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

Rules another office applies inside Saratoga Township

Saratoga Township does not set these itself; the county, a health district or the state does, and they apply to every address inside its limits.

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Unincorporated land in Saratoga township, Marshall County, Illinois, zoned under the Marshall County Zoning Ordinance. This is county zoning, not a Saratoga township ordinance.

  • The county ordinance applies only in the unincorporated area of the county and in municipalities without a zoning ordinance; land inside any municipality with its own zoning is outside this claim.
  • Whether Saratoga township has adopted its own zoning was not established (see the township-scope local_zoning claim).

  “the zoning provisions of this ordinance shall apply only to buildings, structures and land in the unincorporated area of marshall county and in those municipalities that do not have a zoning ordinance.”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Zoning districts and maps covering unincorporated Saratoga township

  • Saratoga township is listed in the county zoning map index; the parcel-level district assignment was not opened.
  • Municipal zoning districts inside any incorporated area are outside this claim.

  “Use the link below to view Zoning Maps for each County Township.”

• Minimum lot sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Single-family detached dwellings on land zoned R-2 single-family residence district in unincorporated Marshall County, including any Saratoga township parcels zoned R-2

  • Default rule of one acre applies unless public sewer and public water, or community water, serve the lot as stated below.
  • The R-2 district is intended for areas within 1.5 miles of an incorporated community; Saratoga township parcels may not be R-2.
  • Captured text of the community-water subsection was cut off before the lot width requirement; that width was not established.

  minimum lot area (default, no public sewer/water or community water): >= 43560 square feet (one acre; default rule in 8.2-4(a)) · minimum lot width at established building line (default): >= 130 feet (default rule in 8.2-4(a)) · minimum lot area (public sewer and sewerage treatment and public water): >= 9000 square feet (8.2-4(b); lot width at setback line at least 80 feet) · minimum lot area (community water only): >= 15000 square feet (8.2-4(c); lot width not captured)

  “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

  • District specific (with conditions) — New single-family dwellings on land in the county agricultural district (the district whose permitted-use list precedes section 7.3 Special uses; district name not captured in the opened text) in unincorporated Marshall County, including any Saratoga township parcels zoned agricultural

    “single-family dwellings - cropland: a minimum lot size of forty (40) acres shall be required if the county considers it to be cropland.”

• Manufactured homesLimited

  Mobile homes on land zoned R-2 single-family residence district in unincorporated Marshall County, including any Saratoga township parcels zoned R-2; not established for other districts

  • Mobile homes are allowed only by special use permit under section 6.5 of the ordinance.
  • Applies only to R-2 zoned land; the county mobile home fact sheet was not opened.
  • R-2 district is intended for land within 1.5 miles of an incorporated community; Saratoga township parcels may not be R-2.

  “mobile homes. privately owned recreation areas or facilities, campgrounds, camps, nature and forest preserves.”

• Accessory dwellingsLimited

  Accessory dwelling units on land zoned R-2 single-family residence district in unincorporated Marshall County, including any Saratoga township parcels zoned R-2

  • Allowed only by special use permit under section 6.5 of the ordinance.
  • An accessory dwelling unit must meet all requirements of a single-family dwelling under the ordinance definition.
  • Other district rules, including those for the agricultural district, were not reviewed.

  “the following uses may be allowed by special use permit in accordance with section 6.5 of this ordinance. accessory dwelling unit.”

• Agricultural exemptionAvailable (with conditions)

  Agricultural buildings and land used for agriculture in unincorporated Saratoga township

  • Agricultural buildings must still conform to the building and setback lines of the district where they sit.
  • Exemption ends if the building or land ceases to be used solely for agriculture.

  “agricultural buildings and structures or land used for agriculture, as defined herein, except that agricultural buildings and structures shall conform to the building and setback lines applicable in the district in which the building or structure is located.”

• Building in a floodplainRequired

  Building within mapped flood areas in unincorporated Marshall County, including unincorporated Saratoga township

  • Lowest floor elevation rule applies to land above the 100-year flood plain under the zoning ordinance; the separate county floodplain ordinance was not opened.
  • Land below the 100-year flood plain may not have any building or structure located there.

  lowest floor elevation above nearest point of 100-year flood plain: >= 1 feet (applies to lowest floor designed for human use or habitation, including basements)

  “the elevation of the lowest floor designed or intended for human use or habitation, including basements, shall be at least one foot (1') above the elevation of the nearest point of the 100-year flood plain.”

• Permit processPartial

  Zoning and building permit process for unincorporated Saratoga township

  • Only the application forms are published on the zoning page; step-by-step process and review timelines were not located.
  • Zoning administration contact: 552 State Route 26, Lacon, IL 61540, 309-246-6401.

  “applications and forms: application for amendment [pdf] application-for-building-permit [pdf] application for special use permit [pdf] application for variance [pdf]”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder permit exemption in unincorporated Saratoga township
• Inspections — Building inspections for land in unincorporated Saratoga township
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy for new buildings in unincorporated Saratoga township
• Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling floor area in unincorporated Saratoga township
• Setbacks — Yard setbacks for single-family dwellings in unincorporated Saratoga township (R-2 and agricultural districts)

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.