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

Rules another office applies inside Tampico Township

Tampico 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

  Construction, moving, alteration or demolition of structures on unincorporated Tampico township land

  • Permit applications must be presented in person at the county building and zoning office; permits are paid at submittal.
  • Construction may proceed after the permit is issued.
  • Does not apply inside the Village of Tampico.

  “building and demolition permits are required for all structures built, moved, altered, demolished, destroyed by natural forces in unincorporated areas of whiteside county.”

• Building code adoptedAdopted

  Construction in unincorporated Tampico township land, under the Whiteside County code

  • The adopted edition is the 2015 International Building Codes; the county ordinance number is #18 dated June 20, 2017.
  • Applies only in unincorporated areas; the separate Village of Tampico sets its own rules.

  “pursuant to whiteside county ordinance #18 dated june 20, 2017, all construction in the unincorporated areas shall comply with the 2015 international building codes, as adopted by the county board.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Unincorporated land inside Tampico township (outside the separate Village of Tampico). Whiteside County administers this zoning ordinance there; it is not a zoning ordinance adopted by Tampico township.

  • No Tampico township zoning ordinance was found; the county ordinance is the only zoning source located for unincorporated township land.
  • Chapter 39 says it governs the county's unincorporated areas; incorporated municipalities are outside it.
  • Hosted copy of Code Supp. No. 12 dated 2022-09-23; confirm current text with Whiteside County Building & Zoning.

  “provides zoning regulations that ensure orderly growth in the county's unincorporated areas by allowing for agricultural, residential, commercial, recreational and industrial uses that are compatible with one another”

• Zoning districtsPublished

  Zoning districts for unincorporated Tampico township land (A-1 agricultural and R-1 single-family residence districts are named in the ordinance)

  • Full district map and dimensional table not opened; use matrix at sec. 39-41 not opened.

  “in an a-1 agricultural district, at least 50 percent of the total site area designated for development shall be designated as open space and permanently protected; in an r-1 single-family residence district, at least 33.33 percent of the total site area designated for development shall be designated as open space and permanently protected.”

• SetbacksDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Structures, fences and improvements near adjacent road centerlines on unincorporated Tampico township land; setback amount set by district

  • Setback is measured from the road centerline in the applicable zoning district; the numeric centerline setbacks are in the district tables, not yet extracted.
  • Applies only outside the Village of Tampico.

  “no building, structure, concrete or masonry wall, no fence which cannot be viewed through, or other improvement shall be erected or structurally altered so that any part is nearer to the centerline of an adjacent road than the centerline setback in the applicable zoning district.”

• Who permits septicCounty

  Private on-site sewage (septic) systems on Tampico township land, administered by the Whiteside County Health Department (county-wide service; applies inside Tampico township)

  • Septic installs on new developments are prohibited in the 100-year floodplain (see floodplain claim).

  “permit application to construct a private residential on-site sewage disposal system for homeowner whiteside county health department”

• Septic permitRequired

  Installing a private residential septic system on Tampico township land (county health department permit; applies inside Tampico township)

  • Homeowner may install only if they own and occupy a single-family dwelling and pass the homeowner test; otherwise a licensed contractor must install.
  • Site plan, soil information and well/septic distances are required on the application.

  “*unless individual owns and occupies single family dwelling, passes the homeowner test, installation shall be installed by a licensed contractor”

• Agricultural exemptionAvailable (with conditions)

  Agricultural land use, buildings and permits on unincorporated Tampico township land

  • Agricultural uses must conform to all building setback lines unless the district regulations provide otherwise.
  • Structures on farms must comply with the code's other requirements.

  “regulations, elimination of uses, buildings or structures, or permits for agricultural purposes as defined in 55 ilcs 5/5-12001, except that: a. land use for agricultural purposes must conform to all building setback lines unless otherwise provided in the applicable district regulations;”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Land divisions and plats on land not within an incorporated municipality, including unincorporated Tampico township

  • Plat approval is required before any division into lots, and the administrator will not issue building permits for lots in an unapproved subdivision.
  • Land within 1.5 miles of a municipality with a plan and subdivision rules needs that municipality's approval; check the Village of Tampico's extraterritorial reach.

  “the rules and standards governing plats and subdivisions of land contained in this chapter apply to all land not within an incorporated municipality.”

• Driveway accessLimited

  Road-access permits for zoning permits on unincorporated Tampico township land (driveway rule not separately stated)

  • Road-authority permits (county or township road) must be obtained before a zoning permit is issued; a driveway-specific rule was not located.

  “any permits required by the road authority will be obtained prior to receiving a zoning permit from the zoning office.”

• Building in a floodplainLimited

  New private sewage systems on Tampico township land located in the 100-year floodplain (county health department form)

  • Stated on the septic application form only; general floodplain development rules were not opened.

  “*new developments prohibited in 100 year floodplain”

• Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

  Private residential septic installation permit fee (county health department), applies inside Tampico township

  • Fee is for the septic permit only; no published building permit fee schedule was located.
  • Fee applies to a homeowner installation; a licensed contractor installation may cost differently (not stated).

  homeowner installation permit fee: 460 USD (tank only: $360.00)

  “homeowner installation permit fee*: $460.00”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption for unincorporated Tampico township
• Inspections — Whether building inspections are required for unincorporated Tampico township construction
• Certificate of occupancy — Whether a certificate of occupancy is required for new dwellings in unincorporated Tampico township
• Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling size on unincorporated Tampico township land
• Minimum lot size — A-1 agricultural district lots on unincorporated Tampico township land

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.