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

Rules another office applies inside Brookfield Township

Brookfield 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 or altered buildings, accessory structures, decks and structures inside Brookfield township that is unincorporated LaSalle County land

  • Permit required for structures 200 s.f. or larger or having a side of 20 feet or greater.
  • Structures under 200 s.f. with no side greater than 20 ft do not need a county building permit; sidewalks, driveways, patios, window/siding replacement and re-roofing are listed as not requiring permits.
  • Construction beginning before permit issuance is subject to a penalty of double the permit fee; apply at least 30 days in advance.
  • Applicant must comply with other county ordinances (subdivision, floodplain, mobile home park, setback, zoning) before a permit issues; a permit is denied if one is violated.
  • Agricultural buildings require a building permit and zoning certificate but may be exempt from building code inspections and fees (see agricultural exemption claim).

  minimum structure size requiring permit: >= 200 square feet (or any structure with a side of 20 feet or greater)

  “BUILDING PERMITS ARE REQUIRED FOR: Any…. Building, Accessory Structure, Structure, Deck, Rebuilding”

• Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

  New residential and other building-permit construction inside Brookfield township, to the extent it is unincorporated LaSalle County land

  • Residential structures requiring building permits are subject to the international residential codes; one- and two-family dwellings use 2024 and 2023 national electric code as amended by the LaSalle County board.
  • Non-agricultural commercial, industrial and multi-family buildings are subject to the International Building Code 2024, International Fire Code 2024, International Mechanical Code 2024, International Fuel Gas Code 2024, International Existing Building Code 2024, International Energy Code 2024 and National Electrical Code 2023 as amended by the county board.
  • Building code inspections apply to all structures receiving building permits; bona fide agricultural structures are exempt from county building code inspections and fees.
  • Brochure states the adopted codes are available to view at codes.iccsafe.org.

  residential code edition: international residential codes (edition not stated for residential in brochure) (one- and two-family electrical 2024 and 2023 NEC as amended by county)

  “Residential Structures that require Building Permits are subject to the International Residential Codes”

• InspectionsRequired

  Structures receiving a county building permit inside Brookfield township (unincorporated LaSalle County land)

  • Inspections must be scheduled by calling 847-510-4104 with about 48 hours' notice.
  • Bona fide agricultural structures are exempt from county building code inspections and building code fees.
  • Setbacks must be flagged/staked before review; inspector checks setbacks before and after construction.

  “Building Code inspections will apply to all structures which receive Building Permits.”

• Certificate of occupancyRequired

  Occupancy and use of new or altered structures inside Brookfield township (unincorporated LaSalle County land)

  • Occupancy permit is issued by building code inspectors after a passing final inspection.
  • Owner must certify to the building inspectors that the LaSalle County Health Department has approved the well and septic; no occupancy permit issues without it (allow at least 48 hours).

  “Occupancy and use of a structure [...] is forbidden without an Occupancy Permit.”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Zoning districts applying to unincorporated land inside Brookfield township, to the extent the township has not adopted its own zoning

  • District maps for each township of the county are adopted by reference in sec. 6.1; the map sheet for Brookfield township was not opened.
  • Districts include A-1, A-C, RR, R-2, R-3, B-1, B-2 and I-1.

  “agriculture districts a-1 agriculture district ac agriculture-conservation district residence districts r-1 rural residence district”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  A-1 agriculture district lots with a single-family detached dwelling inside Brookfield township, to the extent the township has not adopted its own zoning

  • Other permitted or special uses in A-1 also require not less than 35 acres, except as otherwise required in the ordinance.
  • Minimum lot width for single-family detached dwellings is 150 feet.
  • Lots of record existing on April 1, 2006 may be improved under the exception in sec. 4.3-5 subject to the other conditions of that section.

  minimum lot area, single-family detached dwelling, A-1: >= 35 acres

  “Single Family Detached Dwellings: The zoning lot shall be not less than Thirty-Five (35) acres.”

  2 more reviewed findings on this topic

  • Specified — RR rural residence district lots with a single-family detached dwelling inside Brookfield township, to the extent the township has not adopted its own zoning

    “Single Family Detached Dwellings: The zoning lot shall not be less than one (1) acre in size.”

  • Specified — R-2 single family residence district lots with a single-family detached dwelling inside Brookfield township, to the extent the township has not adopted its own zoning

    “not less than Ten Thousand (10,000) square feet in size for properties that are served by public sanitary sewer and water”

• SetbacksSpecified

  R-2 single family residence district, single-family detached dwelling, inside Brookfield township, to the extent the township has not adopted its own zoning

  • Front yard depends on road class measured from the roadway centerline: 70 ft for a township road, 85 ft for a county road, 100 ft for a state or federal road; the front setback is at least 30 feet from the right-of-way or roadway easement edge.
  • Side yard 10 ft each side; rear yard 10 ft.
  • Setbacks are set by the county setback ordinance (adopted 1966) and the 2006 zoning ordinance.

  front yard, township road: 70 feet from roadway centerline (85 ft county road; 100 ft state or federal road) · side yard: 10 feet · rear yard: 10 feet

  “Single Family a) 70 ft.* 10 ft. 10 ft. Detached Dwelling b) 85 ft.* 10 ft. 10 ft.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — A-1 agriculture district, inside Brookfield township, to the extent the township has not adopted its own zoning

    “Agriculture b.) 85 feet * 10 feet 10 feet c.) 100 feet * 10 feet 10 feet”

• Building heightSpecified

  Buildings used as dwelling units in the A-1 agriculture district inside Brookfield township, to the extent the township has not adopted its own zoning

  • Non-dwelling buildings on zoning lots of one acre or greater have no height limitation.

  maximum height, dwelling unit building, A-1: <= 36 feet (non-dwelling buildings on lots of 1 acre or more have no limit)

  “on all buildings used as dwelling units the building height shall not exceed thirty-six (36) feet in height.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — Single-family detached dwellings in the R-2 single family residence district inside Brookfield township, to the extent the township has not adopted its own zoning

    “all single family detached dwellings shall not exceed thirty-six (36) feet in height.”

