Off-Grid Living in Peoria County, Illinois

I've been digging into what off-grid living actually looks like in Peoria County, Illinois, and the short version is: this is a zoned county, so you can't just buy raw land and do whatever you want with it, the way you might in a county with no zoning at all.

Zoning. Peoria County's Planning and Zoning Department administers a countywide zoning ordinance, codified on Municode. If your land use plan doesn't fit the district you're in, you go through the Zoning Board of Appeals for a variance, and staff say they'll help you figure out whether you even need one. This is a county-level rule, and it only covers unincorporated areas, if you're inside a municipality like the City of Peoria, that city's own zoning and building codes apply instead.

Dwellings, tiny homes, RVs. I couldn't find a specific county ordinance spelling out minimum dwelling size or RV residency standards. Code Enforcement does list "recreational vehicle storage" as something they handle, which tells me RVs are addressed somewhere, but I'd call Planning & Zoning directly before assuming a tiny home or RV is fine as a permanent residence.

Building codes. Since July 2021, Peoria County enforces the 2018 ICC I-Codes and the 2017 NFPA 70 electrical code, its own adopted standard rather than just defaulting to whatever the state uses. Permits are required for new construction, additions, and even things like decks over a certain size or sheds over a certain size, plus pools, fences, demolition, and electrical/plumbing/HVAC work. Applications go through Building Inspections.

Septic. This is permitted but tightly administered. The Health Department's Environmental Health Division (a joint City/County Health Department) issues permits and inspects systems, and the county's own Chapter 19 wastewater ordinance leans on the state's Private Sewage Disposal Licensing Act. Installation and service generally require a licensed contractor, though the code does allow a homeowner to install or service a system on their own home.

Greywater and rainwater. I found nothing specific to either topic at the county or health department level. My guess is greywater falls under the same Chapter 19 wastewater review, but that's not confirmed, ask Environmental Health directly. Rainwater harvesting appears to have no county-specific rule either way.

Wells. Permitted and county-administered, following Illinois' state well codes (920, 915, 925) alongside the county's own Chapter 23. The Health Department issues permits, inspects new and repaired systems, and handles well sealing and water sampling.

Utility disconnection. I didn't find a standalone rule requiring hookup to the grid or prohibiting disconnection. But since the county enforces the ICC and NFPA codes and requires permits for construction, any off-grid solar or water system you build would still need to meet those adopted codes and pass inspection.

Bottom line: Peoria County is not a "no rules" off-grid haven, it's an actively zoned and inspected county, but a permitted, code-compliant off-grid setup with a septic system and private well looks entirely achievable if you work with the named offices upfront.