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

Rules another office applies inside Ashley Township

Ashley 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

  All construction in Washington County, Illinois, including land inside Ashley township that is not within the village of Ashley or another municipality that issues its own permits (county office statement; no Ashley township permit rule found).

  • Permit must be obtained before construction; construction may proceed after the permit is issued.
  • The statement is on the county zoning office page; the county's own permit fee schedule and application were not opened.
  • Ashley township's own building permit authority, if any, was not found.

  “all construction in washington county requires a building permit including agricultural buildings!”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Land in Washington County that is in the unincorporated area, including Ashley township land outside the village of Ashley, where the county zoning ordinance applies because no Ashley township zoning was found.

  • The copy reviewed is a third-party-hosted PDF (energyzoning.org) of the county ordinance dated May 12, 2009; a county-hosted copy must be confirmed.
  • The ordinance text names R-1 (single-family, large-lot), R-2, agricultural (A), commercial (C), industrial (I), neighborhood business, and residential overlay districts.
  • Dimensional standards are shown on a chart (section 5-10) that did not come through in the text, so district limits are not stated here.

  “the following uses are permitted in the "r-1" district: agriculture, including all of the uses and structures included in the definition of agriculture set forth in section 2-2”

• SetbacksSpecified

  Accessory structures and uses on agricultural (A) district lots in unincorporated Washington County, including Ashley township land outside the village of Ashley where county zoning applies (no Ashley township zoning found).

  • Accessory uses are prohibited in any front yard.
  • Applies only to accessory uses; principal-building setbacks for the agricultural district are not stated in the text reviewed.
  • Copy is a third-party-hosted PDF; county-hosted copy must be confirmed.

  accessory use setback from side or rear lot line (agricultural district): >= 25 feet

  “in any agricultural district, accessory uses are prohibited in any front yard, but permitted in any side or rear yard, provided such accessory uses are not closer than twentyfive (25) feet to any side or rear lot line.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — Accessory uses on residential-district lots (including R-1) in unincorporated Washington County, including Ashley township land outside the village of Ashley where county zoning applies (no Ashley township zoning found).

    “in the neighborhood business district or in any residential district, accessory uses are prohibited in any required front yard, but permitted in any side or rear yard provided such accessory uses are not closer than seven (7) feet to any side or rear lot line.”

• Accessory dwellingsLimited

  Use of accessory structures as dwellings in unincorporated Washington County, including Ashley township land outside the village of Ashley where county zoning applies.

  • Accessory structures may not be used as dwellings in any zoning district, except accessory structures used to house seasonal hired labor in agricultural districts.
  • Does not address separate ADUs or detached units under the principal dwelling; those were not found in the text reviewed.
  • Copy is a third-party-hosted PDF; county-hosted copy must be confirmed.

  “use of any accessory structure as a dwelling is strictly prohibited in every zoning district with the exception of accessory structures used to house seasonal hired labor in agricultural zones.”

• Who permits septicState (with conditions)

  Private sewage disposal systems without surface discharge (septic tanks and seepage fields) on land inside Ashley township, Washington County, Illinois.

  • The state rule is applied through local health agencies that review plans under local ordinance or as IDPH's agent; IDPH says about 90 local health agencies do this.
  • The Washington County Health Department role for Ashley township is not confirmed by an opened official page; the county health department is listed as handling private sewage disposal, but that listing was not opened.
  • County subdivision rules require a health department approval line for sewage disposal where platted lots will not be served by a public sewer (see subdivision claim).

  “the illinois department of public health (idph) regulates the installation of all private sewage disposal systems that have no surface discharge (such as septic tanks and seepage fields)”

• Septic permitRequired

  Installation of a septic tank and seepage field (private sewage disposal system without surface discharge) on land inside Ashley township, Washington County, Illinois.

  • IDPH staff review and approve plans before construction; construction proceeds after approval.
  • The local permit office and fee for Ashley township were not confirmed.

  “staff also review and approve plans for private sewage disposal systems and alternative private sewage disposal systems before construction.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Division of land into two or more lots, sites, or parcels in the unincorporated area of Washington County, including Ashley township land outside the village of Ashley.

  • Plat must be approved as required by the Land Subdivision Ordinance before county recorder accepts it.
  • Written approval from the road authority for entrances onto state, county, or township roads must accompany the plat.
  • Health department approval line required where platted land will not be served by a public sewer system.
  • Plat Act exemptions (for example cemetery use and court-ordered divisions) apply.
  • Copy is a third-party-hosted PDF; county-hosted copy must be confirmed.

  “it shall be unlawful for the county recorder of deeds of washington county to accept for recording any plat of a subdivision within the unincorporated area of washington county until the plat has been approved as required herein”

• Building in a floodplainLimited

  Subdivision plats in unincorporated Washington County, including Ashley township land outside the village of Ashley.

  • The subdivision rule only requires the plat to show whether land is in a special flood hazard area; it does not itself set construction standards.
  • The ordinance also lists residence in a flood plain only as a special use in a district section, which was not confirmed for Ashley township.
  • No floodplain development permit or elevation rule was found in the text reviewed.

  “indicated on the plat whether or not any part of the property shown is located within special flood hazard area as identified by federal emergency management agency.”

• Permit processPartial

  Building and zoning permit applications for construction in Washington County, including Ashley township land outside the village of Ashley.

  • The county page says applications can be submitted online and gives the zoning office at 125 W. St. Louis St., Nashville, IL 62263, phone (618) 327-4800 ext. 345, Mon-Fri 8am-4pm.
  • The page does not give a step-by-step process, fees, or review timelines; those remain unverified.

  “submit applications online this office is located in the old jail building.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption from permits or inspections inside Ashley township.
• Building code adopted — Building code adoption that governs construction inside Ashley township.
• Inspections — Building inspections for construction inside Ashley township.
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy for new construction inside Ashley township.
• Local zoning — Whether Ashley township itself adopts and administers a zoning ordinance for land 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.