Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Town of Rice Lake, Wisconsin

Town of Rice Lake’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Construction inside Rice Lake town.

  • Contact the Building Inspector.

  “Permits are required for burning, construction, driveways, and utility excavation.”

• Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

  New one- and two-family dwellings inside Rice Lake town.

  • The ordinance is described as being adopted under Wis. Stat. § 101.65 and must meet the one- and two-family dwelling code requirements.

  “This ordinance is adopted pursuant to the authority under Wisconsin Statutes 101.65 which allows towns to exercise jurisdiction over the construction and inspection of new dwellings by passage of ordinances, provided such ordinances meet the requirements of the one- and two-family dwelling code.”

• Who permits septicCounty (with conditions)

  Private sewage and non-plumbing sanitation systems inside Rice Lake town.

  • Barron County Zoning Office issues both state and county sanitary permits.

  “The Barron County Zoning Office issues State and County Sanitary Permits for the installation of private sewage systems and non-plumbing sanitation systems.”

• Septic permitRequired

  Installation of a private sewage system inside Rice Lake town.

  • A soil evaluation is required before issuance. The permit is valid for two years and is renewable for similar periods before expiration. A sanitary permit is required before a land-use permit.

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

  “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.”

• Septic inspectionRequired

  Private sewage systems inside Rice Lake town.

  • Applies to owners participating in Barron County's private sewage system maintenance and management program.
  • Pumping is required within 36 months of installation and at least every 36 months thereafter, or when sludge reaches one-third of liquid capacity.

  maintenance interval: <= 36 months (Earlier when sludge level reaches one-third of liquid capacity.)

  “This program requires that your septic tank (and filter if applicable) be inspected and pumped if necessary.”

• Off-grid sanitationLimited

  Non-plumbing sanitation systems inside Rice Lake town.

  • A Barron County sanitary permit is required; soil evaluation is required before issuance; permit validity is two years and renewable 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.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Land divisions and subdivisions inside Rice Lake town.

  • The ordinance states that requirements are minimum requirements. Plat and certified-survey-map applications are subject to town review and approval procedures.

  “in their interpretation and application, the provisions of this chapter shall be minimum requirements and shall be liberally construed in favor of the town”

• Driveway accessRequired

  Driveways inside Rice Lake town.

  • Submit a driveway permit application to the Town Chairman or Clerk/Treasurer's office.

  “Permits are required for burning, construction, driveways, and utility excavation.”

• Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

  Town permits and municipal fees inside Rice Lake town.

  • The official page identifies Resolution 23-107 as the most current fee schedule and states it was adopted July 10, 2023.

  “the town of rice lake has adopted a resolution establishing current fees.”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Construction, driveway, short-term-rental, and utility-excavation permits inside Rice Lake town.

  • Construction permits require contacting the Building Inspector; driveway applications go to the Chairman or Clerk/Treasurer; short-term-rental applications and utility-excavation permits go to the Clerk/Treasurer.

  “Building Permits – contact the Building Inspector Driveway Permit Applications – contact Chairman, or Clerk/Treasurer’s office Short Term Rental Property Application - contact Clerk/Treasurer’s office Utility Excavation Permits – contact Clerk/Treasurer’s office”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built dwellings inside Rice Lake town.
• Certificate of occupancy — Occupancy of buildings inside Rice Lake town.
• Local zoning — Land inside Rice Lake town.
• Zoning districts — Zoning districts inside Rice Lake town.
• Minimum dwelling size — Dwellings inside Rice Lake 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 Rice Lake 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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