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

Rules another office applies inside Okaw Township

Okaw 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

  Erection, placement or alteration of buildings on land inside Okaw township under Shelby County zoning jurisdiction

  • Permit is an improvement location (zoning) permit issued by the Shelby County Zoning Office; construction may proceed only after the permit is issued.
  • A new sewer system requires a sewer permit before any building permit can be issued (see septic-permit claim).
  • Okaw township-specific building permit rules were not found.

  “application is hereby made for an improvement location permit – zoning permit, as required under the zoning ordinance for the erection, placement, or alteration, and use of buildings and premises.”

• Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

  Construction inside Okaw township under the Shelby County zoning permit

  • The form states that construction must adhere to the international building and residential codes as adopted by Shelby County; the specific code editions and adoption ordinance were not located.
  • Adherence is the property owner's responsibility per the form.

  “all construction shall adhere to the international building and residential codes as adopted by shelby county and adherence shall be the responsibility of the property owner.”

• InspectionsRequired

  Completed construction under a Shelby County zoning permit inside Okaw township

  • Final inspection by the county zoning administrator is required for verification of zoning compliance, at the administrator's chosen time with or without the landowner present.
  • Inspection cadence beyond the final inspection not stated on the form.

  “after construction is complete, the undersigned agrees to a final inspection by the zoning administrator for verification of compliance with all of the provisions of the shelby county zoning ordinance”

• Certificate of occupancyRequired

  Occupancy of new or altered buildings under a Shelby County zoning permit inside Okaw township

  • Occupancy approval follows the final inspection and compliance with the zoning permit and county zoning regulations.
  • The form includes a certificate of occupancy block signed by the zoning administrator.

  “the final inspection of the premises having been made and compliance with the original zoning permit and other county zoning regulations having been indicated, the premises are hereby approved for occupancy in accordance with the zoning ordinance of shelby county.”

• Zoning districtsPublished

  Zoning districts used by Shelby County zoning permits for land inside Okaw township outside any incorporated municipality: Agricultural (AG), Single Family (R1), Rural Residential (RR), and Business

  • The county form lists the district labels only; district boundaries are shown on the county zoning maps, not retrieved here.
  • Whether Okaw township has its own zoning map is not established.

  “agricultural - ag single family - r1 rural residential – rr business”

• SetbacksSpecified

  Agricultural (AG) district lots inside Okaw township under the Shelby County zoning permit

  • Frontage setbacks from the road type are 40 ft (county road), 30 ft (collector street) and 25 ft (unincorporated village street); these apply across districts.
  • Variances are heard by the Board of Appeals only on the stated hardship standard.

  minimum side yard: 15 feet · minimum rear yard: 20 feet · minimum frontage setback, county road: 40 feet

  “agricultural - ag single family - r1 rural residential – rr business 40 30 25 15 20 35 10 20 100 900 40 30 25 6 20 35 3 20 60 900 40 30 25 20 40 35 3 20 300 900”

  2 more reviewed findings on this topic

  • Specified — Single Family (R1) district lots inside Okaw township under the Shelby County zoning permit

    “agricultural - ag single family - r1 rural residential – rr business 40 30 25 15 20 35 10 20 100 900 40 30 25 6 20 35 3 20 60 900 40 30 25 20 40 35 3 20 300 900”

  • Specified — Rural Residential (RR) district lots inside Okaw township under the Shelby County zoning permit

    “agricultural - ag single family - r1 rural residential – rr business 40 30 25 15 20 35 10 20 100 900 40 30 25 6 20 35 3 20 60 900 40 30 25 20 40 35 3 20 300 900”

• Building heightSpecified

  Agricultural (AG) district buildings inside Okaw township

  • Accessory building height limit not stated on the form for this district.

  maximum building height: <= 35 feet

  “agricultural - ag single family - r1 rural residential – rr business 40 30 25 15 20 35 10 20 100 900 40 30 25 6 20 35 3 20 60 900 40 30 25 20 40 35 3 20 300 900”

  2 more reviewed findings on this topic

  • Specified — Single Family (R1) district buildings inside Okaw township

    “agricultural - ag single family - r1 rural residential – rr business 40 30 25 15 20 35 10 20 100 900 40 30 25 6 20 35 3 20 60 900 40 30 25 20 40 35 3 20 300 900”

  • Specified — Rural Residential (RR) district buildings inside Okaw township

    “agricultural - ag single family - r1 rural residential – rr business 40 30 25 15 20 35 10 20 100 900 40 30 25 6 20 35 3 20 60 900 40 30 25 20 40 35 3 20 300 900”

• Who permits septicMixed (with conditions)

  Private sewage disposal (septic) systems on land inside Okaw township

  • IDPH regulates installation of private sewage systems with no surface discharge; about 90 local health agencies also review construction plans by local ordinance or as IDPH agent.
  • The Shelby County Health Department issues the sewer permit required by the county zoning form for new sewer systems (see septic-permit claim).

  “there are about 90 local health agencies in illinois that also review sewage disposal system construction plans, either by authority of a local ordinance or as an "agent" of the department.”

• Septic permitRequired

  A new sewer system (septic) on a lot inside Okaw township

  • Required only if a new sewer system will be installed; the permit number must be received before any zoning permit can be issued.
  • Health department service area inside Okaw township was not separately confirmed.

  “a sewer permit can be obtained from the shelby county health department at 1700 w. south 3rd street, shelbyville, illinois.”

• Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

  Shelby County zoning (improvement location) permit fees for construction inside Okaw township

  • Fees are payable on application, by check to the Shelby County Treasurer.
  • Form lists variance, special exemption and rezoning surcharges (additional $250, $150 and $250) that apply only to those requests.
  • The county also has a separate fee schedule document; its date and figures were not verified and may differ from this form.

  new residence permit fee: 175 USD (per form layout; zoning permit fee) · residential addition permit fee: 125 USD · accessory building permit fee: 125 USD · new commercial building permit fee: 500 USD

  “new residence residential addition accessory building new commercial building commercial accessory building commercial addition communication towers per foot over 50 feet $175 $125 $125 $500 $250 $250 $500 +$15”

• Permit processPartial

  Zoning permit process for construction inside Okaw township

  • Application requires a site plan showing lot, building, driveways, parking, setbacks, septic tanks, tile fields and wells.
  • Sewer permit number required before permit issuance for a new sewer system.
  • Zoning Office: 315 1/2 East Main St., Shelbyville, IL 62565, phone (217) 774-5797, per the form.

  “all information requested below must be provided before any permits will be issued.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption for building inside Okaw township
• Local zoning — Whether Okaw township (Shelby County, IL) adopts and administers its own zoning ordinance
• Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling size for residences inside Okaw township
• Minimum lot size — Minimum lot area for residential lots inside Okaw township
• Lot coverage — Maximum lot coverage for lots inside Okaw 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.