Bolthole Index

Cook County, Illinois

Zoning, building permits and septic rules in East Hazel Crest, Illinois

The Village of East Hazel Crest, Illinois (Cook County) adopts and enforces its own zoning code, with residence districts R-1 to R-41. The village code adopts the 2015 International Residential Code for residential construction2. Septic tanks are unlawful inside village limits except as the village code provides, and the village requires sewer connection3. Cook County's unincorporated-area permit office does not handle village addresses4.

At a glance

Zoning
Village of East Hazel Crest zoning code, residence districts R-1 to R-41
Building code
2015 International Residential Code adopted by the village2
Building permits
Village Offices; remodeling, electrical, fence and sign permit forms are published5
Septic
Septic tanks unlawful inside the village except as the code provides; sewer connection required36
RV living
No village occupancy rule confirmed; ask the Village Offices7
Minimum home size
R-1 and R-2: 1,200 sq ft for a one-story house, excluding attached garage89
Short-term rentals
Rentals under 30 consecutive days prohibited10

Who to call

Building permits

Village of East Hazel Crest Village Offices

General contact for the village; the first call for building, zoning and permit questions inside East Hazel Crest

(708) 798-0213

1904 W. 174th Street East Hazel Crest, IL 60429

Building permits

Village of East Hazel Crest permit forms

Published village applications, including remodeling, electrical, fence and sign permits and the letter of zoning compliance

Zoning

Village of East Hazel Crest zoning ordinance update project

Village page for the comprehensive plan and zoning ordinance update

Septic permits

Cook County Department of Public Health - Environmental Health

County review of private sewage disposal systems and well and septic evaluations in Cook County

708-836-8600

7556 Jackson Boulevard, Forest Park, IL 60130

Building permits

Cook County Department of Building and Zoning

Building and zoning for unincorporated Cook County only; not for addresses inside East Hazel Crest

312-603-0500

69 West Washington Street, Chicago, IL 60602

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 16, 2026.

Off-grid gear

Going off-grid in Village of East Hazel Crest means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

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Does East Hazel Crest, Illinois have zoning, and what does it mean for lots, setbacks and small homes?

Yes. The Village of East Hazel Crest adopts its own zoning code, Chapter 22 of the village code, which sets residence districts R-1 to R-41.

In the R-1 single-family district, the lot area must be at least 7,200 square feet11. In R-2 the minimum is 6,250 square feet12. A one-story house in R-1 must have at least 1,200 square feet, not counting an attached garage8, and R-2 sets the same 1,200 square feet for a one-story dwelling9. Those floor-area minimums make a very small house or tiny home hard to fit in these districts, and the village code as we reviewed it has no confirmed tiny-home rule, so ask the Village Offices before planning one7.

In R-1, any yard facing a street is a front yard at least 30 feet deep13. In R-2 the front yard is at least 25 feet14. Single-family houses may be 30 feet tall or 2½ stories, whichever is less, in both districts1516.

The village is also working on a zoning ordinance update, so confirm the current text with the Village Offices before you buy17.

Do you need a building permit in East Hazel Crest, and who issues it?

Building permits for addresses inside East Hazel Crest come from the village, not from Cook County. Cook County's Department of Building and Zoning says it oversees building and zoning in unincorporated areas and sends municipal addresses to the local authority4.

The village code adopts the 2015 International Residential Code for residential construction2. The village website publishes remodeling, electrical, fence and sign permit applications, plus a letter of zoning compliance form5.

We could not confirm the village's new-home permit process, permit fees, inspection schedule or owner-builder rules. Call the Village Offices at (708) 798-0213 before you plan any construction7.

Land in a mapped flood hazard area adds another layer: new buildings or additions valued over $1,000 or 70 square feet fall under the village's floodplain permitting rules18.

How do septic permits work in East Hazel Crest?

In East Hazel Crest, septic tanks are generally not an option. The village code makes it unlawful to construct or maintain a privy, septic tank, cesspool or other private sewage facility, except as provided in that division of the code3.

A property used for human occupancy that abuts a street with a public sewer must connect within 90 days of official notice when the sewer is within 60 feet of the property line6. We could not confirm a village septic permit process, so a buyer who expects to use a private system should ask both the Village Offices7 and the Cook County Department of Public Health, which reviews private sewage systems throughout Cook County outside four named municipalities that East Hazel Crest is not among19.

We also could not confirm village rules for private wells; ask the same two offices.

Can you live in an RV or tiny home in East Hazel Crest?

We could not confirm a village rule on living in an RV or camping on a lot in East Hazel Crest. The only RV language in the village code we reviewed is in the floodplain rules, which treat an RV left on site more than 180 days a year as a building18. Ask the Village Offices before parking an RV on a lot you plan to occupy7.

