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

Rules another office applies inside Beaucoup Township

Beaucoup 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

  New construction on unincorporated land inside Beaucoup township, Washington County, Illinois, administered by the Washington County zoning office

  • Construction may proceed after the building permit is issued.
  • The county zoning page states the requirement covers agricultural buildings as well.
  • Municipal areas inside the township may be governed by their own rules; the county cert form asks whether the site is inside corporate limits of a municipality.
  • Applies unless and until Beaucoup township adopts its own zoning ordinance, which was not found.

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

• Zoning districtsPartial

  Zoning districts applying on unincorporated land inside Beaucoup township, Washington County, Illinois

  • The flyer names only the three most common districts (AG, R-1 and R-2); it is a partial list.
  • The full Revised Zoning Ordinance is linked from the county zoning page but its text was not retrieved within the research budget.

  “the three most common districts and their minimum lot sizes are: ag-40 acres, r-1 (rural residential) 2 acres, and r-2 (urban residential) 1 acre.”

• Minimum lot sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Lots in the AG (agricultural) district on unincorporated land inside Beaucoup township, Washington County, Illinois

  • A parcel division creating a lot under 40 acres in an AG district generally requires rezoning before construction (flyer: usually to R-1 or R-2).
  • Exceptions in the flyer: an existing homesite that has existed since 1980 may be separated and built on without rezoning; a buyer who is agriculturally exempt (actively engaged in agriculture and owns at least 40 acres) is excepted; lots of less than 40 acres in an AG district created before 1980 are grandfathered.
  • The flyer is a county summary; the ordinance text was not reviewed.

  minimum lot size: >= 40 acres (existing homesite since 1980, agriculturally exempt buyer, and pre-1980 grandfathered lots are excepted)

  “the three most common districts and their minimum lot sizes are: ag-40 acres, r-1 (rural residential) 2 acres, and r-2 (urban residential) 1 acre.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • District specific (with conditions) — Lots in the R-1 (rural residential) district on unincorporated land inside Beaucoup township, Washington County, Illinois

    “the three most common districts and their minimum lot sizes are: ag-40 acres, r-1 (rural residential) 2 acres, and r-2 (urban residential) 1 acre.”

• Who permits septicCounty (with conditions)

  Private sewage disposal systems serving land inside Beaucoup township, Washington County, Illinois, handled by the Washington County Health Department

  • The county health department's environmental program covers private sewage and water well systems across Washington County.
  • No state or district rule was found that displaces the county health department for septic in this township; state-level septic licensing was not verified.

  “environmental: routine inspection and complaint investigation of: food service establishments and providers, private sewage and water well systems”

• Agricultural exemptionConditional

  Division of AG-district land on unincorporated land inside Beaucoup township, for purposes of avoiding a rezoning

  • The exemption applies to the rezoning step for a land division, per the flyer; it is not shown to exempt the building permit, and the county zoning page states that all construction requires a building permit including agricultural buildings.
  • Requires the buyer to be actively engaged in agriculture and to own at least 40 acres, per the flyer.

  “another exception to this process is if the buyer, the one building on the property is agriculturally exempt (actively engaged in agriculture and owns at least 40 acres).”

• Subdividing landLimited

  Division of parcels on unincorporated land inside Beaucoup township, Washington County, Illinois

  • The county does not regulate the physical division of a parcel; the zoning office becomes involved when construction is anticipated.
  • Subdivision rules come into play for a parcel of 5 acres or less that is divided, per the flyer; the flyer does not name the rule-maker for unincorporated land.
  • Within a village or municipality, the flyer says the municipality follows the Illinois Plat Act rather than the county zoning office.

  “the actual division of a parcel is not regulated by the county.”

• Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

  Zoning certificate and building permit fees for construction on unincorporated land inside Beaucoup township, Washington County, Illinois

  • The $100.00 fee is for the zoning certificate application, paid to the Washington County Treasurer and sent to the zoning office at 125 W. St. Louis St., Nashville.
  • The parcel flyer states the $100 fee applies to building permits for construction over 150 square feet; the flyer is undated and the current fee schedule was not confirmed.

  zoning certificate application fee: 100 USD (made out to Washington County Treasurer) · building permit fee: 100 USD (applies to construction over 150 square feet)

  “a fee of $100 is charged if over 150 square feet.”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Construction on unincorporated land inside Beaucoup township, Washington County, Illinois

  • Application requires a legal description or e-911 address or parcel number, and a site plan with measurements from property lines and other buildings.
  • A permit issues within a few days if the proposed construction meets zoning requirements.
  • If the zoning administrator finds non-compliance, the applicant may seek a zoning board of appeals interpretation, a variance, a zoning amendment or a special use permit.
  • The zoning page states that applications may be submitted online and that the office is in the old jail building.

  “before beginning any construction, a certificate of zoning compliance must be obtained from the zoning administrator.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption from permits or inspections inside Beaucoup township
• Building code adopted — Residential building code for construction inside Beaucoup township
• Inspections — Building inspections for new construction inside Beaucoup township
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy for new homes inside Beaucoup township
• Local zoning — Land inside Beaucoup township, Washington County, Illinois

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.