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

Rules another office applies inside Miller Township

Miller 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, accessory structures, structures, and listed alterations on unincorporated property in Miller Township.

  • Routine maintenance and repair, utility service connections, structures no more than 200 square feet with every side under 20 feet, and placement of mobile homes on pads in licensed mobile-home parks are exempt for the identified dwelling types.
  • The listed exemptions do not apply to additions, structural alterations, or significant changes of use.

  small-structure exemption maximum area: <= 200 square feet (Every side must be less than 20 feet.) · small-structure exemption maximum side length: < 20 feet (Structure must also not exceed 200 square feet.)

  “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 and qualifying townhouses in unincorporated Miller Township.

  • Article 5 excludes bona fide agricultural farm buildings and farm residences except for compliance with other ordinances and statutes.
  • The County also adopts additional specified codes for non-agricultural commercial, industrial, business, institutional-public, and multifamily buildings.

  International Residential Code edition: 2024 (As amended by the County ordinance.) · National Electrical Code edition: 2023 (Applies as stated in the ordinance.)

  “The International Residential Codes-for one and two family dwellings, 2024 edition as published by the International Code Council. Inc. except as amended in this Article and the Illinois State Plumbing Code, 77 Ill Adm. Code 890, is hereby adopted and incorporated by reference as if set forth verbatim in this Article”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Unincorporated land in Miller Township, which is within LaSalle County.

  • The cited County land-use ordinances apply only in unincorporated areas; incorporated places are outside this claim.

  “This department is responsible for the implementation and maintenance of LaSalle County's adopted zoning, subdivision, construction permit, floodplain, mobile home, and vacant property ordinances.”

• SetbacksSpecified

  Structures in most County zoning districts in unincorporated Miller Township.

  • The County specifies that these dimensions apply in most zoning districts; variation may apply by district, use, and adjacent zoning district.

  township-road front setback from centerline: 70 feet (Most zoning districts.) · county-road front setback from centerline: 85 feet (Most zoning districts.) · state-or-federal-route front setback from 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.”

• Who permits septicCounty (with conditions)

  Individual sewage disposal systems serving land in Miller Township.

  • The program covers installations and repairs of individual sewage disposal systems.

  “The program requires that all installations and/or repairs of individual sewage disposal systems be permitted and inspected by an Environmental Health Practitioner.”

• Septic permitRequired

  Installation or repair of an individual sewage disposal system in Miller Township.

  • Construction permit issuance requires a completed application, fee, and onsite survey by County Health Department personnel.
  • A separate Health Department permit is required before a County building permit when a sewage-disposal system is to be installed.

  sewage-disposal permit application fee: 230 USD (Fee is returned if the permit is denied.)

  “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 inspectionRequired

  Installation or repair of an individual sewage disposal system in Miller Township.

  • The Health Department must be notified for final inspection before backfilling.
  • The inspection states whether the system and/or well meets current Illinois Department of Public Health standards; it is not a warranty.

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

• Agricultural exemptionConditional

  Bona fide agricultural farm buildings and farm residences in unincorporated Miller Township.

  • The exemption is from Article 5 building-code provisions, not all County ordinances and statutes.
  • Bona fide agriculture must produce gross income of $5,000 or more to the operator, with proof of prior-calendar-year income required.

  minimum gross agricultural income: >= 5000 USD (Proof of income from the preceding calendar year is required.)

  “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.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Property splits and subdivision proposals in unincorporated Miller Township.

  • Applicants are directed to contact the Land Use Department before subdividing to confirm compliance with the County Subdivision Ordinance, County Zoning Ordinance, and 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.”

• Building in a floodplainRequired

  Construction occurring in a floodplain in unincorporated Miller Township.

  • Construction and modifications may also need permits from other local entities and state and federal agencies.
  • The County requires compliance with its Floodplain Ordinance.

  “The Department enforces the LaSalle County Floodplain Ordinance in the unincorporated areas of the County. All construction occurring in the floodplain requires a permit from the LaSalle County Land Use Department.”

• Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

  County Health Department sewage and water-well permits serving Miller Township land.

  • The cited fee schedule states its approval/effective date.
  • The fee schedule separately lists subdivision fees and other environmental-health fees.

  sewage permit fee: 230 USD · water-well permit fee: 100 USD

  “LaSalle County Health Department Environmental Health Fees Approved by the LaSalle County Board effective January 1, 2018.”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  County building-permit applications for unincorporated Miller Township.

  • Application must include County permit and zoning application, a dimensioned site drawing, and a description of the premises.
  • Water supply or sewage system installation requires a separate County Health Department permit before the building permit.
  • County notifies the applicant in writing within 30 days; after denial, the applicant has 45 business days to cure and resubmit without additional fees.

  County written approval-or-denial notice deadline: <= 30 days (Measured from application submittal.) · denial deficiency-cure period: 45 business days (Complete resubmittal without additional fees.)

  “All building permit applications shall be reviewed promptly and applicants shall be notified in writing within 30 days of submittal of the application, as to its approval or denial. If the application is denied, the applicant shall be given a complete explanation of the deficiencies resulting in the denial of the permit. The applicant shall have 45 business days after denial, to address and resolve said deficiencies and resubmit the complete application without incurring any additional fees.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residential construction in unincorporated Miller Township.
• Certificate of occupancy — Residential construction in unincorporated Miller Township.
• Zoning districts — Zoning districts applicable to unincorporated Miller Township.
• Minimum dwelling size — Single-family dwellings in unincorporated Miller Township.
• Minimum lot size — Residential lots in unincorporated Miller 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.