Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Elmwood, Illinois

Elmwood’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  New building construction inside Elmwood city limits (erosion, sediment and stormwater permit under Chapter 6). A general building permit was not verified.

  • This is the erosion/stormwater permit for land-disturbing activity; it is not confirmed as the building permit issued for a dwelling.
  • Land disturbance above 5,000 square feet also needs this permit.

  land disturbed threshold for permit: > 5000 square feet (any new building construction needs a permit regardless of size)

  “no person shall engage in any land disturbing activity resulting in a disturbed area of more than five thousand (5,000) square feet or undertake any new building construction regardless of the size of the disturbed area without first obtaining a permit as provided in this article.”

• Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

  Buildings inside Elmwood city limits: the city's existing building code (Chapter 6, Article VIII) as amended by the city.

  • Adopted by ordinance no. 2012-21 (08-28-12) per the code's amendment note.
  • The code's ordinance history lists other building codes (residential, mechanical, fuel gas, property maintenance, electrical) adopted in 2012; those were not separately opened.

  “these regulations shall be known as the existing building code of the city of elmwood, hereinafter referred to as "this code".”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside Elmwood city limits (City of Elmwood, Peoria County, Illinois): the city's own zoning code, Chapter 40 of its code of ordinances, administered by the city council, zoning administrator and zoning board of appeals.

  • The code text checked is the city's PDF copy supplemented through supplement no. 28 (01-01-22); the code's applicability clause (section 40-1-3) was not opened.
  • Several subdivision and liquor provisions cross-reference a 'county zoning district' and 'peoria county zoning code' (see subdivision claim); this needs checking before relying on county zoning for any Elmwood parcel.

  “this code shall be known as and referred to as the zoning code of the city of elmwood, illinois.”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Zoning districts inside Elmwood city limits under Chapter 40 of the city code.

  • Table of contents lists the districts; the zoning district map (section 40-6-2) was not opened.

  “section 40-6-3 - a-1 agricultural preservation district 40-88 section 40-6-4 - a-2 agricultural district 40-92 section 40-6-5 - r-r rural residential district 40-96 section 40-6-6 - r-1 low density residential district 40-99”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  Main single-family residential district R-1 (low density residential, section 40-6-6), inside Elmwood city limits.

  • Applies except as provided by special use permit.
  • Lot width differs by sanitary system (septic vs public sewer).

  minimum lot area: >= 21780 square feet (one-half (1/2) acre; other uses) · minimum lot width at building line, served by septic system: >= 125 feet (other uses) · minimum lot width at building line, on public sewer: >= 100 feet (other uses)

  “(2) minimum lot width. (a) telecommunications carrier facilities: n/a (b) other uses: one hundred twenty-five (125) feet at the building line if served by septic system one hundred (100) feet at the building line if on public sewer.”

  2 more reviewed findings on this topic

  • Specified — Rural residential R-R district (section 40-6-5) inside Elmwood city limits.

    “all uses and structures in the r-r rural residential district shall have the minimum lot size set forth below. (1) minimum lot area. (a) telecommunications carrier facilities: n/a (b) other uses: one (1) acre (43,560 square feet)”

  • Specified — A-1 agricultural preservation district (section 40-6-3) inside Elmwood city limits; the agricultural district for dimensional limits.

    “all uses and structures in the a-1 agricultural preservation district shall have the minimum lot size set forth below. (1) minimum lot area. (a) agriculture and telecommunications carrier facilities: n/a (b) other uses: 40 acres”

• SetbacksSpecified

  Road (front yard) setback in the R-1 low density residential district (section 40-6-6), inside Elmwood city limits.

  • Minimum road setback is the lesser of the listed standard, the average setback of developed abutting lots (not applicable to corner lots), or the average setback of nonconforming developed lots when they are the majority of developed lots in the block.
  • Side and rear setbacks for R-1 were not captured in this research.

  road setback, state road, residential use, from right-of-way: >= 75 feet (or 135 feet from center of right-of-way, whichever is greater; lesser of this standard or abutting-lot average applies)

  “(a) state: 1. residential: seventy-five (75) feet from the rightof-way or one hundred thirty-five (135) feet from the center of the right-of-way whichever distance is greater.”

• Lot coverageSpecified

  R-2 medium density residential district (section 40-6-7) inside Elmwood city limits, all other uses. R-1 lot coverage was not captured.

  • Section attribution inferred from page order: this text sits between the R-2 setbacks and the start of section 40-6-8 (R-3). Verify before relying on it for R-1.

  maximum lot coverage by structures: <= 40 percent of lot area (telecommunications carrier facilities n/a)

  “(2) all other uses: no more than forty percent (40%) of the area of the lot may be occupied by structures.”

