Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Village of Shorewood Hills, Wisconsin

Village of Shorewood Hills’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Building, additions and alterations over $500 in any 12 months inside Shorewood Hills village

  • Permit required for alterations exceeding $500 value in any 12 month period.
  • Structural changes or major mechanical extensions require permits.
  • Exempt: restoration or repair to previous code-compliant condition; finishing of interior surfaces and installation of cabinetry.
  • Permit lapses if operations not begun within 6 months or not completed within 12 months; Wisconsin uniform building permits expire 24 months after issuance if the exterior is not completed.

  alteration value threshold: > 500 USD per 12 months

  “no person shall alter, in excess of $500 value in any 12 month period, build, or add onto any building within the scope of this chapter without first obtaining a building permit for such work from the building inspector.”

• Building code adoptedAdopted

  New buildings and additions or modifications to existing buildings in Shorewood Hills village

  • Adopts Wis. Admin. Code chs. SPS 320-325 (Uniform Dwelling Code), SPS 316, SPS 361-366 commercial, SPS 381-387 plumbing, with future amendments.
  • Village is a certified municipality under SPS 361.60 for commercial plan review.

  “the following chapters of the wisconsin administrative code, and all subsequent future amendments, modifications, and revisions are adopted and incorporated by reference and shall apply to all new buildings and additions or modifications to existing buildings within the village.”

• Local zoningPresent

  All land within the corporate limits of Shorewood Hills village

  • A zoning permit is required for any new structure, new use or change of use, with full compliance with local, county and state regulations.

  “the jurisdiction of this chapter shall apply to all structures, lands, water and air within the corporate limits of the village of shorewood hills.”

• Zoning districtsPublished

  Zoning districts of Shorewood Hills village

  • Districts: R-1, R-2, R-3 single-family; R-4 multiple-family; C-1, C-2, C-3 commercial; P planned overlay; PUD; CF community facility.
  • Official zoning map is kept in the village administrator's office.

  “for the purpose of this chapter, present and future, provision is hereby made for the division of the village of shorewood hills into the following ten (10) basic zoning districts:”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  R-1 single-family residence district, Shorewood Hills village

  • Minimum lot width at building setback line 70 feet.

  minimum lot area: >= 9000 square feet

  “(1) minimum lot area. nine thousand (9,000) square feet.”

  2 more reviewed findings on this topic

  • Specified — R-2 single-family residence district, Shorewood Hills village

    “(1) minimum lot area. five thousand (5,000) square feet.”

  • Specified — R-3 single-family residence district, Shorewood Hills village

    “(1) minimum lot area. ten thousand (10,000) square feet.”

• Lot coverageSpecified

  R-1 and R-2 single-family residence districts, Shorewood Hills village

  • Floor area ratio limits also apply in R-1, R-2, R-3 under Sec. 10-1-110.

  maximum lot coverage: <= 25 percent of lot

  “(5) maximum lot coverage. the principal and accessory structures shall not exceed twenty-five percent (25%) of the lot.”

• Building heightSpecified

  R-1, R-2 and R-3 single-family residence districts, Shorewood Hills village

  • Maximum height of any exterior vertical wall plane is 28 feet; walls between 20 and 28 feet need an architectural feature.
  • Measured from natural grade as defined by the survey under village code section 15.10.

  gable/hip roof pitch 12:12 or steeper: <= 32 feet · gable/hip roof pitch under 12:12, or gambrel: <= 30 feet · shed, flat or mansard roof: <= 28 feet

  “in the r-1, r-2 and r-3 districts, the vertical distance between any point on the roof and the point on the natural grade directly beneath it shall not exceed the following values. (1) a gable or hip roof with a pitch of 12:12 or steeper: 32 feet (2) a gable or hip roof with a pitch of less than 12:12, or a gambrel roof: 30 feet (3) a shed, flat or mansard roof: 28 feet”

• Off-grid sanitationProhibited

  Privies, septic tanks, cesspools and other wastewater disposal facilities inside Shorewood Hills village

  • Portable toilet facilities are not excluded; they are regulated and temporarily permitted by the administrator.

  “no person shall construct or maintain any privy, privy vault, septic tank, cesspool, or other facility intended or used for the disposal of wastewater. this shall not exclude the use of portable toilet facilities which will be regulated and temporarily permitted by the administrator.”

• Mandatory utility hookupSewer (with conditions)

  Buildings used for human occupancy or employment inside Shorewood Hills village

  • Owner pays at own expense.
  • Applications to connect to a village sewer go to the village; connection to MMSD intercepting sewers needs an MMSD permit.
  • No building sewer may connect unless the village sewer is adequately sized for the additional flow.
  • Water connection rule not found.

  “the owner of any building used for human occupancy, or employment, situated within the village shall, at the owner's own expense, install suitable toilet facilities therein and connect such facilities directly with the public sewer.”

• Driveway accessLimited

  Driveways for residential lots inside Shorewood Hills village

  • Residential driveways, unless circular, must lead directly to a garage opening or, if no garage, may not be in the side yard.
  • Maximum curb opening for residential districts is 25 feet at the roadway.

  minimum driveway width, one- and two-family: >= 10 feet

  “(d) driveways shall be at least ten (10) feet wide for one- and two- family dwellings.”

• Short-term rentalsLimited

  Dwelling units in R-1, R-2, R-3 and R-4 districts inside Shorewood Hills village

  • Annual village license required; unit must be the applicant's primary residence unless previously used as a short-term rental.
  • Application needs a building code inspection report, state tourist rooming house license, and seller's permit, plus an administrative fee set by the village board.
  • Rentals under three consecutive days need the licensee or operator present overnight.
  • Occupancy limited to four individuals per full bathroom or the state-law maximum, whichever is less.
  • Designated operator must live within 20 miles.
  • No RV, camper or tent to accommodate guests.
  • Violations may restrict the license to 180 days per 365 or lead to revocation.

  “(11) short-term rental. a. permitted use: short-term rental is a permitted accessory use in the r-1, r-2, r-3 and r-4 districts.”

• Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

  Building permit fees inside Shorewood Hills village

  • Fee amounts are set by village board resolution; the schedule was not opened.
  • All fees must be paid before the permit is issued.

  “building permit fees shall be as determined from time to time by resolution of the village board.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Village of Shorewood Hills or Dane County directly.

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption inside Shorewood Hills village
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy inside Shorewood Hills village
• Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling size inside Shorewood Hills village
• Camping on your land — Temporary camping inside Shorewood Hills village
• Tiny homes — Tiny homes inside Shorewood Hills village

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.