Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Village of Forestville, Wisconsin

Village of Forestville’s own rules

• Local zoningPresent

  All land and water inside Forestville village (Door County) limits

  • Adopted 1-8-1990 by Ord. No. 1-90; later amendments noted in the code.

  “all lands and waters within the corporate limits of the village are subject to this chapter.”

• Zoning districtsPublished

  Forestville village zoning districts

  • Districts: R-1, R-2, R-3, B-1, I, C-1, A-1 (floodplain, see ch. 210). Official zoning map is kept at the village clerk's office.

  “the following zoning districts are hereby established: a. residential districts. (1) r-1 single-family residential district. (2) r-2 single-family and duplex residential district. (3) r-3 multifamily residential district.”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  R-1 single-family residential district inside Forestville village

  minimum lot width: >= 100 feet · minimum lot area: >= 12000 square feet

  “(1) lot size. (a) width: 100 feet minimum. (b) area: 12,000 square feet minimum. (2) building height: 30 feet maximum.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — R-2 single-family and duplex residential district inside Forestville village

    “(1) lot size. (a) width: 100 feet minimum. (b) area: 10,000 square feet minimum. (2) building height: 35 feet maximum.”

• SetbacksSpecified

  R-1 single-family residential district inside Forestville village

  front yard: >= 25 feet · rear yard: >= 25 feet · side yard: >= 10 feet

  “(3) yards. (a) front: 25 feet minimum. (b) rear: 25 feet minimum. (c) side: 10 feet minimum.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — R-2 single-family and duplex residential district inside Forestville village

    “(3) yards. (a) front: 25 feet minimum. (b) rear: 25 feet minimum. (c) side: 10 feet minimum.”

• Building heightSpecified

  R-1 single-family residential district inside Forestville village

  maximum building height: <= 30 feet

  “(1) lot size. (a) width: 100 feet minimum. (b) area: 12,000 square feet minimum. (2) building height: 30 feet maximum.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — R-2 single-family and duplex residential district inside Forestville village

    “(1) lot size. (a) width: 100 feet minimum. (b) area: 10,000 square feet minimum. (2) building height: 35 feet maximum.”

• Living in an RVLimited

  RV/travel trailer occupancy inside Forestville village

  • Travel trailer parks are listed only as a conditional use in the C-1 conservancy district; uses not listed are prohibited in a district (§ 395-13.c).
  • Travel trailer parks: minimum 5 acres, no site occupied more than 30 consecutive days, must conform to ch. DHS 178.

  max consecutive occupancy: <= 30 days (travel trailer park or campground sites)

  “no travel trailer or campsite shall be occupied for a period of more than 30 consecutive days.”

• Camping on your landLimited

  Camping inside Forestville village

  • Campgrounds are a conditional use only in the C-1 conservancy district, requiring a conditional use permit from the plan commission.

  “conditional uses. filing, drainage, dredging, golf driving ranges, farm structures, animal hospitals, flowages, ponds, relocation of watercourses, removal of topsoil or peat, campgrounds, travel trailer parks.”

• Manufactured homesLimited

  Mobile homes inside Forestville village

  • Exceptions: one unoccupied mobile home stored in an accessory garage or rear yard with no living quarters; emergency permit from village board up to six months, renewable once.
  • Mobile home parks are conditional uses in B-1 and I districts and require a village license.

  “except as provided in this chapter, no person shall park or occupy any mobile home on any street, alley, highway or any other public or private premises outside of an approved and licensed mobile home park;”

• Accessory dwellingsLimited

  Guest houses in the R-1 single-family residential district inside Forestville village

  • Guest houses are a conditional use requiring a conditional use permit; also conditional in R-2.

  “parks, greenways and open spaces, playgrounds, public and private schools, guest houses, cemeteries, governmental and community service buildings and functions, pumping stations, golf courses, churches, libraries, single-family planned residential unit developments, home occupations, nursery schools, private swimming pools, funeral parlors and agricultural uses.”

• Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

  Building permit fees inside Forestville village

  • Amount set by the village board; schedule not located in the opened chapters.

  “the fees for building permits for new buildings and the fees for building permits for repairs, additions or alterations and the minimum fee for a building permit shall be determined by the village board.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption inside Forestville village
• Inspections — Building inspection inside Forestville village
• Certificate of occupancy — Occupancy certificates inside Forestville village
• Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling size inside Forestville village
• Lot coverage — Lot coverage inside Forestville 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.