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

Serena Township’s own rules

• Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

  Residential structures requiring building permits on unincorporated land in Serena Township.

  • County land-use ordinances apply only in unincorporated LaSalle County.
  • The 2024 IRC and 2023 National Electrical Code are as amended by the LaSalle County Board.

  International Residential Code edition: 2024 (One- and two-family dwellings requiring building permits.) · National Electrical Code edition: 2023 (As amended by the LaSalle County Board.)

  “Residential Structures that require Building Permits are subject to the International Residential Codes - for one and two family dwellings, 2024 and 2023 National Electric Code as amended by the LaSalle County Board.”

• InspectionsRequired

  Structures subject to Article 5 building-code provisions on unincorporated land in Serena Township.

  • Permit holder or agent must notify the Building Officer that work is ready for inspection.
  • Final inspection occurs after permitted work is complete and before occupancy.

  “Any building, accessory structure or structure that is subject to the Building Code provisions of the Article 5 shall be subject to inspections.”

• Certificate of occupancyRequired

  Buildings, accessory structures, and structures subject to the county Building Permit Ordinance on unincorporated land in Serena Township.

  • 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 only where the portion can be occupied safely and is valid for the 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.”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Unincorporated land in Serena Township, if subject to the LaSalle County Zoning Ordinance.

  • County zoning is expressly for unincorporated county area; incorporated places within the township are outside the stated county scope.

  “In order to carry out the purpose and intent of this Ordinance, the unincorporated area of the County is hereby divided into the following districts:”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  Single-family detached dwellings in the R-2 Single Family Residence District on unincorporated land in Serena Township, if mapped R-2.

  • 10,000 square feet applies where served by public sanitary sewer and water.
  • One acre applies where served by private sanitary or private water systems.

  minimum lot area: >= 10000 square feet (Property served by public sanitary sewer and water.) · minimum lot area: >= 1 acre (Property served by private sanitary or private water systems.)

  “Single Family Detached Dwellings: The zoning lot shall be not less than Ten Thousand (10,000) square feet in size for properties that are served by public sanitary sewer and water and the zoning lot shall not be less than one (1) acre in size for properties served by private sanitary or private water systems.”

• Building heightSpecified

  Single-family detached dwellings in the RR Rural Residence District on unincorporated land in Serena Township, if mapped RR.

  • Other structures have no height limitation under this RR bulk-requirement provision.

  maximum height: <= 36 feet (Single-family detached dwelling in RR.)

  “MAXIMUM HEIGHT OF BUILDINGS: Single family detached dwellings shall not exceed thirty-six (36) feet in height. All other structures shall have no height limitation.”

• Manufactured homesLimited

  R-2 Single Family Residence District on unincorporated land in Serena Township, if the parcel is mapped R-2.

  • Must be a doublewide mobile or manufactured home.
  • Must have a permanent foundation.
  • Must be at least 1,000 square feet and less than 10 years old.

  minimum size: >= 1000 square feet (Mobile or manufactured doublewide home.) · maximum age: < 10 years (Mobile or manufactured doublewide home.)

  “Mobile or Manufactured (doublewide) Home with a permanent foundation, 1000 square feet or greater, and less than 10 years old.”

• Accessory dwellingsLimited

  Accessory dwelling units on unincorporated land in Serena Township subject to the LaSalle County Zoning Ordinance.

  • May be attached or detached with a permanent foundation.
  • Existing two-family or multifamily properties may not have an ADU.
  • Must meet building-code and county health requirements for well and septic.
  • Maximum two bedrooms; one ADU per lot or parcel; owner occupancy; maximum 900-square-foot footprint.

  maximum bedrooms: <= 2 bedrooms (Accessory dwelling unit.) · maximum footprint: <= 900 square feet (Accessory dwelling unit.)

  “An accessory dwelling unit may be attached to the principal dwelling unit or detached as a standalone structure with a permanent foundation.”

• Who permits septicLocal (with conditions)

  Individual sewage disposal systems on land in Serena Township served by the LaSalle County Health Department.

  • Applies to 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 Serena Township.

  • The county program requires permits for all 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 inspectionRequired

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

  • Inspection is by an Environmental Health Practitioner.

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

• Well permitRequired

  New well construction in Serena Township served by the LaSalle County Health Department.

  • Required before construction of a new well.

  “Prior to the construction of a new well, a permit from the Health Department is required to ensure the protection of groundwater.”

• Mandatory utility hookupConditional

  Single-family detached dwellings in the county R-2 district on unincorporated land in Serena Township.

  • Applies to lots smaller than one acre in the R-2 district.
  • The official source does not establish a general township-wide availability-distance rule.

  lot-size threshold: < 1 acre (Public sanitary sewer and public water are required below this size in R-2.)

  “SINGLE FAMILY DETACHED DWELLINGS: Shall require public sanitary sewer and public water systems for all lot sizes less than one (1) acre.”

• Agricultural exemptionConditional

  Bona fide agricultural structures on unincorporated land in Serena Township.

  • Building permit and zoning certificate are still required.
  • Exemption covers county building-code inspections and building-code fees, not setbacks or other applicable local, state, or federal regulation.
  • The agricultural operation must produce gross income of $5,000 or more and proof of prior-calendar-year income is required.

  minimum gross income: >= 5000 USD (Bona fide agricultural use; proof from preceding calendar year required.)

  “Buildings, accessory structures and structures that are used for Bona Fide Agricultural Uses require a building permit and zoning certificate. 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)

  Property subdivision on unincorporated land in Serena Township.

  • County instructs applicants to contact Land Use before subdividing to verify 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.”

• Driveway accessLimited

  New commercial, industrial, planned-unit, or multifamily development subject to county site-plan review on unincorporated land in Serena Township.

  • Site-plan review does not apply to single-family and two-family dwellings, home occupations, or agricultural uses.
  • Driveway design and geometrics must be addressed in the site-plan submission.

  “Driveway design and geometrics including curb return radius, width of driveway at the property line, curbed or uncurbed, dimension of any channelizing island or medians, length of driveway (measured parallel to driveway between edge of street and building line) and change in grade between driveway and street (measured where driveway meets the Street).”

• Building in a floodplainRequired

  Construction in floodplain areas on unincorporated land in Serena Township.

  • Additional permits may be required from other local entities and state and federal agencies.

  “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 building-permit applications for unincorporated land in Serena Township.

  • Fees are nonrefundable.
  • Fee is payable when application is approved.
  • Compliance permit fee for agricultural buildings, agricultural accessory structures, agricultural structures, and pools is $25 per application.

  compliance permit application fee: per 25 USD (Agricultural buildings, agricultural accessory structures, agricultural structures, and pools not subject to Article 5 building-code provisions.)

  “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 Serena Township or LaSalle County directly.

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption from construction permitting or code requirements in Serena Township.
• Local zoning — Whether Serena Township itself adopts and administers a zoning ordinance.
• Minimum dwelling size — Minimum size for a principal dwelling in Serena Township.
• Lot coverage — Lot coverage for residential land in Serena Township.
• Living in an RV — Long-term RV occupancy on private land in Serena 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.