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

Rules another office applies inside Prairie Du Long Township

Prairie Du Long 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

  Residential dwellings in the county agricultural ("a") district in the unincorporated part of St. Clair County, which includes land inside Prairie du Long Township outside any zoned municipality

  • Applies to residential dwellings and to other buildings not used exclusively for agricultural activities in the "a" district.
  • Building permit issued by the St. Clair County Building & Zoning Department, which lists building permits among its services for unincorporated areas.

  “in the agricultural district, a building permit shall be required for all residential dwellings and for all other buildings or structures not used or intended for exclusive use for agricultural activities.”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  County zoning districts applying to unincorporated land inside Prairie du Long Township, where Prairie du Long Township has no zoning ordinance of its own that was located

  • The county zoning code applies to all properties in the unincorporated part of the county, except Scott Air Force Base properties and zoned municipalities.
  • Unincorporated land not zoned otherwise is classified in the agricultural ("a") district (section 40-1-4).
  • Districts include "a" agricultural, "rr-1"/"rr-3" rural residential, "sr-1"/"sr-2"/"sr-3" single-family residential and multi-family, and commercial and industrial districts, as listed in the code table of contents.

  “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.”

• Minimum lot sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Main single-family residential district ("sr-1") in unincorporated St. Clair County, including inside Prairie du Long Township if zoned sr-1

  • Subject to the area, bulk and yard schedule in section 40-3-7.
  • Planned single-family developments may reduce lot size only with neighborhood park land (section 40-9-10).

  minimum lot area, sr-1: >= 20000 sq ft

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

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • District specific (with conditions) — Rural residential ("rr-1") district in unincorporated St. Clair County, including inside Prairie du Long Township if zoned rr-1

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

• Camping on your landLimited

  Temporary structures and facilities on land in the unincorporated part of St. Clair County, including inside Prairie du Long Township

  • Use or occupancy of a temporary structure or facility requires written authorization of the zoning administrator or the county zoning board of appeals.
  • Exception: in the agricultural district, cargo trailers used exclusively for agricultural use, excluding human habitation, are governed by article I section 40-113.
  • A zoning administrator may permit a temporary accessory structure for up to 60 days (section 40-8-9).

  “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”

• Accessory dwellingsProhibited

  Use of an accessory building or structure as a dwelling on land in the unincorporated part of St. Clair County, including inside Prairie du Long Township

  • Exception: a single-family dwelling constructed to standards for residential use in the agricultural ("a") district.

  “use of any accessory building or structure as a dwelling is strictly prohibited except a single family dwelling constructed to standards for residential use in the “a” agricultural industry district.”

• Who permits septicCounty (with conditions)

  Individual private sewage disposal systems on land inside Prairie du Long Township, administered by the St. Clair County Health Department under the county private sewage ordinance

  • Applies within St. Clair County, which includes Prairie du Long Township.
  • The state Private Sewage Disposal Licensing Act and Code is referenced for soil evaluations, which the ordinance says must follow state standards.

  “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 a private sewage disposal system on land inside Prairie du Long Township

  • A permit is issued only to a homeowner and/or a St. Clair County licensed installation contractor.
  • Permit is valid for one year from issuance; the permit is void if construction is not complete in that period.
  • The health department must refuse a permit where a sanitary sewer is available (see pdl-utility-sewer-connection).

  initial construction permit fee: 300 USD (see pdl-permit-fees-health)

  “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 inspectionLimited

  Private sewage disposal systems on land inside Prairie du Long Township

  • Operational inspection is optional by the ordinance's wording: it may be conducted on a system that is part of a property sale or a refinancing.
  • The owner or occupant must give the health department free access to inspect for compliance.
  • Persons who construct, install, repair or modify a system must notify the health department at least 48 hours before the work starts.
  • Operational inspection fee is $300 (see pdl-permit-fees-health).

  notice before construction or repair: >= 48 hours

  “an operational inspection may be conducted on any private sewage disposal system which is part of a sale of property.”

• Mandatory utility hookupSewer (with conditions)

  New single-family homes on land inside Prairie du Long Township where a sanitary sewer is available

  • A sewer is deemed available when a sanitary sewer line is in place within any street, alley, right-of-way, or easement that adjoins or abuts 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.
  • For a single-family residence, a reasonable distance is not greater than 300 feet.
  • Where a sewer is available the health department must refuse a septic permit, so a new home is effectively required to connect rather than install a septic system.
  • Water connection requirements were not located in this run.

  distance to sanitary sewer deemed reasonable for single-family residence: <= 300 feet (measured to the sewer when connection is practical and permitted by the controlling authority)

  “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 landRegulated (with conditions)

  Division of land into two or more lots in unincorporated St. Clair County, including inside Prairie du Long Township

  • Division must meet the zoning district requirements, except a legal existing primary farm residence in the agricultural district may be split once on at least 5 acres.
  • The county health code requires soil absorption information for subdivisions and a health department subdivision review fee.

  “except as otherwise provided in this code the division of land creating two or more lots shall require a plat recorded with the county recorder of deeds.”

• Building in a floodplainLimited

  Development of land in the county conservation overlay zone, which covers lands subject to 100-year flooding in unincorporated St. Clair County, including inside Prairie du Long Township

  • Applies only to lands in the conservation overlay zone designated in section 40-4-90, including lands subject to 100-year-interval flooding.
  • Required federal (USACE section 404) or state (IDNR floodplain) permits must be obtained and submitted to the zoning administrator before a zoning certificate issues.
  • All applicable requirements of the county flood plain code (chapter 13) also apply.

  “for any use or development of land in the conservation overly zone requiring a u.s. army corps of engineers section 404 permit and/or an illinois department of natural resources, office of water resources floodplain permit, such permit(s) shall be obtained and submitted to the zoning administrator prior to the issuance of a zoning certificate.”

• Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

  Private sewage permit and inspection fees for land inside Prairie du Long Township

  • Fee is collected when the permit application is submitted.
  • Fee schedule was taken from the ordinance text as posted; no later amendment was checked.

  initial sewage construction permit fee: 300 USD (initial construction, alteration or extension of an individual sewage system) · operational inspection fee: 300 USD (optional operational inspection)

  “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.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Published (with conditions) — County zoning compliance letters for unincorporated land inside Prairie du Long Township

    “effective january 2020 zoning compliance letters will have a fee of $30.00.”

• Permit processPartial

  Private sewage permit applications for land inside Prairie du Long Township

  • Application is made to the health department on its forms; a permit is issued only to the homeowner and/or a county-licensed installation contractor.
  • Health department must act within 15 days of receipt.
  • Plans must show the proposed disposal facility's compliance with the code's minimum standards.

  health department decision period: <= 15 days

  “the health department shall act upon all applications within fifteen (15) days of receipt thereof.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption for a homeowner building on their own land inside Prairie du Long Township
• Building code adopted — Which building code applies to construction inside Prairie du Long Township
• Inspections — Building inspections in unincorporated St. Clair County, including inside Prairie du Long Township
• Certificate of occupancy — Occupancy permits in unincorporated St. Clair County, including inside Prairie du Long Township
• Local zoning — Whether Prairie du Long Township itself adopts and administers a zoning ordinance inside its limits

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.