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

Town of Portland’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  One- and two-family residences, moved residential dwellings, and other new construction or remodeling projects inside Portland town, Dodge County, Wisconsin.

  • Required permits must be secured before the project begins.
  • A follow-up inspection is required.
  • Any needed driveway must be completed and approved before the associated building permit is issued.
  • Commercial electrical service, including agricultural operations, and other electrical service require permitting and inspection.
  • A person who begins a new construction or remodeling project without required land-use, building, electrical, or driveway permits is subject to double the associated fees.

  “or planning any other new construction or remodeling project must secure the required permit(s) prior to initiating such project.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside Portland town, Dodge County, Wisconsin; zoning transitioned to Dodge County zoning in September 2026.

  • Questions and applications for rezoning, land-use permits, and conditional-use permits must be directed to the Dodge County Land Resources and Parks Department in Juneau.
  • Dodge County's Land Use Code oversees zoning for towns that adopted County zoning.

  “Updated 9/16/2026: Town of Portland has officially transitioned to county zoning.”

• Who permits septicCounty (with conditions)

  Private onsite wastewater treatment systems and other sewage disposal for structures, lands, and waters inside Portland town, Dodge County, Wisconsin.

  • The Dodge County Sanitary Ordinance applies throughout Dodge County, including incorporated cities and villages, except as otherwise provided by Wisconsin statutes and administrative code.
  • A sanitary permit is required before a POWTS or any part is located, installed, moved, reconstructed, extended, enlarged, converted, substantially altered, or its use changed.
  • The emergency-repairs exception in Subsection 2.3.4.G applies.
  • The work must fully comply with applicable Wisconsin Administrative Code chapters SPS 381, 382, 383, 384, and 385 and other applicable local, county, and state regulations.

  “The provisions of this Code shall apply to all structures, lands, and waters within the boundaries of Dodge 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.