Bolthole Index

Menard County, Illinois

Building permits, zoning and septic in Village of Greenview, Illinois

Village of Greenview, Illinois requires building permits for new construction, new garages, new fencing, additions and decks; contact the Village Clerk for building permits and costs.1 Greenview requires public sewer and water connections when available, subject to the ordinance’s exceptions for districts allowing private systems.2 In Menard County, Sangamon County Department of Public Health provides private sewage disposal and potable-water services.3

At a glance

Building permits
Required for new construction, garages, fences, additions and decks; contact the Village Clerk.1
Zoning and setbacks
We could not confirm district rules or setbacks; ask Village Hall for the parcel’s applicable ordinance.4
Sewer and water
Public connections required when available, with ordinance exceptions for districts allowing private systems.2
Septic approval
State plan approval before new-system construction; county health program is the local contact.53
Private wells
New wells require permits; Greenview allows private wells when public water cannot be made available and applicable codes are met.6
Subdivision costs
Developer or subdivider pays 1.5% of approved estimated public-improvement construction cost before final plat recording.7

Who to call

Building permits

Village of Greenview Building Permits / Village Clerk

Building permit applications and costs; referral for building-code questions.

(217) 968-5314

[email protected]

106 E Washington St. Greenview, IL 62642

Planning & zoning

Village of Greenview Village Hall / Village Clerk

Clarification on Greenview ordinances, water-service signup and viewing the proposed sewer map.

(217) 968-5314

[email protected]

106 E. Washington St. Greenview, IL 62642

Septic permits

Menard County Health Department

Local contact for private sewage disposal and potable-water services

(217)535-3102

One Centre Drive, Petersburg, Illinois 62675

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 12, 2026.

Off-grid gear

Going off-grid in Village of Greenview means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

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Do you need a building permit in Village of Greenview, IL?

Greenview requires building permits for new construction, new garages, new fencing, additions to existing structures and decks.1 Greenview’s fencing permit has no cost; ask the Village Clerk for the building permit cost for the proposed project.1 For construction within an approved subdivision, Greenview also conditions building and occupancy permit issuance on subdivision compliance and the required improvement surety or qualifying deposit.8 A permit application therefore needs to address the subdivision’s unfinished public improvements as well as the proposed building when those conditions apply.8

Who issues building permits in Village of Greenview?

Start a Greenview building permit application with the Village Clerk at (217) 968-5314 or [email protected].1 Greenview’s published application instructions say to read the required information, print and complete the building permit application, and return the form to City Hall.1 Village Hall also provides clarification on Greenview ordinances, making the clerk the starting contact for questions about the parcel’s requirements.4 Illinois leaves privately funded construction permit, inspection and occupancy administration to the applicable local government; the state’s administration policy does not waive Greenview’s building permits.9

Does Village of Greenview have zoning for RVs and tiny homes?

We could not confirm Greenview’s zoning districts, residential setbacks, minimum dwelling size or rules for living in an RV or tiny home; ask Village Hall for the ordinances applicable to the specific parcel and proposed use.4 Greenview regulates subdivision plats, including Board of Trustees approval before recording, so dividing land or proposing additional principal buildings needs subdivision review.10 Greenview’s utility ordinance also refers to zoning districts that specifically allow private septic systems or private wells as exceptions to public connection requirements.2 Those utility exceptions alone do not establish permission to occupy an RV or tiny home; request a separate answer from Village Hall before committing to that living arrangement.4

How do septic permits and wells work inside Village of Greenview?

Greenview allows private septic systems when public sewer is not readily available and applicable County Health Officer, Illinois EPA and other governmental requirements are met.2 Illinois requires plan approval before construction of a new private sewage disposal system and notice to the state or local authority at least 48 hours before work begins.5 Contact the Menard County Health Department local office at (217)535-3102 for the private sewage disposal program provided by Sangamon County Department of Public Health.3 Greenview allows private wells when public water cannot be made available and applicable codes are met; new well construction requires a permit.6 Public utility availability therefore comes before choosing a private well or septic design.2

Building a home in Village of Greenview: what comes first?

