outside municipalities

    “R1 (Residential) | 30 feet | 6 feet - interior / 30 feet - corner lot | 40'”

  • Specified — Principal structures in the RE (Rural Estate) district, unincorporated Kankakee County, including Sumner township land outside municipalities

    “RE (Rural Estate) | 50 | 20 feet - interior / 50 feet - corner lot | 50'”

  • Specified — Accessory structures in unincorporated Kankakee County, including Sumner township land outside municipalities

    “No accessory structures shall be nearer than 10 feet from the principal structure or 5 feet from an interior lot line.”

• Who permits septicCounty (with conditions)

  Septic systems on unincorporated land inside Sumner township, handled by the Kankakee County Health Department

  • Per the county guide, septic and well systems are reviewed and approved by the health department; the guide does not list the service-area boundary.
  • Source for the health-department program is the department's home page, which lists a septic program.

  “KCHD Issues septic system permits, conducts inspections to ensure proper installation, conducts evaluation of existing systems, conducts dye tests to determine possible failures, evaluates findings, and makes recommendations.”

• Septic permitRequired

  New septic systems on unincorporated land inside Sumner township

  • Health department reviews and approves septic systems before building permit issuance, per the county guide's referral step.
  • Permit application, fees and forms not verified in this run.

  “KCHD Issues septic system permits, conducts inspections to ensure proper installation”

• Agricultural exemptionConditional

  Division of a farmstead from an agricultural parcel in unincorporated Kankakee County (farmstead exemption)

  • The county adopted a farmstead exemption in July 2002; the page says it applies when all application criteria are met.
  • Farmstead exemption fee is $100 plus a plat of survey, per the county FAQ.
  • State Plat Act agricultural exemption not verified in this run.

  farmstead exemption application fee: 100 USD (plus plat of survey)

  “In July 2002 the Kankakee County Board adopted the farmstead exemption application. This process allows property owners wishing to divide a farmstead from an agricultural parcel, provided all application criteria is met.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Land division and development in unincorporated Kankakee County, including Sumner township land outside municipalities

  • Review involves several agencies, then the planning, zoning and agriculture committee recommends to the county board, which decides, per the 2008 guide.
  • Source is the 2008 county guide; the subdivision section was not opened in full.

  “The County Subdivision Ordinance is part of the County Code. This document outlines procedures and requirements for the subdivision of land, creation of plats, vacation of plats, construction and engineering standards and a variance process.”

• Driveway accessLimited

  New driveways on county roads in unincorporated Kankakee County, including Sumner township land outside municipalities (commercial and industrial parcels differ)

  • Driveways no closer than 250 feet from an intersecting highway, centerline to centerline; entrance flare no nearer than 10 feet from the property line.
  • Entrance permits are reviewed by the appropriate road authority.
  • Commercial and industrial parcels have different requirements not verified here.

  driveway spacing along highway frontage: per 330 feet (one driveway per 330 feet; no driveway nearer than 100 feet from another access point)

  “There shall be allowed one driveway per every 330 feet of highway frontage. However, no driveway shall be nearer than 100 feet from another access point. *Note: Commercial and Industrial parcels have requirements different than those above.”

• Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

  Zoning applications only (rezoning, special use, variance) in unincorporated Kankakee County; not building permit fees

  • Rezoning and special use base fee $600 plus $30 per acre for the first 50 acres, $20 per acre for 51 to 100 acres, $10 per acre above 100.
  • Variance fee $280; continuance fee $175 may be charged.
  • Building permit fees not found in this run.

  rezoning or special use base fee: 600 USD (plus $30 per acre (1-50 acres), $20 per acre (51-100 acres), $10 per acre over 100) · variance fee: 280 USD

  “Rezonings and Special Uses have a base fee of $600, plus an additional charge of $30 per acre for the first 50 acres, $20 per acre for 51 to 100 acres, and $10 per acre for each acre over 100.”

• Permit processPartial

  Building and development permit process in unincorporated Kankakee County

  • Process starts with a visit to the planning department, with the listed information; the staff then sets which permits and reviews apply.
  • Source is the 2008 county guide; the current online portal was not verified.

  “Whether you’re developing land, building or expanding a building or just remodeling an existing one, the process starts the same way. It all starts with a visit to the Planning Department.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder permit exemption in unincorporated Kankakee County
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy for new homes in unincorporated Kankakee County
• Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling size in unincorporated Sumner township area
• Minimum lot size — Minimum lot area by district in unincorporated Sumner township area (A-1, A-2, R1, RE)
• Lot coverage — Lot coverage by district in unincorporated Sumner township area

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.