• Building heightSpecified

  R-2 medium density residential district (section 40-6-7) inside Elmwood city limits, all other uses. R-1 height was not captured.

  • Section attribution inferred from page order (same block as the R-2 lot coverage text).

  maximum building height: <= 3 stories (or 36 feet to the mean height of the roof, whichever is higher)

  “(2) all other uses: three (3) stories or thirty-six (36) feet to the mean height of the roof, whichever is higher.”

• Living in an RVLimited

  Occupying a recreational vehicle as a dwelling on land inside Elmwood city limits.

  • Occupancy is allowed in a recreational vehicle park, or by the owner or tenant of the parcel, or a bona fide guest of the owner or tenant.
  • Otherwise, occupancy is limited to 40 days per calendar year.
  • Outside storage or parking of RVs on residential parcels or in platted subdivisions is capped at two RVs (separate rule in the same subsection).

  maximum days occupied per calendar year outside a recreational vehicle park: <= 40 days (owner, tenant or bona fide guest of the parcel owner or tenant; RV park)

  “recreational vehicles occupied for dwelling purposes shall be located only in a recreational park, unless the occupant is the owner or tenant of the parcel, or a bona fide guest of the parcel owner or tenant. unless the recreational vehicle is parked or stored in a recreational vehicle park, the recreational vehicle may be occupied for no more than forty (40) days in a calendar year.”

• Camping on your landLimited

  Temporary placement of a mobile home or recreational vehicle on a parcel inside Elmwood city limits after a natural disaster or fire.

  • Only a temporary shelter while a residence is rebuilt; a temporary use permit is required.
  • Must be at least 10 feet from the dwelling being rebuilt and meet side and rear setbacks.
  • Maximum temporary use permit length is six months, extendable by the zoning administrator.
  • General campgrounds and recreational vehicle parks are separate special uses and were not reviewed in full.

  maximum length of temporary use permit: <= 6 months (may be extended by the zoning administrator)

  “the temporary use of a mobile home or recreational vehicle located on the parcel is permitted during the rehabilitation or reconstruction of a new residence.”

• Who permits septicLocal (with conditions)

  Private sanitary sewage disposal systems for property inside Elmwood city limits, as shown by the city's private sewage disposal permit application form.

  • The city code contains a private sewage disposal permit application form (Chapter 38), which indicates a city-side permit process.
  • Whether the county or a health district also reviews septic systems inside the city was not verified.

  “does hereby request a permit to install sanitary sewage (number) (street) disposal facilities to serve the”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Land divided into lots inside Elmwood city limits under the city's subdivision code (Chapter 34).

  • Lot size in a subdivision is tied to 'the county zoning district in which the subdivision is located' per the code's cross-reference, which conflicts with Chapter 40's own city districts; resolve before relying on either.
  • Plats must meet the city's plat certificate requirements (city council approval, superintendents' certificates).

  “all lots in a subdivision shall conform to the minimum lot area and dimensions requirements of the county zoning district in which the subdivision is located”

• Building in a floodplainLimited

  Mobile home parks located in a Zone A floodplain inside Elmwood city limits. This is the only floodplain rule found; a general floodplain development ordinance was not located.

  • Requires an evacuation plan filed with disaster preparedness authorities and compliance with floodplain regulations affecting individual mobile homes.

  “all mobile home parks to be located in an "a" zone of a floodplain shall file with the appropriate disaster preparedness authorities an evacuation plan indicating vehicular access and escape routes, including mobile home hauler routes, and shall comply with all pertinent floodplain regulations that affect individual mobile homes.”

• Short-term rentalsLimited

  Overnight accommodation (rental of rooms) inside Elmwood city limits where the A-2 agricultural district lists it as a conditional use. Other districts list overnight accommodations with different limits.

  • In the A-2 list: no more than five rooms or suites rented, and no rental for more than 14 days.
  • Commercial district lists allow overnight accommodations with other limits (for example eight rooms in one commercial list and a 30-day limit in another).

  maximum rooms or suites rented: <= 5 rooms (A-2 district conditional use) · maximum rental period per room: <= 14 days (A-2 district conditional use)

  “(f) overnight accommodations, provided that they meet the requirements set forth in section 40-7-9 ("overnight accommodations") and provided that: 1. no more than five (5) rooms or suites of rooms are rented; and 2. rooms are not rented for a period of more than fourteen (14) days.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Elmwood or Peoria County directly.

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption for residential construction inside Elmwood city limits.
• Inspections — Building inspections inside Elmwood city limits.
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy for buildings inside Elmwood city limits.
• Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling floor area inside Elmwood city limits.
• Tiny homes — Tiny home occupancy inside Elmwood city 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.