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

Rules another office applies inside Moro Township

Moro 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 home construction on unincorporated Madison County land, including Moro township land outside any municipality

  • Permit must be applied for in person at the Planning and Development Department, Monday through Friday 8:30 am to 4:00 pm, except county holidays (current page also says to contact the department before visiting and that other permits can be emailed to [email protected]).
  • Allow at least 72 hours for review; construction may begin only after the permit is issued.

  review time: >= 72 hours

  “you must apply for and be issued a building permit prior to beginning construction. allow at least 72 hours for the review process.”

• Owner-builder exemptionConditional

  Owner-performed construction of a new home on unincorporated Madison County land, including Moro township land outside any municipality

  • Only if the dwelling will be the owner's primary residence.
  • Aerobic treatment units must be installed by a licensed private sewage installer, so the owner may not install them.

  “yes, as long as the dwelling will be their primary residence, the owner may do all of the work with the exception of installing an aerobic treatment unit.”

• Building code adoptedAdopted

  New residential and commercial construction on unincorporated Madison County land, including Moro township land outside any municipality

  • The page describes the county's own practice for reviewing building plans; Moro township has no verified building-code rule of its own.

  adopted building code: 2024 International Building Code

  “madison county uses the 2024 international building code when reviewing building plans for commercial and residential projects.”

• InspectionsRequired

  New home construction on unincorporated Madison County land, including Moro township land outside any municipality

  • A final inspection by the building inspector is required before occupancy.

  “the new home may not be occupied until the final inspection has been conducted and the building inspector has issued a certificate of occupancy.”

• Certificate of occupancyRequired

  New home occupancy on unincorporated Madison County land, including Moro township land outside any municipality

  • The home may not be occupied until final inspection and issuance of a certificate of occupancy.
  • Certificate of occupancy fee is listed among the new home permit fees.

  certificate of occupancy fee: 30 USD

  “the new home may not be occupied until the final inspection has been conducted and the building inspector has issued a certificate of occupancy.”

• Zoning districtsPublished

  Zoning districts on unincorporated Madison County land, including Moro township land outside any municipality

  • The county publishes a zoning map for unincorporated Madison County and the zoning ordinance; the map itself was not opened.
  • Whether Moro township has adopted its own zoning instead is not confirmed.

  “zoning map for unincorporated madison county.”

• Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

  New single-family dwellings on unincorporated Madison County land, including Moro township land outside any municipality

  • Applies to new single-family dwellings.

  minimum dwelling size: >= 620 sq ft

  “yes, new single-family dwellings must be at least 620 square feet.”

• SetbacksDistrict specific (with conditions)

  New dwellings in the R-1 single-family residential district on unincorporated Madison County land, including Moro township land outside any municipality

  • Front-yard setback marked * is subject to the county's average front yard exception (lots on one side of a street at 50% or more of frontage, averaged setback not less than 20 or more than 35 feet, when averaged variation is 10 feet or less).
  • Side yard marked with a dagger: any yard abutting a public or private roadway is treated as a front yard.
  • Attached garages, breezeways and carports must meet primary-structure setbacks.

  front yard setback: 40 feet (subject to average front yard exception) · side yard setback: 25 feet · rear yard setback: 40 feet

  “single-family residential district • front yard setback: 40 feet* • side yard† setback: 25 feet • rear yard setback: 40 feet”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • District specific (with conditions) — New dwellings in the Agriculture (A) zoning district on unincorporated Madison County land, including Moro township land outside any municipality

    “agriculture district • 40 feet from all property lines.”

• Lot coverageSpecified

  Zoning lots in the R-1 single-family residential district on unincorporated Madison County land, including Moro township land outside any municipality

  • Covers buildings and structures, including accessory structures.

  maximum lot coverage: <= 15 percent of zoning lot

  “single-family residential district &bull; not more than 15% of the area of a zoning lot may be covered by buildings or structures, including accessory structures.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • None — Zoning lots in the Agriculture (A) district on unincorporated Madison County land, including Moro township land outside any municipality

    “agriculture district &bull; no lot coverage standard.”

