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

Rules another office applies inside Prairie Township

Prairie 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

  Structures on land inside Prairie township, Shelby County, Illinois, outside any incorporated municipality (county zoning jurisdiction; Prairie township has no township permit office found)

  • Permit issued by the Shelby County Zoning Office, not by Prairie township.
  • A sewer permit from the Shelby County Health Department is obtained first, if applicable.
  • Traditionally no building permit is required for aluminum car ports or boat docks, per the county page.

  new residence building permit fee: 175 USD · residential addition or accessory building permit fee: 125 USD

  “no structure of any kind shall be placed, erected, altered, changed, or located on any land within the jurisdiction of shelby county, illinois, including any unincorporated villages, without an improvement location permit (building permit)”

• Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

  Residences on land inside Prairie township, outside any incorporated municipality

  • Stated on the county zoning office page as the current minimum; district-specific variations not verified in the ordinance.
  • A variance may be sought under the application process if the rule creates a hardship.

  minimum residence size: >= 900 square feet

  “currently, the minimum requirement for a residence is 900 square feet”

• Living in an RVLimited

  Living in a recreational vehicle on land inside Prairie township, outside any incorporated municipality

  • Allowed only in locations lawfully established for such use, such as parks and campgrounds, per the county page.

  “recreational vehicles shall not be used as dwelling units except in locations lawfully established for such use, such as parks and campgrounds”

• Tiny homesLimited

  Tiny homes used as a residence on land inside Prairie township, outside any incorporated municipality

  • Minimum residence size of 900 square feet per the county page; a variance may be sought if the rule creates a hardship.

  minimum residence size: >= 900 square feet

  “currently, the minimum requirement for a residence is 900 square feet”

• Manufactured homesLimited

  Manufactured homes placed on land inside Prairie township, outside any incorporated municipality

  • A building permit is required for any home regardless of construction type, including manufactured homes.
  • The 900 square foot minimum residence size also applies per the county page.

  “any style of home, regardless of construction type, such as frame, manufactured, modular, mobile, pole built, or shouse”

• Who permits septicCounty (with conditions)

  Private sewage (septic) systems for homes inside Prairie township, outside any incorporated municipality; the Shelby County Health Department handles the sewer permit

  • The county page says the sewer permit applies 'if applicable', so not every site requires it.
  • The health department's legal form (county or health district) was not verified.

  “once you’ve obtained a sewer permit from the shelby county health department (if applicable), you should apply for a building permit”

• Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

  Zoning permit fees for construction on land inside Prairie township, outside any incorporated municipality

  • Fees are set by the county zoning office and may change; the county's 2023 fee schedule PDF was not opened.

  new residence building permit fee: 175 USD · residential addition fee: 125 USD · accessory building fee: 125 USD

  “is there a fee? yes. shelby county requires a minimal fee to offset the cost of the zoning office. new residence: $175 residential addition: $125 accessory building: $125”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Building permit process for land inside Prairie township, outside any incorporated municipality

  • Apply after deciding the size and placement and after any sewer permit from the health department, if applicable.
  • Permit typically issued within 15 business days; one year to begin construction before the permit expires.
  • Construction without a permit is a petty offense with a fine not to exceed $500; each week uncorrected is a separate offense.

  typical permit issuance time: <= 15 business days (typically)

  “typically, a permit is issued within 15 business days. you have 1 year to begin construction before the permit expires.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder construction inside Prairie township
• Building code adopted — New residential construction inside Prairie township
• Inspections — Inspections of new homes inside Prairie township
• Certificate of occupancy — Occupancy of new homes inside Prairie township
• Local zoning — Land inside Prairie township, Shelby County, Illinois

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.