Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Town of Strongs Prairie, Wisconsin

Town of Strongs Prairie’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Erecting, moving, placing, altering or enlarging buildings in Strongs Prairie town, except uses excepted in section 4-3.02

  • Section 4-3.02 excepts: accessory buildings under 200 square feet; normal repairs and maintenance that do not increase structure area; structural alterations or roof and wall changes not exceeding 20% of current assessed value; and non-dwelling buildings used exclusively for agricultural purposes.
  • Zoning permit is the town zoning permit, separate from the building permit route on the building inspector page.

  “no building shall be used erected, moved, placed, altered, or enlarged, unless excepted by section 4-3.02 of this ordinance, until after the issuance of a zoning permit.”

• InspectionsLimited

  Built-on-site tiny homes in Strongs Prairie town

  • Applies to built-on-site tiny homes only, as stated in section 6-4.09; the ordinance does not state a general inspection rule in the sections read.

  “6-4.09 tiny homes that are built-on-site shall meet relevant building code and inspection requirements.”

• Certificate of occupancyLimited

  Factory-built tiny homes in Strongs Prairie town

  • Certification of dwelling/occupancy is required before a zoning permit is issued for factory-built tiny homes only.
  • No general certificate of occupancy rule was found in the sections read.

  “factory built tiny homes shall provide certification of dwelling/occupancy prior to issuance of a zoning permit.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside Strongs Prairie town limits (the town's own zoning ordinance, not the incorporated cities or villages within the town)

  • Ordinance section 3-1.01 says its jurisdiction includes all lands and waters within the town except lands incorporated in any city or village within the town.
  • Ordinance section 3-1.02 says the Adams County shoreland protection, private onsite wastewater treatment system, and floodplain ordinances also apply throughout the town.
  • The zoning ordinance PDF is hosted on energyzoning.org; the town ordinances page lists a 'zoning ordinance' item but the link target was not confirmed. Text is stamped 'Final Amended 06-20-22', an amendment stamp, not recorded as an effective date.

  “the jurisdiction of this ordinance shall include all lands and waters within the town of strongs prairie, adams county, wisconsin, except those lands incorporated in any city or village within the town.”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Zoning districts of the Strongs Prairie town zoning ordinance, for land inside the town

  • Table of contents lists section 5 zoning districts: A-1 exclusive agricultural, A-2 agricultural transition, A-3 agricultural and low-density residential, A-4 agricultural and moderate-density residential, R-1 single family residential, PDD planned development, B-1 rural business, I-1 industrial, WC wetland conservation, PSO-1 public and semi-public, UCO uplands conservancy overlay, LNO landfill notification overlay, WPO wellhead protection overlay, HPA historical prehistoric and archaeological.

  “5-1.00 a-1 exclusive agricultural district 32-35 5-2.00 a-2 agricultural transition districts 35-36 5-3.00 a-3 agricultural & low-density residential district 36 5.-4.00 a-4 agricultural & moderate-density residential district 37 5-5.00 r-1 single family residential district 37-39”

• Minimum lot sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Lots in the A-1 exclusive agricultural district of Strongs Prairie town

  • The 35-acre minimum applies to establishing a farm residence or farm operation under section 5-1.03.
  • A separate parcel for an additional residence under section 5-1.03(b) requires 40,000 square feet per dwelling.
  • Lot width: 300 feet for a farm residence or farm operation; 150 feet for a separate parcel for an additional residence (section 5-1.08 area requirements as read).

  minimum lot area for farm residence or farm operation: >= 35 acres (to establish a farm residence or farm operation (as allowed in section 5-1.03)) · minimum lot area for separate parcel for additional residence: >= 40000 square feet per dwelling (as allowed in section 5-1.03(b))

  “(1) to establish a farm residence or farm operation (as allowed in section 5-1.03) 35 acres (2) to establish a separate parcel for an additional residence as allowed in section 5-1.03(b). 40,000 square feet per dwelling”

  3 more reviewed findings on this topic

  • District specific (with conditions) — Lots in the R-1 single family residential district of Strongs Prairie town (main single-family residential district)

    “(a) lot area. all lots shall have a minimum area of 5 acres. (b) lot width. all lots shall have a minimum width of 235 feet or as needed to maintain a 4:1 depth to width ratio.”

  • District specific (with conditions) — Lots in the A-4 agricultural and moderate-density residential district of Strongs Prairie town (rural-residential district)

    “(1) lot area: 5 acres minimum to 9.99 acres maximum (2) lot width: all lots shall have a minimum width of 250 feet or as needed to maintain 4:1 ratio of depth to width.”

