McHenry County, IL Animal Ordinances: Veterinary Clinic Zoning (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing definition
- UDO § 16.08.020
- Use table
- Table 16.32-1, § 16.32.060
- A-1 mixed-animal clinic
- Conditional use permit required
- A-1 small-animal-only clinic
- Not permitted at all
- CUP filed with
- Dept. of Planning and Development
- ZBA hearing deadline
- 180 days after complete application
Summary
Unincorporated McHenry County splits veterinary uses into two zoning categories. A clinic treating small and large animals needs a conditional use permit in the Agricultural (A-1) District, while a small-animal-only clinic is not allowed there at all under Table 16.32-1 of the Unified Development Ordinance.
VETERINARY CLINIC. A FACILITY where medical care is given to animals and where animals may be boarded overnight, if required for medical purposes. A small animal veterinarian provides medical care to domesticated companion animals, such as dogs, cats, birds, rabbits, and reptiles. A large animal veterinarian provides medical care to farm and ranch animals and other large non-domesticated animals.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2025 S-5: Supplement contains: Local legislation current through Ord. A25-0037, passed 8-19-2025 | State legislation current through ALS 2025 Pamphlet No. 1).
Full Breakdown
020 as a facility where medical care is given to animals, including overnight boarding when required for medical purposes, and distinguishes small animal veterinarians (dogs, cats, birds, rabbits, reptiles) from large animal veterinarians (farm and ranch animals). 060, lists "Veterinary Clinic - Small and Large Animals" and "Veterinary Clinic - Small Animal Only" as separate rows. 040. All conditional use applications require a site plan reviewed by the Staff Plat Review Committee before the Zoning Board of Appeals acts. The Zoning Board of Appeals must hold a public hearing within one hundred eighty (180) calendar days of a complete application (forty-five days for solar or wind energy facilities), after which the County Board takes final action on the Zoning Board of Appeals' recommendation.
No letter in the use table for any district means that use is flatly barred there, not merely restricted, so a small-animal-only clinic proposed on A-1 land cannot be approved by variance of the table entry itself; it would need a different district or use classification.
Violations & Fines
Operating a veterinary clinic in a zoning district where the use table shows no permitted or conditional designation, or operating a large-and-small-animal clinic in the A-1 District without an approved conditional use permit, is a zoning violation. The County's Zoning Enforcement Officer administers the UDO and can act against an unpermitted use; conditional use permits granted improperly or operated outside their approved site plan expose the property owner to permit revocation and renewed Zoning Board of Appeals review before the County Board.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I open a veterinary clinic on agricultural land in unincorporated McHenry County?
What is the difference between the two veterinary clinic use categories?
How long does the conditional use permit process take in McHenry County?
Who enforces veterinary clinic zoning in unincorporated McHenry County?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in McHenry County
Compare McHenry County to another location·View the Illinois animal ordinances overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.