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

Lincoln Township’s own rules

• InspectionsLimited

  Buildings or additions inside Lincoln Township for which Ogle County's zoning occupancy-certificate requirement applies.

  • Applies before issuance of an occupancy certificate for a building or addition constructed after the ordinance's effective date.
  • Exterior construction must be completed and the premises inspected and certified as conforming to the approved plans and specifications.

  “No occupancy certificate for a building or addition thereto, constructed after the effective date hereof, or for an addition to a previously existing building, shall be issued until exterior construction has been completed and the premises inspected and certified by the office of the zoning administrator to be in conformity with the plans and specifications upon which it is located.”

• Certificate of occupancyRequired

  Non-agricultural buildings, additions, and changes in use inside Lincoln Township subject to Ogle County zoning.

  • A building or structure used exclusively for agriculture is excepted.
  • A change to an exclusively agricultural use is excepted.
  • A temporary certificate may be issued for no more than six months during completion of an addition or partial occupancy.

  temporary certificate maximum validity: <= 6 months (During completion of an addition or partial occupancy.)

  “Except in the case of a building or structure to be used exclusively for "agriculture", as defined in this chapter, no building or structure, or addition thereto, constructed after the effective date hereof, and no addition to a previously existing building, shall be occupied and no land vacant on the effective date hereof shall be used for any purpose except agriculture, until an occupancy certificate has been issued by the office of the zoning administrator.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside Lincoln Township that is subject to Ogle County's township zoning maps and county zoning administration.

  • The record located county-adopted official township zoning maps, not a separately adopted Lincoln Township zoning ordinance.
  • Parcel zoning classification must be confirmed from the official Lincoln Township zoning map maintained by the Ogle County zoning administrator.

  “The boundaries of the districts above are hereby established as shown on the "official township zoning district maps", as adopted by the Ogle County board, together with all subsequent amendments thereto. Official copies of said maps shall be maintained in the office of the Ogle County zoning administrator and shall be public records.”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Ogle County zoning-district classifications within Lincoln Township.

  • Official copies are maintained in the Ogle County zoning administrator's office and are public records.
  • Parcel classification must be determined from the official Lincoln Township zoning district map, including subsequent amendments.

  “Official copies of said maps shall be maintained in the office of the Ogle County zoning administrator and shall be public records. All subsequent amendments to the zoning maps shall be designated on said official copies.”

• Who permits septicCounty (with conditions)

  Private sewage disposal systems inside Lincoln Township.

  • Administration is by the Ogle County health officer under the county private-sewage code.

  “It shall be unlawful for any person to construct, or make alterations to, a private sewage disposal system within Ogle County unless a valid permit has been issued by the Ogle County health officer in the name of such person for the specific construction or alteration proposed.”

• Septic permitRequired

  Construction or alteration of a private sewage disposal system inside Lincoln Township.

  • Permit must be issued in the applicant's name for the specific proposed construction or alteration.
  • Permits are issued only to persons licensed under the code and to resident or intended resident owners personally installing a system for that owner's single-family residence.
  • An owner installing a system must still obtain a permit and comply with the regulations.
  • Resident owners intending to install a system must attend the health officer's educational training session.
  • A permit lasts one year; a new permit is necessary if the system is not completed by then.

  permit duration: 1 year (A new permit is necessary if the system is not completed at the end of one year.)

  “It shall be unlawful for any person to construct, or make alterations to, a private sewage disposal system within Ogle County unless a valid permit has been issued by the Ogle County health officer in the name of such person for the specific construction or alteration proposed.”

• Septic inspectionLimited

  Nonexempt aeration sewage systems inside Lincoln Township.

  • Applies to aeration systems installed after 1992 and systems upgraded to current code.
  • The property owner must provide biannual inspection and maintenance through a maintenance contract or policy.
  • There must be a five-month interval between inspections and maintenance activities.
  • The contractor must submit a written report to the Ogle County health department.

  inspection and maintenance frequency: per 2 per year (Nonexempt aeration systems only.) · minimum interval: >= 5 months (Between each biannual inspection and maintenance activity.)

  “For all nonexempt aeration systems (those installed after 1992 and those that have been upgraded), the property owners, where aeration treatment or chemical systems are located, shall provide for biannual inspection and maintenance of that system in the form of a maintenance contract or policy with the manufacturer or distributer of the equipment installed. There shall be a five (5) month interval between each biannual inspection and maintenance activity.”