  • District specific (with conditions) — Lots in the A-3 agricultural and low-density residential district of Strongs Prairie town

    “5-3.06 area requirements. all lots shall meet the following minimum requirements (see also section 36.00): (a) lot area 10 acres (b) lot width all lots shall have a minimum width of 330' or as needed to maintain 4:1 ratio of depth to width.”

• SetbacksSpecified

  Principal buildings on lots in Strongs Prairie town under the general setback rule (section 3-4.00), which the R-1 and other districts incorporate

  • Front yard on a class A highway: 110 feet from highway centerline or 50 feet from right-of-way, whichever is greater.
  • Front yard on a class B highway: 83 feet from centerline or 50 feet from right-of-way, whichever is greater; class C: 63 feet from centerline or 30 feet from right-of-way, whichever is greater.
  • Private drives or roads with easements or outlots: 30-foot front setback.
  • Setback from private access easements serving more than one parcel: 30 feet (3-4.05).
  • Detached accessory buildings: not in required front yard and at least 10 feet from a lot line.
  • Corner lots have two front yards (3-4.06).
  • Lots adjoining navigable water: structures set back at least 75 feet from ordinary highwater mark unless the Adams County floodplain or shoreland ordinance specifies otherwise.

  front yard, other roads: >= 30 feet from right-of-way or town road easement line · side yard: >= 10 feet (each side yard) · rear yard: >= 30 feet

  “(4) all other front yards shall be 30 feet from the right-of-way line or town road easement line. (5) private drives or roads with easements or outlots shall also observe the 30 foot setback restriction. (b) side yard: 10 feet (each side yard) (c) rear yard: 30 feet”

  2 more reviewed findings on this topic

  • Specified — R-1 single family residential district in Strongs Prairie town (main single-family residential district)

    “all uses shall meet the minimum setback requirements in section 3-4.00, except class b highway front yards shall also apply on class c highways.”

  • District specific (with conditions) — Uses in the A-4 agricultural and moderate-density residential district of Strongs Prairie town (rural-residential district)

    “5-4.04 yard requirements. all uses shall meet the minimum setback requirements in section 3-4.00, except front yards shall not be less than 100 feet, and side yards shall not be less than 50 feet.”

• Lot coverageSpecified

  Principal building plus accessory buildings on a lot in the A-4 agricultural and moderate-density residential district of Strongs Prairie town

  • No lot coverage limit was found for the R-1 district in the sections read.
  • Other districts read: B-1 rural business 20 percent of total lot area (section 5-7.08); PSO-1 25 percent (section 5-10.06).

  maximum ground coverage: <= 5 percent of total lot area · maximum ground coverage cap: <= 10000 square feet (in no case more than)

  “maximum ground coverage. the total ground area occupied by any principal building with all its accessory buildings shall not exceed five percent of total lot area and in no case more than 10,000 square feet.”

• Building heightSpecified

  Single-family dwellings, mobile homes and their accessory structures in the R-1 single family residential district of Strongs Prairie town

  • Section 3-5.00 general height regulations also cross-referenced; not read.
  • Other buildings and structures in R-1 not separately limited in the text read.

  principal building and attached accessory buildings: <= 35 feet · detached accessory structures: <= 30 feet

  “all single-family dwellings, mobile homes and their accessory structures shall not exceed the following maximum requirements. (1) principal building and attached accessory buildings: 35 feet (2) detached accessory structures: 30 feet”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — Single-family dwellings, mobile homes, group homes and their accessory structures in the A-4 agricultural and moderate-density residential district of Strongs Prairie town

    “all single-family dwellings, mobile homes, group homes, and their accessory structures shall not exceed the following maximum requirements: (1) principal buildings and attached accessory buildings: 35 feet (2) detached accessory structures: 30 feet”

• Living in an RVLimited

  Recreational vehicle parks in Strongs Prairie town

  • RV parks must follow DHS 175 and DHS 178 standards, which the ordinance adopts by reference; the developed campground standards apply to RV parks.
  • Section 6-3 is the recreational vehicle park section of the ordinance.

  “the standards and regulations applying to developed campgrounds shall apply to recreational vehicle parks under this ordinance.”

