Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Burbank, Illinois

Burbank’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Building or structure construction inside Burbank city

  • Permit issued by the building commissioner
  • Work without permit incurs $50 per day additional fee under amended IRC R108.6

  “No person shall erect, construct, enlarge, alter, repair, improve, move, or demolish any building or structure without first obtaining a separate permit for each building or structure from the building commissioner.”

• Building code adoptedAdopted

  One- and two-family dwellings inside Burbank city

  • Adopted with local amendments, e.g. poured concrete foundations only, mandatory appendixes AA, AB, AC, AD, AF, AG, AH, AJ, AK, AM, AN, AP, AT
  • Building official is the Building Commissioner

  code edition: 2021 International Residential Code

  “the "2021 international residential code", as published by the international code council, inc. is hereby adopted as the international residential code (for one- and two-family dwellings) of the city with the following changes, additions or insertions”

• Living in an RVProhibited

  Residing in an RV, boat or house trailer on public or private property inside Burbank city

  • Separate limits on storing RVs on residential lots (Sec. 15-38)

  “It shall be unlawful for any person to reside within, occupy, or to authorize or allow another person to reside within or occupy a boat, recreational vehicle, house trailer or other similar vehicle on public or private property.”

• Off-grid sanitationProhibited

  Private sewage disposal systems for dwellings inside Burbank city

  • Stated in the city's amendment deleting IRC P2603.5.1

  “section p2603.5.1, delete in full as private sewage disposal systems are not permitted.”

• Driveway accessRequired

  Residential driveways inside Burbank city

  • Adjacent-lot driveways may not be contiguous except where needed for existing driveways or utility services, or with 20 ft of landscaping between
  • Driveways needing IDOT or Cook County Highway permits also need city approval (Sec. 4-60.1)

  “residential driveways located on adjacent lots shall not be contiguous to each other except when necessary because of existing driveways, utility services or except where landscaping of not less than twenty (20) feet wide is located between the driveways. all driveway locations must be approved by the building commissioner concurrent with the issuance of the building permit.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Burbank or Cook County directly.

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder inside Burbank city
• Inspections — Inspections inside Burbank city
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificates of occupancy inside Burbank city
• Local zoning — Zoning inside Burbank city
• Zoning districts — Zoning districts inside Burbank city

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.

Off-grid gear

Going off-grid in Burbank means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

• Water Crystal Quest Filter any source — well, rain, or creek — to drinking-clean.
• Power Bluetti Solar generators and home battery backup for living off the grid.
• Septic Soil percolation test kit Run your own perc test before paying an engineer — the first thing a septic office asks about.
• Water Well water test kit Bacteria, nitrates, hardness — know what the well on a parcel is really pumping.

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