For tiny homes, the 1,200-square-foot minimum for a one-story house in R-1 and R-2 is the main hurdle89. The village also prohibits rentals of fewer than 30 consecutive days, which covers houses and accessory buildings10.

Building a home in East Hazel Crest: the steps, in order

  1. Call the Village Offices at (708) 798-0213 to confirm the zoning district and ask for a letter of zoning compliance75.
  2. Check lot area, setbacks and minimum floor area for that district1113.
  3. Check whether the lot sits in a special flood hazard area before designing18.
  4. Plan on a sewer connection rather than a septic tank3.
  5. Ask the village for its current permit application and plan the work to the 2015 International Residential Code2.

What stays with Cook County, and what to check before you buy in East Hazel Crest

Cook County does not issue building permits or zoning approval inside the village4. Septic and well questions go to the Cook County Department of Public Health at 708-836-860019. For land outside village limits, see the Cook County page.

These figures are for Cook County as a whole: the effective property tax rate is 2%20 and the median property tax bill is $6,053 a year21. Ask the Village Offices to confirm the zoning district for any parcel and whether the zoning ordinance update changes it7.

Watch-outs

  • The Village of East Hazel Crest is working on a comprehensive plan and zoning ordinance update; confirm the current text with the Village Offices before you buy17.
  • We could not confirm East Hazel Crest's new-home permit process, fees or owner-builder rules; call the Village Offices at (708) 798-02137.
  • Septic tanks are unlawful inside East Hazel Crest except as the village code provides, so do not assume a private system is possible3.
  • Rentals of under 30 consecutive days are prohibited in East Hazel Crest10.

Sources

  1. Sec. 22-136. R-1 single-family residence district (Village of East Hazel Crest), quoted and re-checked
  2. Sec. 6-29. The IRC International Residential Code 2015 Adopted (Village of East Hazel Crest), quoted and re-checked
  3. Sec. 21-124. Private sewage disposal (Village of East Hazel Crest), quoted and re-checked
  4. Cook County Department of Building and Zoning (cookcountyil.gov)
  5. Village of East Hazel Crest permit forms (easthazelcrest.com)
  6. Sec. 21-123. Connection to public sewer (Village of East Hazel Crest), quoted and re-checked
  7. Village of East Hazel Crest Village Offices (easthazelcrest.com)
  8. Sec. 22-136. R-1 single-family residence district (Village of East Hazel Crest), quoted and re-checked
  9. Sec. 22-137. R-2 single-family residence district (Village of East Hazel Crest), quoted and re-checked
  10. Sec. 10-253. Short term residential rentals (Village of East Hazel Crest), quoted and re-checked
  11. Sec. 22-136. R-1 single-family residence district (Village of East Hazel Crest), quoted and re-checked
  12. Sec. 22-137. R-2 single-family residence district (Village of East Hazel Crest), quoted and re-checked
  13. Sec. 22-136. R-1 single-family residence district (Village of East Hazel Crest), quoted and re-checked
  14. Sec. 22-137. R-2 single-family residence district (Village of East Hazel Crest), quoted and re-checked
  15. Sec. 22-136. R-1 single-family residence district (Village of East Hazel Crest), quoted and re-checked
  16. Sec. 22-137. R-2 single-family residence district (Village of East Hazel Crest), quoted and re-checked
  17. Village of East Hazel Crest zoning ordinance update project (easthazelcrest.com)
  18. Sec. 7-159. Permitting requirements applicable to all floodplain areas (Village of East Hazel Crest), quoted and re-checked
  19. Cook County Department of Public Health - Environmental Health (cookcountypublichealth.org)
  20. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
  21. Median property tax bill: Bolthole Index county data

Written October 16, 2026 from the rules quoted below, each taken from an official source and re-checked by an independent reviewer. This is research, not legal advice: rules change, so confirm with the office before you buy or build.

Answers from the rulebook for Village of East Hazel Crest

Village of East Hazel Crest’s own rules

  • Building code adoptedAdopted

    Residential construction inside East Hazel Crest village

    • Later ICC amendments take effect automatically per the section
    • Also adopts IBC 2006 (Sec. 6-24), 2015 International Fire Code (Sec. 8-51)

    residential code: IRC 2015

    “the standards and specifications as set forth in the irc international residential code 2015, plus any amendments thereto”
  • Local zoningPresent

    Land inside East Hazel Crest village

    • Chapter 22 Zoning establishes residence districts R-1 to R-4
    “this section applies to the r-1 single-family residence district.”
  • Zoning districtsPublished

    Residence districts inside East Hazel Crest village

    • Residence districts R-1, R-2, R-3, R-4 found; business and other districts not reviewed
    “this section applies to the r-3 multiple-family residence district.”
  • Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