• Tiny homesAllowed (with conditions)

  Tiny homes (400 sq ft or less, built to state building code) on a lot or parcel of record in Strongs Prairie town

  • Requires a site plan under section 4-3.11 (6-4.01).
  • Requires adequate parking under section 7-3 and a suitable driveway meeting section 7-4.01 (6-4.02, 6-4.03).
  • Requires septic of adequate capacity for full-time residential use, reviewed by Adams County planning and zoning (6-4.04).
  • Requires structural certification for foundation and attachment (6-4.05).
  • Multiple tiny homes as a principal structure are not allowed on one lot unless by conditional use permit in an approved district (6-4.07).
  • Tiny home definition in section 2-2.143: 400 sq ft or less, built per state building code.

  maximum floor area: <= 400 square feet

  “6-4.01 a tiny home meeting the definition of section 2 shall be situated on a lot or parcel of record and shall be accompanied with a site plan as per section 4-3.11.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Limited — Tiny homes in the A-3 agricultural and low-density residential district of Strongs Prairie town

    “conditional uses. the following uses may be permitted after review and approval by the town zoning committee (see section 4-4.00 for application and review requirements). (a) uses listed in section 5-1.03(a) subject to the limitations of animal units and acreage of below. (b) tiny homes, as defined in 2-2.139,”

• Manufactured homesLimited

  Manufactured and mobile homes brought into or moved within Strongs Prairie town

  • Homes older than ten years from the present date are not allowed to be moved into the town without a variance.
  • Older inhabited homes may be moved to another location within the town if intended for future habitation; relocation requires a building permit.
  • Manufactured and mobile homes must meet HUD factory inspection standards (effective June 15, 1976) and require a HUD inspection by a certified inspector contracted by the town.
  • Mobile home parks are regulated separately in section 6-2.

  maximum age of home moved in: <= 10 years (without a variance)

  “3-8.00 residential building restrictions no conventionally built or manufactured home older than ten (10) years from the present date will be allowed to be moved into the town of strongs prairie without a variance”

• Accessory dwellingsLimited

  Tiny homes for farm hands or family workers in the A-1 exclusive agricultural district of Strongs Prairie town

  • Conditional use only; not guest houses.
  • Additional standards: term limit (sunset) of the farm hand use; renewal period typically 1 year; siting standards meeting section 3-8.00; approved septic system; removal and restoration provisions.
  • A separate parcel for an additional residence in A-1 requires 40,000 square feet per dwelling under section 5-1.03(b) (not otherwise opened).

  “(14) tiny homes for farm hands or family workers (not guest houses). additional standards for a conditional use shall be the following: a. term limit (sunset) of the farm hand use b. renewal period of the farm hand use (typically 1 year) c. siting standards meeting 3-8.00 d. approved septic system e. removal and restoration provisions”

• Driveway accessLimited

  Sites where a tiny home is located in Strongs Prairie town

  • Stated only for tiny home sites here; general driveway standards are in section 7-4 (7-4.01 not opened).

  “6-4.03 all sites where a tiny home is located shall provide for a suitable driveway, meeting the requirements of the driveway standards per section 7-4.01.”

Rules another office applies inside Town of Strongs Prairie

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

• Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

  New one- and two-family dwellings and manufactured homes inside Strongs Prairie town, under the state Uniform Dwelling Code (SPS 320-325)

  • The town zoning ordinance defines a tiny home as built in accordance with the state building code (section 2-2.143).
  • Section 6-4.09 requires built-on-site tiny homes to meet relevant building code and inspection requirements.
  • Which enforcement method the town uses (town inspector, state, or a delegated agent) was not established from the pages opened; the town building inspector page routes new builds to an outside website.

  “a permit under the udc is required for new one- and two-family dwelling units. this includes stick-built, modular, and manufactured home installations.”

• Who permits septicCounty (with conditions)

  Private onsite wastewater (septic) systems for land inside Strongs Prairie town

  • Scope is stated as district-specific because the county rule applies inside the town by its own adoption; the county's own geography enum does not include municipality-specific.
  • Section 3-1.02 of the town ordinance says the Adams County private onsite wastewater treatment system ordinance applies throughout the town.
  • The town page says septic is completed by a licensed plumber through Adams County planning and zoning.
  • The county POWTS ordinance itself was not opened; its permit, inspection and design terms are unverified.

  “septic is completed by a licensed plumber through adams county planning and zoning”

• Building in a floodplainLimited

  Development on land in a mapped floodplain inside Strongs Prairie town

  • The Adams County floodplain ordinance applies throughout the town under section 3-1.02.
  • Floodplain permit terms, mapped areas and standards were not opened.

  “in addition to this town of strongs prairie zoning ordinance, the following adams county ordinances shall apply throughout the town of strongs prairie: (a) (b) (c) (d) adams county shoreland protection ordinance adams county private onsite wastewater treatment system ordinance adams county floodplain ordinance”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption for building permits in Strongs Prairie town
• Minimum dwelling size — Minimum livable floor area for a single-family dwelling in Strongs Prairie town
• Camping on your land — Temporary camping on private land in Strongs Prairie town
• Septic inspection — Septic system inspection for homes in Strongs Prairie town
• Off-grid sanitation — Non-septic or off-grid sanitation (composting or other non-conventional toilets) for homes in Strongs Prairie town

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 Strongs Prairie 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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