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

Rules another office applies inside Custer Township

Custer 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 and alterations of buildings on unincorporated land inside Custer township (outside the limits of cities, villages and incorporated towns)

  • Applies only outside the limits of cities, villages and incorporated towns of Will County; parcels inside a municipality follow that municipality's rules.
  • Section 150.002 says 'except as provided hereafter' and lists exceptions, including that in manufacturing facilities permits are required only for occupied buildings.
  • Section 150.003 provides agricultural exemptions (no fee permit), cross-referenced to the Will County Zoning Ordinance.
  • Section 150.002(c): no building permit shall be issued for a lot that does not conform with 765 ILCS and Will County Health Department requirements for sewage disposal and water supply, or with the Will County zoning ordinance.

  “a permit must be obtained in advance and all other requirements of the building ordinance must be complied with whenever a building or parts of appurtenance thereof, such as water supply, sewage disposal, plumbing installation, electrical installation and heating equipment located outside the limits of cities, villages and incorporated towns of this county and regulated by the ordinance, is erected, installed, altered, converted, remodeled, re-roofed, structurally repaired, moved or changed, except as provided hereafter”

• Owner-builder exemptionConditional

  Electrical work by an owner on their own residence on unincorporated land inside Custer township; a general owner-builder exemption was not found

  • Electrical work only (section 150.112); this does not establish a general owner-builder exemption for other trades.
  • Requires demonstrating ability to the satisfaction of the building department.
  • Owner must reside on site for at least six months after issuance of the certificate of occupancy.

  “qualified homeowners who can demonstrate their ability to perform such work, to the satisfaction of the building department, may work on their own place of residence as long as they reside on site for a period of at least six (6) months after issuance of the certificate of occupancy.”

• Who permits septicCounty (with conditions)

  Private sewage disposal systems on land inside Custer township (the Will County Health Department handles septic permits; the county also reviews lots for sewage disposal under the building ordinance)

  • Health department requirements for sewage disposal apply as a condition of building permits under section 150.002(c).
  • The Will County Health Department's private sewage program is the operating program (Joliet office).

  “for fy2018, eh conducted 2,010 water program activities, 1,166 sewage program activities, and handled 138 septic permits.”

• Agricultural exemptionConditional

  Agricultural-use exemption from county building permits on unincorporated land in Custer township

  • Section 150.003 says the exemption is 'no fee permit' and refers to the agricultural exemptions in the Will County Zoning Ordinance.
  • The zoning ordinance's agricultural exemption criteria were not opened and are not verified here.

  “150.003 agricultural exemptions (a) (no fee permit) see agricultural exemptions in the will county zoning ordinance (150-1.50 (a)). any plumbing or electrical herein will require a permit.”

Still unanswered

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

• Inspections — Inspections of new construction on unincorporated land inside Custer township
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy for new homes on unincorporated land inside Custer township
• Local zoning — Whether Custer township itself adopts and administers a zoning ordinance for land inside its limits
• Zoning districts — Zoning district map and districts for unincorporated land in Custer township
• Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling size for the main single-family residential district on unincorporated land in Custer 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.