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

Rules another office applies inside Okawville Township

Okawville 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, including land in Okawville township; the county zoning office issues permits. Village permits inside the Village of Okawville were not verified.

  • Construction may proceed after the permit is issued.
  • The county statement covers agricultural buildings as well.

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

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land in Okawville township where no township or village zoning ordinance is adopted: Washington County's zoning ordinance and district rules are administered by the county zoning office. Whether the county ordinance reaches land inside the Village of Okawville is not verified.

  • The county zoning office states that zoning of a property and the rules of its district are examined before a permit is issued.
  • Okawville township's own zoning adoption was not verified (see okawville-local-zoning-township).
  • The Village of Okawville's board and zoning board of appeals are referenced on the village website, but no village zoning ordinance was opened.

  “before a permit can be issued, the zoning of specific property and the rules that apply to the district of that zoning are examined.”

• Zoning districtsPartial

  County zoning districts that apply in Washington County's county-zoned land, including Okawville township land under county zoning

  • Only the three most common districts (Ag, R-1 Rural Residential, R-2 Urban Residential) are named in the flyer; the full district list is in the Revised Zoning Ordinance, which was not opened.
  • Village of Okawville districts were not verified.

  “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)

  R-1 (Rural Residential) district in Washington County's county-zoned land, including any Okawville township land under county zoning. Not verified against the ordinance text.

  • Source is the county zoning office flyer summary, not the adopted ordinance text; confirm against the Revised Zoning Ordinance.
  • Parcels of less than 5 acres that are divided may be subject to subdivision rules.
  • Not verified for land inside the Village of Okawville.

  minimum lot size, R-1 (Rural Residential): 2 acre (summary flyer figure; ordinance text not opened)

  “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.”

  2 more reviewed findings on this topic

  • District specific (with conditions) — R-2 (Urban Residential) district in Washington County's county-zoned land, including any Okawville township land under county zoning. Not verified against the ordinance text.

    “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.”

  • District specific (with conditions) — Agricultural (Ag) district in Washington County's county-zoned land, including any Okawville township land under county zoning. Not verified against the ordinance text.

    “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 septicState (with conditions)

  Private sewage disposal (septic) systems installed inside Okawville township. The state rule applies statewide; local health agencies may review plans under local ordinance or as IDPH's agent, which was not verified for Washington County.

  • Local health agencies (about 90 statewide) review construction plans either under a local ordinance or as an agent of IDPH.
  • Washington County Health Department (Nashville) handles private sewage disposal per a directory listing; its ordinance or agent status was not verified on an official page.

  “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)”

• Agricultural exemptionConditional

  Parcel divisions in Washington County's county-zoned land where the buyer will build and is agriculturally exempt

  • The flyer describes this as an exception to the rezoning process for parcels under 40 acres in an Ag district.
  • Other exceptions in the flyer include an existing homesite that has existed since 1980, and lots created before county zoning in 1980.

  minimum acreage for agricultural exemption: 40 acre (owns at least 40 acres and is actively engaged in agriculture)

  “is agriculturally exempt (actively engaged in agriculture and owns at least 40 acres)”

• Subdividing landLimited

  Divisions of parcels of 5 acres or less in Washington County, including the county-zoned part of Okawville township

  • Per the same flyer, a parcel of less than 5 acres divided within the limits of a village or municipality is handled by that village under the Illinois Plat Act, not the county zoning office.
  • The county flyer says the actual division of a parcel is not regulated by the county unless construction is anticipated.

  “subdivision rules come into play when a parcel of 5 acres or less is divided”

• Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

  Zoning-office building permits for construction in Washington County, including the county-zoned part of Okawville township

  • The flyer states the $100 fee applies if the construction is over 150 square feet.
  • The flyer separately lists a parcel-division and zoning process cost of about $150; that figure is for rezoning/hearing process, not the permit fee.
  • Village permit fees inside the Village of Okawville were not verified.

  building permit fee: 100 USD (construction over 150 square feet)

  “zoning office issues building permits for any construction. a fee of $100 is charged if over 150 square feet.”

• Permit processPartial

  Zoning-office permit review in Washington County, including the county-zoned part of Okawville township

  • Permit issuance follows review of the property's zoning and its district rules.
  • Rezoning or variance cases go to the Zoning Board of Appeals and the County Board, with a fee of about $150 and up to 8 weeks per the flyer.
  • The county zoning page says the office is in the old jail building and lists the zoning office contact number (618) 327-4800 ext. 345.

  “before a permit can be issued, the zoning of specific property and the rules that apply to the district of that zoning are examined.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption for permits inside Okawville township
• Building code adopted — Which building code applies to construction inside Okawville township
• Inspections — Building inspections inside Okawville township
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificates of occupancy inside Okawville township
• Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling size inside Okawville 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.