Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Village of Bethany, Illinois

Village of Bethany’s own rules

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  All land inside Bethany village limits; the village administers its own Zoning Code (Chapter 40) through its zoning administrator.

  • The village's zoning code applies only inside village limits. The village planning page names Moultrie County Zoning & Planning as the office that handles the village's zoning administration.
  • Zoning is administered by the village's zoning administrator, per the village planning page.

  “this entire municipality is hereby divided into the following zoning districts”

• Zoning districtsPartial

  Zoning districts inside Bethany village limits

  • The code lists four districts: R-1 (residential), C-1 (central business), I-1 (light industrial), and I-2 (heavy industrial). The R-1 district is the only residential district listed.
  • The official zoning map is kept in the administrator's office; the map itself was not opened, so district boundaries are not confirmed.

  “the official zoning map shall be kept on file in the administrator's office.”

• Minimum lot sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Detached single-family dwellings in the R-1 residential district inside Bethany village limits

  • Applies to the principal building on each lot in the R-1 district.
  • Lot width is measured at the established building line.

  minimum lot area: >= 10000 sq ft · minimum lot width (at established building line): >= 75 ft · minimum lot depth: >= 100 ft

  “(a) minimum lot area. 10,000 sq. ft. (b) minimum lot width. (at established building line) 75 ft. (c) minimum lot depth. 100 ft.”

• Building heightDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Principal buildings in the R-1 residential district inside Bethany village limits

  • The maximum height value is read as the last number in the flattened R-1 table row ('35 ft.'). Confirm against the PDF table layout.
  • Height is measured under the code's building height definition, which excludes certain projections (not extracted).

  maximum building height: <= 35 ft

  “(e) maximum building height. 25 ft. 15 ft. 5 ft. 20 ft. 35 ft.”

• Living in an RVLimited

  Travel trailers and other recreational vehicles parked on private lots inside Bethany village limits

  • Not more than one recreational vehicle may be parked on a lot.
  • An RV may not be used as a dwelling, as an office, or for any commercial purpose.
  • No RV may be parked in a front yard except on a driveway.
  • The restriction does not apply to RVs in a permitted travel trailer park that meets the mobile home park code, or on a permitted recreational vehicle sales lot.

  recreational vehicles per lot: <= 1 count (not applicable in permitted travel trailer parks or RV sales lots)

  “(c) no travel trailer or other recreational vehicle shall be used as an office or for any other commercial purpose. (d) no travel trailer or other recreational vehicle shall be parked on any front yard, except on a driveway.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Land inside the village's subdivision jurisdiction

  • Compliance with the subdivision code is required before a lot is conveyed, with the final plat approved by the village board and recorded with the county recorder of deeds.
  • Exempt land under the Illinois Plats Act is excluded.

  “(b) no lot in any subdivision shall be conveyed until: (1) the final plat of said subdivision has been approved by the village board and recorded with the county recorder of deeds;”

• Building in a floodplainRequired

  Development inside the floodplain under Bethany village's Flood Plain Code

  • Applies only to development in the floodplain. Non-floodplain land is not covered by this sentence.
  • Development permits are issued by the zoning administrator. The application requires site drawings and other items listed in section 14-1-5(a).

  “no person, firm, corporation, or governmental body not exempted by state law shall commence any development in the floodplain without first obtaining a development permit from the zoning administrator.”

• Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

  Building and improvement permits inside Bethany village limits

  • The fee is stated on the village planning page without a date. No fee schedule with an effective date was opened.

  cost of building and improvement permit: 30 USD

  “cost of building and improvement permit $30.00”

• Permit processPartial

  Building and zoning permit applications for land inside Bethany village limits

  • Applications are picked up at village hall, and the zoning administrator is the contact for requirements. The steps and documents are not spelled out on the page.
  • The village hall address is 201 W. Main Street, Bethany, IL 61914.

  “you can also stop into the village hall and pick up an application.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption from permit requirements inside Bethany village limits
• Building code adopted — Building code adopted by the village
• Inspections — Building inspections for construction inside Bethany village limits
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy for new structures inside Bethany village limits
• Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling floor area inside Bethany village 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.