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

Rules another office applies inside Marissa Township

Marissa 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 zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside Marissa township that is outside the limits of the Village of Marissa and outside any other zoned municipality. County zoning applies there; this is not a township-adopted ordinance. No township zoning ordinance was located.

  • County zoning code (Chapter 40) applies to all properties in the unincorporated part of St. Clair County.
  • Parcels inside the Village of Marissa are governed by that village's own code (Chapter 154 zoning per search results), not by this claim.
  • Township-adopted zoning for Marissa township was searched for and not found; no official statement that the township has not adopted zoning was located, so the township's own zoning status is unverified.

  “it is hereby declared that the provisions of this code shall apply to all unzone municipalities and to all properties in the unincorporated part of st. clair county as provided herein, except those properties occupied by scott air force base.”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Zoning districts applicable to unincorporated land in Marissa township (county districts)

  • Districts: A, RR-1, RR-3, SR-1, SR-2, SR-3, SR-MH, MHP, MR-1, MR-2, NB, HB, B-1 and others in section 40-3-1.
  • Districts do not apply inside municipalities with their own zoning codes.
  • Zoning map is on file with the zoning administration (not located online).

  “for the purpose of this zoning code, 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

  Land in the A (agricultural industry) district of unincorporated St. Clair County, which includes unincorporated land in Marissa township

  • Dimensional row from section 40-3-7; A district density is one dwelling per 40 acres (see note 1 of the table, not read).
  • Section 40-4-1 onward governs A-district uses.

  minimum lot size, A district: 40 acres (see note 1 of section 40-3-7)

  “1 per 40 acres (see note 1) 1 per 3 acres 40 acres 3 acres”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — Single-family residence in the SR-1 district of unincorporated St. Clair County, which includes unincorporated land in Marissa township

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

• SetbacksSpecified

  Single-family residence in the SR-1 district of unincorporated St. Clair County, which includes unincorporated land in Marissa township

  • Values read from the 40-3-7 row for SR-1; the printed column order is front yard depth, side yard abutting a street, side yard total for both, side yard either.
  • Setbacks for the A and rural residential districts not confirmed in this record.

  front yard depth, SR-1: 25 ft · side yard abutting a street, SR-1: 25 ft · side yard total for both sides, SR-1: 30 ft · side yard either side, SR-1: 15 ft

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

• Who permits septicCounty (with conditions)

  Individual private sewage disposal systems on land inside Marissa township, including areas inside the township where no sanitary sewer is available. The county health department issues septic permits.

  • Applies within St. Clair County as the health ordinance states; this claim does not cover Village of Marissa sewer service.
  • The ordinance adopts the State of Illinois Private Sewage Disposal Licensing Act and Code by reference for soil evaluations.

  “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”

• Septic permitRequired

  Construction, alteration or extension of an individual septic system on land inside Marissa township (St. Clair County Health Department permit)

  • Permit is issued only to a homeowner and/or a St. Clair County licensed private sewage disposal system installation contractor.
  • Health department refuses a permit where a sanitary sewer is available (see utility claim).
  • Permit valid for one year from issuance.

  initial construction permit fee: 300 USD (collected at application submission)

  “(c) a permit shall only be.issued to a homeowner and/or a st. clair county licensed private sewage disposal system installation contractor installing a private sewage disposal system.”

• Septic inspectionLimited

  Private sewage systems on land inside Marissa township

  • Installers must notify the health department at least 48 hours before starting work.
  • Operational inspection may be conducted on a system that is part of a sale of property or on refinancing; the ordinance says 'may', so it is not a mandatory inspection for every project.
  • Health department has right of access for inspection.

  operational inspection fee: 300 USD (collected when an inspection application is submitted)

  “(h) persons who construct, install, repair or modify a private sewage disposal system shall notify the health department at least forty-eight (48) hours prior to commencement of the work.”

• Mandatory utility hookupSewer (with conditions)

  A new single-family home inside Marissa township (unincorporated) where a sanitary sewer is available to the lot

  • Sewer is deemed available when a sanitary sewer line is in place within a street, alley, right-of-way or easement adjoining the premises, or when the improvement is within a reasonable distance of a sanitary sewer to which connection is practical and permitted by the controlling authority.
  • Reasonable distance for a single-family residence is not greater than 300 feet; this is a permit bar on septic, not a general mandate to connect existing homes.
  • No water-connection rule for Marissa township located; water availability treated as unknown.

  reasonable distance to sanitary sewer, single-family residence: <= 300 feet (commercial establishment, subdivision or multi-family dwelling is 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)

  Subdividing property inside Marissa township outside the Village of Marissa

  • Health department requires soil absorption information and a review fee based on number of lots for subdivisions served by private sewage; the fee schedule is in the health ordinance.
  • Plat review by the county mapping and platting office was not verified.

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

• Building in a floodplainLimited

  Land inside the unincorporated part of Marissa township that is subject to 100-year flooding

  • Designated conservation overlay covers lands subject to 100-year flooding, inundation or ponding, based on 1981 and 1985 FEMA maps.
  • County zoning department offers flood zone determinations.
  • Specific development standards in the overlay were not read.

  “all lands subject to flooding, inundation or ponding by waters by the 100-year interval flood as shown on the 1981 and 1985 flood insurance rate maps of the federal emergency management agency;”

• Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

  Permits in the unincorporated part of Marissa township (septic permit fee and zoning compliance letter fee published; building permit fee schedule not located)

  • Septic initial construction permit fee $300; operational inspection fee $300.
  • Zoning compliance letters fee $30 effective January 2020 per county zoning page.

  septic initial construction permit fee: 300 USD · zoning compliance letter fee: 30 USD (effective January 2020)

  “there shall be a three hundred dollar ($300.00) fee charged for the initial construction permit, alteration or extension of an individual sewage system as approved by the health department.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder construction inside Marissa township
• Building code adopted — Residential construction inside Marissa township (unincorporated part)
• Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling floor area in the unincorporated part of Marissa township
• Lot coverage — Maximum lot coverage in the unincorporated part of Marissa township
• Building height — Maximum building height in the unincorporated part of Marissa 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.