Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Village of Mackinaw, Illinois

Village of Mackinaw’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  New construction and modifications inside Mackinaw village limits

  • Permit must be obtained seven days before construction begins.
  • Authorized construction must begin within six (6) months of issuance or the permit becomes void and fees are forfeited.
  • New construction must be completed within one (1) year; remodeling within six (6) months, or fines under village code 153.999 apply.
  • Building permits are required for any modifications that change the footprint of the structure (village FAQ).
  • A pavement permit is also required for new paving (no fee).

  “a building permit is required for all construction and must be obtained seven days before construction begins.”

• Building code adoptedNot adopted

  Construction inside Mackinaw village limits: the village has not adopted its own building code.

  • The permit package states that statewide building codes effective January 1, 2025 apply (public act 103-0510 and listed codes such as the Illinois Plumbing Code under 77 Ill. Adm. Code 890); those statewide codes were not separately quoted here.
  • Village zoning code (chapter 153) still applies to permitted construction.

  “the village of mackinaw has not adopted a building code”

• InspectionsRequired

  Permitted construction inside Mackinaw village limits

  • Final inspection is requested by the permit holder within 30 days after the construction time period expires.
  • Commercial projects also require a certification of inspection attached to the permit.

  “the permit holder shall seek final inspection by notifying the zoning officer who shall make such final inspection promptly.”

• Certificate of occupancyRequired

  New construction inside Mackinaw village limits

  • Application for certificate of occupancy is for new construction only and is available at the village office.
  • Must be completed within thirty (30) days after the construction time period of the permit expires.

  certificate of occupancy application deadline: 30 days (after the expiration of the construction time period)

  “who fails to obtain a certificate of occupancy within thirty (30) days or final inspection following the expiration of the construction time period, shall be subject to a fine”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  All land inside Mackinaw village limits (Village of Mackinaw, Tazewell County, IL, ZIP 61755). The village administers its own zoning code, Chapter 153 of the village code (Ordinance No. 513 and amendments).

  • Village zoning officer issues zoning use permits for construction and demolition.
  • Zoning Board of Appeals is involved in permit matters per the village zoning page.
  • Construction must conform to chapter 153 of the village zoning code of ordinances per the permit application certification.

  “the zoning officer is responsible for permitting all construction and demolition of properties.”

• SetbacksSpecified

  Residential property inside Mackinaw village (residential use category; the village FAQ does not name the zoning district)

  • Corner lots: there shall be a front yard on each street side of the lot (village FAQ).
  • Fence heights are separately limited (4 feet in front and side setbacks; 8 inches at the side and rear beyond the house setback).

  front setback: 25 feet · rear setback: 25 feet · side setback: 10 feet

  “what are the required setbacks for a residential property? 25' from the front lot line 25' from rear lot line 10' from side lot line”

  2 more reviewed findings on this topic

  • Specified — Commercial property inside Mackinaw village (commercial use category; the village FAQ does not name the zoning district)

    “what are required setbacks for commercial properties? 0' from the front lot line (unless fuel storage is in front then the setback is 10') 20' from the rear lot line 0' from the side lot line”

  • Specified — Industrial property inside Mackinaw village (industrial use category; the village FAQ does not name the zoning district)

    “what are required setbacks for industrial properties? 0' lot line for front, rear and sides”

• Lot coverageSpecified

  All lots inside Mackinaw village (general limit stated in the village permit package)

  • Accessory structure size: 1,200 square feet maximum or 8% of the lot area, whichever is less, but not to exceed the maximum 30% lot coverage (village FAQ); for lots of 1.5 acres or more, 3,600 square feet maximum or 3% of lot area, whichever is less (village FAQ).

  maximum lot coverage by all buildings: <= 30 percent of lot area

  “the combined square footage of the footprints of all buildings on a lot cannot exceed thirty (30%) percent of the square footage of the lot.”

• Building heightSpecified

  Principal and detached accessory structures inside Mackinaw village (the village permit package and FAQ do not name a district)

  • Principal structures: no more than 35 feet, except multi-family dwellings may be permitted up to 6 stories (village FAQ).
  • Detached accessory structure: no more than 25 feet or the height of the existing principal structure on the property (village permit package).
  • Shed walls cannot exceed 8 feet in height (village permit package).

  principal structure maximum height: <= 35 feet (multi-family dwellings may be permitted up to 6 stories) · detached accessory structure maximum height: <= 25 feet (not to exceed height of existing principal structure)

  “no main or principal structure shall exceed 35 feet in height, except that multi-family dwellings shall be permitted to a height of 6 stories”

• Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

  Zoning use permit fees for construction inside Mackinaw village

  • Fee schedule set by Resolution 20-06, effective July 27, 2020; later changes were not checked.
  • Pavement permits: no fee.
  • Water and sewer tap-on fees are separate (the village connection application).

  new construction of a main or principal structure of 1,000 sq ft or less: 60 USD · new construction of an accessory structure: 40 USD · new construction of a storage shed: 20 USD

  “1. new construction of a main or principal structure of one thousand (1,000) square feet of floor area or less $60.00”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Building permit process for construction inside Mackinaw village

  • Permits are approved or denied within 7 days of receipt (permit package).
  • Applications go to village hall, 100 E. Fast Ave., (309) 359-5821.
  • Zoning officer contacts the applicant about next steps.

  “to begin the process, you must fill out the building permit application and submit it to village hall.”

Rules another office applies inside Village of Mackinaw

Village of Mackinaw does not set these itself; the county, a health district or the state does, and they apply to every address inside its limits.

• Who permits septicCounty (with conditions)

  Private sewage disposal (septic) inside Mackinaw village limits is handled by the Tazewell County Health Department under the county code, because the village has no septic rule of its own in the pages reviewed. The county code says 'within the county' and so is read as applying inside the village.

  • County code chapter 94 adopts the state private sewage disposal code (77 Ill. Adm. Code 905) by reference.
  • Permits are issued by the county health department (board of health).

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

• Septic permitRequired

  New or altered private sewage disposal (septic) systems on land inside Mackinaw village limits, under the Tazewell County Health Department permit

  • Permit issued by the county board of health only on application by the homeowner or property owner, or a county-registered installer.
  • Soil investigation required before permit issuance (waived only if a pre-site inspection finds lot constraints bar a subsurface system).
  • Permit valid one year from issue.
  • Health department may refuse a septic permit where public sewer is available (see utility_connection claim).

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

• Off-grid sanitationLimited

  On-site sanitation (septic) on land inside Mackinaw village limits

  • Allowed only with a county health department permit to construct, alter, or extend the system.
  • Soil investigation and county permit conditions apply.

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

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Village of Mackinaw or Tazewell County directly.

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption for construction inside Mackinaw village
• Zoning districts — Zoning district map and district list for Mackinaw village
• Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling size inside Mackinaw village
• Minimum lot size — Minimum lot size for residential, commercial or industrial lots inside Mackinaw village
• Living in an RV — Occupancy of RVs inside Mackinaw village

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.