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Peoria County, IL Environmental Rules: Stormwater Management (2026)

Significant Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

Trigger threshold
Projects over 0.5 acre
Covered uses
Commercial, institutional, multifamily, industrial
Also triggers on
Subdivisions over 0.5 acre
Map scale required
1 inch = 100 feet minimum
Administering department
Planning and Zoning Department

Summary

Peoria County requires an Erosion, Sediment, and Stormwater Control Permit before any commercial, institutional, multifamily or industrial project over half an acre, or any project needing subdivision approval over half an acre, can break ground in the unincorporated county.

City-specific rules exist: Peoria has its own stormwater management rules that differ from Peoria County's county-level regulations. If you live in Peoria, check the city-specific page instead.

Before commencing any commercial, institutional, multifamily or industrial project with an area of more than one-half (½) acre; or a project requiring subdivision approval by a unit of local government with an area of more than one-half (½) acre, the owner of the land, or his representative, shall be required to file an application for an Erosion, Sediment, and Stormwater Control Permit.

View official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 52).

Full Breakdown

Under UDO Sec. 13, before commencing any commercial, institutional, multifamily or industrial project with an area of more than one-half acre, or a project requiring subdivision approval by a unit of local government with an area of more than one-half acre, the landowner or representative must file an application for an Erosion, Sediment, and Stormwater Control Permit with the county's Planning and Zoning Department before construction begins. Under Sec. 1, the application must include an existing site conditions map at a scale of at least one inch equals one hundred feet, showing site and adjacent boundaries, lakes, streams, wetlands, channels, ditches and other watercourses, floodways and Zone A floodplain areas keyed to the FIRM panel number, all off-site drainage flowing onto or through the site, the location of stormwater management components, and site topography shown at two-foot contour intervals for slopes of six percent or less, five-foot intervals for slopes between six and fifteen percent, and ten- or twenty-foot intervals for slopes over fifteen percent.

A companion plan of final site conditions, drawn to the same scale, must also be submitted showing how the finished grading and drainage will function once the project is built. The permit requirement is separate from, and in addition to, any building permit or subdivision plat approval the same project may also need under Article 3's general development review procedures.

Violations & Fines

Starting a covered project without first obtaining the Erosion, Sediment, and Stormwater Control Permit is a violation of the Unified Development Ordinance and is punishable under the county code's general penalty provision, Sec. 1-10, as an offense carrying a fine of up to $1,000.00, with each day the violation continues treated as a separate offense. The Department can also withhold or revoke a building permit or certificate of occupancy until the stormwater permit is obtained and site conditions comply with the approved plan.

Frequently Asked Questions

When does a Peoria County project need a stormwater permit?
Any commercial, institutional, multifamily or industrial project larger than one-half acre, or any project needing subdivision approval over one-half acre, must obtain an Erosion, Sediment, and Stormwater Control Permit before construction starts, per UDO Sec. 3.13.
What has to be shown on the site map for the permit?
The existing site conditions map must be drawn at a scale of at least one inch to one hundred feet and show boundaries, watercourses, floodway and FIRM floodplain zones, off-site drainage, stormwater components, and topographic contours at intervals set by the site's slope.
Does a small residential addition need this permit?
No. The permit threshold applies to commercial, institutional, multifamily and industrial projects, or projects requiring local subdivision approval, each over one-half acre; smaller residential building projects fall outside this specific requirement.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Peoria County

All Peoria County rules

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