Bolthole Index

Lee County, Illinois

Zoning, building permits and septic rules in the Village of Ashton, Illinois

The Village of Ashton, in Lee County, Illinois, sets its own zoning and requires a village building permit for construction or alteration inside village limits12. Applications go through the village clerk, not the Lee County permit office3. Septic tanks are barred except as the village sewer article allows4. Lee County Health Department issues septic and well permits county-wide56.

At a glance

Zoning
Village of Ashton zoning applies inside village limits; unlisted uses are not allowed1
Zoning districts
A-1, R-1, R-2, C-1, C-2, C-4 and I-17
Building permit
Required for construction or alteration inside the village2
Residential code
2024 IRC adopted by the village8
Septic
Septic tanks and privies barred except as the sewer article allows; sewer connection required where a sewer abuts the property49
Well permits
Lee County Health Department issues permits for new wells in the county6
Plan review
Building inspector reviews plans within 14 days3

Who to call

Building permits

Village of Ashton Building & Code Enforcement

Building permits, occupancy permit applications and code questions inside Ashton village limits

815-453-2241

codeenforcement@ashtonil.com

810 Main Street Ashton, IL 61006

Zoning

Village of Ashton Zoning (Village Office)

Village zoning map, zoning application and checklist, and variance or special use petitions

815-453-2241

810 Main Street Ashton, IL 61006

Septic permits

Lee County Health Department, Environmental Health

Private sewage disposal permits and inspections and new-well permits in Lee County

815-284-3371

contactus@lchd.com

309 S. Galena Ave., Ste. 100, Dixon, IL

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 Ashton means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

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Does Ashton, Illinois have zoning, and what does it allow?

Yes. The Village of Ashton, Illinois zones land inside its limits, and a use that the permitted-use table does not mark as permitted, special or temporary is not allowed in that district1. The village's districts are A-1, R-1, R-2, C-1, C-2, C-4 and I-17. The village posts its zoning map, zoning checklist and zoning application on its zoning page10.

Lot rules depend on the housing type. For the village's Type 3 estate house, the standard is a lot 100 feet wide and 123.9 feet deep11, with a 25-foot front setback, 12-foot side setback and 25-foot rear setback12. Lots may be covered up to 50%13, and buildings are capped at 35 feet14. We could not confirm which districts use that estate-house standard, or the standards for other housing types.

We could not confirm the village's rules on RVs as living space, tiny homes, accessory dwellings, manufactured homes or a minimum home size. Ask the Village Office at 815-453-2241 before you buy10.

Do you need a building permit in Ashton, and who issues it?

Yes. The Village of Ashton requires a building permit for construction or alteration of buildings and structures inside the village2. Inside Ashton the village, not Lee County, handles building permits and inspections; the county's building permit process applies to unincorporated land15.

Applications go to the village clerk with a completed permit application, permit checklist, two site plans and two sets of building plans, and the building inspector reviews plans within 14 days3. The village has adopted the 2024 International Residential Code8. Permit fees can be paid at the Village Office or through the village's online utility payment link16. We could not confirm the village's permit fee schedule, so ask the office for current fees16.

A permit lapses if work does not start within six months or finish within one year, and no new building permits issue until water and sewer connection charges are paid2.

How do inspections and driveway permits work in Ashton?

The building inspector sets the construction stages that need inspection, and work may not continue past a stage without it17. Inspections need 24 hours of notice, and each repeat inspection of the same phase costs $7517.

Driveway permits and curb cuts inside Ashton are covered by the village building permit18. In residential districts a driveway may be no wider than 28 feet at the right-of-way and 34 feet at the roadway18. Occupancy permit applications are accepted by the village along with building permit applications16. Driveways onto county-maintained roads outside the village are a different matter; see the Lee County page for the unincorporated rules.

How do septic permits work inside Ashton?

Septic is the exception to Ashton's village-run permitting. The village code makes it unlawful to build or keep a privy, vault, septic tank, cesspool or other sewage-disposal facility, except as the village sewer article provides4. Where a public sanitary sewer abuts the property and sits within 100 feet of the property line, owners must connect at their own expense within 90 days of official notice9.

For a lot where the village allows a private system, we could not confirm who permits it inside the village. Lee County Health Department issues septic permits and conducts inspections for systems installed in Lee County, and also issues permits for all new wells56. Call Environmental Health at 815-284-3371 before relying on a septic system or a well on any Ashton lot19.

