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

Rules another office applies inside Penn Township

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

• Zoning districtsPartial

  Zoning districts for unincorporated land inside Penn township, which the Shelby County zoning ordinance governs

  • Township zone maps are declared part of the ordinance, but the maps themselves were not opened.
  • Only the agricultural district is named in the captured text; the single-family residential district boundaries and names were not captured.
  • Scope is unincorporated Shelby County, which includes Penn township; the county ordinance is the rule-maker, not a Penn township ordinance.

  “the uses defined below are permitted in the agricultural district, subject to the provisions of subsection b, herein.”

• Minimum dwelling sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Mobile homes in agricultural districts in unincorporated Shelby County, which includes Penn township (county ordinance)

  • Applies to mobile homes, not to site-built homes; no general minimum dwelling size was captured.

  minimum ground floor area: >= 900 square feet

  “mobile homes, as defined in §1, with a minimum ground floor area of 900 square feet shall be permitted in agricultural districts subject to the use requirements hereinbefore designated in §10 subsection b5.”

• Minimum lot sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Non-farm residential dwellings in the agricultural district of unincorporated Shelby County, which includes Penn township (county ordinance)

  • Applies to non-farm residential dwellings in an agricultural district only.
  • Single-family residential district lot size not captured; see followups.

  minimum lot size: 1 acre

  “the minimum lot size for non-farm residential dwellings in an agricultural district is one (1) acre.”

• SetbacksSpecified

  Accessory buildings on residential lots in unincorporated Shelby County, which includes Penn township (county ordinance)

  • Accessory buildings may not be built before the principal building.
  • Detached accessory buildings must be set back behind the front line of the principal building.

  accessory building side lot line setback: >= 3 feet

  “accessory buildings are not permitted prior to the erection of principal building. no accessory building shall be located closer to a side lot line than 3 feet nor exceed 18 feet in height and, if detached from the principal building, shall be set back of the front line of the principal building on the lot.”

• Building heightSpecified

  Accessory buildings on residential lots in unincorporated Shelby County, which includes Penn township (county ordinance); principal-building height not captured

  • Applies to accessory buildings only.

  accessory building maximum height: <= 18 feet

  “no accessory building shall be located closer to a side lot line than 3 feet nor exceed 18 feet in height”

• Living in an RVProhibited

  Using a recreational vehicle as a dwelling unit on land in unincorporated Shelby County, which includes Penn township (county ordinance, not a Penn township rule)

  • Exception stated in the same paragraph: use is allowed in locations lawfully established for such use (quoted from the captured text: except in locations lawfully established for such use).

  “recreational vehicles (rvs), as defined in §1, shall not be used as dwelling units. they may not be used for living, sleeping, or housekeeping, except in locations lawfully established for such use.”

• Manufactured homesAllowed (with conditions)

  Mobile homes in agricultural districts in unincorporated Shelby County, which includes Penn township (county ordinance, not a Penn township rule)

  • Permitted in agricultural districts subject to the use requirements of the ordinance.
  • Existing homes in the jurisdictional area as of July 9, 1997 may not be replaced with units of less than 900 square feet of ground floor area.

  minimum ground floor area: >= 900 square feet (existing homes as of July 9, 1997 may not be replaced with smaller units)

  “notwithstanding any other regulations regarding placement of mobile homes, all existing homes in the jurisdictional area as of july 9, 1997, may not be replaced with units of less than a minimum ground floor area of 900 square feet.”

• Accessory dwellingsAllowed (with conditions)

  Farm residences as accessory structures on farms in the agricultural district of unincorporated Shelby County, which includes Penn township (county ordinance)

  • Accessory farm residences are listed for the owner, operator or farm assistants; no general accessory dwelling unit rule was captured.
  • Farm is defined as a tract of at least ten acres devoted to agricultural operations.

  farm minimum area: >= 10 acres

  “accessory structures may include farm residences for the owner, operator or farm assistants”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Lots created or used for a two-family dwelling in unincorporated Shelby County, which includes Penn township (county ordinance)

  • Applies where a two-family dwelling or duplex is built on a single lot; the lot must be subdivided under the county ordinance and the Illinois Plat Act.
  • General land-division or plat rules were not captured.

  “if the two-family dwelling, or duplex, is to be constructed on a single lot, the lot shall be subdivided pursuant to this ordinance, as amended from time to time, and the illinois plat act.”

Still unanswered

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

• Building permit — Building permit for new residential construction inside Penn township
• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption for homes inside Penn township
• Building code adopted — Building code adopted for new homes inside Penn township
• Inspections — Building inspection of new homes inside Penn township
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy for new homes inside Penn 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.