• Living in an RVLimited

  Living or sleeping in a recreational vehicle on private land inside Brookfield township (unincorporated LaSalle County land)

  • Limit is 180 days in a calendar year.
  • A recreational vehicle may not be used for living or sleeping in a subdivision, unincorporated platted town, or on a parcel with an existing residence, unless otherwise permitted by the ordinance.

  maximum RV living or sleeping period: <= 180 days per calendar year (not in subdivisions, unincorporated platted towns, or parcels with an existing residence unless otherwise permitted)

  “may be used for living or sleeping purposes for a period not exceeding 180 days in a calendar year.”

• Accessory dwellingsAllowed (with conditions)

  Accessory dwelling unit on an R-2 single family residence district lot inside Brookfield township (unincorporated LaSalle County land)

  • Accessory dwelling unit is listed among the R-2 district uses; the excerpt does not say whether it is a permitted use or a special use, so the definition in chapter 3 governs.
  • Other R-2 bulk and lot standards apply.
  • Not verified for the A-1 or RR districts.

  “r. accessory dwelling unit (see chapter 3, definitions).”

• Who permits septicCounty (with conditions)

  Private sewage disposal systems on land inside Brookfield township that is unincorporated LaSalle County land

  • Governed by the Private Sewage Disposal Licensing Act and Code, administered through the LaSalle County Health Department (815-433-3366).

  “A permit for construction will not be issued until a completed application and fee have been submitted to the LaSalle County Health Department”

• Septic permitRequired

  Private sewage disposal system for a home inside Brookfield township (unincorporated LaSalle County land)

  • Application requires a plat of survey, plot plan showing system location and distances to property lines and wells, and soil investigation report with soil boring locations.
  • Fee payable to the LaSalle County Health Department; online payment available.
  • Building permit application requires an approved septic permit attached.

  “A permit for construction will not be issued until a completed application and fee have been submitted”

• Septic inspectionRequired

  Private sewage disposal system construction inside Brookfield township (unincorporated LaSalle County land)

  • Health department must be notified for a final inspection before the system is backfilled.
  • Inspection result is a statement whether the system meets current Illinois Department of Public Health standards; the department does not guarantee the system.

  “The Health Department must be notified for a final inspection sewage disposal system construction before backfilling.”

• Well permitRequired

  Private water well serving a new home inside Brookfield township (unincorporated LaSalle County land)

  • Governed by the Water Well Construction Code, administered by the LaSalle County Health Department.
  • Approved well permit must be attached to the county building permit application.

  “Copy of approved Well Permit from LaSalle County Health Department”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Lots created by subdivision or deed division inside Brookfield township (unincorporated LaSalle County land)

  • Lots created by subdivision or deed division must conform to the bulk regulations of their zoning district.
  • Land/cash donations required in accordance with the LaSalle County subdivision control ordinance.
  • Subdivision ordinance is listed as a county ordinance that must be met before a building permit is issued.

  “such lots, created by subdivision or deed division, shall be required to make land/cash donations”

• Driveway accessRequired

  Driveway access to a home lot inside Brookfield township (unincorporated LaSalle County land)

  • The Lasalle County highway access ordinance must be met before a building permit issues; the brochure does not state the access permit mechanics, so contact the LaSalle County Highway Department at 815-434-0743.

  “lasalle county highway access ordinance for more information contact the lasalle county highway department at 815-434-0743.”

• Building in a floodplainLimited

  Development in special flood hazard areas inside Brookfield township (unincorporated LaSalle County land)

  • The county floodplain ordinance must be met before a building permit issues; its text was not opened, so the flood-zone requirements are not specified here.
  • Storm water regulations apply to nonconforming structures in the special flood hazard area under the zoning ordinance definitions.

  “the following County Ordinances must be met before the issuance of a building permit: [...] Floodplain Ordinance”

• Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

  Building permit fees for a home and accessory structures inside Brookfield township (unincorporated LaSalle County land)

  • Fee is set by square footage of the structure and the number of inspections required; the schedule is in article 6 of the county building permit ordinance, which the brochure does not reproduce.
  • Price is set by the building inspector after plan review and paid when the permit is issued; fees are nonrefundable.
  • Agricultural structures pay a $25.00 compliance fee instead of a building permit fee.
  • Construction started before permit issuance is subject to a penalty of double the permit fee.

  agricultural compliance fee: 25 USD (bona fide agriculture structures; not a building permit fee)

  “fees are based on square footage of structure and the number of inspections required.”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Building permit process for a home inside Brookfield township (unincorporated LaSalle County land)

  • Submit two copies of construction documents, a site diagram (lot lines, setbacks, structures, road), a building permit application, approved well and septic permits, and stamped truss certificates if trusses are used.
  • Apply at least 30 days before anticipated construction; plans are reviewed by a building inspector, who notifies the applicant when the permit is ready to pick up.
  • Contact: LaSalle County Land Use Department, 119 West Madison Street, Room 107, Ottawa, IL 61350; 815-434-8666.

  “Applications not including ALL appropriate information and attachments will not be accepted.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption for a home built by the owner inside Brookfield township
• Local zoning — Whether Brookfield township itself adopts and administers a zoning ordinance for land inside its limits
• Minimum dwelling size — Minimum floor area of a dwelling inside Brookfield township
• Lot coverage — Maximum lot coverage for a home inside Brookfield township
• Tiny homes — Tiny-home occupancy on private land inside Brookfield 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.