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

Town of Lakeland’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Nearly all construction projects inside Lakeland town.

  • The town's page says building permits are required for nearly all construction projects; construction exemptions were not listed.
  • Contact the town building inspector before beginning a project.

  “despite the town not having local zoning, building permits are required for nearly all construction projects.”

• InspectionsLimited

  Construction projects inside Lakeland town that need a town building permit.

  • The town's page does not state that every phase is inspected. It says the building inspector gives guidance on the project's phases, and the town building inspector is Scott Schiefelbein of Independent Inspections (715-354-3963).

  “the inspector will provide guidance to the property owner regarding the various phases of the project.”

• Local zoningAbsent (with conditions)

  Land inside Lakeland town's limits that is not within 1,000 feet of a shoreline or 300 feet of a creek: the town has no zoning ordinance of its own.

  • The town states it is currently unzoned, with the exception of property within 1,000 feet of a shoreline or within 300 feet of a creek, which falls under county zoning (see the county-zoning claim for that exception).
  • The town page advises contacting the Barron County Zoning Office at 715-537-6375 to confirm whether a property has land-use restrictions.

  “the town of lakeland is currently unzoned with the exception of property that lies within 1,000 feet of a shoreline or within 300 feet of a creek; those properties fall under county zoning.”

• Zoning districtsNot published (with conditions)

  Lakeland town as a whole; no town zoning districts exist. Parcels within 1,000 feet of a shoreline or 300 feet of a creek fall under county zoning districts instead.

  • County zoning districts for shoreline and creek parcels were not opened in this research.

  “the town of lakeland is currently unzoned with the exception of property that lies within 1,000 feet of a shoreline or within 300 feet of a creek; those properties fall under county zoning.”

• Minimum dwelling sizeNone

  Dwellings inside Lakeland town, excluding parcels within 1,000 feet of a shoreline or 300 feet of a creek.

  • No town zoning, so no town minimum floor area was found.
  • The state Uniform Dwelling Code applies to new one- and two-family dwellings (see building-code-adoption claim).

  “the town of lakeland is currently unzoned with the exception of property that lies within 1,000 feet of a shoreline or within 300 feet of a creek; those properties fall under county zoning.”

• Minimum lot sizeNone

  Single-family residential land inside Lakeland town, excluding parcels within 1,000 feet of a shoreline or 300 feet of a creek (those fall under county zoning). No town district exists, so there is no main residential or agricultural district figure.

  • Town states it has no local zoning, so no town lot-size rule was found.
  • Septic and well rules still apply (see those claims).

  “the town of lakeland is currently unzoned with the exception of property that lies within 1,000 feet of a shoreline or within 300 feet of a creek; those properties fall under county zoning.”

• SetbacksNone

  Lots inside Lakeland town, excluding parcels within 1,000 feet of a shoreline or 300 feet of a creek (county zoning applies to those).

  • No town zoning setbacks were found. Shoreline and creek parcels are under Barron County zoning, whose setbacks were not verified here.

  “the town of lakeland is currently unzoned with the exception of property that lies within 1,000 feet of a shoreline or within 300 feet of a creek; those properties fall under county zoning.”

• Lot coverageNone

  Lots inside Lakeland town, excluding parcels within 1,000 feet of a shoreline or 300 feet of a creek.

  • No town zoning, so no town lot-coverage limit was found.

  “the town of lakeland is currently unzoned with the exception of property that lies within 1,000 feet of a shoreline or within 300 feet of a creek; those properties fall under county zoning.”

• Building heightNone

  Structures inside Lakeland town, excluding parcels within 1,000 feet of a shoreline or 300 feet of a creek.

  • No town zoning, so no town height limit was found.

  “the town of lakeland is currently unzoned with the exception of property that lies within 1,000 feet of a shoreline or within 300 feet of a creek; those properties fall under county zoning.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Land divisions and changes to parcels inside Lakeland town.

  • Approval by the town plan commission first, then final approval by the town board.
  • The town's land division handbook and fee schedule are linked from the town page but were not opened.

  “the town of lakeland has a land division ordinance which involves approval by the town plan commission and final approval by the town board.”

• Driveway accessRequired

  New driveways and modifications to existing driveways inside Lakeland town.

  • No driveway may be installed until an issued driveway permit is received.
  • The town chair reviews the application, may visit the site, and decides whether a culvert is required, with minimum diameter stated on the approval.
  • Driveway permit application sketch goes to the Town Clerk with the $25 fee.

  “permits are required for all new driveways and modifications to existing driveways.”

• Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

  Driveway permit fee only, inside Lakeland town. No published building-permit fee schedule was found.

  • Driveway permit application and $25 fee are sent to the Town Clerk, Danielle Maxwell-Parker, PO Box 28, Barronett, WI 54813.
  • Building permit and land division fees were not verified in this research (a land division fee schedule link exists on the town page but was not opened).

  driveway permit fee: 25 USD

  “applications, sketches, and $25 permit fee are to be sent to the town clerk and fee payable to the town of lakeland.”

• Permit processPartial

  Building permits for nearly all construction inside Lakeland town.

  • The town page says complete project details must be supplied to the building inspector, who guides the owner through each phase.
  • Written application forms and fee schedule for building permits were not found on the page.

  “the town building inspector must be contacted prior to beginning a project.”

Rules another office applies inside Town of Lakeland

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

• Who permits septicCounty (with conditions)

  Private onsite wastewater (septic) systems on land inside Lakeland town. Barron County administers the sanitary permit for them, through its zoning office.

  • The county's sanitary permit form includes a responsibility statement: the undersigned assumes responsibility for the POWTS activity for which the permit is issued.
  • The county ordinance text (the POWTS chapter) was not located in this research.

  “submit completed application to the barron county zoning office to obtain permit”

• Septic permitRequired

  Private onsite wastewater (septic) and other sanitary systems on land inside Lakeland town, permitted by the Barron County Zoning Office.

  • Applications are submitted to the Barron County Zoning Office; the form says allow 2-5 days to process.
  • The form covers new systems, replacements and other sanitary devices, and a responsibility statement for the installer or owner.

  “please allow 2-5 days to process application”

• Off-grid sanitationLimited

  Non-sewered sanitary facilities on land inside Lakeland town, such as pit privies and other sanitary devices listed on the county permit form.

  • The county form lists pit privies, which require a soil boring report from a certified soil tester.
  • Other off-grid options were not confirmed; permit is required through the Barron County Zoning Office.

  “privy – pit (requires soil boring report from a cst)”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builders of dwellings inside Lakeland town.
• Certificate of occupancy — Completed dwellings inside Lakeland town.
• Septic inspection — Private onsite wastewater systems inside Lakeland town.
• Well permit — Private wells on land inside Lakeland town.
• Mandatory utility hookup — New homes inside Lakeland town: whether public water or sewer must be connected.

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 Lakeland 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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