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

Rules another office applies inside Leef Township

Leef 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 construction in unincorporated land inside Leef township, Madison County, IL; the county building permit is administered by the Madison County Building & Zoning Department

  • Construction may start only after plans are reviewed and a permit is issued.
  • Modular homes: a building permit must be issued before installation. Manufactured homes: an installation permit is required and a special use permit is needed unless placed in an approved manufactured home park.
  • The county building permits page says building permits must be applied for in person at the counter, while the private sewer notice says all permits, including building permits, can be submitted via email. Confirm current method before filing.
  • The page links a building permit application and fee schedule that was not opened in this research.

  “prior to commencing construction, a contractor is required to apply for a building permit and submit plans of the proposed project.”

• Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

  Construction in unincorporated land inside Leef township, Madison County, IL

  • The county page lists 2012 editions: 2012 IBC, 2012 IRC, 2012 IMC, 2012 IPMC, 2012 IFC, 2009 IECC and 2005 NEC. A search snippet mentioned a 2024 IBC; that was not verified on an official page and is not relied on here.
  • Municipal building codes inside incorporated places in Leef township are not covered.

  “the following codes have been adopted: 2012 international building code”

• InspectionsRequired

  Construction in unincorporated land inside Leef township, Madison County, IL

  • The page describes inspections at selected milestones; the exact list of required inspections is not stated.
  • Private sewage systems also receive an installation inspection and a follow-up inspection six months after installation.

  “a building inspector will check progress at selected milestones to ensure that all codes are adequately met.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Unincorporated land inside Leef township, Madison County, IL. This is the Madison County zoning ordinance, not a Leef township ordinance. No Leef township zoning ordinance or township zoning page was located.

  • The county zoning page says the zoning ordinance regulates land use in Madison County and that a zoning map exists for unincorporated Madison County. It does not name Leef township.
  • Land inside any incorporated municipality within Leef township is not covered by this county claim.
  • Whether Leef township has its own zoning remains unverified; no official township website was found in this research.

  “the zoning ordinance is used to regulate land use and development in madison county.”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Zoning districts for unincorporated land inside Leef township, Madison County, IL

  • The county publishes a zoning map for unincorporated Madison County; the map was not opened.
  • District names A, R-1, R-2, R-3 and R-4 appear on the subdivision page; their full district list is not verified.

  “zoning map for unincorporated madison county.”

• Minimum lot sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Subdivided lots in the county A (Agriculture) district, unincorporated land inside Leef township, Madison County, IL. Applies to subdivided lots, not to an unsubdivided parcel.

  • Source is the county subdivision requirements page, not the zoning ordinance text.
  • Plats must also comply with the county zoning ordinance.

  minimum lot area: >= 2 acres (subdivided lots in the A (Agriculture) district) · minimum lot width at building line: >= 150 feet (subdivided lots in the A (Agriculture) district)

  “lots must have an area of at least two (2) acres and a width at the established building line of at least 150 feet.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • District specific (with conditions) — Subdivided lots in the county R-1 single-family residential district, unincorporated land inside Leef township, Madison County, IL

    “lots must have an area of at least 40,000 square feet and a width at the established building line of at least 150 feet.”

• Manufactured homesLimited

  Manufactured homes installed on private land in unincorporated land inside Leef township, Madison County, IL

  • Outside an approved manufactured home park, a special use permit is required before installation.
  • Installation permit required before installation.
  • Approved-park status must be checked with the county zoning administrator.

  “please note that unless you locate your manufactured home in an approved manufactured home park, you must first be issued a special use permit allowing the manufactured home to be installed at the property.”

• Who permits septicCounty (with conditions)

  Private sewage systems inside Leef township, Madison County, IL, where public sewer is not available (county rule-maker; applies inside Leef township)

  • Regulated by the county private sewage disposal ordinance together with state of Illinois and U.S. EPA requirements.
  • Public sewer availability decides whether private sewage is allowed.

  “the planning & development department permits and inspects the installation of private sewage systems.”

• Septic permitRequired

  New private sewage system inside Leef township, Madison County, IL, where public sewer is not available (county rule-maker; applies inside Leef township)

  • Permit issued after staff review finds all requirements met.
  • Installers must hold an annual county license.

  “upon receiving an application, planning staff will review a proposed system, and if all requirements are adequately met, a permit is isued.”

• Septic inspectionRequired

  Private sewage systems installed inside Leef township, Madison County, IL (county rule-maker; applies inside Leef township)

  • Inspector visits during installation.
  • Follow-up inspection six months after installation is complete.
  • Homeowner is responsible for continued maintenance.

  “a follow-up inspection is conducted six (6) months after installation is complete in order to ensure that the system is functioning properly.”

• Off-grid sanitationLimited

  Non-sewered sanitation inside Leef township, Madison County, IL (county rule; applies inside Leef township)

  • Allowed only where public sewer is not available and cannot be extended to the property line.
  • Acceptable soil conditions must be present.
  • Permit and inspection required under the county private sewage ordinance.

  “private sewage is only permitted where public sewer is not available and cannot be extended to the property line and where acceptable soil conditions are present on the site.”

• Mandatory utility hookupConditional

  New home inside Leef township, Madison County, IL: private sewage is allowed only where public sewer is unavailable and cannot be extended to the property line (county rule; applies inside Leef township)

  • Public sewer availability and extension to the property line decide whether a private system is allowed.
  • No water-connection rule was found; the county page addresses sewage only.
  • The sewer provider is not named on the county page; it is not verified.

  “private sewage is only permitted where public sewer is not available and cannot be extended to the property line and where acceptable soil conditions are present on the site.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Land divisions in unincorporated land inside Leef township, Madison County, IL

  • Minor subdivision: 2 to 4 lots on an existing street with no new streets or improvements; no preliminary plat.
  • Major subdivision: 5 or more lots; preliminary plat, improvement plans and final plat required.
  • All subdivisions require review and approval by the planning and development committee.
  • Illinois Plat Act subdivisions must comply with the county zoning ordinance; eligibility is checked with the maps and plats department at (618) 296-4586.

  “a minor subdivision is a division of land into two (2) but not more than four (4) lots, all of which front upon an existing street and will not involve any new streets or improvements.”

• Permit processPartial

  Building permit process in unincorporated land inside Leef township, Madison County, IL

  • Apply with plans, review, permit issued, then construction may start; inspections at milestones.
  • Submission method conflicts: counter-only statement on building permits page vs email statement on private sewer notice.
  • Application and fee schedule linked from the page were not opened; fuller process not verified.

  “once the plans have been reviewed and a permit has been issued, the contractor may start construction.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built homes inside Leef township, Madison County, IL
• Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling size inside Leef township, Madison County, IL
• Setbacks — Setbacks inside Leef township, Madison County, IL
• Lot coverage — Lot coverage inside Leef township, Madison County, IL
• Building height — Building height inside Leef township, Madison County, IL

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.