Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Park City, Illinois

At a glance

Building permit

Required for most construction inside city limits, including driveways, fences, decks and sheds¹

Who issues it

Park City Building Department, 847-623-5030⁴

Zoning

City zoning under Chapter 17 of the city code; unlisted uses need a zoning amendment²

Inspections

Schedule at least 24 hours ahead; certificate of occupancy at final approval⁵⁶

Septic

Lake County Health Department, where no public sewer serves the lot³

Wells

Lake County Water Well Program permits all new wells⁷

RV and tiny home living

Not confirmed; ask the Building Department⁴

Who to call

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 17, 2026.

Does Park City, Illinois have zoning, and what does it mean for RVs, tiny homes and lot size?

Yes. Park City regulates land use through its own zoning, described in Chapter 17 of the city code and shown on the official city zoning map². The zoning chapter covers permitted land uses, building density, building height, parking and landscaping⁴.

Permitted uses are those a district explicitly allows, such as single-family homes in an R1 single-family district⁸. Special uses need public hearings, review by the planning and zoning commission and city council approval². Any land use not listed as permitted or special in a district is not allowed without a zoning chapter amendment².

That last rule matters for RVs and tiny homes: if the zoning chapter does not list the use in the district, the use is not allowed². We could not confirm what the zoning chapter says about living in an RV, tiny homes, accessory dwellings, minimum lot size or setbacks, so call the Park City Building Department at 847-623-5030 with the property's address before you commit⁴.

Do you need a building permit in Park City, and who issues it?

Yes. Park City generally requires a building permit for most construction, including new buildings and additions, garages, interior and exterior alterations, driveways, heating and air conditioning, electrical and plumbing work, swimming pools, fences, patios, decks, sheds, re-roofing, siding and window replacements¹. The requirement applies to a professional contractor and to a do-it-yourselfer alike¹.

The City of Park City's own Building Department issues the permit; the State of Illinois does not issue building permits for privately funded construction⁹. Most applications are processed within 10 business days, and large projects can take 5 to 6 weeks¹⁰. A residential permit is valid for 12 months¹.

Working without a permit is a $100.00 violation⁴. Skipping a required inspection is a $200.00 violation⁵. The city's page does not state an owner-builder exemption, so assume a permit is needed even for work on your own home¹.

Who is the Park City building department, and how do you reach them?

The Park City Building Department answers permit questions at 847-623-5030 and is based at City Hall, 3355 Belvidere Road, Park City, Illinois 60085⁴. The city's building department page hosts the downloadable building permit application¹⁰.

Plans are reviewed against the codes the city lists: the 2021 International Building Code, International Residential Code, International Property Maintenance Code, International Mechanical Code and fire code, the 2023 National Electrical Code, the Illinois Plumbing Code and the 2024 Illinois energy code update¹¹. Submittals that meet those codes and the zoning ordinance move faster, and a code enforcement official explains what to correct when plans fall short⁴.

The approved permit card must be displayed where it is visible at the construction site⁴.

How do septic permits work in Park City, Illinois?

Septic permits are a Lake County matter, not a Park City city permit. The Lake County Health Department regulates treatment and dispersal of sewage from septic systems on properties not served by a public sewer system¹². Where public sewers do not exist, the process runs in order: a licensed soil classifier evaluates the soil, a licensed designer or engineer designs the system, plans go to the Health Department, and a licensed septic contractor applies for the construction permit³.

Lake County Health Department staff inspect the construction, and no part of the system may be backfilled until it is inspected and approved¹³. Whether a particular Park City lot is on public sewer or needs a septic system is something we could not confirm; ask the Park City Building Department, then call the Health Department at 847-377-8020¹⁴.

For lots that do need a septic system, Lake County's soil ratings are a warning: 0% of the county's soils rate as not limited for a conventional drain field, so expect a site evaluation and possibly an engineered system¹⁵.