Begin with the Village Clerk: request the building permit application, project cost and clarification of the ordinances affecting the parcel.14 Next, establish whether public sewer and water are available, because Greenview’s connection requirements can determine whether private systems are an option.2 For a private sewage system, arrange plan approval before construction; for a new well, obtain the required construction permit.56 If subdividing land, obtain the required village plat approval before recording and resolve the improvement-surety conditions governing building and occupancy permits.11 The developer or subdivider must pay 1.5% of the Village Engineer-approved estimated public-improvement construction cost before final plat recording.7

What should you check before buying in Village of Greenview?

Ask Village Hall to clarify the applicable ordinances and let you view the proposed sewer map before relying on private sewer or water arrangements.4 Greenview’s requirement to connect to available public systems means an off-grid plan needs to fit the village’s utility rules.2 Illinois allows specified human-waste options, including compost toilets, but other domestic wastes still require conventional private sewage disposal; that statewide allowance does not remove Greenview’s public connection requirements.122 For land outside village limits, use the Menard County guide for the county-administered building permit answer rather than applying Greenview’s application process.13

Watch-outs

  • Greenview’s subdivision building and occupancy permit conditions include financial surety for unfinished improvements; do not treat plat approval alone as clearance to build or occupy.814
  • We could not confirm Greenview’s RV occupancy, tiny-home occupancy or floodplain development requirements; ask Village Hall for the applicable ordinance before buying for those uses.4

Sources

  1. Village of Greenview Building Permits / Village Clerk (thevillageofgreenview.com)
  2. codelibrary.amlegal.com (Village of Greenview), quoted and re-checked
  3. Menard County Health Department (menardcountyil.gov)
  4. Village of Greenview Village Hall / Village Clerk (thevillageofgreenview.com)
  5. 77 Ill. Adm. Code 905.190 Installation Approval (Illinois statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  6. Private Water & Closed Loop Wells (Village of Greenview), quoted and re-checked
  7. § 150.09 Costs for Plat Review and Subdivision Inspection (Village of Greenview), quoted and re-checked
  8. § 150.08 Building and Occupancy Permits; Issuance (Village of Greenview), quoted and re-checked
  9. Illinois Codes FAQ (Illinois statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  10. codelibrary.amlegal.com (Village of Greenview), quoted and re-checked
  11. § 150.03 Applicability and Compliance (Village of Greenview), quoted and re-checked
  12. 77 Ill. Adm. Code 905.130 Human Waste Disposal (Illinois statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  13. Menard County IL :: Zoning, quoted and re-checked
  14. § 150.08 Building and Occupancy Permits; Issuance (Village of Greenview), quoted and re-checked

Written October 12, 2026 from the rules quoted below, each taken from an official source and re-checked by an independent reviewer. This is research, not legal advice: rules change, so confirm with the office before you buy or build.

Answers from the rulebook for Village of Greenview

Village of Greenview’s own rules

  • Building permitLimited

    Buildings, structures, or improvements within a subdivision approved under Greenview Chapter 150.

    • No building permit shall issue unless the landowner has complied with Chapter 150.
    • Within an approved subdivision, a surety bond or qualifying lot-owner deposit is required as specified in § 150.08(A)-(B).
    “No building permit or occupancy permit shall be issued for any building, structure or improvement within a subdivision approved in accordance with this chapter unless a valid and enforceable corporate surety bond or other financing surety in accordance with § 150.05 of this chapter is on file with the village to guarantee completion of improvements in the subdivision which the subdivider is required to install but which are not yet complete and/or accepted.”
  • Certificate of occupancyLimited

    Occupancy permits for buildings, structures, or improvements within approved subdivisions.

    • Section 150.08 uses the term occupancy permit and imposes the surety and Chapter 150 compliance conditions stated there.
    “No building permit or occupancy permit shall be issued for any building, structure or improvement within a subdivision approved in accordance with this chapter unless a valid and enforceable corporate surety bond or other financing surety in accordance with § 150.05 of this chapter is on file with the village to guarantee completion of improvements in the subdivision which the subdivider is required to install but which are not yet complete and/or accepted.”
  • Mandatory utility hookupWater and sewer (with conditions)

    Areas within Greenview village limits and areas upon annexation.

