Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Farm Ridge Township, Illinois

Rules another office applies inside Farm Ridge Township

Farm Ridge 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 buildings and covered construction in the portions of Farm Ridge Township outside incorporated city, village, and town limits.

  • Routine maintenance or repair, construction of utility service connections, certain structures no larger than 200 square feet with every side under 20 feet, and placement of mobile homes on pads in licensed mobile-home parks are exempt as stated in Section 4.2.
  • The listed exemptions do not apply to additions, structural alterations, or significant changes of use.
  • A written permit must be obtained from the LaSalle County Building Officer before covered work begins.

  “Except as otherwise provided by this Ordinance, it shall be unlawful, except within city, village or incorporated town limits within LaSalle County, for any property owner or contractor: a. To erect a new building, accessory structure or structure or part thereof without first obtaining a written building permit from the LaSalle County Building Officer.”

• Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

  Non-agricultural detached one- and two-family dwellings, qualifying townhouses, and their accessory structures in the portions of Farm Ridge Township outside incorporated city, village, and town limits.

  • The ordinance excludes Article 5 building-code provisions for bona fide agricultural farm buildings and farm residences, except for compliance with other ordinances and statutes.
  • The residential code applies to detached one- and two-family dwellings and townhouses not more than three stories high with a separate means of egress.

  residential code: International Residential Code, 2024 edition (Applies only to the non-agricultural residential buildings described in Section 5.1.)

  “These regulations shall apply to all buildings, accessory structures and structures constructed outside the limits of cities, villages and incorporated towns, but excluding from the provisions of Article 5- Building Code those buildings, accessory structures and structures used for bona fide agricultural purposes on farms including farm residences except for determining compliance with the ordinances and statues set forth herein.”

• InspectionsRequired

  Work subject to Article 5 building-code provisions in the portions of Farm Ridge Township outside incorporated city, village, and town limits.

  • The permit holder or agent must notify the Building Officer when work is ready for inspection and provide access and means for inspection.
  • Final inspection occurs after permitted work is complete and before occupancy.
  • Work may not proceed beyond a successive inspection point without Building Officer approval; noncomplying work must be corrected before being covered or concealed.

  “Final inspection shall be made after the permitted work is complete and prior to occupancy.”

• Certificate of occupancyRequired

  Buildings, accessory structures, and structures covered by the county building ordinance in the portions of Farm Ridge Township outside incorporated city, village, and town limits.

  • The Building Officer must inspect and find no violations of the Building Code or other laws and ordinances enforced by the County Land Use Department and County Health Department.
  • A temporary certificate may be issued before all permitted work is complete only if the portion is safely occupied and for the time period set by the Building Officer.

  “No building, accessory structure or structure shall be used or occupied until the Building Officer has issued a certificate of occupancy therefore as provided herein.”

• Manufactured homesLimited

  Manufactured homes used for permanent habitation on individual lots in the portions of Farm Ridge Township outside incorporated city, village, and town limits.

  • The rule covers a mobile home, manufactured home, modular home, prefabricated home, or similar structure used for permanent habitation on an individual lot outside a licensed mobile-home park.
  • A building permit is required before placement if it is not on a permanent foundation.

  “To set, erect, build, raise, or move into place or otherwise construct a mobile home, manufactured home, modular home, prefabricated home, or any similar structure used for permanent habitation on an individual lot or lots outside of a licensed mobile home park that is not on a permanent foundation and without first obtaining a building permit from LaSalle County.”

• Who permits septicCounty (with conditions)

  Private sewage disposal systems in Farm Ridge Township where a private sewage permit is sought from the LaSalle County Health Department.

  • Permit issuance requires a completed application and fee and an onsite survey by department personnel.

  “A permit for construction will not be issued until a completed application and fee have been submitted to the LaSalle County Health Department and an onsite survey performed by department personnel.”

• Septic permitRequired

  Construction of a private sewage disposal system in Farm Ridge Township.

  • A completed application and fee must be submitted to the LaSalle County Health Department.
  • Department personnel must perform an onsite survey before a construction permit is issued.
  • If denied, the $230 application fee is returned to the applicant.

  private sewage disposal system application fee: 230 USD (Returned if the permit is denied.)

  “There is a two hundred thirty ($230.00) dollar application fee for a private sewage disposal system permit. If a permit is denied, the fee shall be returned to the applicant.”

• Septic inspectionRequired

  Private sewage disposal system construction in Farm Ridge Township.

  • The Health Department must be notified before backfilling for the final inspection.
  • The inspection provides a statement whether the system meets current Illinois Department of Public Health Standards; it is not a system warranty.

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

• Building in a floodplainRequired

  Building-permit applicants in the portions of Farm Ridge Township outside incorporated city, village, and town limits where flood-damage-prevention requirements apply.

  • The county building ordinance requires applicants to comply with the Flood Damage Prevention Ordinance.
  • The specific floodplain development permit threshold and exceptions for a Farm Ridge parcel were not extracted.

  “The applicant, including those applying for agricultural buildings, accessory structures or structures must also comply with the following LaSalle County Ordinances: Subdivision Regulations Ordinance, Flood Damage Prevention Ordinance, Mobile Home Park Ordinance, Private Sewage Disposal Licensing Act and Code, Water Well Construction Act, and the Zoning Ordinance.”

• Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

  Building-permit applications in the portions of Farm Ridge Township outside incorporated city, village, and town limits.

  • A fee is charged for each building permit application and is due when the application is approved.
  • The amount is governed by the ordinance's schedules; the applicable individual schedule item was not extracted.

  “To partially defray expenses of administering the ordinance, a fee shall be charged for each building permit application and the fee shall be paid when the application is approved.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residential construction inside Farm Ridge Township.
• Local zoning — Land inside Farm Ridge Township, LaSalle County, Illinois.
• Minimum dwelling size — Dwellings inside Farm Ridge Township.
• Minimum lot size — Residential lots inside Farm Ridge Township.
• Setbacks — Residential construction inside Farm Ridge 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.