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

Rules another office applies inside Freeburg Township

Freeburg 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 zoningVaries (with conditions)

  Land inside Freeburg township outside the Village of Freeburg limits (unincorporated St. Clair County portion). No Freeburg township zoning ordinance was located.

  • The county zoning code applies outside cities, villages and incorporated towns that have municipal zoning codes in effect, so land inside the Village of Freeburg is governed by the village's own zoning instead.
  • No official statement that Freeburg Township has adopted or has not adopted zoning was located; this claim is a county-rule answer, not a township ordinance.
  • Scope is recorded as county authority, unincorporated-only, because the schema does not allow township-specific geography under a county authority.

  “outside the limits of cities, villages and incorporated towns which have in effect municipal zoning codes and outside the boundaries of scott air force base”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Zoning districts that apply to unincorporated land inside Freeburg township (county districts A, RR-1, RR-3, SR-1 to SR-3, SR-MH, MHP, MR-1, MR-2, NB, HB, B-1, B-2, I-1, I-2, C-R and overlays)

  • Districts apply only outside municipalities with municipal zoning codes in effect.

  “is hereby divided into the following zoning districts”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  RR-1 rural residential district, unincorporated land inside Freeburg township

  • Minimum lot size is 1 acre in the RR-1 district per section 40-3-7 schedule.
  • Schedule column headers: maximum dwelling units; minimum lot area; width at building line; mean depth; front yard depth; side yard abutting a street; side yard abutting a lot (total for both and either).

  minimum lot area: >= 1 acre

  “rr-1 1 per 1 acre 1 acre 125’ 150’ 25’ 25’ 40 15”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — SR-1 single family residence district (main single-family district), unincorporated land inside Freeburg township

    “sr-1 1 per 20,000 sq. ft. 100’ 150’ 25’ 25’ 30 15”

• SetbacksSpecified

  RR-1 rural residential district, unincorporated land inside Freeburg township

  • Front yard depth 25 ft; side yard abutting a street 25 ft; side yards total 40 ft for both, 15 ft minimum for either, per section 40-3-7.

  front yard depth: >= 25 ft · side yard abutting a street: >= 25 ft · side yards total both: >= 40 ft · side yard either: >= 15 ft

  “rr-1 1 per 1 acre 1 acre 125’ 150’ 25’ 25’ 40 15”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — SR-1 single family residence district, unincorporated land inside Freeburg township

    “sr-1 1 per 20,000 sq. ft. 100’ 150’ 25’ 25’ 30 15”

• Living in an RVLimited

  Occupying a recreational vehicle or travel trailer as a dwelling or for any purpose on land in unincorporated Freeburg township

  • Temporary structures, including travel trailers, may not be used or occupied except by written authorization of the zoning administrator or the county zoning board of appeals.
  • Recreational vehicle parks for temporary location (not to exceed 30 days) are a special use permit item in certain districts.

  “no temporary structure or facility, accessory or otherwise shall be used or occupied for any purpose and no land shall be used for a temporary or use except by written authorization of the zoning administrator or by the county zoning board of appeals”

• Camping on your landLimited

  Temporary camping, temporary structures or facilities used for habitation on land in unincorporated Freeburg township

  • No temporary structure or facility may be used or occupied for any purpose except by written authorization of the zoning administrator or the county zoning board of appeals.
  • An exception exists for cargo trailers used exclusively for agricultural use in the A district, which excludes human habitation.

  “exception: in the “a” agricultural industry district, cargo trailers used exclusively for agricultural use, excluding human habitation, shall be governed by article i, section 40-113.”

• Manufactured homesLimited

  Immobilized independent manufactured homes in the SR-MH single residence mobile home district, unincorporated land inside Freeburg township. Other districts were not resolved.

  • Permitted in the SR-MH district subject to the cited sections 40-5-12 through 40-5-16.
  • Mobile home parks (MHP district, 10 acre minimum) and manufactured home space dimensions (minimum 5,000 sq. ft. for 14 to 19 ft wide units, 6,500 sq. ft. for 20 ft wide or greater) are governed separately in the county code.

  “immobilized independent manufactured home subject to sections 40-5-12, 40-5-13, 40-5-14, 40-515, and 40-5-16.”

• Who permits septicCounty (with conditions)

  Individual domestic sewage disposal (septic) systems on land in unincorporated Freeburg township

  • The St. Clair County Health Department issues the permit under the county Private Sewage Disposal code, applicable countywide in St. Clair County.

  “it shall be unlawful for any person to construct, alter or extend individual domestic sewage disposal systems within st. clair county unless he/she holds a valid permit issued by the health department”

• Off-grid sanitationLimited

  Off-grid (non-sewer) household sanitation on unincorporated land inside Freeburg township

  • Any individual domestic sewage disposal system requires a health department permit before construction.
  • Lots need one acre usable area for a residence on a private system, and sewer connection is required where a sanitary sewer is available under the county code.

  “it shall be unlawful for any person to construct, alter or extend individual domestic sewage disposal systems within st. clair county unless he/she holds a valid permit issued by the health department”

• Mandatory utility hookupSewer (with conditions)

  New single-family homes on unincorporated land inside Freeburg township where a public sanitary sewer is available

  • The health department will refuse a septic permit where a sanitary sewer is available: a line in an abutting street, alley, right-of-way or easement, or a connection within a reasonable distance that is practical and permitted by the sewer authority.
  • For a single-family residence, a reasonable distance is not greater than 300 feet.
  • No water-connection requirement was located in this run; the county code's 3-acre lot rule applies where municipal water is unavailable.

  sewer availability distance, single-family residence: <= 300 ft (reasonable-distance test; abutting line always counts)

  “a reasonable distance for the purpose of this provision shall be deemed to be not greater than three hundred (300) feet for a single-family residence”

• Subdividing landLimited

  Subdividing land in unincorporated Freeburg township, as to the health department's wastewater review

  • The health department requires subdivision applicants to furnish soil absorption information; a review fee is charged by number of lots (fee schedule not verified in this run).
  • The county zoning code also contains a subdivision part (definitions at section 40-4-105 onward) that was not opened.

  “the health department shall require persons who subdivide property to furnish information on forms provided by the health department concerning soil absorption capacities”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption for unincorporated land inside Freeburg township
• Building code adopted — Building code adopted for unincorporated land inside Freeburg township
• Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling size on unincorporated land inside Freeburg township
• Lot coverage — Lot coverage on unincorporated land inside Freeburg township
• Building height — Building height on unincorporated land inside Freeburg 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.