Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Richland Grove Township, Illinois

Rules another office applies inside Richland Grove Township

Richland Grove 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 on private land in unincorporated Richland Grove township under the county zoning resolution

  • Permit is required except for the listed exemptions: routine maintenance or repair, alterations under $1,000 that do not change exterior dimensions, service connections to a municipally owned utility, and agricultural uses.
  • Inferred from the exemption list in the zoning resolution and the county fee; the permit's exact scope is not confirmed.
  • Does not establish that a building code applies or that township-level permits are issued.

  “no permit or certificate shall be required for: routine maintenance or repair of buildings, structures, or equipment, such as repainting or re-roofing or insulating a building; alterations costing less than one thousand (1,000) dollars to existing buildings, but not including activities which would change the exterior dimensions of the enclosed portion of the existing structure; construction of a service connection to a municipally owned and operated utility; and any agricultural uses.”

• InspectionsRequired

  Buildings constructed after the zoning resolution's effective date on private land in unincorporated Richland Grove township

  • The inspection is a zoning officer inspection for conformity with the plans and specifications of the zoning certificate, not a building code inspection.
  • A temporary certificate of occupancy may be issued before final inspection for up to 6 months during completion of an addition or partial occupancy.

  “no certificate of occupancy for a building, or portion thereof, constructed after the effective date of this resolution, shall be issued until construction has been completed and the premises inspected and certified by the zoning officer to be in conformity with the plans and specifications upon which the zoning certificate was based.”

• Certificate of occupancyRequired

  New buildings and land-use changes on private land in unincorporated Richland Grove township, issued by the Mercer County zoning officer

  • Applies to a building constructed after the resolution's effective date, and to any change in use other than permitted use to permitted use.
  • A temporary certificate may be issued for up to 6 months during completion of an addition or partial occupancy.
  • Utility service (gas and electric) is not turned on before a certificate of occupancy is issued.
  • Certificate of occupancy fee is one dollar for each one thousand dollars of structure valuation (per the fee schedule in the resolution).

  certificate of occupancy fee: 1 USD per $1,000 of structure valuation

  “no building, or addition thereto, constructed after the effective date of this resolution shall be occupied, and no land not in use on the effective date of this resolution shall be used for any non-agricultural purpose until a certificate of occupancy has been issued by the zoning officer.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Unincorporated land inside Richland Grove township, under the county zoning resolution (not a township ordinance)

  • This is the county's zoning resolution, not a Richland Grove township ordinance; it is recorded here because no township zoning was found and the county page points unincorporated land to county zoning.
  • The county page sends land inside a city or village to that municipality's hall, so the county zoning applies only outside corporate limits.
  • Whether Richland Grove township has its own zoning ordinance is not verified (see local-zoning-township-unknown).

  “or it could be in city limits, you when then need to contact city or village hall of the corporates area.”

• Agricultural exemptionAvailable

  Agricultural uses on private land in unincorporated Richland Grove township, exempt from the zoning permit or certificate requirement

  • The exemption covers only the zoning permit or certificate requirement in the county resolution; it does not exempt the land from septic, well, or other health rules.
  • Whether a use is agricultural is determined under the resolution's definitions, not verified here.

  “no permit or certificate shall be required for: routine maintenance or repair of buildings, structures, or equipment, such as repainting or re-roofing or insulating a building; alterations costing less than one thousand (1,000) dollars to existing buildings, but not including activities which would change the exterior dimensions of the enclosed portion of the existing structure; construction of a service connection to a municipally owned and operated utility; and any agricultural uses.”

• Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

  Zoning permit and certificate fees for construction on private land in unincorporated Richland Grove township

  • Building certificate fee: twenty-five dollars plus five dollars per $1,000 of structure valuation, per the resolution fee provision.
  • Certificate of occupancy: one dollar per $1,000 of structure valuation.
  • No fee for construction costs.
  • The county zoning page lists the same $25 plus $5 per $1,000 building permit fee; it does not state an effective date for the fee schedule.
  • Zoning permit fee ranges for conditional use, variance, and appeals also appear in the resolution but are not part of this claim.

  building permit application fee: 25 USD (plus $5 per $1,000 of structure valuation) · building permit fee per $1,000 of valuation: 5 USD per $1,000 (plus $25 application fee)

  “the fee for a building certificate shall be twenty five dollars plus five dollars for each one thousand dollars of real valuation of said structure. the fee for a certificate of occupancy shall be one dollar for each one thousand dollars of said valuation of structure. there shall be no fee for construction costs.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Whether an owner may build without a licensed contractor inside Richland Grove township
• Building code adopted — Which building code, if any, governs new residential construction inside Richland Grove township
• Zoning districts — County zoning district schedule applicable to unincorporated Richland Grove township
• Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling size for the main single-family residential district in unincorporated Richland Grove township
• Minimum lot size — Minimum lot size for the main single-family residential district in unincorporated Richland Grove 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.