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

Rules another office applies inside Bennington Township

Bennington 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

  Land use and building permits for buildings and structures on land in the unincorporated part of Bennington township, Marshall County, Illinois

  • The rule sits in the county zoning ordinance, so it applies only where that ordinance is in effect (the unincorporated area).
  • In agricultural districts the requirement is a written notification rather than a full application (see the agricultural_exemption claim).
  • Any permit issued in conflict with the ordinance is null and void.

  “no permits pertaining to the use of land or buildings shall be issued, by any officer, employee, department, board or bureau of the county, unless a building permit has been obtained from the office of the zoning administrator.”

• Zoning districtsPublished

  Zoning districts that the Marshall County zoning ordinance establishes for land in the unincorporated part of Bennington township, Marshall County, Illinois (county-administered; the district map is the county GIS zoning layer)

  • The county ordinance applies only to the unincorporated area; municipalities with their own zoning are excluded.
  • The map index of the county zoning ordinance lists a Bennington township zoning map (page 4); the district assigned to any specific parcel was not checked.

  number of zoning districts: 7 districts

  “the unincorporated area of marshall county, illinois is hereby divided into seven (7) zoning districts which shall be as follows:”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  Single-family detached dwellings in the R-2 single-family residence district of the unincorporated part of Bennington township, Marshall County, Illinois (default rule, one acre)

  • Default rule in section 8.2-4(a); section 8.2-4(b) lowers the minimum where public sewer and public water serve the lot (separate claim).
  • Section 8.2-4(c) sets a 15,000 sq ft minimum where residential lots are served only with community water; that text was cut off in the captured page and was not verified in full.

  minimum lot area: >= 43560 square feet (one acre; applies where section 8.2-4(b) or (c) does not apply) · minimum lot width at established building line: >= 130 feet

  “every single-family detached dwelling hereafter erected shall be located on a lot having an area of not less than one acre (43,560 square feet), and a width at the established building line of not less than one hundred thirty feet (130').”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — Single-family residential lots in the R-2 single-family residence district of the unincorporated part of Bennington township, Marshall County, Illinois, where public sewer and public water serve the lot

    “when residential lots are served by public sewer and sewerage treatment facilities and public water, the minimum lot area shall be not less than nine thousand (9,000) square feet with a minimum lot width of not less than eighty feet (80') measured at the setback line.”

• SetbacksSpecified

  Accessory buildings on lots in the unincorporated part of Bennington township, Marshall County, Illinois (general rule for accessory buildings; principal-building setbacks by district not verified)

  • Principal-building front, side and rear setbacks by district (for example section 8.2-5 building setback lines for R-2) were not captured and remain unverified.
  • Applies to accessory buildings; the exact setback from rear and side lot lines is five feet as stated.

  accessory building minimum setback from side or rear property line: >= 5 feet

  “no part of any accessory building shall be located closer than five feet (5') from any side or rear property line.”

• Agricultural exemptionConditional

  Buildings used for agricultural purposes on land zoned agricultural in the unincorporated part of Bennington township, Marshall County, Illinois

  • Applies only to buildings or structures used or to be used for agricultural purposes as defined in the county ordinance.
  • The exemption is a written notification to the zoning administrator that shows building setback lines relative to abutting public streets and neighboring property lines.
  • The statement is limited to agricultural districts; residential districts are not covered.

  “in agricultural districts the only requirement shall be a written notification and shall be submitted to the zoning administrator for a building or structure used or to be used for agricultural purposes as defined herein”

• Building in a floodplainLimited

  Land above the 100-year flood plain in the unincorporated part of Bennington township, Marshall County, Illinois

  • The text applies to land above the 100-year flood plain; land within the flood plain and the lowest-floor elevation requirement are cut off in the captured text and were not verified.
  • The county flood plain ordinance was referenced on 2024 zoning committee agendas but not opened.

  “flood plain requirements in the area above the 100-year flood plain, uses permitted by the zoning district otherwise established for the lot, are allowed subject to the regulations of such district”

• Permit processPartial

  Building permit application process for land in the unincorporated part of Bennington township, Marshall County, Illinois

  • The ordinance sets the filing point (zoning administrator) but the form, fees and review steps were not located in the captured text; the fee schedule (fees section, ordinance page 98 per table of contents) was not opened.

  “an application for a building permit shall be filed with the zoning administrator in such form and in such manner as he may require.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption for construction in the unincorporated part of Bennington township, Marshall County, Illinois
• Building code adopted — Building code for construction in the unincorporated part of Bennington township, Marshall County, Illinois
• Inspections — Building inspections in the unincorporated part of Bennington township, Marshall County, Illinois
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy for new buildings in the unincorporated part of Bennington township, Marshall County, Illinois
• Local zoning — Whether Bennington township itself adopts and administers a township zoning ordinance for land inside its limits

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.