Building a home in Ashton: the steps, in order

  1. Call the Village Office at 815-453-2241 and confirm the lot's zoning district and whether a public sewer abuts it109.
  2. Check the permitted-use table for your district, because an unlisted use is not allowed1.
  3. Settle any water and sewer connection charges, since no new building permits issue until they are paid2.
  4. Submit the permit application, checklist, two site plans and two sets of building plans to the village clerk3.
  5. Pay all permit, hookup and impact fees before the permit issues3.
  6. Give 24 hours of notice for each inspection stage17.
  7. Ask the village about its occupancy permit before moving in16.

What stays with Lee County, and what to check before you buy in Ashton

Land outside Ashton's limits follows different rules: unincorporated Lee County has its own zoning and building permit process, covered on the Lee County page. The county's zoning applies to the unincorporated area and not to land inside a village that zones for itself20.

Inside the village, septic and well permits come from Lee County Health Department56. Confirm sewer access first, since it decides whether a septic system is allowed at all4.

For cost context, Lee County's effective property tax rate is 1.9%21 and the typical home value is about $190,60622. These are county-level figures, not Ashton-specific.

Watch-outs

  • Ashton's village permits and zoning apply only inside village limits; for land outside them, check the Lee County page, because the county's rules cover unincorporated land20.
  • Septic systems are largely barred inside the village, so confirm sewer availability before you plan a septic system on any Ashton lot4.
  • We could not confirm the village's rules on RV living, tiny homes, accessory dwellings or short-term rentals; ask the Village Office at 815-453-224110.
  • Search results for "Ashton building permits" can send you to the Lee County permit portal, which serves unincorporated land and not village lots15.

Sources

  1. Ashton Code Sec. 82-381 Table of permitted uses (Village of Ashton), quoted and re-checked
  2. Ashton Code Sec. 18-2 Building permit (Village of Ashton), quoted and re-checked
  3. Ashton Code Sec. 18-2 Building permit (Village of Ashton), quoted and re-checked
  4. Ashton Code Sec. 74-191 Use of public sewers required (Village of Ashton), quoted and re-checked
  5. Environmental Health | Lee County Health Department, quoted and re-checked
  6. Lee County Health Department Well Permit Application Packet, quoted and re-checked
  7. Ashton Code Sec. 82-381 Table of permitted uses (Village of Ashton), quoted and re-checked
  8. Ashton Code Sec. 18-241 Residential code adopted (Village of Ashton), quoted and re-checked
  9. Ashton Code Sec. 74-191 Use of public sewers required (Village of Ashton), quoted and re-checked
  10. Village of Ashton Zoning (Village Office) (ashtonil.com)
  11. Ashton Code Sec. 82-564 Type 3, estate house (Village of Ashton), quoted and re-checked
  12. Ashton Code Sec. 82-564 Type 3, estate house (Village of Ashton), quoted and re-checked
  13. Ashton Code Sec. 82-564 Type 3, estate house (Village of Ashton), quoted and re-checked
  14. Ashton Code Sec. 82-564 Type 3, estate house (Village of Ashton), quoted and re-checked
  15. Building Permits | Lee County, IL, quoted and re-checked
  16. Village of Ashton Building & Code Enforcement (ashtonil.com)
  17. Ashton Code Sec. 18-2 Building permit (Village of Ashton), quoted and re-checked
  18. Ashton Code Sec. 82-624 Parking facilities and driveways (Village of Ashton), quoted and re-checked
  19. Lee County Health Department, Environmental Health (lchd.com)
  20. leecountyil.com, quoted and re-checked
  21. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
  22. Typical home value (Zillow): 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 Ashton

Village of Ashton’s own rules

  • Building permitRequired

    Construction or alteration of buildings and structures inside Ashton village

    • Permit expires if work not started within six months or not completed within one year; one extension at inspector's discretion.
    • No new building permits issued until water connection, water meter and sewer connection charges (if applicable) are paid.
    “no new building permits shall be issued unless the water connection charge, water meter charge and sewer connection charges, if applicable, are paid in full.”
  • Building code adoptedAdopted

    Buildings in Ashton village; 2024 IRC adopted, plus 2024 IFC/NFPA 101 fire code (Sec. 18-302)

    • Fire code modifications: sprinklers required in townhouses with more than two dwellings; not required in one- and two-family dwellings unless local or fire district ordinance requires.

    residential code edition: IRC 2024

    “townhouse automatic fire sprinkler systems. an automatic residential fire sprinkler system shall be installed in townhouses containing more than two (2) dwellings.”
  • InspectionsRequired

    Permitted construction inside Ashton village

    • 24 hours advance notice for inspections.
    • $75 fee for each repeat inspection of the same phase.

