Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin

Sturgeon Bay’s own rules

• Local zoningPresent

  Land inside Sturgeon Bay city limits

  “section 20.09(3) of the municipal code of the city of sturgeon bay, wisconsin (table of principal uses) as it pertains to accessory dwelling units is hereby amended as follows”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  C-2 district only, Sturgeon Bay city (Sec. 20.27(2)); R-1 and agricultural districts not verified from the code

  • Zero lot line duplexes: 35 ft width and 4,000 sq ft per lot, combined 70 ft and 10,000 sq ft (Sec. 20.27(5)(a)1)

  minimum lot area C-2: >= 6000 sq ft · minimum lot width C-2: >= 50 ft

  “c-2 6,000 50 - - 2,000 15 5 15 45 - - 500 750 1,000”

• SetbacksDistrict specific (with conditions)

  C-2 district only, Sturgeon Bay city; plan commission may authorize lesser yards in C-2 (Sec. 20.27(3)(c))

  • Residential district setbacks not verified

  street yard: >= 15 ft (plan commission may allow less in C-2) · side yard: >= 5 ft · rear yard: >= 15 ft

  “within the c-2 district, the city plan commission may authorize a lesser side yard, lesser rear yard on corner lots, and/or a lesser street yard (setback) than required under subsection (2).”

• Building heightDistrict specific (with conditions)

  C-2 district only, Sturgeon Bay city

  • Residential district heights not verified

  maximum building height C-2: <= 45 ft

  “c-2 6,000 50 - - 2,000 15 5 15 45 - - 500 750 1,000”

• Accessory dwellingsLimited

  Accessory dwelling units on lots inside Sturgeon Bay city (Sec. 20.10(2))

  • Allowed by district per table of principal uses (C or P by district); one ADU per lot
  • Lot must meet the minimum lot size for new lots in its district
  • Owner must reside in the principal or accessory unit; restrictive agreement recorded
  • ADU may not be conveyed separately; at least 1 or 2 extra off-street parking spaces depending on bedrooms
  • Must comply with housing code (chapter 22) and building codes
  • Rental of ADU not less than 7 consecutive days; 180-day cap for stays of 7-28 days
  • Detached ADU side/rear yards 8 ft in R-2, R-3, C-5 and 10 ft elsewhere for buildings built after April 1, 2019
  • Ordinance effective 02/22/25

  maximum ADU floor area: <= 800 sq ft · minimum ADU floor area: >= 250 sq ft

  “accessory dwelling units shall not exceed 800 square feet in floor area and shall have a minimum floor area of 250 square feet.”

• Short-term rentalsLimited

  Accessory dwelling units inside Sturgeon Bay city only; general STR rules for other dwellings not found

  • If rented 6-28 days, total rental days within any 365-day period may not exceed 180
  • Owner must notify city clerk in writing when first rental begins
  • Restrictive agreement recorded

  minimum rental period for ADU: >= 7 consecutive days

  “the accessory dwelling unit shall not be rented for periods of less than seven consecutive days.”

Still unanswered

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

• Building permit — Sturgeon Bay city
• Owner-builder exemption — Sturgeon Bay city
• Building code adopted — Sturgeon Bay city
• Inspections — Sturgeon Bay city
• Certificate of occupancy — Sturgeon Bay city

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.