Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Town of Clinton, Wisconsin

Town of Clinton’s own rules

• InspectionsLimited

  Excavation or construction inside the Town of Clinton.

  • The County list directs the person to contact the listed UDC inspector before excavation or construction; it does not specify inspection stages or a final-inspection rule.

  “In addition to contacting the Barron County Zoning Office regarding a land use permit, the UDC inspector listed below must be contacted prior to the start of any excavation or construction. [...] TOWN OF CLINTON”

• Driveway accessRequired

  New or proposed driveway access inside the Town of Clinton.

  • The Town directs applicants to call the Town Shop to arrange an on-site appointment.
  • The published permit cost is $35.

  driveway permit fee: 35 USD

  “All application forms must be completed and submitted to the Town Shop, Greta White, or the Town Clerk, Cassie Robinson, for approval. [...] Driveway Permit [...] Call the town shop at 715-418-3092 to set up an appointment to meet at the site. The cost is $35.”

• Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

  Town driveway permits inside the Town of Clinton.

  • This published amount is for a driveway permit only; no comprehensive Town fee schedule was located.

  driveway permit fee: 35 USD

  “Driveway Permit Call the town shop at 715-418-3092 to set up an appointment to meet at the site. The cost is $35.”

Rules another office applies inside Town of Clinton

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

• Building permitRequired

  Construction, additions, and alterations of the listed structures inside the Town of Clinton under its adopted County Land Use Ordinance.

  • The County identifies homes, garages, sheds, decks, fences, stairways, boathouse storage structures, signs, and antennas as examples.
  • A sanitary permit must be on file before a land-use permit for a home; the permit is valid for one year from issue.

  “A Land Use Permit is required for construction, additions and alterations of structures such as homes, garages, sheds, decks, fences, stairways, boathouse storage structures, signs and antennas.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside the Town of Clinton, where the Town has adopted the Barron County Land Use Ordinance; administration is by Barron County rather than a Town-authored zoning ordinance.

  • The cited County plan identifies the Town as one of the towns that adopted the County Land Use Ordinance and states that acreage in the Town was rezoned from AG-2 to A-1.

  “The table below illustrates which Towns, or areas of Towns, are subject to comprehensive land use regulations (General County Zoning), and are therefore subject to all sections of this chapter. [...] Clinton X 10/10/00 10/10/00”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  New parcels created through land division inside the Town of Clinton.

  • The County says standards may vary by zoning district, municipal ordinances, sanitary-district inclusion, and road-access issues.
  • The stated minimum is for land-division review, not a substitute for confirmation of the parcel's district requirements.

  minimum net lot area: >= 1 acre (General land-division standard; standards may vary.) · minimum lot width: >= 150 feet (General land-division standard; standards may vary.)

  “Lot size minimums are 1 acre (net) with 150 feet of width. HOWEVER, standards may vary depending on Zoning District, applicable municipal ordinances, inclusion in sanitary districts, or issues such as road access.”

• Who permits septicCounty (with conditions)

  Private sewage and non-plumbing sanitation systems inside the Town of Clinton.

  • The County office issues both State and County sanitary permits.
  • A soil evaluation is required before sanitary-permit issuance.

  sanitary permit validity: 2 years (Renewable for similar periods before expiration.)

  “The Barron County Zoning Office issues State and County Sanitary Permits for the installation of private sewage systems and non-plumbing sanitation systems. The Sanitary Permit is valid for 2 years from the date of issue and is renewable for similar periods thereafter prior to the expiration date of the permit.”

• Septic permitRequired

  Installation of a private sewage system inside the Town of Clinton.

  • A soil evaluation must be performed before issuance.
  • The permit is also required before issuance of a County land-use permit.

  “A Soil Evaluation shall be done on a site prior to the issuance of a Sanitary Permit [...] A Sanitary Permit is required prior to the installation of a private sewage system. [...] A Sanitary Permit is required prior to the issuance of a Land Use Permit.”

• Off-grid sanitationLimited

  Non-plumbing sanitation systems inside the Town of Clinton.

  • A County sanitary permit is required.
  • The permit is valid for two years and may be renewed for similar periods before expiry.
  • A soil evaluation is required before permit issuance.

  “The Barron County Zoning Office issues State and County Sanitary Permits for the installation of private sewage systems and non-plumbing sanitation systems. The Sanitary Permit is valid for 2 years from the date of issue and is renewable for similar periods thereafter prior to the expiration date of the permit.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Land divisions inside the Town of Clinton, an unincorporated Barron County town.

  • Any recorded instrument creating a new parcel or reconfigured boundary requires County Zoning Office review and approval before recording.
  • A professional land surveyor is needed when a Certified Survey Map or plat is required.
  • State review is required for plats.

  CSM-or-plat trigger: <= 19 acres (In general; depends on lot size and number of lots.)

  “The land division requirements and standards of the Land Use Ordinance apply for all unincorporated areas of Barron County. In these areas, any recorded document which creates a new parcel or a reconfigured parcel boundary must be reviewed and approved by the Zoning Office prior to recording.”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  County land-use permitting for construction inside the Town of Clinton under its adopted County Land Use Ordinance.

  • Application information includes the legal description, parcel size, structure size and estimated value, and a sketch with lot lines, roads, setbacks, and the existing or proposed sanitary system.
  • For a home, a sanitary permit must be on file before the land-use permit is obtained.
  • A land-use permit is valid one year from issue.

  “A Sanitary Permit must be on file with the Zoning Office prior to obtaining a Land Use Permit for a home. * Please Note: A Land Use Permit is Valid For 1 Year From the Date of Issue.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residential work inside the Town of Clinton.
• Building code adopted — Residential construction inside the Town of Clinton.
• Certificate of occupancy — Occupancy of completed construction inside the Town of Clinton.
• Minimum dwelling size — Dwellings inside the Town of Clinton.
• Setbacks — Structures inside the Town of Clinton.

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 Clinton 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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