    re-inspection fee: 75 USD

    “the building inspector shall establish in his sole discretion the various stages of construction at which time inspection shall be required and no construction shall proceed without the required inspection.”
  • Local zoningPresent

    Land inside Ashton village limits

    • Uses are P (by right), S (special use) or T (temporary) per district; unlisted uses are not allowed.
    “a use of building, structure or land not indicated by either "p" or "s" or "t" is not allowed in that district.”
  • Zoning districtsPublished

    Zoning districts inside Ashton village: A-1, R-1, R-2, C-1, C-2, C-4, I-1

    • Uses: P permitted, S special use, T temporary.
    “land use zoning districts a-1 r-1 r-2 c-1 c-2 c-4 i-1”
  • Minimum lot sizeSpecified

    Type 3 estate house lots inside Ashton village (Sec. 82-564); mapping of this type to R-1/R-2 not confirmed

    • Dimensions in feet; no minimum area stated.
    • Standards for other housing types and districts not retrieved.

    lot width: 100 feet · lot depth: 123.9 feet

    “lot standards. lot width 100 lot depth 123.9 front setback (build-to line) 25 side setback (minimum) 12 rear setback (minimum) 25”
  • SetbacksSpecified

    Type 3 estate house lots inside Ashton village (Sec. 82-564)

    • Measured in feet; balconies may encroach on front, side and rear setbacks.
    • Street-loaded garage front setback minimum 40 ft; outbuilding setback minimum 5 ft.

    front setback (build-to line): 25 feet · side setback: >= 12 feet · rear setback: >= 25 feet

    “outbuilding setback (minimum) 5 street-loaded garage front setback (minimum) 40”
  • Lot coverageSpecified

    Type 3 estate house lots inside Ashton village (Sec. 82-564)

    • Other housing types not retrieved.

    maximum lot coverage: <= 50 percent

    “building frontage (minimum) 60% lot coverage (maximum) 50%”
  • Building heightSpecified

    Type 3 estate house inside Ashton village (Sec. 82-564)

    • Measured from existing average lot grade or roadway centerline to highest point of building.

    maximum height: <= 35 feet

    “heights are measured from existing average lot grade, or from centerline of roadway, in front of lot to highest point of the building.”
  • Off-grid sanitationLimited

    Privies, vaults, septic tanks and cesspools inside Ashton village

    • Exceptions only as provided in the sewer article (Chapter 74, Art. III).
    “except as provided in this article, it is unlawful to construct or maintain any 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 Ashton village abutting a street, alley or right-of-way with a public sanitary sewer

    • Connection at owner's expense to the POTW.
    • Applies where the sewer abuts the property and is within 100 feet of the property line.
    • Water connection rule not found in provided sections.

    time to connect after notice: <= 90 days · maximum distance to sewer: <= 100 feet

    “within 90 days after the date of official notice to do so, provided the sewer is located within 100 feet of the property line.”
  • Driveway accessLimited

    Driveways in residential districts inside Ashton village

    • Applies to driveways installed, altered, changed, replaced or extended after the zoning ordinance's effective date.
    • Driveway permits/curb cuts are covered by Sec. 18-2 building permit.

    max width at right-of-way: <= 28 feet · max width at roadway: <= 34 feet

    “no driveway for vehicular ingress and egress shall exceed 28 feet in width at the right-of-way and 34 feet in width at the roadway in residential districts”
  • Permit processPublished

    Building permit applications inside Ashton village

    • Application, checklist, two site plans and two sets of building plans submitted to the village clerk.
    • Building inspector reviews plans within 14 days.
    • All permit, hookup and impact fees paid before permit issued.

    plan review time: <= 14 days

    “applications for such permits shall be made to the village clerk and shall be accompanied by a completed permit application, permit checklist, two site plans, and two sets of building plans. the building inspector shall review the plans within 14 days.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Village of Ashton or Lee County directly.

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builders inside Ashton village
  • Certificate of occupancy — Occupancy of new buildings inside Ashton village
  • Minimum dwelling size — Dwellings inside Ashton village
  • Living in an RV — RV occupancy inside Ashton village
  • Camping on your land — Temporary camping inside Ashton village
12 more unanswered
  • Tiny homes
  • Manufactured homes
  • Accessory dwellings
  • Who permits septic
  • Septic permit
  • Septic inspection
  • Well permit
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Subdividing land
  • Building in a floodplain
  • Short-term rentals
  • Permit fees

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 Ashton publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Lee County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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