Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Thorp, Wisconsin

Thorp’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Erecting, enlarging, altering, moving or demolishing buildings inside Thorp city

  • Permit is obtained from the clerk-treasurer
  • Exempt: any alteration of a building that does not exceed a cost of $10,000, and other exemptions listed in the section
  • Razing also needs a permit from the public works director
  • Work started before a permit is issued is charged double fees

  alteration exemption cost: <= 10000 USD

  “the following are exempt from this general permit requirement: a) any alteration of a building that does not exceed a cost of $10,000;”

• Building code adoptedAdopted

  One- and two-family dwellings (and detached garages serving them) inside Thorp city

  • Also adopts chapters ILHR 50-64 (Wisconsin state building code) for the classes of buildings the chapter covers
  • The city building inspector must be state-certified

  “the scope of this ordinance includes the construction and inspection of one- and two-family dwellings, and any additions or alterations thereto.”

• Local zoningPresent

  Land inside Thorp city limits; the city adopts and administers its own zoning ordinance (Title 12)

  • Districts: R1, R3, C1, C2, IL, IG and UT urban transitional
  • Code page on the city site was last updated 10-02-2022; later amendments may not be reflected

  “for the purpose and administration of this ordinance, the city of thorp, wisconsin, is hereby organized into the following districts:”

• Zoning districtsPublished

  Zoning districts inside Thorp city

  • Zoning map dated June 26, 2012 is on file with the zoning administrator

  “r1 = one-family residential r3 = multiple-family residential district (b) commercial districts: c1 = central business district c2 = highway commercial district (c) industrial districts: il = light industrial ig = general industrial (d) urban transitional district: sec. 12-3-2 ut”

• Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

  Single-family dwellings in the one-family residential district (R1) inside Thorp city

  • Dwelling must be on a permanent foundation meeting the state uniform dwelling code
  • The passage sits in the one-family residential section; the R1 label was inferred from section order

  minimum living space: >= 1000 square feet · minimum average width: >= 20 feet

  “shall have a minimum of 1000 square feet of living space and a minimum average width of 20 feet.”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  Multiple-family residential district (R3) inside Thorp city

  • Minimum lot area per dwelling unit is 2,200 square feet
  • R3 label inferred from section order

  minimum lot area: >= 10000 square feet · minimum lot area per dwelling unit: >= 2200 square feet · minimum lot width: >= 100 feet

  “minimum lot area: 10,000 square feet (minimum lot area per dwelling unit shall be 2,200 square feet). b. minimum lot width: 100 feet.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — One-family residential district (R1) inside Thorp city

    “a. minimum lot area: 10,000 square feet. b. minimum lot width: 100 feet.”

• SetbacksSpecified

  One-family residential district (R1) inside Thorp city

  • Established front yards may use the average existing front yard where 40 percent or more of the frontage is developed (Sec. 12-3-5)
  • R1 label inferred from section order

  front yard: >= 30 feet · side yard, principal building: >= 8 feet · side yard, accessory building: >= 3 feet · rear yard, principal building: >= 25 feet · rear yard, accessory building: >= 5 feet

  “c. front yard setback: 30 feet. d. side yard setback for principal building: 8 feet. e. side yard setback for accessory building: 3 feet. f. rear yard setback for principal building: 25 feet. g. rear yard setback for accessory building: 5 feet.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — Multiple-family residential district (R3) inside Thorp city

    “c. front yard setback: 30 feet. d. side yard setback for principal building: 8 feet. e. side yard setback for accessory building: 3 feet. f. rear yard setback: 5 feet.”

• Building heightSpecified

  One-family residential district (R1) inside Thorp city

  • R1 label inferred from section order

  maximum building height: <= 35 feet

  “g. rear yard setback for accessory building: 5 feet. h. maximum building height: 35 feet.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — Multiple-family residential district (R3) inside Thorp city

    “f. rear yard setback: 5 feet. g. maximum building height: 45 feet.”

• Septic inspectionRequired

  Installation of private wastewater disposal systems inside Thorp city

  • Permittee must notify the city before underground portions are covered
  • City inspection is made within 48 hours of notice

  inspection response time: <= 48 hours

  “the inspection shall be made within forty-eight hours of the receipt of notice by the city.”

• Off-grid sanitationLimited

  Privies, vaults, septic tanks and cesspools inside Thorp city

  • Private wastewater systems are allowed only where public sewer is not available and with a Clark County permit

  “except as provided in this section, it shall be unlawful to construct or maintain any privy, vault, septic tank, cesspool or other facility intended or used for the disposal of wastewater.”

• Mandatory utility hookupSewer (with conditions)

  Buildings used for human occupancy abutting a street, alley or right-of-way with a public sanitary sewer inside Thorp city

  • Connect within 90 days after official notice
  • Applies when the public sewer is within 100 feet of the property line
  • Connection is at the owner's expense
  • Water connection requirement not located

  distance to sewer: <= 100 feet · connection deadline after notice: 90 days

  “within ninety days after date of official notice to do so; provided that said public sewer is within one hundred feet of the property line.”

Rules another office applies inside Thorp

Thorp 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

  Private wastewater (septic) systems inside Thorp city; Clark County zoning administrator issues the permit and the city consents to county enforcement inside the city

  • Applies only where public sewer is not available
  • The city also inspects installation (Sec. 8-1-3)
  • Rule-maker is Clark County (county:55019); recorded with authority_kind other because the schema does not allow county with municipality-specific geography

  “the city expressly consents to the enforcement of such laws by the clark county zoning administrator, and other clark county officials within the city.”

• Septic permitRequired

  New private wastewater disposal systems inside Thorp city

  • Owner must also comply with the then-applicable Clark County sanitary laws
  • Private systems are allowed only where public sewer is unavailable
  • Rule-maker is Clark County (county:55019)

  “before commencement of construction of a private wastewater disposal system, the owner shall first obtain a written permit signed by the clark county zoning administrator and comply with the then-applicable clark county sanitary laws.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builders inside Thorp city
• Inspections — Construction inspections inside Thorp city
• Certificate of occupancy — Occupancy certificates inside Thorp city
• Lot coverage — Residential districts inside Thorp city
• Living in an RV — RV occupancy inside Thorp 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.