    • Sewer connection is required when public sewer becomes readily available, unless within a zoning district specifically allowing private septic systems.
    • Water connection is required when public water is available, unless within a zoning district specifically allowing private wells.
    • Private septic is allowed only if public sewer is not readily available and County Health Officer, Illinois EPA, or other applicable governmental requirements are met.
    • Private wells are allowed if public water cannot be made available and applicable local, county, and state codes are met.
    “All areas within the village limits or areas upon annexation shall be required to connect onto a public system when it becomes readily available unless within a zoning district specifically allowing private septic systems. [...] All areas within the corporate limits and all areas upon annexation shall be required to connect onto a public system when available unless within a zoning district specifically allowing private wells.”
  • Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

    Land subdivided or platted within Greenview village's Chapter 150 jurisdiction, including land within the village and the specified nearby unincorporated area addressed by § 150.03(C).

    • Land must be surveyed and platted by a registered land surveyor.
    • A lot or tract may not be divided or used to erect more than one principal building or unit without subdivision or resubdivision.
    • Subdivision plats and specified other plats require Board of Trustees approval before recording.
    • Section 150.03(C) also addresses unincorporated areas within one and one-half miles of the corporate limits; this claim includes that condition only as part of the source's jurisdictional rule.
    “Whenever the owner of land subdivides or plats any land within the jurisdiction of this chapter, the land shall be surveyed and a plat made thereof by a registered land surveyor containing information required hereinafter. All such plats shall then be submitted to the village pursuant to the provisions of this chapter.”
  • Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

    Plat review and subdivision-improvement inspection costs for developers or subdividers.

    • The fee is due before recording the final plat.
    • The percentage applies to the estimated cost of public improvements approved by the Village Engineer.

    plat review and subdivision inspection cost: per 1.5 percent of estimated public-improvement construction cost (estimated cost must be approved by the Village Engineer)

    “The developer or subdivider shall pay to the village 1.5% of the estimated cost, as approved by the Village Engineer, of construction of the public improvements in the proposed subdivision. The payment shall be due prior to the recording of the final plat by the village.”
  • Permit processPartial

    Subdivision and related building or occupancy permits inside Greenview village limits.

    • Subdivision plats are submitted to the village and require Board of Trustees approval before recording.
    • Building and occupancy permits in approved subdivisions are subject to Chapter 150 compliance and surety conditions.
    • The reviewed pages did not establish a complete general building-permit process.
    “No plat of any subdivision of more than one lot and no dedication, vacation, annexation or plat of survey under 765 ILCS 605/1 et seq., shall be valid nor entitled to record unless and until the same has been approved by the Board of Trustees in accordance with procedures and standards hereinafter provided”

Rules another office applies inside Village of Greenview

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

  • Who permits septicMixed (with conditions)

    Private sewage systems serving property inside Greenview village limits.

    • IDPH regulates private sewage systems statewide.
    • Local health agencies may review construction plans under local ordinance or as IDPH agents.
    • Greenview § 150.41 separately requires County Health Officer and Illinois EPA requirements for private septic systems when public sewer is not readily available.
    “The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) regulates the installation of all private sewage disposal systems that have no surface discharge (such as septic tanks and seepage fields) as well as those that discharge treated effluent up to 1,500 gallons per day to the ground surface (such as sand filters and aerobic treatment systems). Staff also review and approve plans for private sewage disposal systems and alternative private sewage disposal systems before construction. There are about 90 local health agencies in Illinois that also review sewage disposal system construction plans, either by authority of a local ordinance or as an "agent" of the Department.”
  • Well permitRequired

    New private water wells serving property inside Greenview village limits.

    • IDPH states that IDPH and local health departments issue permits for new well construction.
    • For driven wells, a construction permit must be obtained from the local health department before construction.
    • Greenview allows private wells only if public water cannot be made available and applicable local, county, and state codes are met.
    “To ensure the safety of these water supplies, the IDPH and local health departments review water well installation plans, issue permits for new well construction, and inspect wells.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Village of Greenview or Menard County directly.

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builders inside Greenview village limits.
  • Building code adopted — Building-code adoption inside Greenview village limits.
  • Local zoning — Land inside Greenview village limits.
  • Zoning districts — Zoning districts inside Greenview village limits.
  • Minimum dwelling size — Dwellings inside Greenview village limits.
16 more unanswered
  • Minimum lot size
  • Setbacks
  • Lot coverage
  • Building height
  • Living in an RV
  • Camping on your land
  • Tiny homes
  • Manufactured homes
  • Accessory dwellings
  • Septic permit
  • Septic inspection
  • Off-grid sanitation
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Driveway access
  • Building in a floodplain
  • Short-term rentals

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.

Unanswered questions are usually a sign that Village of Greenview publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Menard County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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