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

Rules another office applies inside Maryland Township

Maryland 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 and land-use work on unincorporated land inside Maryland Township.

  • A zoning certificate from the Ogle County zoning administrator is required before construction or preliminary work.
  • In agricultural districts, the only requirement for an exclusively agricultural building or structure is written notification showing setback lines.
  • A zoning certificate becomes void unless work or use commences within six months.

  certificate commencement deadline: 6 months (Unless erection or alteration is started, or use is commenced, within that period.)

  “Construction of any building, structure or addition thereto shall not be commenced; preliminary work shall not be done with respect to any other use of land; and no permits pertaining to the use of land or buildings shall be issued, by officer, employee, department, board or bureau of Ogle County, unless a zoning certificate has been obtained from the office of the zoning administrator.”

• Owner-builder exemptionConditional

  Owner installation of a private sewage disposal system on unincorporated land inside Maryland Township.

  • The owner must be a resident owner or intended resident owner personally installing the system for the owner's single-family residence.
  • The owner still must obtain the installation permit and comply with all other regulations.
  • The owner must attend the health officer's educational training session and pay the applicable training fee.

  “Permits shall be issued only to persons licensed under the provisions of this code, and to resident owners, or intended resident owners who are to personally install the system for said owner's single-family residence. This exception does not relieve the owner from obtaining a permit to install and from complying with the other provisions of these regulations.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Unincorporated land inside Maryland Township; incorporated territory is outside the cited county zoning ordinance's scope.

  • The county ordinance applies only in unincorporated Ogle County.
  • District maps are adopted as Official Township Zoning District Maps by the Ogle County Board.

  “For the purpose of this Ordinance, that part of Ogle County outside of incorporated cities, towns and villages is divided into the following districts:”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Unincorporated land inside Maryland Township, using the official Maryland Township zoning district map maintained by Ogle County.

  • The districts and maps apply only outside incorporated cities, towns, and villages.
  • Official map copies are maintained by the Ogle County Zoning Administrator as public records.

  “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.”

• Minimum lot sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)

  AG-1 Agricultural, IA Intermediate Agricultural, R-1 Rural Residential, and R-2 Single-Family Residential districts on unincorporated land inside Maryland Township, as shown on the official township zoning map.

  • R-2 lot size may be reduced with public/community sewer or water and/or as part of an open-space subdivision.
  • The applicable district is determined by the official township zoning map.

  AG-1 minimum lot area: 40 acres · IA minimum lot area: 10 acres · R-1 minimum lot area: 3 acres · R-2 minimum lot area: 2 acres (May be reduced as stated in the schedule.)

  “AG-1 Agricultural 40.00 acres 300' Not Required * 25' (()) 50' Not RequiredIA IntermediateAgricultural 10.00 acres 500' 35' * 25' (()) 50' 10%”

• SetbacksDistrict specific (with conditions)

  AG-1 Agricultural, IA Intermediate Agricultural, R-1 Rural Residential, and R-2 Single-Family Residential districts on unincorporated land inside Maryland Township.

  • Front setback differs by adjacent road: 60 feet for tollways/freeways/limited-access highways, 80 feet for federal or state highways, 60 feet for county highways, and 40 feet for township roads or other roads or streets.
  • Where a rear or side yard adjoins a road or street, its minimum may not be less than the front-yard requirement.
  • Where a rear or side yard abuts a residential district, it must be at least the applicable adjoining-residential-district rear or side yard requirement.

  AG-1 side yard: 25 ft · AG-1 rear yard: 50 ft · R-2 rear yard: 30 ft

  “Adjacent to a township road, or any other road or street not less than forty (40) feet from the front property line (rights-of-way line) adjoining such road or street.”

• Lot coverageDistrict specific (with conditions)

  IA Intermediate Agricultural, R-1 Rural Residential, and R-2 Single-Family Residential districts on unincorporated land inside Maryland Township.

  • AG-1 lists no maximum allowable lot coverage.
  • Planned-development controls are governed by the underlying planned-development provisions rather than the abbreviated schedule.

  IA maximum lot coverage: <= 10 percent · R-1 maximum lot coverage: <= 10 percent · R-2 maximum lot coverage: <= 30 percent

  “R-1 Rural Residential 3.00 acres 300' 35' * 25' (()) 50' 10%R-2 Single-FamilyResidential 2.00 acres** 130'** 35' * 25'/ (()) 30' 30%”

• Building heightDistrict specific (with conditions)

  AG-1 Agricultural, IA Intermediate Agricultural, R-1 Rural Residential, and R-2 Single-Family Residential districts on unincorporated land inside Maryland Township.

  • The schedule lists no maximum principal-building height for AG-1.
  • Applicable district is determined by the official township zoning map.

  IA maximum principal building height: <= 35 ft · R-1 maximum principal building height: <= 35 ft · R-2 maximum principal building height: <= 35 ft

  “R-1 Rural Residential 3.00 acres 300' 35' * 25' (()) 50' 10%R-2 Single-FamilyResidential 2.00 acres** 130'** 35' * 25'/ (()) 30' 30%”

• Living in an RVLimited

  RV dwelling occupancy on unincorporated land inside Maryland Township.

  • Dwelling occupancy is allowed in lawfully established commercial campgrounds.
  • Temporary dwelling use requires a permit approved by the Planning, Assessment and Zoning Committee and signed by the zoning administrator, plus an enumerated condition.
  • For construction, the intended dwelling must not be occupiable within two years; a good-cause extension may be granted.
  • Recreational private-property use requires adequate water and sewage facilities and Ogle County Health Department approval.
  • Emergency shelter permits are limited to six months unless extended under the ordinance.

  construction condition: > 2 years (The dwelling will not be occupied within this period.) · emergency shelter permit: 6 months (Extension application may be presented when an ordinance condition is met.)

