Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Monticello, Illinois

Monticello’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  New building construction inside Monticello city limits (checklist is titled 'new building construction checklist')

  • The checklist directs the applicant to complete a building permit application for new construction; the rule is taken from the city's own checklist, not from an ordinance chapter.
  • Permit fees are paid upon application (see permit_fees claim); plans must be submitted at least 7 days before construction.

  “new building construction checklist complete a building permit application available from the city of monticello”

• Building code adoptedAdopted

  New construction inside Monticello city limits

  • The checklist lists the 2003-edition codes (IRC 2003, IBC 2003, NFPA 2003 Life Safety Code), National Electrical Code 2005 and State of Illinois Plumbing Code 2004; the edition years are old and should be confirmed against current city adoption.
  • The zoning chapter also states that modular homes must adhere to IRC 2003 'as adopted by the city'.

  “the city of monticello adheres to these codes: • city of monticello municipal code - zoning, utilities, general enforcement, erosion control • irc 2003 (international residential code) • ibc 2003 (international building code)”

• InspectionsRequired

  New building construction inside Monticello city limits

  • Listed inspections: pre-construction site meeting, setback check, erosion control, foundation barrier fencing, sanitary and water service inspection, drive approach inspection, and certificate-of-occupancy walk-through.
  • The checklist states that the setback check requires pins to be located and marked by the property owner before the inspection.

  “inspections required: 1. pre-construction site meeting with builder to verify site conditions prior to work beginning”

• Certificate of occupancyRequired

  New building construction inside Monticello city limits

  • A post-construction walk-through with the builder is held before the city issues the certificate.

  “certificate of occupancy walk-through - post construction site meeting with builder to verify compliance with city requirements prior to city issuing certificate of occupancy”

• Local zoningPresent

  Land inside Monticello city limits; the city administers its own zoning ordinance (Chapter 153), which applies on annexation and replaces the Piatt County zoning classifications.

  • Annexed land is classified under the city zoning ordinance according to the conversion table in § 153.015(c), unless a pre-annexation agreement or council action provides otherwise after a public hearing.

  “automatically be classified from its present or most recent classification under the piatt county zoning ordinance, to a classification under the city of monticello zoning ordinance, according to the following table”

• Zoning districtsPublished

  Zoning districts of Monticello city

  • District designations are in § 153.015; the official zoning map is adopted under § 153.016.
  • Piatt County districts convert to city districts on annexation (§ 153.015(c)).

  “§ 153.015 designation of districts. § 153.016 official zoning map.”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  Suburban residential (RS) district inside Monticello city limits (main single-family residential district)

  • Column alignment is not certain in the flattened Table II text; the single-family lot area read here (18,500 square feet) must be confirmed against the official table before use.
  • The row also contains a lot-width figure of 50 feet for one use type and 100 feet overall width.

  minimum lot area, single-family residential use (unconfirmed column read): 18500 square feet (column alignment unconfirmed)

  “rs 100 s-f 50 z-l 18,500 18,500 n/a 6,000 30 10(a) 20 n/a 30% 35”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — Rural (RU) district inside Monticello city limits (former Piatt County A-1 land converts to RU under § 153.015(c))

    “ru 150 1 acre 1 acre n/a n/a 50 25 30 30 20% 35”

• SetbacksSpecified

  Suburban residential (RS) district inside Monticello city limits

  • Read from Table II by column position: front yard 30 ft, side yard 10 ft (footnote (a) not resolved), rear yard 20 ft. Confirm against the official table.
  • Detached accessory buildings: not in front yard; 5 ft from rear and side lot lines; 10 ft from the main building (§ 153.020(b)).

  front yard: 30 feet · side yard: 10 feet (footnote (a) not resolved) · rear yard: 20 feet

  “rs 100 s-f 50 z-l 18,500 18,500 n/a 6,000 30 10(a) 20 n/a 30% 35”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — Rural (RU) district inside Monticello city limits

    “ru 150 1 acre 1 acre n/a n/a 50 25 30 30 20% 35”

• Lot coverageSpecified

  Suburban residential (RS) district inside Monticello city limits

  • Maximum lot coverage 30% per Table II, § 153.019.

  maximum lot coverage: <= 30 percent

  “rs 100 s-f 50 z-l 18,500 18,500 n/a 6,000 30 10(a) 20 n/a 30% 35”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — Rural (RU) district inside Monticello city limits

    “ru 150 1 acre 1 acre n/a n/a 50 25 30 30 20% 35”

• Building heightSpecified

  Suburban residential (RS) district inside Monticello city limits

  • Buildings above these limits require a variance (§ 153.020(f)(2)).
  • The 45-foot limit applies to RD, RM, B, I-1 and IC districts under § 153.020(f)(1)(b), not to RS.

  maximum structure height: <= 35 feet (variance required above this limit)

  “maximum height limits established for buildings and structures are as follows: (a) thirty-five feet in the ru, rc, rs and re-1 districts.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — Rural (RU) district inside Monticello city limits

    “maximum height limits established for buildings and structures are as follows: (a) thirty-five feet in the ru, rc, rs and re-1 districts.”

• Manufactured homesLimited

  Residential occupancy of mobile homes inside Monticello city limits

  • Residential occupancy of mobile homes is permitted only in mobile home parks licensed by the state (§ 153.030(a)).
  • Mobile homes located outside mobile home parks as of May 22, 1995 are legal nonconforming uses that may remain, be modified and be rebuilt after damage, provided yard setbacks and other zoning provisions are met (§ 153.030(b)).
  • Modular homes are treated differently: placed on permanent foundations and built to IRC 2003 (zoning definitions).

  “residential occupancy of mobile homes is permitted only in mobile home parks licensed by the state.”

• Driveway accessRequired

  Drive approach between property line and street, new construction inside Monticello city limits

  • The approach must be formed and inspected before pouring.
  • Concrete must be 6 inches thick with 3/4-inch expansion joints at the sidewalk and drive/street.

  concrete thickness: 6 inches

  “drive approach - the portion of the drive between the property line and the street must be formed and inspected by the city before being poured. concrete must be 6" thick with ¾" expansion joints at sidewalk/drive street”

• Permit feesPublished

  New construction permit fees inside Monticello city limits

  • Fees are paid upon application.
  • The fee schedule is printed on an undated checklist; confirm it is current before relying on it.
  • Water and sewer fees are listed as tap fees, and a connection fee and water meter installation fee appear as blanks on the forms.

  single family residential and residential duplex permit fee: 300 USD · commercial building permit fee: 500 USD · sewer tap fee: 1000 USD

  “the permit fees shall be paid upon application, and the cost is as follows: single family residential and residential duplex - $300 commercial building - $500”

• Permit processPartial

  New building construction permits inside Monticello city limits

  • Plans must be submitted at least 7 days before construction.
  • Process is only partly published (checklist); the city building department is at 210 N. Hamilton St., Monticello, IL 61856, 217-762-2583, per the checklist.

  plan submittal lead time: >= 7 days

  “plans must be submitted at least 7 days prior to construction”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder permit exemption inside Monticello city limits
• Minimum dwelling size — Minimum floor area for a dwelling inside Monticello city limits
• Living in an RV — Occupancy of recreational vehicles on private land inside Monticello city limits
• Camping on your land — Temporary camping on private land inside Monticello city limits
• Tiny homes — Tiny home occupancy inside Monticello 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.