Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Town of Blue Mounds, Wisconsin

Town of Blue Mounds’s own rules

• Building permitLimited

  Projects inside Blue Mounds town for which a Uniform Dwelling Permit is required under the town ordinance.

  • The town application states that a Uniform Dwelling Permit may be required.
  • Applicants are directed to contact the town building inspector before starting the project.

  “IMPORTANT: A Uniform Dwelling Permit may also be required for your project per Town of Blue Mounds ordinance.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside Blue Mounds town, Wisconsin.

  • The town system took effect January 1, 2018.
  • Dane County continues to administer shoreland zoning permits in all towns.

  “This towns has now established it's own system of zoning and land use administration, which went into effect on January 1, 2018.”

• Driveway accessRequired

  Land-use permit projects inside Blue Mounds town that require driveway access.

  • The issuing authority depends on road jurisdiction: town, Dane County, or state/federal highway.
  • A driveway longer than 125 feet requires a Dane County Land & Water Resources erosion-control permit.

  driveway length requiring erosion-control permit: > 125 feet (Dane County Land & Water Resources permit.)

  “Driveway permit from Town, County or State. [...] Construction of a driveway more than 125 feet long.”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Land-use permit applications inside Blue Mounds town.

  • A land-use permit is required before a town building permit.
  • Other agency permits may be needed before issuance.
  • A Jurisdiction Review Form should be submitted, reviewed, and submitted with the application.

  new-building threshold: > 120 square feet (Land-use permits are also required for modifications or expansions of existing structures.)

  “A Land Use Permit is required prior to obtaining a Town Building Permit. [...] A Jurisdiction Review Form should be submitted, reviewed and submitted along with the Land Use Permit application”

Rules another office applies inside Town of Blue Mounds

Town of Blue Mounds 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 septicMixed (with conditions)

  Private septic systems inside Blue Mounds town; the town is in Dane County, and Public Health Madison & Dane County provides services to people living in Dane County.

  • Dane County Chapter 46 applies to all lands and waters within Dane County except as otherwise provided by Wisconsin Statutes.
  • The health agency issues permits and conducts inspections.

  “We work with you to: Review septic designs Issue permits Inspect system construction Oversee required septic inspections and maintenance”

• Septic permitRequired

  Private sewage systems inside Blue Mounds town, under Dane County Chapter 46, which applies to all lands and waters within Dane County.

  • A valid sanitary permit is required before installing, repairing, modifying, extending, enlarging, converting, reconnecting, or structurally altering a private sewage system or component.
  • Emergency work may proceed without a prior permit only if reported by the next working day, inspections are completed as soon as practicable, and the application is completed within 10 working days.

  “No person shall install, repair, modify, extend, enlarge, convert, reconnect or structurally alter a private sewage system or any component thereof unless the owner of the property on which the private sewage system is located holds a valid sanitary permit.”

• Septic inspectionRequired

  Private septic systems inside Blue Mounds town, as systems in Dane County.

  • State and county law requires an inspection every three years for most systems.
  • If an inspection finds combined scum and sludge at one-third or more of tank capacity, pumping is also required.

  inspection interval: per 3 years (most systems)

  “Inspection frequency. State and county law requires an inspection every three years for most systems. If that inspection finds the tank(s) to be 1/3rd or more full with combined scum and sludge, the tank(s) also need to be pumped.”

• Off-grid sanitationLimited

  Non-plumbing sanitation systems and privies inside Blue Mounds town, under Dane County Chapter 46.

  • The owner must obtain a county sanitary permit before installing a privy or similar device regulated under Wisconsin Administrative Code Chapter SPS 391.
  • A structure served solely by a privy cannot contain plumbing or be connected to a water supply.

  “Structures served solely by a privy shall not contain any plumbing and shall not be connected to a water supply. The property owner must obtain a county sanitary permit before installing any privy or similar device regulated by Ch. SPS 391, Wis. Admin. Code.”

• Well permitRequired

  Private wells built inside Blue Mounds town, which is in Dane County.

  • A well location permit from Public Health Madison & Dane County is required before construction.
  • A Wisconsin DNR well construction permit is also needed.

  “Before you build a well, you are required to get a well location permit. [...] You also need a well construction permit from the DNR.”

• Mandatory utility hookupConditional

  Buildings intended for human habitation or occupancy inside Blue Mounds town, under Dane County Chapter 46.

  • A building with, or required to have, plumbing fixtures must have an approved domestic-sewage treatment and disposal method.
  • The approved method may be public sewer, private sewage system, or another method approved by the division.
  • A private sewage system may be constructed only when public sewer is not available to the property served.

  “Private sewage systems or other treatment tank and effluent disposal systems may be constructed when no public sewer is available to the property to be served.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residential work inside Blue Mounds town.
• Building code adopted — Building-code adoption for construction inside Blue Mounds town.
• Inspections — Building inspections for construction inside Blue Mounds town.
• Certificate of occupancy — Occupancy of structures inside Blue Mounds town.
• Zoning districts — Zoning districts inside Blue Mounds 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.