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

Rules another office applies inside Empire Township

Empire 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, improvement, addition or relocation of buildings and structures on unincorporated land inside Empire township, permitted by the McLean County Department of Building and Zoning

  • Exempt: driveways serving off-street parking areas of eight spaces or less; open fences not more than four feet in height; sidewalks; and light standards, birdhouses, flagpoles and similar accessory structures, berms and retaining walls under 36 inches in height that do not affect drainage on adjacent properties.
  • Exempt: buildings, structures and uses excepted from the chapter or by Illinois statutes.
  • The owner or an authorized agent must obtain the permit before any work, including excavation.
  • The application must include a sewage disposal certification from the McLean County Health Department when state or county law requires sewage disposal facilities.
  • The ordinance text does not name Empire township.

  “a construction permit shall be required for the improvement of or addition to a building, structure, or land improvement or part thereof”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside Empire township that lies in the unincorporated area of McLean County. The county zoning ordinance applies there; no township-adopted zoning ordinance was found.

  • The county ordinance covers only the unincorporated area of McLean County. Land within any incorporated municipality in the township is outside its reach.
  • The ordinance text does not name Empire township. No township page was found, and no official statement that the township has not adopted zoning was found.
  • The county ordinance also requires development review and approvals before development or construction (§ 350-4.b).

  “the provisions of this chapter shall apply to the development of all structures and land within the unincorporated area of mclean county”

• Who permits septicCounty (with conditions)

  On-site sewage disposal for construction permits on unincorporated land inside Empire township. The McLean County Health Department approves the proposed facilities.

  • The certification applies when Illinois or McLean County law requires sewage disposal facilities to serve the proposed use.
  • The ordinance text does not name Empire township.

  “the application shall be accompanied by a certification from the mclean county health department approving the sewage disposal facilities proposed for such use”

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.