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

Rules another office applies inside Bruce Township

Bruce 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 residential structures inside Bruce township (unincorporated portion) administered by LaSalle County Land Use Department

  • Permit required for residential structures over 200 square feet or larger than 20 feet on any side, plus structural remodeling, signs, fences, pools, solar and wind equipment and towers.
  • Agricultural-use buildings are handled under the county agricultural exemption.

  “building permits are required for all commercial projects, all residential structures over 200 square feet or larger than 20 feet on any side”

• Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

  New construction and alterations inside Bruce township that fall under LaSalle County building permits (unincorporated portion of Bruce township)

  • Applies to the unincorporated portion of Bruce township; land inside Streator city limits follows the city.
  • The county notice states the codes are adopted with amendments effective January 1, 2025.

  “effective january 1, 2025; lasalle county building codes will be updated to the following code years with amendments: international residential code 2024”

• Certificate of occupancyRequired

  Occupancy of new or altered structures inside Bruce township (unincorporated portion) built under a county building permit

  • Occupancy and move-in are forbidden until an occupancy permit is issued by the building code inspector.

  “occupancy and use of a structure (which includes but is not limited to moving furniture and personal items into the structure) is forbidden without an occupancy permit”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Zoning districts applicable to land inside Bruce township (unincorporated portion) under the county zoning ordinance

  • Zoning district maps for each township are adopted by reference in the ordinance; the Bruce township sheet was not opened.
  • Applies to unincorporated county land only.

  “the unincorporated area of the county is hereby divided into the following districts: agriculture districts a-1 agriculture district”

• Minimum lot sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Single-family detached dwelling on a lot in the A-1 Agriculture District inside Bruce township (unincorporated portion)

  • Applies to the A-1 Agriculture District; the minimum for all other permitted or special uses is also at least 35 acres unless otherwise required.
  • Lots of record meeting the exception in Sec. 4.3 may be built on without meeting the minimum lot width or lot area (acreage) requirement if they were lots of record on the April 1, 2006 effective date.

  minimum lot area, single-family detached dwelling: >= 35 acres (A-1 Agriculture District; lots of record exception applies) · minimum lot width, single-family detached dwelling: >= 150 feet (A-1 Agriculture District)

  “1. single family detached dwellings: the zoning lot shall be not less than thirty-five (35) acres.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • District specific (with conditions) — Permitted or special uses on a lot in the AC Agriculture-Conservation District inside Bruce township (unincorporated portion)

    “a. minimum lot area: all permitted or special uses: not less than 1 acre except as otherwise required herein.”

• SetbacksSpecified

  Building setbacks in most county zoning districts for land inside Bruce township (unincorporated portion)

  • Front setback depends on road classification: township road, county road, or state/federal route.
  • Stated as a general rule for most districts; the district-by-district schedule controls where it differs.

  front setback from township road centerline: 70 feet (most zoning districts) · front setback from county road centerline: 85 feet (most zoning districts) · front setback from state/federal route centerline: 100 feet (most zoning districts) · side and rear setback: 10 feet (most zoning districts)

  “building setbacks in most zoning districts are 70 feet from township road centerline, 85 feet from county road centerline, 100 feet from state/federal route centerline, and 10 feet from side/rear yards.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • District specific (with conditions) — Principal buildings in the A-1 Agriculture District inside Bruce township (unincorporated portion)

    “properties facing township roadways have a seventy (70) foot setback from the centerline of the roadway.”

• Living in an RVLimited

  Living or sleeping in a recreational vehicle on land inside Bruce township (unincorporated portion) under the county zoning ordinance

  • Not allowed in a subdivision, an unincorporated platted town, or on a parcel with an existing residence, unless otherwise permitted by the ordinance.
  • Limit applies per calendar year.

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

  “a recreational vehicle, as defined in chapter 3, may be used for living or sleeping purposes for a period not exceeding 180 days in a calendar year”

• Who permits septicCounty (with conditions)

  Private sewage disposal (septic) systems for land inside Bruce township (unincorporated portion)

  • The brochure refers questions under the Private Sewage Disposal Licensing Act and the Water Well Construction Code to the LaSalle County Health Department; the state act and code govern the substance of the rule.
  • Approved septic permit from the county health department must be attached before building permit issuance.

  “copy of approved septic permit from lasalle county health department”

• Septic permitRequired

  New construction on a lot inside Bruce township (unincorporated portion) that needs a private septic system

  • An approved septic permit from the LaSalle County Health Department must be attached to the building permit application.

  “copy of approved septic permit from lasalle county health department”

• Well permitRequired

  New construction inside Bruce township (unincorporated portion) with a private water well

  • Approved well permit from the LaSalle County Health Department must be attached to the building permit application.
  • Governed by the Water Well Construction Code per the county health department.

  “copy of approved well permit from lasalle county health department”

• Agricultural exemptionConditional

  Buildings used for bona fide agricultural use inside Bruce township (unincorporated portion)

  • Bona fide agricultural buildings are exempt from county building code fees and building code provisions but still require a building permit and zoning certificate.
  • Agricultural exemption is limited to bona fide agricultural use.

  “if these structures are declared bona fide agriculture structures and will be used for agricultural purposes they are exempt from county building code inspections and building code fees.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Dividing land inside Bruce township (unincorporated portion)

  • Contact the county before subdividing so the split is checked against the county subdivision ordinance, county zoning ordinance and the Illinois Plat Act.

  “please contact our department prior to subdividing property in order to verify that the split will comply with the lasalle county subdivision, lasalle county zoning ordinance, and the illinois plat act.”

• Driveway accessRequired

  Driveway or road access for land inside Bruce township (unincorporated portion)

  • Access governed by the county highway access ordinance; details not opened.

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

• Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

  County building and land-use permit fees for land inside Bruce township (unincorporated portion)

  • Fee amounts in the schedule vary by permit type; only the agricultural permit fee is quoted here.
  • A late fee/penalty of double the permit fee applies if construction starts before a building permit is obtained.

  agricultural building permit fee: 25 USD (per building permit application for bona fide agricultural buildings)

  “a permit will be required pursuant to section 6.1 at a $25.00 fee per building permit application”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Building permit application process for land inside Bruce township (unincorporated portion)

  • Application must include the building permit application, two sets of construction documents, a site diagram, and approved well and septic permits from the health department.
  • If a county ordinance is found to be violated, the permit is denied.

  “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 Bruce Township or LaSalle County directly.

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder permit exemption inside Bruce township
• Local zoning — Whether Bruce township itself adopts and administers a zoning ordinance for land inside its limits
• Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling floor area for a home inside Bruce township
• Lot coverage — Maximum lot coverage inside Bruce township
• Building height — Maximum building height inside Bruce 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.