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

Harmon Township’s own rules

• Driveway accessLimited

  New entrance access from a township road inside Harmon Township.

  • The applicant may obtain an Entrance Permit Request Form through Lee County Highway Department; Lee County forwards a township-road request to the appropriate township commissioner.
  • State-road access is administered by IDOT and county-road access is reviewed by Lee County Highway Department.

  “If your entrance request is on a township road, we will forward the request to the appropriate township commissioner.”

Rules another office applies inside Harmon Township

Harmon 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

  Construction on unincorporated land inside Harmon Township administered by Lee County.

  • The submission notification and assigned permit number do not authorize work; only an approved placard and letter authorize project commencement.
  • A building application for any structure other than a fence or pool requires application, site plan, and architectural plans.

  “the submission notification and assigned number does not permit you to begin your project. only a placard and a letter stating "approved" allows for a project to begin.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Unincorporated land inside Harmon Township, Lee County, Illinois; incorporated places with their own zoning are excluded.

  • Lee County says its Building and Zoning Office regulates unincorporated areas and directs persons building outside a city, village, or town with its own zoning to contact the office.

  “The Lee County Building and Zoning Office is responsible for regulating activities in the unincorporated areas of the county. If you plan to build outside any city, village or town that has its own zoning regulations, contact this department before the project begins, to be certain all local regulations are met.”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Unincorporated land inside Harmon Township.

  • The applicable district must be determined for the particular parcel; uses vary by zone.

  “The unincorporated area of the county is divided into districts or "zones". Certain types of uses are allowed in each of these zones.”

• Who permits septicCounty (with conditions)

  Private sewage disposal systems serving land inside Harmon Township.

  • Where connection is to a public sewer, arrangements are made with the municipality owning the sewer instead of the County Board of Health.

  “No septic tank, privy vault, sink drain, or sewage disposal system shall be erected, constructed, or repaired in this county, except in accordance with this chapter, and it shall be unlawful to proceed with such work unless a permit has first been obtained from the County Board of Health; provided, however, that where the connection is to be made to a public sewer, arrangements shall be made with the municipality owning the sewer rather than the County Board of Health.”

• Septic permitRequired

  Construction, repair, or installation of private sewage disposal systems inside Harmon Township.

  • Application must include the specified soil classifications.
  • County Health Department approval and permit issuance must occur before construction or repair and before the building permit is issued.
  • Public-sewer connections are arranged with the municipality owning the sewer.

  residential septic permit fee: 225 USD (2024 tank/field residential fee; increases by $25 every three years unless altered by amendment.)

  “2. soil classification: results of the prescribed number of soil classifications shall accompany each application. 3. approval; issuance: applications shall be approved by the county health department and permits shall be issued”

• Off-grid sanitationLimited

  Privy vaults, sink drains, and other non-public-sewer sewage disposal systems inside Harmon Township.

  • A County Board of Health permit is required before work; public-sewer connections are arranged with the municipality owning the sewer.

  “No septic tank, privy vault, sink drain, or sewage disposal system shall be erected, constructed, or repaired in this county, except in accordance with this chapter, and it shall be unlawful to proceed with such work unless a permit has first been obtained from the County Board of Health”

• Agricultural exemptionConditional

  Agricultural uses on unincorporated land inside Harmon Township subject to Lee County zoning.

  • The exemption is according to state law; Lee County directs property owners to contact the Zoning Department to determine qualification.

  “Certain agricultural uses are exempt from meeting local zoning requirements according to state law. Contact the Zoning Department to determine if you qualify for this exemption.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Land division on unincorporated land inside Harmon Township.

  • A preliminary plat must be approved before final-plat submission.
  • One-lot subdivisions often require County approval; some may be exempt or approved by the Planning Commission.

  “The Zoning Department is responsible for regulating the division of land in the unincorporated areas of Lee County.”

• Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

  County private-sewage permits serving land inside Harmon Township.

  • Fees must accompany applications submitted by a licensed septic contractor.
  • Required-permit fees increase by $25 every three years and may be altered by amendment to the Lee County Code.
  • A property owner installing a septic system on their own residential property pays twice the contractor-installed residential-system amount.

  tank-only fee (2024): 125 USD · residential tank/field fee (2024): 225 USD · commercial fee (2024): 325 USD

  “A fee of one hundred twenty-five dollars ($125.00) for tank-only installation, two hundred twenty-five dollars ($225.00) for residential properties, and three hundred twenty-five dollars ($325.00) for commercial properties must accompany each sewage application submitted by a licensed septic contractor. The fee for required permits shall increase every three years by $25.00. This fee may be altered with an amendment to the Lee County Code.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Land inside Harmon Township that is subject to Lee County unincorporated-area administration.
• Building code adopted — Land inside Harmon Township that is subject to Lee County unincorporated-area administration.
• Inspections — Land inside Harmon Township that is subject to Lee County unincorporated-area administration.
• Certificate of occupancy — Land inside Harmon Township that is subject to Lee County unincorporated-area administration.
• Minimum dwelling size — Residential districts on unincorporated land inside Harmon 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.