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

Rules another office applies inside Lenzburg Township

Lenzburg 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 districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Unincorporated land inside Lenzburg township, under the St. Clair County zoning ordinance if the township has not adopted its own zoning

  • Districts apply only outside incorporated cities, villages and towns that have their own municipal zoning codes; Scott Air Force Base is excluded.
  • Districts listed in the ordinance table include A (agricultural industry), RR-1 and RR-3 (rural residential), SR-1, SR-2 and SR-3 (single family residence), SR-MH, MHP, MR-1 and MR-2, among others.
  • The ordinance page is marked revised 05/30/2023; that is a revision stamp, not a stated effective date.

  “the entire county of st. clair 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, is hereby divided into the following zoning districts:”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  Residential lots in Lenzburg township that rely on a private sewage disposal system (health code minimum; this is not a zoning district lot size)

  • Lots within a subdivision served by municipal water must be at least one acre.
  • Lots within a subdivision with no available municipal water must be at least three acres (usable area, excluding lakes, ponds and easements).
  • The health department may require a larger area for drainage, soil or other health concerns, and may grant a variance in limited cases.

  minimum lot size, private sewage system: >= 1 acre (usable area excluding lakes, ponds and easements; 3 acres in a subdivision with no available municipal water)

  “minimum lot size for a residential structure requiring a private sewage disposal system shall be one (1) acre usable space in size excluding lakes, ponds and easements.”

• Who permits septicCounty (with conditions)

  Private sewage disposal systems for land inside Lenzburg township (St. Clair County Health Department jurisdiction)

  • The county code is adopted with the state private sewage disposal licensing act and code (77 Ill. Adm. Code 905), which applies in addition to the county provisions.
  • The county health department administers the code countywide, including unincorporated township land.

  “all applications for permits granted under the provisions of this code shall be made to the health department.”

• Septic permitRequired

  Constructing, altering or extending a private sewage disposal system for a home inside Lenzburg township

  • Permit must be issued to a homeowner or a St. Clair County licensed private sewage disposal system installation contractor.
  • Permit is refused where a sanitary sewer is available within the limits in the utility_connection claim.
  • Persons who construct, install, repair or modify a system must notify the health department at least 48 hours before work begins.
  • The code lets a homeowner install and or service a system serving his or her own single-family residence.

  notice before work begins: >= 48 hours

  “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 hookupConditional

  A new home inside Lenzburg township where a public sanitary sewer is available

  • If a sanitary sewer line is in place in a street, alley, right-of-way or easement adjoining the premises, the sewer is deemed available.
  • A sewer is also deemed available if the improvement is within a reasonable distance of a sanitary sewer to which connection is practical and permitted by the sewer's controlling authority.
  • For a single-family residence the reasonable distance is not greater than 300 feet; the health department then refuses a private system permit.
  • Municipal water is referenced only for subdivision lot sizes (one acre with municipal water, three acres without); no county rule requiring water connection was located.

  reasonable distance to sanitary sewer, single-family residence: <= 300 feet (for commercial, subdivision or multi-family, 1,000 feet)

  “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 and not greater than one thousand (1,000) feet for a commercial establishment, subdivision, or multi-family dwelling.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Subdivision of land inside Lenzburg township for lots that will use private sewage systems

  • The health department requires soil absorption information on its forms and may require plat changes so each lot can support an approved private system.
  • Subdivision plan review carries a fee that scales with lot count: $300 for 11 to 25 lots, $400 for 26 to 50 lots, $500 for 51 or more lots.
  • The county zoning subdivision regulations were not read.

  subdivision plan review fee, 11-25 lots: 300 USD

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

• Permit processPartial

  Septic permit application process for land inside Lenzburg township

  • Applications go to the St. Clair County Health Department on forms it provides, with the applicant's name, address, site location and a complete plan showing code compliance.
  • Contractors must be county-licensed and must hold annual registration; homeowners may apply for their own single-family system.
  • Zoning and building permit application steps were not located.

  “all applications for permits granted under the provisions of this code shall be made to the health department.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption from building permits in unincorporated Lenzburg township
• Building code adopted — Building code adoption for unincorporated Lenzburg township
• Inspections — Building inspections for construction in unincorporated Lenzburg township
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificate or occupancy approval for new construction in unincorporated Lenzburg township
• Local zoning — Whether Lenzburg township has adopted its own zoning ordinance for land inside the township's unincorporated area

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.