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

Rules another office applies inside Nachusa Township

Nachusa 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 involving a septic or sewage system in Lee County, including Nachusa township; the building permit is issued after county health approval.

  • County health department approval and septic permit issuance come before the building permit is issued.
  • General building-permit scope, fees and exemptions are in Title 9 (Building Regulations), which was not read.

  “Building Permit Application (ANY STRUCTURE other than a Fence or Pool. Those two applications are below.)”

• Who permits septicCounty (with conditions)

  Septic and sewage disposal systems inside Nachusa township, administered by the Lee County board of health and county health department.

  • Public sewer connections are arranged with the sewer-owning municipality rather than the county board of health.

  “Applications shall be approved by the County Health Department and permits shall be issued before any construction or repair is undertaken and before the building permit is issued.”

• Septic permitRequired

  Septic tanks, privy vaults, sink drains and sewage disposal systems built or repaired in Lee County, which includes Nachusa township (unincorporated). County code applies inside Nachusa township; the township does not appear to have its own septic rule.

  • Permit must be obtained from the county board of health before work proceeds; where the connection is to be made to a public sewer, arrangements are made with the municipality owning the sewer instead.
  • Application must include a plat showing existing and proposed wells, sewers, septic tanks, seepage systems and privy vaults, plus drawings, plans and specifications, and the prescribed number of soil classifications.
  • Larger systems serving more than fifteen persons discharging to streams need a permit from the Illinois EPA first.
  • Variances may be granted by the board of health representative (section 8-2-13).

  “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 inspectionLimited

  Alternative septic systems installed in Lee County, including inside Nachusa township. Inspection requirements for conventional systems were not located in the portion of the code read.

  • Alternative systems must have a septic permit before installation.
  • Alternative systems must be designed and constructed under Illinois Department of Public Health rules.
  • Lee County health department may require sand filters behind aeration package plants.

  “All new alternative septic systems must be inspected after installation prior to backfilling.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Land divisions in Lee County, including Nachusa township, under county Title 11 (subdivision, flood control and storm water management). The section text was not opened.

  • Title 11 heading only; the subdivision standards and thresholds are unverified.

  “The owner and/or subdivider shall adhere to the following policy standards in designing a subdivision:”

• Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

  Septic sewage application fees for systems in Lee County, including Nachusa township.

  • Fee increases every three years by $25.00 (code fee table shows tank-only $125.00 for 2024, $150.00 for 2027 and $175.00 for 2030; tank/field residential $225.00, $250.00, $275.00; non-residential $325.00, $350.00, $375.00).
  • Owner who installs own residential system pays twice the contractor-installed residential fee.
  • Late filing fee set by the Lee County Board of Health is added.
  • Fees may be altered by amendment to the Lee County code.
  • Chapter amendment cited as ord. 2023-06-003, 6-22-2023.

  tank-only septic application fee (contractor-submitted): 125 USD (2024 figure; increases by $25 every three years) · residential septic application fee (contractor-submitted): 225 USD (2024 figure; $250 in 2027 and $275 in 2030 per fee table) · non-residential septic application fee: 325 USD (2024 figure; $350 in 2027 and $375 in 2030 per fee table)

  “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.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption from building permits in Nachusa township
• Building code adopted — Adopted building code for construction in Nachusa township
• Inspections — Building inspections for construction in Nachusa township
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy for new homes in Nachusa township
• Local zoning — Whether Nachusa township adopts and administers its own zoning ordinance

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.