Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Adams, Wisconsin

Adams’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  New one- or two-family dwellings inside City of Adams

  • Permit issued by the city building inspector; fee doubled if work starts before permit (per fee list item 16).

  “no person shall build or cause to be built any one- or two-family dwelling without first obtaining a state uniform building permit for such dwelling from the building inspector of the city of adams.”

• Building code adoptedAdopted

  One- and two-family dwellings inside City of Adams

  • Adopts Wisconsin Uniform Dwelling Code chapters (ILHR 20-25) by reference, with amendments.

  “and all amendments to said administrative code provisions, are adopted and incorporated in this code by reference.”

• Local zoningPresent

  Land inside City of Adams limits

  • Thirteen districts incl. R-1, R-2, R-3, R-4, C-1 to C-3, I, SP, PUD, A, CON, IP; overlay MW.

  “the city of adams, wisconsin, ordains these zoning regulations.”

• Zoning districtsPublished

  City of Adams zoning districts

  • Thirteen districts; official map available for inspection at city office

  “the official zoning district map is an integral part of this ordinance.”

• Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

  R-1 Single Family Residence District, City of Adams

  • Minimum width 24 ft excluding porches/garages (Sec. 13-1-23) for residential homes
  • The R-1 standards table text is garbled in the PDF; 900 sq ft floor area is the apparent figure

  minimum floor area per family: >= 900 sq ft · minimum width for residential home: >= 24 ft

  “minimum floor area per family 75 feet 900 square feet minimum width for residential home 24 feet”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  A Agricultural District, City of Adams: single-family residences (conditional use)

  • Conditional use
  • Soil analysis must indicate suitability for private sewer and water systems

  minimum tract for single-family residence: >= 5 acres

  “single-family residences provided they are located on tracts of five acres or more and that soil analysis indicated suitability for private sewer and water systems.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — R-1 Single Family Residence District, City of Adams

    “minimum lot area per family 8,500 square feet”

• SetbacksSpecified

  R-1 Single Family Residence District, City of Adams

  • Accessory building: rear 5 ft; 3 ft each side (garages 5 ft from alleyway)

  front yard: >= 25 ft · rear yard primary: >= 25 ft · side yard primary: >= 8 ft (20 ft total)

  “minimum front yard setback 25 feet minimum rear yard setback: primary building 25 feet accessory building 5 feet minimum side yard: primary building 8 feet minimum; 20 feet total accessory building 3 feet on each side, except garages to be a minimum of 5 feet from alleyway”

• Building heightSpecified

  R-1 Single Family Residence District, City of Adams

  • Height limits do not apply to church spires, belfries, or water towers (13-1-3)

  maximum building height: <= 35 ft

  “within the r-l district the following standards shall apply: maximum building height 35 feet minimum front yard setback 25 feet”

• Manufactured homesLimited

  Mobile homes in the R-1 single-family district inside City of Adams

  • Conditional use only
  • Only within a city-authorized mobile home subdivision
  • Must conform to all city mobile home ordinances
  • R-4 district (mobile homes allowed) not read

  “mobile homes, only within a mobile home subdivision, as defined in sec. 13-1-90 of this ordinance, authorized by the city of adams.”

• Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

  Building permits for dwellings inside City of Adams

  • Dollar amounts are set by Common Council resolution and are not stated in the code text
  • Fee doubled if work starts before permit

  “the building permit fee shall be based upon the number of square feet of living space within the residence.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Adams or Adams County directly.

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builders inside City of Adams
• Inspections — Inspections inside City of Adams
• Certificate of occupancy — Occupancy inside City of Adams
• Lot coverage — Lot coverage inside City of Adams
• Living in an RV — RV occupancy inside City of Adams

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.