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

Rules another office applies inside Richland Township

Richland 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 permitLimited

  Aluminum car ports and boat docks on unincorporated land inside Richland township

  • Stated as a traditional practice of the Shelby County zoning office, not as an ordinance exemption.

  “traditionally, shelby county does not require a building permit for the placement of aluminum car ports or boat docks.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Required — New construction, additions, and accessory buildings on land inside Richland township that is unincorporated, issued by the Shelby County Zoning Office

    “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).”

• Local zoningVaries (with conditions)

  Land inside Richland township that is outside any village, city or incorporated town: the county zoning ordinance applies there. Not a township ordinance.

  • Applies only outside incorporated villages, cities and incorporated towns.
  • Does not establish that Richland township itself adopted zoning.

  “this ordinance shall apply to all of the territory of shelby county, illinois, outside of villages, cities and incorporated towns, said area to be known as the jurisdictional area for the purposes of this ordinance”

• Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

  Residences on unincorporated land inside Richland township

  • Variance available during application.

  minimum residence size: >= 900 sq ft (variance may be requested)

  “currently, the minimum requirement for a residence is 900 square feet. if this rule, or any rule, is creating a particular hardship, you may apply for a variance during your application process.”

• SetbacksDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Accessory buildings on unincorporated land inside Richland township. Principal-building yards are district-specific and were not resolved.

  • Principal building yard (setback) requirements vary by district and were not read.
  • Detached accessory buildings must be set back of the front line of the principal building.

  accessory building side line setback: >= 3 ft

  “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 unincorporated land inside Richland township; principal-building height limits are district-specific and were not resolved

  • Applies to accessory buildings only.

  accessory building height: <= 18 ft

  “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

  Use of a recreational vehicle as a dwelling on unincorporated land inside Richland township

  • Applies except in locations lawfully established for such use (for example parks and campgrounds, per the county zoning page).

  “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.”

• Tiny homesLimited

  Small homes (tiny homes) on unincorporated land inside Richland township

  • A residence must meet the county's minimum residence size; a variance may be requested if the rule creates hardship.
  • Tiny-home use is otherwise governed by the county's building permit requirement.

  minimum residence size: >= 900 sq ft (variance may be requested during the application process)

  “currently, the minimum requirement for a residence is 900 square feet. if this rule, or any rule, is creating a particular hardship, you may apply for a variance during your application process.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Creating new lots through subdivision or plat in the unincorporated jurisdictional area that includes Richland township

  • Subdivision jurisdiction is exercised by the county board over the jurisdictional area defined in the ordinance; procedural and lot-size standards were not read.

  “official plan.- a drawing, now or hereafter adopted by the county board of shelby county, illinois, which represents, to scale, the jurisdictional area over which the county board exercises subdivision jurisdiction.”

• Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

  Zoning/building permit fees for construction on unincorporated land inside Richland township

  • Fees are stated on the zoning office page; the separate county fee schedule PDF linked there was not opened.
  • Commercial rates are also listed on the same page and are not included here.

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

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

• Permit processPartial

  Zoning permit process for construction on unincorporated land inside Richland township

  • Applicants should obtain the health department sewer permit first where applicable.
  • Construction must begin within one year or the permit expires.
  • Office is by appointment only, per the zoning page.

  permit issuance time: <= 15 business days (typical) · construction start window: 1 year (permit expires if construction does not begin)

  “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 Richland Township or Shelby County directly.

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption for permits inside Richland township
• Building code adopted — Whether a residential building code is adopted for unincorporated land inside Richland township
• Inspections — Inspections for construction inside Richland township (unincorporated)
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy for new dwellings inside Richland township (unincorporated)
• Lot coverage — Lot coverage limits on unincorporated land inside Richland 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.