• Off-grid sanitationLimited

  Privies and other private sewage arrangements inside Lincoln Township.

  • Privies are approved only for forest preserves, parks, special-use areas, and camping areas.
  • Privies used for human waste must be constructed and maintained under the county division and Illinois private sewage disposal code.
  • Cesspools, dry wells, and seepage pits may not be constructed.

  “Privies are approved for use in forest preserves, parks, special use areas and camping areas. All privies which are used for the deposit of human waste shall be constructed and maintained in accordance with this division and the state of Illinois department of public health, private sewage disposal code.”

• Mandatory utility hookupSewer (with conditions)

  Properties inside Lincoln Township outside an incorporated city or town that use or propose private sewage systems.

  • A private-system permit is refused where public sewer is reasonably available.
  • A sewer is available if it adjoins or abuts the premises, or if connection is practical and permitted by the controlling authority within the stated reasonable distance.
  • For an existing private system outside an incorporated city or town, connection is required when major repairs are needed or at the end of operating life indicated by a failed seepage field.

  reasonable sewer distance for single-family residence: <= 300 feet (Connection must be practical and permitted by the controlling sewer authority.) · reasonable sewer distance for commercial establishment or qualifying multi-family dwelling: <= 1000 feet (Multi-family dwelling flowing 1,500 gallons per day or greater.)

  “The Ogle County health officer shall refuse to grant a permit for the construction of a private sewage disposal system where public sewer is reasonably available.”

• Agricultural exemptionConditional

  Buildings, structures, land uses, and changes to exclusively agricultural use inside Lincoln Township subject to Ogle County zoning.

  • The exemption is limited to a building or structure used exclusively for agriculture, as defined in the zoning chapter, and to changes to an exclusively agricultural use.
  • This claim concerns the county occupancy-certificate requirement; it does not establish exemption from other permits or state requirements.

  “Except in the case of a building or structure to be used exclusively for "agriculture", as defined in this chapter, no building or structure, or addition thereto, constructed after the effective date hereof, and no addition to a previously existing building, shall be occupied and no land vacant on the effective date hereof shall be used for any purpose except agriculture, until an occupancy certificate has been issued by the office of the zoning administrator.”

• Building in a floodplainRequired

  Development in floodplain areas inside Lincoln Township subject to the Ogle County flood-damage-prevention ordinance.

  • An exemption applies where provided by law.
  • The proposed development must meet the division's requirements.
  • The administrator may not issue the permit until all other required federal, state, and local permits, approvals, or permit-not-required letters have been obtained.

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

• Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

  County-administered private sewage permits and listed well and building site-visit services inside Lincoln Township.

  • The cited amounts are county fee-schedule amounts and can be amended by ordinance.
  • The cited schedule states building permits requiring a site visit are $50, but does not establish when a building permit is required.

  new residential private sewage permit: 325 USD (Residential dwelling, new construction.) · residential private sewage repair permit: 250 USD (Residential dwelling, repair.) · water-well construction permit fee: 100 USD · building permits requiring site visit: 50 USD

  “Private sewage disposal permit: Residential dwelling (new construction)$325.00 Residential dwelling (repair)250.00”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Private sewage disposal permit applications for systems inside Lincoln Township.

  • New-system applications require dwelling/facility information, equipment served, and three site-specific soil borings classified by a certified soil classifier.
  • The application requires a scaled site map containing the listed site, building, well, sewage, drainage, and proposed-system information.
  • Issuance depends on a conforming completed application; severe soils or relocated systems may require additional information.

  new-system site-specific soil borings: 3 borings (Must be classified by a certified soil classifier.)

  “For new construction of a private sewage disposal system: The type of facility, structure or dwelling (including plans or drawings of the dwelling including the number of bedrooms, or population served) which this system is intended to serve, the kinds of equipment (garbage disposal, hot tubs, water softeners, etc.) served by this system, and three (3) site specific soil borings, classified by a certified soil classifier.”

Still unanswered

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

• Building permit — Residential construction inside Lincoln Township.
• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residential structures inside Lincoln Township.
• Building code adopted — Construction inside Lincoln Township.
• Minimum dwelling size — Dwellings inside Lincoln Township.
• Lot coverage — Lots inside Lincoln 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.