  “Recreational vehicles, as defined herein, shall not be occupied for dwelling purposes except in lawfully established commercial campgrounds; mobile homes, as defined herein, shall not be occupied for dwelling purposes except in lawfully established mobile home parks or mobile home subdivision.”

• Camping on your landLimited

  Temporary recreational-vehicle camping or temporary RV dwelling use on unincorporated land inside Maryland Township.

  • Private-property recreational RV use must be strictly recreational rather than permanent habitation.
  • The location may not hinder use or degrade or affect adjacent-property value or appearance.
  • Adequate water and sewage facilities and Ogle County Health Department approval are required.

  “When the applicant desires to use a recreational vehicle on private property strictly for recreational purposes and not for permanent habitation, and the location of the recreational vehicle does not hinder the use, degrade or affect the value and appearance of adjoining properties, and adequate water supply and sewage disposal facilities are provided and approval obtained from the Ogle County health department, said use of a recreational vehicle may be permitted.”

• Who permits septicCounty (with conditions)

  Private sewage disposal systems on unincorporated land inside Maryland Township.

  • Permits are issued by the Ogle County health officer for the specific construction or alteration proposed.

  “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 private sewage disposal systems on unincorporated land inside Maryland Township.

  • Permit issuance is based on a completed conforming application.
  • Severe soil limitations or system relocation may require additional borings, exploration pits, or an engineering plan.
  • The permit lasts one year; a new permit is required if the system is not completed by then.

  permit duration: 1 year (A new permit is necessary if the system is not completed by the end of the 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

  Alternative private sewage systems subject to the county maintenance-agreement requirements on unincorporated land inside Maryland Township.

  • This evidence addresses systems subject to the cited inspection and maintenance provisions, not every private sewage system.
  • Observed deficiencies or noncompliant effluent require immediate corrective action.

  “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.”

• Off-grid sanitationProhibited

  Discharge of untreated or partially treated sewage, septic effluent, privy, vault, or chemical-toilet contents on land inside Maryland Township.

  • The prohibition covers direct and indirect discharge to the listed waters, ground surface, tile, storm sewers, village tiles, and abandoned wells.
  • The provision also prohibits operating a private sewage system so that it is offensive, dangerous, or prejudicial to public health.

  “No person shall discharge or cause to be discharged raw or partially treated sewage, the effluents from any septic tank, subsurface disposal field, malfunctioning private sewage disposal system or the contents of any privy, vault or chemical toilet directly or indirectly into any river, stream, ground surface, field tile, storm sewers, village tiles, or abandoned wells or maintain or operate a private sewage disposal system in such a manner that it becomes offensive, dangerous, or prejudicial to the public health.”

• Mandatory utility hookupSewer (with conditions)

  Private sewage-system applicants on unincorporated land inside Maryland Township where public sewer is reasonably available.

  • A public sewer is available if it adjoins or abuts the premises, or if a practical, permitted connection is within the stated reasonable distance.
  • Outside an incorporated city or town, an existing private system must connect when major repairs are required or its seepage field fails at the end of the system's operating life.
  • This county provision does not establish a general public-water connection requirement.

  single-family reasonable sewer distance: <= 300 ft (Practical connection permitted by the controlling sewer authority.) · commercial or qualifying multifamily reasonable sewer distance: <= 1000 ft (Multifamily 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 exemptionAvailable (with conditions)

  Agricultural buildings, structures, and land on unincorporated land inside Maryland Township.

  • Agricultural buildings and structures must still comply with all building and setback lines.
  • If the building, structure, or land ceases solely agricultural use, applicable zoning regulations apply.

  “Buildings and structures or land used for agricultural purposes, as defined herein, except that agricultural buildings and structures shall conform to any and all building and setback lines.”

• Building in a floodplainRequired

  Development in floodplain land within the unincorporated portion of Maryland Township.

  • The cited provision excludes persons or bodies exempted by law.
  • The administrator may not issue a permit if development fails division requirements.
  • The application requires site drawings, grade changes, building locations and dimensions, lowest-floor elevation where applicable, and project-cost estimate.
  • Other applicable federal, state, and local permits, approvals, or permit-not-required letters must be obtained before issuance.

  “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 processPublished (with conditions)

  County zoning-certificate applications for unincorporated land inside Maryland Township.

  • Application must be filed with the zoning administrator.
  • Every application requires duplicate plat and plot-plan materials.
  • If no architect or professional engineer certificate is attached and the proposal complies, the administrator must issue the certificate within 20 days; otherwise the applicant must receive written reasons for denial within 20 days.

  administrator action period: <= 20 days (Applies to the stated certificate-issuance or denial process.)

  “When an application for a zoning certificate does not have affixed to it the certificate of an architect or registered professional engineer as described above, then if the proposed building or structure or addition thereto and use comply with all of the provisions of this chapter, the zoning administrator shall issue a zoning certificate within twenty (20) days after receipt of such application.”

Still unanswered

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

• Building code adopted — Land inside Maryland Township.
• Inspections — Building inspections for land inside Maryland Township.
• Certificate of occupancy — New or altered residential occupancy inside Maryland Township.
• Minimum dwelling size — Single-family dwellings on unincorporated land inside Maryland Township.
• Tiny homes — Tiny-home occupancy inside Maryland 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.