Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Town of Big Flats, Wisconsin

Town of Big Flats’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Any building 150 sq ft or larger, house additions, covered or attached decks, and placement of a mobile home, shed or garage inside Big Flats town

  • Requires a town land use permit before proceeding
  • Driveway and fire number must be issued before building

  minimum building size requiring land use permit: >= 150 sq ft (smaller structures not listed on the FAQ)

  “any building 150 sq ft or larger, house additions, covered or attached decks all require a permit.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside the Town of Big Flats (Adams County, WI) limits; the town administers its own Land Use and Zoning Ordinance

  • New construction or changes in land use require a town land use permit before proceeding
  • Adams County building, sanitary, well and electric permits still apply inside the town
  • Official zoning book is a PDF dated 9/10/2024 linked from the town zoning page; Plan Commission minutes show the ordinance under review, so current text should be confirmed with the town

  “the town of big flats has their own zoning. you must obtain a land use application when building a structure 150 sq. foot or larger.”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Zoning district map for land inside Big Flats town

  • District boundaries are on a map in the online zoning book; the map itself was not reviewed

  “q: where can i find a zoning district map? page 11 in the zoning ordinance online.”

• Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

  Homes built inside Big Flats town, both stick-built and manufactured

  • Applies to manufactured homes and stick-built homes alike, per the FAQ
  • Manufactured homes must also be HUD-certified and built after 1976

  minimum living space: >= 840 sq ft

  “must have at least 840 sq. ft. of living space (840 sq. ft. is also minimum for stick built homes)”

• Living in an RVLimited

  RV use on private land inside Big Flats town

  • Only one RV may be kept year-round if licensed and road ready
  • RV septic hookups are regulated by Adams County
  • No RV may be used as a permanent dwelling
  • Plan Commission minutes discuss a proposed two-per-parcel cap with annual permit; adoption not verified

  RVs kept year-round per property: 1 count (if licensed and road ready)

  “yes, but only one is allowed year-round if licensed and road ready. hookups to septic regulated by adams county (see zoning chapter 4g). no rv may be used as a permanent dwelling.”

• Manufactured homesLimited

  Mobile and manufactured homes placed on land inside Big Flats town

  • Must be HUD-certified and built after 1976
  • Must carry the HUD certification plate
  • Requires a town land use permit

  minimum living space: >= 840 sq ft

  “yes, but must be hud certified built after 1976 and must have hud certification plate on home. must have at least 840 sq. ft. of living space (840 sq. ft. is also minimum for stick built homes) and requires a land use permit.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Land divisions, certified survey maps and lot combinations inside Big Flats town

  • A land division application is required
  • The town's Land Division Ordinance (#35) was seen only as a link title and not opened

  “all land divisions, certified survey maps, and lot combinations require a land division application”

• Driveway accessRequired

  New construction on land inside Big Flats town

  • A driveway permit and fire number must be issued before building
  • Driveway permit applied for on the town forms; fire number fee is separate

  “you must have a driveway and fire number issued before building. driveway and fire number require an application.”

• Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

  Town land use and driveway permit fees inside Big Flats town (county permit fees not covered)

  • Fee shown as $100.00 as of 1/1/2025 on the zoning page; the town's Apps & Forms page reportedly says the fee doubles to $200 if work starts before a permit, but that page was not opened
  • An older land use form lists $50, which conflicts with $100 and is not used here

  land use permit fee: 100 USD (effective 1/1/2025) · driveway permit fee: 25 USD (FAQ; fire number fee of $70 is separate)

  “the is a fee of $100.00 as of 1/1/2025 new construction or changes in land use”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Permit sequence for new construction inside Big Flats town

  • Town land use application first, then Adams County building, sanitary, well and electric permits
  • Driveway and fire number must be issued before building

  “you must have an approved land use app. with the town before you see the county.”

Rules another office applies inside Town of Big Flats

Town of Big Flats does not set these itself; the county, a health district or the state does, and they apply to every address inside its limits.

• InspectionsLimited

  Electric, sanitary and well work inside Big Flats town

  • The FAQ states inspection only for sanitary, well and electric permits; general building inspection is not stated

  “sanitary, well and electric permits are required and inspected by adams county.”

• Who permits septicCounty (with conditions)

  Private on-site wastewater systems for land inside Big Flats town

  • Adams County planning and zoning issues sanitary permits; the town does not issue them

  “electric, sewer and water permits are issued by the adams county planning & zoning. you must have an approved land use app. with the town before you see the county.”

• Septic permitRequired

  Sanitary (private on-site) system permits for land inside Big Flats town

  • Obtain a town land use approval before applying to the county

  “sanitary, well and electric permits are required and inspected by adams county.”

• Septic inspectionRequired

  Sanitary (private on-site) systems for land inside Big Flats town

  “sanitary, well and electric permits are required and inspected by adams county.”

• Well permitRequired

  Private wells on land inside Big Flats town

  • Obtain a town land use approval before applying to the county

  “sanitary, well and electric permits are required and inspected by adams county.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built homes inside Big Flats town
• Building code adopted — New dwellings inside Big Flats town
• Certificate of occupancy — Occupancy approval for new homes inside Big Flats town
• Minimum lot size — Single-family residential lots inside Big Flats town (main residential district and any agricultural or rural-residential district)
• Setbacks — Structure setbacks inside Big Flats town by zoning district

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.

Off-grid gear

Going off-grid in Town of Big Flats means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

• Water Crystal Quest Filter any source — well, rain, or creek — to drinking-clean.
• Power Bluetti Solar generators and home battery backup for living off the grid.
• Septic Soil percolation test kit Run your own perc test before paying an engineer — the first thing a septic office asks about.
• Water Well water test kit Bacteria, nitrates, hardness — know what the well on a parcel is really pumping.

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