Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Buffalo City, Wisconsin

Buffalo City’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Erecting buildings inside Buffalo City city

  • § 30-1 sets a $1000 cost threshold for building, plumbing or electrical work.
  • The inspector may authorize minor repairs valued under $100 without a permit (§ 30-8(f)).
  • Plan filing may be waived for alterations, repairs or moving costing $2,000 or less (§ 30-8(d)).
  • Permit lapses if work is not started within six months or completed within one year (§ 30-3).
  • Text is the 2014 version of Ch. 30.

  permit cost threshold: > 1000 USD (minor repairs under $100 may be authorized without a permit)

  “no building or any part thereof shall hereafter be erected within the city of buffalo city or ground broken for the same, except as hereinafter provided, until a permit therefor shall first have been obtained from the building inspector by the owner, or his authorized agent.”

• Building code adoptedPartial

  Building and electrical work inside Buffalo City city

  • Ch. 30 (2014 version) adopts the Wisconsin state electrical code by reference and requires plans for buildings subject to the state building code to carry Department of Commerce approval; no local adoption of a model residential code was found.
  • Ch. 30 is a 2014 copy; the Department of Commerce is now the Department of Safety and Professional Services, so references may be outdated.

  “all electrical work, including the placing of wires and other equipment, shall conform to the wisconsin state electrical code, ch. comm 16, wis. adm. code, and amendments and revisions adopted to date, which is hereby made by reference a part of this chapter.”

• InspectionsRequired

  Permitted buildings inside Buffalo City city

  • Under § 30-7 the common council or a committee it appoints performs the building inspector's functions.
  • Final inspection of all new buildings and alterations after completion.

  “it shall be the duty of the common council or a committee appointed thereby to exercise the functions of the building inspector as set forth in this chapter.”

• Local zoningPresent

  All land inside Buffalo City city limits (Buffalo County, WI)

  • Ordinance history states adoption 10-8-1969 by Ord. No. 61; amended through Aug 2025 per city site.
  • Administered with a board of appeals; building permits approved by the building committee of the common council.

  “for the purposes of this chapter, the city of buffalo city, wisconsin, is hereby divided in four districts, as follows:”

• Zoning districtsPublished

  Zoning districts inside Buffalo City city

  • Boundaries are shown on the 'district map, city of buffalo city, wisconsin,' dated October 8, 1969, kept by the city clerk; the map itself was not opened.

  districts: residential; agricultural; commercial; industrial

  “(1) residential district. (2) agricultural district. (3) commercial district. (4) industrial district.”

• Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

  Residential district, Buffalo City city

  • Per family.

  minimum main floor area per family: >= 1000 sq ft · minimum width of dwelling: >= 20 ft

  “(7) minimum main floor area per family: 1,000 square feet.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — Agricultural district, dwellings for human habitation, Buffalo City city

    “and floor area per family shall be the same as required in the residential district by § 3505 of this chapter and any amendments thereto;”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  Residential district, Buffalo City city

  • Per family.
  • Lots of record smaller than this at ordinance passage may be occupied by one family subject to yard rules and Comm 85 lot area (§ 350-4(b)(2)).

  minimum lot area per family: >= 15000 sq ft

  “(6) minimum lot area per family: 15,000 square feet.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — Agricultural district, dwellings for human habitation, Buffalo City city

    “the lot area [...] and floor area per family shall be the same as required in the residential district by § 3505 of this chapter and any amendments thereto;”

• SetbacksSpecified

  Residential district, Buffalo City city

  • Corner lots: front and side yard setbacks each 25 feet.
  • Accessory buildings 3 feet from each side; private garages 15 feet each side.

  front yard setback: >= 25 ft · side yard, principal building: 15 ft least width; 40 ft total · rear yard, principal dwelling: >= 25 ft (accessory building 3 ft; private garage 25 ft or 10 ft with alley access)

  “(3) minimum front yard setback: 25 feet, including accessory buildings and private garages.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — Agricultural district, buildings other than farm residences, Buffalo City city

    “no farm buildings, other than a farm residence, shall be erected closer than 200 feet from the lot line of any adjoining landowner without the prior written consent of said landowner;”

• Building heightSpecified

  Agricultural district, buildings for human habitation, Buffalo City city

  • Same as the residential district (35 ft).
  • Accessory-building height limits do not apply on farms of 10 or more acres (§ 350-4(a)(7)(c)).

  maximum building height: <= 35 ft (by reference to residential district)

  “for buildings hereafter erected for human habitation the height of buildings, setbacks, the minimum dimensions of yards, the lot area”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — Residential district, Buffalo City city

    “(1) maximum building height: 35 feet. [see § 350-4a(7) for maximum height of accessory buildings.]”

• Manufactured homesAllowed (with conditions)

  Manufactured homes as one-family dwellings in the residential district (and the agricultural district, which allows residence-district uses) inside Buffalo City city

  • A manufactured home must be certified under 42 U.S.C. 5401-5426, set on an enclosed foundation per Wis. Stat. 70.043(1) or a comparable foundation approved by the common council, installed per manufacturer instructions and connected to utilities.
  • Mobile homes (not meeting that definition) and mobile home parks are handled separately (Ch. 190; board of appeals approves parks).

  “one-family dwellings. "one-family dwelling" includes a manufactured home.”

• Building in a floodplainRequired

  Building or remodeling in the flood fringe portion of the floodplain inside Buffalo City city

  • Incomplete applications are not considered.
  • All applications for building permits are subject to approval by the building committee of the common council.
  • Must comply with Wis. Admin. Code ch. NR 116.
  • Ch. 112 (floodplain and shoreland-wetland zoning) not opened.

  “any person applying for a building permit to construct or remodel a building or other improvement on property located in the flood fringe portion of the floodplain shall submit with the application for a building permit an hydrologic and hydraulic study which shall be prepared by a registered, professional engineer”

• Permit processPartial

  Building permit applications inside Buffalo City city

  • Two complete sets of plans with a plot plan; one set stays on file with the clerk.
  • Fees paid to the city treasurer before the permit issues; fee amounts not found.
  • Building permit applications in the flood fringe require an engineer's hydrologic and hydraulic study and approval by the building committee of the common council (§ 350-4(j)).

  “application for a building permit shall be made in writing upon a form furnished by the building inspector”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Buffalo City or Buffalo County directly.

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption inside Buffalo City city
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy inside Buffalo City city
• Lot coverage — Lot coverage inside Buffalo City city
• Living in an RV — RV occupancy inside Buffalo City city
• Camping on your land — Temporary camping inside Buffalo City city

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.