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

Town of Caledonia’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Construction, erection, alteration, enlargement, repair, movement, conversion, or demolition of a building, structure, or mechanical system inside the Town of Caledonia, Columbia County, Wisconsin.

  • The permit is issued when filing and fee requirements are satisfied and plans have been conditionally approved.
  • The ordinance expressly exempts re-siding, re-roofing, interior finishing, cabinetry installation, nonstructural repairs, and repairs deemed minor by the Building Inspector; a permit with structural load-bearing calculations is required if re-roofing creates a third or greater roofing layer.
  • Replacement one- and two-family dwelling equipment is exempt only when it does not extend or expand the system; normal HVAC, plumbing, and electrical repairs are also exempt.
  • Fees are established periodically by Town resolution; work begun before permit issuance has a double permit fee.
  • Other than Wisconsin Uniform Building Permits, a permit lapses if operations do not begin within six months or construction is not completed within 12 months; Wisconsin Uniform Building Permits expire after 24 months if the dwelling exterior is not completed in accordance with Wis. Admin. Code SPS 320.09(9)(a).

  “no owner or contractor may construct [...] or demolish any building, structure or mechanical system until a valid permit is obtained from a Municipal Building Inspector.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside the Town of Caledonia, Columbia County, Wisconsin, where the town board has adopted the Columbia County Zoning Code.

  • A rezoning applicant must apply to both the Town of Caledonia and Columbia County Planning and Zoning.
  • The county code applies only in portions of unincorporated Columbia County where the associated town board has adopted that chapter.
  • All land uses and development activities must also comply with applicable town, county, state, and federal regulations; the more restrictive regulation prevails.

  “The Columbia County Zoning Ordinance [...] is in effect within 19 of the 21 unincorporated Towns including the Town of Caledonia.”

• Who permits septicCounty (with conditions)

  Private sewage systems and non-plumbing sanitation systems inside the Town of Caledonia, Columbia County, Wisconsin.

  • Columbia County's private-sewage ordinance applies to all lands within Columbia County.
  • Every private sewage system requires a separate application and sanitary permit before installation, replacement, reconnection, or modification.
  • A sanitary permit is not required for adding manhole risers or replacing manhole covers, manhole risers, filters, baffles, or pumps.
  • A County Sanitary Permit is required before constructing, installing, replacing, or modifying a non-plumbing sanitation system.
  • If a private sewage system has failed or requires replacement or modification, the entire system must be evaluated for compliance before permit issuance; this includes soil and site evaluation for components using in situ soil unless a valid report is already on file with the Department.

  “Jurisdiction of this ordinance shall include all lands within Columbia County, including the lands within the corporate limits of the cities and villages of Columbia County.”

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.