• Accessory dwellingsProhibited

  A second kitchen or mother-in-law suite within a home on unincorporated Madison County land, including Moro township land outside any municipality

  • Treated by definition as multi-family housing, which the county says is not permitted.

  “no, by definition this constitutes multi-family housing and is not permitted.”

• Who permits septicCounty (with conditions)

  Private sewage (septic) systems on unincorporated Madison County land, including Moro township land outside any municipality

  • Private sewage disposal ordinance permits and inspections are handled by the county Building & Zoning / Planning & Development Department, not by the township.

  “unlike traditional planning organizations, the department also oversees stormwater management, landfill inspections, sewer permits and inspections”

• Septic permitRequired

  Private sewage systems for new homes on unincorporated Madison County land, including Moro township land outside any municipality

  • Applies where a sewage disposal system is used (the new-home fee list says 'if applicable').
  • Permit application is through the county private sewage disposal ordinance permit forms.

  sewage disposal system fee: 200-250 USD (if applicable)

  “only emergency electrical, plumbing, and private sewage permits will be accepted at the administration building at this time.”

• Septic inspectionRequired

  Private sewage systems on unincorporated Madison County land, including Moro township land outside any municipality

  • Inspections are performed by the county Building & Zoning Department; the exact inspection stages are not stated on the pages reviewed.

  “unlike traditional planning organizations, the department also oversees stormwater management, landfill inspections, sewer permits and inspections”

• Well permitRequired

  New private water well construction in Madison County, including land inside Moro township

  • Well construction permit fee is $100.00 per the program page; closed-loop wells are a separate permit.
  • Inspections are conducted for all new wells and samples are taken for total coliform bacteria.

  well permit fee: 100 USD

  “permits are issued for all new well construction. there is a $100.00 well permit fee. inspections are conducted of all new wells for construction and sampled for total coliform bacteria.”

• Building in a floodplainRequired

  New home construction on unincorporated Madison County land where any part of the structure lies in the 100-year floodplain, including Moro township land outside any municipality

  • Finished floor must be two (2) feet above base flood elevation.
  • If fill is used to raise ground above base flood elevation, FEMA approval is required before a building permit is issued.
  • Fill may not disturb existing drainage patterns from adjacent properties unless an alternative route is constructed.

  finished floor elevation above base flood elevation: >= 2 feet

  “if any part of the proposed structure is located in the 100 year floodplain, you must provide an elevation certificate from a licensed surveyor or engineer indicating that the finished floor elevation is two (2) feet above the base flood elevation.”

• Permit feesPublished

  New home permits on unincorporated Madison County land, including Moro township land outside any municipality

  • Electrical, plumbing and sewage fees apply; the sewage fee applies only if applicable.
  • Debit and credit card payments carry a service fee administered by GovPayNet.
  • Fees are payable when the application is submitted.

  new home permit fee per square foot: per 0.15 USD per sq ft (based on total square footage, not living space) · electrical fee: 50 USD · plumbing fee: 60 USD · sewage disposal system fee: 200-250 USD (if applicable) · certificate of occupancy fee: 30 USD

  “a new home permit is subject to the following fees: &bull; $0.15 per square foot (based on total square footage, not living space) &bull; $50 electrical fee &bull; $60 plumbing fee &bull; $200-$250 sewage disposal system fee (if applicable) &bull; $30 certificate of occupancy fee”

• Permit processPublished

  Building permit process on unincorporated Madison County land, including Moro township land outside any municipality

  • Application must be made in person at the Planning and Development Department, 8:30 am to 4:00 pm Monday through Friday, except county holidays.
  • Homeowner or authorized representative signs the application; private sewage maintenance and discharge forms must be signed by the homeowner.
  • Permits are active for one year from issuance.

  review time: >= 72 hours

  “you must apply for your building permit in-person at the planning and development department between the hours of 8:30 am and 4:00 pm, monday through friday, except county holidays.”

Still unanswered

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

• Local zoning — Whether Moro township itself adopts and administers a zoning ordinance
• Minimum lot size — Minimum lot size for a dwelling inside Moro township
• Building height — Maximum building height for dwellings inside Moro township
• Living in an RV — Long-term RV occupancy on private land inside Moro township
• Camping on your land — Temporary camping on private land inside Moro 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.