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

Town of Tilden’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Buildings or structures 100 square feet or greater erected, built, constructed, or placed on land in Tilden.

  • Town permit must be obtained before the work.
  • A Town UDC-compliant permit satisfies Chapter 17 but does not relieve compliance with county, state, or other legal requirements.
  • Structures built or manufactured for sale by the landowner or tenant's building, manufacturing, and marketing business, and not permanently attached to the ground, are excluded.

  building-size threshold: >= 100 square feet (Chapter 17 new construction)

  “no person shall place, erect, build, construct, or otherwise cause or allow any building or structure that is 100 square feet or greater in size to be erected, built, constructed or placed upon any land in the town unless a building permit is obtained from the town.”

• Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

  Placement, construction, inspection, additions, and exterior-wall structural changes to one- and two-family dwellings in Tilden within Chapter 18's scope.

  • The stated scope is construction begun after June 1, 1980 and adoption of the ordinance.
  • The ordinance applies the adopted code only to buildings within that scope.

  “the scope of this ordinance includes the placement or construction and inspection of one and two family dwellings or any additions or exterior wall structural changes thereto where construction was begun after the effective date of june 1, 1980 and adoption of this ordinance.”

• InspectionsRequired

  One- and two-family dwelling construction and specified alterations within Chapter 18's scope in Tilden.

  • Inspector access is at reasonable times while covered building activities occur.
  • An inspection warrant may be sought if access is refused or the inspector is interfered with.

  “the building inspector shall be allowed to enter upon all premises in the town upon which building activities subject to this ordinance are occurring and may do so at all reasonable times to perform his or her duties hereunder.”

• Local zoningAbsent (with conditions)

  All land inside the Town of Tilden.

  • The Town states that its ordinances affect land use despite the absence of zoning.

  “there is no zoning in the town of tilden, however, the town does have ordinances that affect land use.”

• Zoning districtsNot published (with conditions)

  Zoning districts inside Tilden.

  • The Town reports it has no zoning; this finding does not negate non-zoning land-use ordinances.

  “there is no zoning in the town of tilden, however, the town does have ordinances that affect land use.”

• Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

  Manufactured homes as defined by Town Chapter 19, inside Tilden.

  • The definition also requires at least 20 feet in width and exclusive intended use as a single-family residence.
  • Other applicable Chapter 19 standards also apply.

  living-space area: >= 960 square feet (Manufactured-home definition) · width: >= 20 feet (Manufactured-home definition)

  “has an area of at least nine hundred sixty (960) square feet to living space, with a minimum of twenty (20) square feet in width and is used or intended to be used exclusively as a single family residence;”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  Lots created through subdivision of land in Tilden.

  • The remaining portion of the divided quarter-quarter section cannot be smaller than one acre.
  • The lot must have at least 150 feet of width at the building setback line.
  • At least one contiguous acre must be suitable for property improvements.
  • The rule applies to lots created by certified survey and subdivision plat lots.

  minimum lot size: >= 1 acre (Lots created by subdivision) · minimum width at building setback line: >= 150 feet (Lots created by subdivision)

  “any person may create one or more lots by subdivision of land provided that no lot created, nor any remaining portion of the quarter-quarter section so divided, shall be smaller than one (1) acres in size, and shall be at least one hundred fifty (150) feet in width at the building setback line.”

• Manufactured homesLimited

  Manufactured and mobile homes inside Tilden.

  • Outside a licensed mobile-home park, Town Building Inspector authorization is required before occupancy.
  • Mobile homes outside parks must be HUD certified, labeled, and less than 25 years old.
  • Outside parks, mobile homes require a one-acre minimum lot and only one mobile home per parcel; existing lots are grandfathered.
  • Any deviation may be appealed to the Town Planning Commission and acted on by the Town Board.

  minimum living area for manufactured home: >= 960 square feet (Definition of manufactured home) · minimum lot size outside mobile-home park: >= 1 acre (Existing lots are grandfathered) · maximum mobile homes outside mobile-home park: 1 mobile home per parcel

  “all mobile homes located on tracts of land in the town other than mobile home parks shall have a minimum lot size of one (1) acre of land and not more than one mobile home per parcel. existing lots of land shall be grandfathered.”

• Who permits septicCounty (with conditions)

  Mobile-home sites in mobile-home parks inside Tilden.

  • The ordinance alternatively recognizes state requirements.
  • All mobile homes within a park must be connected to approved water and septic systems.

  “each mobile home site shall have a septic system approved by the county, or state requirements and all mobile homes within a park must be connected to approved water and septic systems.”

• Mandatory utility hookupConditional

  Mobile homes located outside Tilden mobile-home parks.

  • Wheels and chassis, if any, must be removed.
  • The home must be permanently affixed to a foundation.
  • The rule includes private sanitary sewage, water, and electrical lines but is not a general public-utility availability rule.

  “all mobile homes sought to be located on tracts of land in the town other than in mobile home parks shall have wheels and chassis removed, if any, and shall be permanently affixed to a foundation and connected with utilities, including but not limited to private sanitary sewage, water, and electrical lines.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  All land divisions and plats inside Tilden.

  • Plats, preliminary plats, CSMs, and changes to CSMs must be approved and signed by the Town Board and may be referred to the Town Plan Commission.
  • Approval may be contingent on Town, county, state, and stormwater requirements.
  • Plats and CSMs must be filed with the Town Clerk with required stormwater plans.
  • Private or subdivision roads must meet Town highway and private-driveway standards.

  “this ordinance is applicable to all the land within the town of tilden, and to all divisions thereof.”

• Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

  Town building permits in Tilden.

  • The building-permit fee is set by Town Board resolution.
  • A portion goes to administrative costs.

  “the building permit fees shall be determined by resolution of the town board. a portion of the fee is to go for administrative costs.”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Town building-permit applications for dwellings within Chapter 18's scope in Tilden.

  • Application is obtained from a Town official designated by the board and completed by the applicant or agent.
  • After site inspection and no apparent discrepancies, nonconformities, or violations, the Town Chairman or designee may issue the permit.
  • If requirements are not met, the applicant may make changes or seek a variance at the next regular Plan Commission meeting.
  • Permit expires two years after issuance; one extension of no more than one year may be granted if the inspector determines the dwelling is substantially complete, with an additional fee.

  permit expiration: 2 years after issuance (One extension of no more than one year may be granted if substantially complete)

  “applications for town building permits are to be obtained from a town official, designated by the board, completed by the applicant or the applicant’s agent, and returned to the town chairman or his/her designee.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residences in Tilden.
• Certificate of occupancy — Building occupancy inside Tilden.
• Setbacks — Structures inside Tilden.
• Septic permit — Private onsite wastewater systems inside Tilden.
• Septic inspection — Private onsite wastewater systems inside Tilden.

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.