General Permits waive certain requirements of the McHenry County Stormwater Management Ordinance (SMO) in order to streamline the permit process for specific types of routine projects. The General Permits listed below provided that the regulated development meets the Applicability criteria, the Terms and Conditions for the specific type of project, and the Authorization requirements.

GENERAL PERMIT #1

Use the following documents to help determine if your project can be classified under a General Permit #1.

If you feel your project meets the above criteria, please submit the following documents to start the permit process for the proposed work:

• Completed Stormwater Management Permit application, which is available on our website here.
• Current Site Plan depicting existing conditions of your property, all proposed work to be completed, and enough detail to make a determination if the development will require a Stormwater Management Permit.  Please download the "Site Plan" form from our website.  For an additional tool that may help assess your site characteristics or assist in creating a Site Plan, please use the McHenry County mapping software:  www.mchenrycountygis.org/planning.
• A copy of the signature page (last page of the document) of the General Permit #1 packet (see list above for the relevant packet).  Please keep the rest of the pages for your records.
• Remit the General Permit #1 fee of $150 and inspection fee of $100 (total permit fees - $250).  You may pay this through our website via credit card or in person at our office with cash, check or credit.  If you would like your permit sent to you instead of picking it up, you will be charged an extra $6.  If your project is in violation, you will be charged an extra $150.

In some instances, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers may also require a permit for the work.  Their permit process can be initiated through their website.

If the work is within the Chain-of-Lakes, the Fox River, or other floodway areas, the Illinois Department of Natural Resources - Office of Water Resources may also require a permit for the work.  Their permit process can be initiated through their website at: https://dnrhistoric.illinois.gov/about/forms.html.  You may also contact them at 847-608-3100 x32025.

Work in a road right-of-way may also require a permit or authorization from the respective road authority.  Please contact the local road jurisdiction to verify permitting requirements.

Wonder Lake Area Projects

If a project is adjacent to, appears to be within, or touches the lake bottom of Wonder Lake, the Wonder Lake Master Property Owners Association (MPOA) requires authorization.  Please contact the MPOA through Dick Hilton at 815-653-3912 or 815-653-1000 or wildick@comcast.net.  The MPOA website (www.wlmpoa.org) also has additional information. 

Please note, a Stormwater Management Permit from McHenry County Department of Planning & Development (P&D) will only be issued after notarized written approval from the MPOA is obtained and forwarded to P&D.  In some cases, no MPOA authorization will be needed - these instances will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis by P&D.

*The MPOA has requested all applicants provide a current plat of survey depicting the position of the current parcel shoreline relative to the platted MPOA lakebed; the surveyed footprint of the existing seawall; and the location of the proposed seawall relative to the MPOA lakebed boundary. 

If you would like to contact the Water Resources Division with your questions, please visit our office, call us at 815-334-4560, or email the division at stormwater@mchenrycountyil.gov.  Please do not use the e-mail to apply for permits, use the online portal here:  Permit Application - Stormwater Management Permits.

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