    R-1 single-family residence district inside East Hazel Crest village

    • More than one story: not less than 1,000 sq ft
    • Excludes attached garage floor area

    ground floor area, one-story: >= 1200 sq ft

    “for one-story dwellings, not less than one thousand two hundred (1,200) square feet not including the floor area of an attached garage.”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
    • Specified — R-2 single-family residence district inside East Hazel Crest village
      “one-story dwelling, not less than twelve hundred (1200) square feet, not including the floor area of an attached garage.”
  • Minimum lot sizeSpecified

    R-1 single-family residence district inside East Hazel Crest village

    • Lot width at least 60 feet at the buildable area

    lot area: >= 7200 sq ft

    “the lot area shall be not less than seven thousand two hundred (7,200) square feet.”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
  • SetbacksSpecified

    R-1 single-family residence district inside East Hazel Crest village

    • Side yards sum at least 14 feet, minimum 8 feet for one side
    • Rear yard at least 30 feet

    front yard: >= 30 feet

    “any yard abutting a street is a front yard and shall be not less than thirty (30) feet in depth.”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
    • Specified — R-2 single-family residence district inside East Hazel Crest village
      “any yard abutting a street is a front yard and shall be not less than twenty-five (25) feet in depth.”
  • Building heightSpecified

    R-1 single-family residence district inside East Hazel Crest village

    • Other structures not to exceed 35 feet

    single-family max height: <= 30 feet (or 2.5 stories, whichever is less)

    “the maximum building height for single-family dwellings is thirty (30) feet or two and one-half (2½) stories, whichever is less. for all other structures it shall not exceed thirty-five (35) feet.”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
    • Specified — R-2 single-family residence district inside East Hazel Crest village
      “the maximum building height for single-family dwellings is thirty (30) feet or two and one-half (2½) stories, whichever is less. for all other structures it is not to exceed thirty (30) feet.”
  • Who permits septicLocal

    Sewage disposal inside East Hazel Crest village

    • Village ordinance bans septic systems except as provided in the division; sewer connection required
    “except as provided in this division, it shall be unlawful to construct or maintain any privy, privy vault, septic tank, cesspool, or other facility intended or used for the disposal of sewage.”
  • Off-grid sanitationProhibited

    Private sewage disposal inside East Hazel Crest village

    • Except as provided in the division
    “except as provided in this division, it shall be unlawful to construct or maintain any privy, privy vault, septic tank, cesspool, or other facility intended or used for the disposal of sewage.”
  • Mandatory utility hookupSewer (with conditions)

    Properties used for human occupancy inside East Hazel Crest village abutting a street with a public sewer

    • Connection required within ninety (90) days after official notice
    • Applies only if the public sewer is within sixty (60) feet of the property line
    • Public water connection requirement not located

    sewer distance: <= 60 feet

    “within ninety (90) days after date of official notice to do so, provided that the public sewer is within sixty (60) feet (18.28 meters) of the property line.”
  • Agricultural exemptionConditional

    Soil erosion and sedimentation control article inside East Hazel Crest village

    • Exemption applies only to Article IV soil erosion control, not to building or zoning rules
    “agricultural use of land, including the implementation of conservation measures included in a farm conservation plan approved by the soil and water conservation district”
  • Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

    New subdivisions within special flood hazard areas inside East Hazel Crest village

    • General subdivision control ordinance not reviewed in provided sections
    • Plats must include a signed engineer statement on drainage under the Plat Act
    “new subdivisions, manufactured home parks, annexation agreements, and planned unit developments (puds) within the sfha shall be reviewed”
  • Building in a floodplainRequired

    Development in special flood hazard areas inside East Hazel Crest village

    • Applies to new buildings or additions valued over $1,000 or 70 sq ft
    • Substantial improvements: floor area increase over 20 percent or cost at or above 50 percent of market value
    • RVs on site over 180 days per year are treated as buildings
    “all buildings located within a one hundred-year floodplain, also known as a sfha, shall be protected from flood damage below the flood protection elevation.”
  • Short-term rentalsProhibited

    Rentals of less than 30 consecutive days inside East Hazel Crest village

    • Covers houses and accessory buildings

    minimum rental term: >= 30 days

    “for less than thirty (30) consecutive days is expressly prohibited in the village.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Village of East Hazel Crest or Cook County directly.

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption inside East Hazel Crest village
  • Inspections — Building inspections inside East Hazel Crest village
  • Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy inside East Hazel Crest village
  • Lot coverage — Lot coverage inside East Hazel Crest village
  • Living in an RV — RV occupancy inside East Hazel Crest village
10 more unanswered
  • Camping on your land
  • Tiny homes
  • Manufactured homes
  • Accessory dwellings
  • Septic permit
  • Septic inspection
  • Well permit
  • Driveway access
  • Permit fees
  • Permit process

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.

Unanswered questions are usually a sign that Village of East Hazel Crest publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Cook County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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