Building a home in Park City: the steps, in order

1. Confirm the zoning of the parcel on the city zoning map and in Chapter 17, and that a single-family home is a permitted use in that district⁸.
2. Ask the Building Department whether the lot has public sewer; if not, start the Lake County septic process with a soil evaluation³.
3. If you need a private well, apply to the Lake County Water Well Program, which permits all new wells⁷.
4. Download the building permit application and submit drawings, plans and a plat of survey⁴.
5. Pay the permit fee; we could not locate a published fee schedule, so ask the Building Department for the amount⁴.
6. Build, and schedule each inspection at least 24 hours in advance⁵.
7. After the inspector approves the final project, the city issues a certificate of occupancy⁶.

What stays with Lake County, and what to check before you buy in Park City

Lake County's own building permits, zoning and codes apply to unincorporated land; inside Park City, the city handles building permits and zoning¹⁶. For land outside city limits, see the Lake County page.

Several things stay with county or state offices even inside city limits. Water well permits are issued by the Lake County Water Well Program in incorporated and unincorporated areas⁷. A Watershed Development Permit is required for major and minor development in Lake County, and the Stormwater Management Commission is the permitting authority for non-certified communities¹⁷. Whether Park City is a certified community we could not confirm, so ask the Building Department about floodplain or grading. A driveway entrance onto an Interstate, U.S. route or Illinois route needs an IDOT permit before work begins¹⁸.

For budgeting, Lake County's effective property tax rate is 2.7% and the median property tax bill is $8,743 a year¹⁹²⁰. The nearest city of 100,000 or more is about 25 miles from the county center²¹.

Watch-outs

• Park City's page does not state an owner-builder exemption, so plan to pull a building permit even for work you do yourself¹.
• Zoning dimensions such as minimum lot size, setbacks, height and RV or tiny-home rules sit in the city zoning chapter and we could not confirm them; ask the Park City Building Department at 847-623-5030 before buying⁴.
• Lake County's short-term rental ban and unincorporated zoning rules do not govern Park City lots, and we could not confirm the city's own short-term rental rule; ask the Building Department⁴.
• Septic and well permits come from Lake County offices even for addresses inside city limits³⁷.

Sources

1. Park City, IL - Building Department (Park City), quoted and re-checked
2. Park City, IL - Building Department (Park City), quoted and re-checked
3. Onsite Wastewater Treatment Systems, quoted and re-checked
4. Park City Building Department (parkcityil.com)
5. Park City, IL - Building Department (Park City), quoted and re-checked
6. Park City, IL - Building Department (Park City), quoted and re-checked
7. Environmental Health Permit Applications and Forms, quoted and re-checked
8. Park City, IL - Building Department (Park City), quoted and re-checked
9. Illinois Codes FAQ (Illinois statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
10. Park City, IL - Building Department (Park City), quoted and re-checked
11. Park City, IL - Building Department (Park City), quoted and re-checked
12. Onsite Wastewater Treatment System, quoted and re-checked
13. Septic System Construction Inspection, quoted and re-checked
14. Lake County Health Department — Onsite Wastewater Treatment System (lakecountyil.gov)
15. Share of soils USDA rates "not limited" for a conventional septic drain field (SSURGO). A strict rating: the median county is about 6% and a tenth of counties are 0%, so a low figure means most lots need a site evaluation or an engineered system, not that septic is impossible. Cite it only with that caveat: Bolthole Index county data
16. Unified Development Ordinance, quoted and re-checked
17. Permits & Approvals, quoted and re-checked
18. Highway Permits (Illinois statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
19. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
20. Median property tax bill: Bolthole Index county data
21. Straight-line distance from the county center to the nearest city of 100,000+ people: Bolthole Index county data

Written October 17, 2026 from the rules quoted below, each taken from an official source and re-checked by an independent reviewer. This is research, not legal advice: rules change, so confirm with the office before you buy or build.