Zoning, building permits and septic rules in West Deerfield Township, Illinois

Rules another office applies inside West Deerfield Township

West Deerfield 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

  New single- or two-family dwellings on unincorporated land inside West Deerfield township (the county page covers unincorporated Lake County only; incorporated municipal land in the township is excluded)

  • A site development permit is also required for the same project.
  • If the site will contain a septic system and/or water well, Lake County Health Department approval is also required.

  “the construction of a new single family or two family dwelling in unincorporated lake county requires a building permit and a site development permit.”

• InspectionsRequired

  New single- or two-family dwellings on unincorporated land inside West Deerfield township

  • The page says the project will require inspections at various stages of construction; the number and type of inspections are not listed on the page.

  “your project will require inspections at various stages of construction.”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Zoning districts on unincorporated land inside West Deerfield township (Lake County UDO, Chapter 151)

  • The county's residential districts are listed on the short-term rental page as ag, e, re, rr and r1-r6; the use table is in UDO section 151.111. The district list and map were not read in full.

  “regulating zoning under chapter 151 (udo) and accompanying zoning maps, the unincorporated areas of lake county are divided into zoning districts.”

• Who permits septicCounty (with conditions)

  Septic systems on unincorporated land inside West Deerfield township, administered by the Lake County Health Department

  • Municipal land inside the township is excluded; septic or sewer rules for municipal land were not researched.

  “if the site will contain a septic system (individual sewage disposal (isd) system) and/or water well, a lake county health department approval is also required.”

• Septic permitRequired

  New homes with a septic system on unincorporated land inside West Deerfield township (Lake County Health Department approval)

  • Projects altering a property with a septic system also require Health Department review and approval, per the permits page.

  “property alteration and/or addition projects on properties with a septic system or well must be reviewed and approved by the lake county health department.”

• Well permitRequired

  New homes with a water well on unincorporated land inside West Deerfield township (Lake County Health Department approval)

  • The county's health approval requirement for a well is stated for new homes on the New House page; the water well construction permit form was not read.

  “the water well program issues permits for construction of all new private, semi-private and non-community water wells, and inspects each after its completion to assure it is constructed properly.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Land divisions on unincorporated land inside West Deerfield township under Lake County Chapter 151 (UDO) subdivision standards

  • Subdivision standards and approvals are in Chapter 151; the subdivision standards themselves were not read.

  “regulations include: zoning subdivision signs site development (stormwater detention, erosion control, floodplain and wetlands)”

• Short-term rentalsProhibited

  Short-term rental of single-family homes in residential zoning districts on unincorporated land inside West Deerfield township

  • Short-term rental is defined on the page as renting for a period of less than one (1) month.
  • Bed-and-breakfast use, where the owner resides full-time and no more than 50% of the residence is occupied by guests, is a separate use and is not covered by this prohibition.
  • Municipal land inside the township is governed by municipal rules, which vary.

  “short-term rental of single-family homes in residential zoning districts is prohibited in unincorporated lake county by the unified development ordinance of the lake county code (udo)”

• Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

  New single- or two-family dwelling permits on unincorporated land inside West Deerfield township

  • Fees are based on the cubic-foot volume of new construction, plus flat fees for building utilities such as electric, heat and plumbing fixtures, per the Land Development Fee Schedule PDF linked from the page; dollar amounts were not read.

  “permit fees are based on the volume in cubic feet of your new construction.”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  New single- or two-family dwelling permits on unincorporated land inside West Deerfield township

  • Application is made in person at the Lake County Central Permit Facility, 500 W Winchester Road, Libertyville.
  • The application is reviewed for compliance with building and zoning regulations; the page says a permit is typically received in about 10 business days from application when the project complies with all applicable codes and ordinances.

  typical permit issuance time: 10 business days (if project complies with all applicable codes and ordinances)

  “your application must be made in person, by either the property owner or authorized agent.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder permit exemption on unincorporated land inside West Deerfield township
• Building code adopted — Building code adopted for unincorporated land inside West Deerfield township
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy for new homes on unincorporated land inside West Deerfield township
• Local zoning — Land inside West Deerfield township's limits: whether the township itself adopts and administers a zoning ordinance
• Minimum dwelling size — Dwelling size minimums on unincorporated land inside West Deerfield 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.