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

Rules another office applies inside Worth Township

Worth 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 permitLimited

  Construction of a new structure on unincorporated land in Worth township (zoning permit, not a building-code permit)

  • Because no building code is adopted in unincorporated Woodford County, the county requires a zoning permit rather than a building-code building permit.
  • Septic installation requires a separate health department permit (see septic claims).

  “the zoning permit shall be obtained by the owner or lessee, agent of either, or the architect, engineer, or builder employed in connection with the proposed work from the zoning administrator before starting.”

• Building code adoptedNot adopted

  Building code adoption for unincorporated land in Worth township (the county's unincorporated area)

  • Statement applies to the county's unincorporated areas; incorporated municipalities and villages in Worth township set their own rules.
  • State building code rules were not checked against this statement.

  “woodford county is a non-building code jurisdiction, no building code is adopted.”

• InspectionsNot required

  Building-code inspections for construction on unincorporated land in Worth township

  • Because no building code is adopted, the county does not run building-code inspections; septic inspections are a separate health-department function.

  “woodford county is a non-building code jurisdiction, no building code is adopted.”

• Zoning districtsPublished

  Unincorporated land inside Worth township, under the Woodford County zoning district map

  • The district map and districts apply only to unincorporated areas of Woodford County; the ordinance defines the county's unincorporated lands as land not located within a municipality or village.
  • Land inside an incorporated municipality or village in Worth township is not covered by this county ordinance.

  “zoning district: an area or areas within the unincorporated portions of woodford county, illinois, that have been designated as set forth on the zoning district map.”

• Minimum lot sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Single-family residential r-1 district land in unincorporated Worth township under Woodford County Chapter 154

  • Except as provided by special use permit.
  • Minimum lot size is set by the county septic standards and Woodford County Health Department review, not a fixed acreage in the text reviewed.
  • Minimum lot width at the building setback line is 100 feet (Section 154.13.6 a.).
  • The ordinance text reviewed shows a section-symbol artifact ('§50') in the cross-reference; the referenced standard was not opened.

  minimum lot width at building setback line: >= 100 feet

  “except as provided by special use permit, all uses and structures in the r-1 district shall have a minimum lot size as determined by the standards set forth in the §50 private sewage and woodford county health department review.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — Agriculture district land in unincorporated Worth township under Woodford County Chapter 154

    “all uses and structures in the agriculture district shall have a minimum lot size of two (2) acres.”

• SetbacksDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Single-family residential r-1 district land in unincorporated Worth township under Woodford County Chapter 154

  • Front yard is set by the setback line in Section 154.04.7.c (road-based setbacks; see the all-districts road setback claim).
  • Accessory structures: side setback 5 feet; rear setback 5 feet (Section 154.13.6 b.).
  • Where a state or federal highway, county highway or township road applies, the road setbacks in Section 154.04.7.c govern as well.

  principal structure side setback: >= 10 feet or 1/2 of structure height, whichever is greater · principal structure rear setback: >= 30 feet · accessory structure side setback: >= 5 feet

  “principal structures shall have a minimum setback of 10 feet or 1/2 of structure height, whichever is greater.”

  2 more reviewed findings on this topic

  • District specific (with conditions) — Agriculture district land used for non-agricultural uses in unincorporated Worth township under Woodford County Chapter 154

    “non-agricultural uses, only. 1. side yard. a. principal structures shall have a side setback of not less than 30 feet.”

  • Specified — Principal and accessory structures on unincorporated land in Worth township along a township road, all zoning districts

    “township road: 65 feet from the centerline of the road or 30 feet from the right-of-way line, whichever is greater.”

• Lot coverageSpecified

  Dwellings in the single-family residential r-1 district on unincorporated land in Worth township

  • Stated in the performance standards for dwellings in the residential section (Section 154.13.5), which sits with the r-1 district text.
  • Applies to the total lot area occupied by structures.

  maximum lot coverage: <= 30 percent

  “b. lot coverage. not more than thirty percent (30) % of the total area of the lot shall be occupied by structures.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — Dwellings in the residential r-2 district on unincorporated land in Worth township

    “b. lot coverage. not more than thirty percent (30 %) of the total area of the lot shall be occupied by structures.”

• Living in an RVLimited

  Recreational vehicles on residential lots in the r-1 district on unincorporated land in Worth township

  • Only unoccupied recreational vehicles are permitted in the r-1 district text reviewed.
  • Recreational vehicles may not be used for storage in any district, except semi-trailers for temporary storage up to 12 consecutive months.
  • Occupancy rules for other districts and for campgrounds were not located.

  “c. mobile homes / recreational vehicles. unoccupied recreational vehicles are permitted.”

• Who permits septicCounty (with conditions)

  Private sewage (septic) systems on land inside Worth township, including the unincorporated area

  • Program is run by the Woodford County Health Department, Environmental Health; the program page covers the whole county.
  • State private sewage rules and the county septic ordinance were not opened; the county septic ordinance PDF text could not be read.

  “private sewage disposal program activities include: approving plans for new and renovated private sewage disposal system installations inspecting private sewage disposal systems investigating private sewage complaints issuing private sewage disposal permits registering licensed illinois private sewage disposal contractors”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Division of land into two or more parcels in unincorporated Worth township

  • County subdivision regulations and plat approval apply in unincorporated areas; the county zoning office administers them.
  • Subdivision regulations text was not opened.

  “the primary functions of this department are interpretation, administration and enforcement of the zoning ordinance, subdivision regulations, floodplain ordinance, erosion, sediment and storm water management and rural addressing in the unincorporated areas of woodford county.”

• Building in a floodplainRequired

  Development inside the special flood hazard area (SFHA) on unincorporated land in Worth township

  • A zoning permit is required before any development in the SFHA.
  • Woodford County also administers a floodplain ordinance (Chapter 150); its text was not opened.
  • Applies only to unincorporated land; incorporated areas are outside this county ordinance.

  “6. to undertake any development in the sfha. b. applications for zoning permits shall be filed in written form with the zoning administrator on such forms as the zoning administrator shall prescribe”

• Permit processPartial

  Zoning permit application process for unincorporated land in Worth township

  • The zoning permit is filed with the county zoning administrator on prescribed forms.
  • Fee schedule, processing time and forms not verified; the zoning office page lists review and issuance of zoning permits.

  “b. applications for zoning permits shall be filed in written form with the zoning administrator on such forms as the zoning administrator shall prescribe, and shall:”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption for construction on unincorporated land in Worth township
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy for new dwellings on unincorporated land in Worth township
• Local zoning — Whether Worth township (Woodford County, IL) has adopted its own zoning ordinance for land inside the township limits
• Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling floor area on unincorporated land in Worth township
• Building height — Maximum building height on unincorporated land in Worth 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.