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

Bonpas Township’s own rules

• Driveway accessRequired

  New or extended driveway entrances onto township highways inside Bonpas township

  • The memo says such requests should be made to the appropriate township highway commissioner. The memo does not state a fee, permit form or approval standard.
  • The memo is a county document that describes the township highway process. The Bonpas township highway commissioner's own rules were not located.
  • Driveways onto county or state highways are not covered by this statement.

  “requests for new entrances or extensions to entrances on township highways should be made to the appropriate township highway commissioner.”

Rules another office applies inside Bonpas Township

Bonpas Township does not set these itself; the county, a health district or the state does, and they apply to every address inside its limits.

• Local zoningAbsent

  Land inside Bonpas township that is outside incorporated municipal limits. The statement is the county's own; no Bonpas township zoning ordinance was located.

  • The official statement is issued by the Richland County Engineer and covers the unincorporated portions of the county. It is not a statement by Bonpas township that it has not adopted zoning, so it is recorded at county scope.
  • The memo states that the county has no zoning official.
  • The memo states that by statute the incorporated municipalities (city of Olney, villages of Noble, Parkersburg, Calhoun and Claremont) can extend their zoning 1.5 miles outside their corporate limits. Land inside Bonpas township within 1.5 miles of one of those municipalities should be checked against that municipality's zoning.

  “richland county, illinois does not have a zoning ordinance for the unincorporated portions of the county. richland county does not have a zoning official.”

• Zoning districtsNot published

  Zoning districts for land inside Bonpas township (unincorporated Richland County)

  • No zoning district map is published because the county has no zoning ordinance for unincorporated areas. Status is permitted because no district-based limit applies.

  “richland county, illinois does not have a zoning ordinance for the unincorporated portions of the county.”

• Minimum dwelling sizeNone

  Minimum dwelling floor area for a single-family home inside Bonpas township (unincorporated Richland County)

  • No county minimum applies because the county has no zoning ordinance for unincorporated areas.
  • Building and septic approvals may still set practical limits.

  “richland county, illinois does not have a zoning ordinance for the unincorporated portions of the county.”

• Minimum lot sizeNone

  Minimum lot size for a single-family home inside Bonpas township (unincorporated Richland County)

  • No county zoning lot minimum applies. The county subdivision regulations (Title XV Chapter 152, adopted by reference) may regulate divisions of land; see the subdivision claim.
  • Septic system siting by IDPH may effectively limit lot use.

  “richland county, illinois does not have a zoning ordinance for the unincorporated portions of the county.”

• Lot coverageNone

  Lot coverage for a home inside Bonpas township (unincorporated Richland County)

  • No county lot coverage limit applies because the county has no zoning ordinance for unincorporated areas.

  “richland county, illinois does not have a zoning ordinance for the unincorporated portions of the county.”

• Building heightNone

  Building height for a home inside Bonpas township (unincorporated Richland County)

  • No county height limit applies because the county has no zoning ordinance for unincorporated areas.

  “richland county, illinois does not have a zoning ordinance for the unincorporated portions of the county.”

• Living in an RVUnrestricted

  Long-term RV occupancy on private land inside Bonpas township (unincorporated Richland County)

  • No county land-use rule restricts this use because the county has no zoning ordinance for unincorporated areas.
  • Septic and sanitation rules from IDPH still apply, as do the county's mobile home park ordinance (Title XV Chapter 150, which covers parks only) and any state rule.
  • Land within 1.5 miles of an incorporated municipality may be subject to that municipality's zoning.

  “richland county, illinois does not have a zoning ordinance for the unincorporated portions of the county.”

• Camping on your landUnrestricted

  Temporary camping on private land inside Bonpas township (unincorporated Richland County)

  • No county land-use rule restricts this use because the county has no zoning ordinance for unincorporated areas.
  • Septic and sanitation rules from IDPH still apply.

  “richland county, illinois does not have a zoning ordinance for the unincorporated portions of the county.”

• Tiny homesUnrestricted

  Occupancy of a tiny home on private land inside Bonpas township (unincorporated Richland County)

  • No county land-use rule restricts this use because the county has no zoning ordinance for unincorporated areas.
  • Septic and sanitation rules from IDPH still apply, as does any state building rule.

  “richland county, illinois does not have a zoning ordinance for the unincorporated portions of the county.”

• Manufactured homesUnrestricted

  Occupancy of a manufactured home on an individual private lot inside Bonpas township (unincorporated Richland County)

  • No county land-use rule restricts this use because the county has no zoning ordinance for unincorporated areas.
  • The county's mobile home park ordinance (Title XV Chapter 150) regulates mobile home parks, not single homes on private lots, as the chapter's title and permit sections indicate.
  • Septic and sanitation rules from IDPH still apply.

  “richland county, illinois does not have a zoning ordinance for the unincorporated portions of the county.”

• Accessory dwellingsUnrestricted

  A second dwelling unit on a lot inside Bonpas township (unincorporated Richland County)

  • No county land-use rule restricts this use because the county has no zoning ordinance for unincorporated areas.
  • Septic and sanitation rules from IDPH still apply to each dwelling.

  “richland county, illinois does not have a zoning ordinance for the unincorporated portions of the county.”

• Septic permitRequired

  New private sewage disposal systems (septic tanks and seepage fields) built on land inside Bonpas township, Richland County, Illinois

  • IDPH reviews and approves plans before construction. Construction may proceed only after plan approval, so the status is conditional.
  • The state page does not name the permitting local health agency for Richland County. The application form, fee and soil evaluation requirements were not found.

  “staff also review and approve plans for private sewage disposal systems and alternative private sewage disposal systems before construction.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Division of land inside Bonpas township (unincorporated Richland County)

  • The county adopts its subdivision regulations by reference in Chapter 152. The adopted regulations' text was not in the code book PDF and was not opened.
  • Dividing land for sale or building may require county subdivision approval. Requirements not verified.

  “the subdivisions regulations, as may be amended from time to time, are hereby adopted by reference and incorporated into this code as fully as if set out at length herein.”

Still unanswered

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

• Building permit — New residential construction inside Bonpas township (unincorporated Richland County)
• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder construction of a home inside Bonpas township
• Building code adopted — Residential construction inside Bonpas township (unincorporated Richland County)
• Inspections — New residential construction inside Bonpas township (unincorporated Richland County)
• Certificate of occupancy — Occupancy of new dwellings inside Bonpas township (unincorporated Richland County)

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.