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

Town of Union’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Construction, reconstruction, location, relocation, demolition, erection, extension, enlargement, conversion, or structural alteration of a building or structure inside Union town.

  • The requirement is for a regular zoning permit unless specifically exempted elsewhere in the ordinance.
  • Listed exceptions include signs, structures less than six inches above preconstruction grade, stoops 18 square feet or less, and certain small stairways.

  “regular zoning permits [...] shall be required”

• InspectionsLimited

  Structures, lands, and waters inside Union town subject to the zoning ordinance or an issued permit.

  • The Zoning Administrator conducts inspections necessary to certify compliance with the ordinance.
  • This finding concerns zoning-compliance inspections; the reviewed sources did not establish a universal building-trade inspection schedule.

  “Conduct all necessary on-site inspections and investigations of structures, lands, and waters to certify compliance with this Ordinance.”

• Certificate of occupancyRequired

  Land and buildings erected, altered, or moved inside Union town.

  • The required document is called a certificate of compliance and is issued by the Zoning Administrator.
  • It documents conformity with the zoning ordinance.

  “No land shall be occupied or used and no building or structure hereafter erected, altered or moved shall be occupied until a certificate of compliance is issued”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land, structures, and development inside the unincorporated limits of Union town, Door County, Wisconsin.

  • The ordinance applies within the unincorporated limits of the Town of Union.

  “This ordinance applies to all land uses, structures, and development within the unincorporated limits of the Town of Union, Door County, Wisconsin.”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Zoning districts inside Union town.

  • District boundaries are defined on the official zoning map prepared for the Town.
  • The ordinance incorporates future map changes or later maps adopted by Town Board ordinance.

  “Zoning districts shall be bounded and defined as shown on the official zoning map prepared for the town.”

• Living in an RVLimited

  Recreational vehicle or trailer sites in campgrounds or trailer camps inside Union town.

  • Campgrounds/trailer camps in the GA district require a public hearing and Town Board approval.
  • Sites are subject to a maximum density of 15 per acre, a five-acre minimum park/campground size, and site dimensions and setbacks.

  maximum RV, trailer, or camp sites: <= 15 sites per acre · minimum RV park, trailer park, or campground area: >= 5 acres

  “The maximum number of recreational vehicle, trailer, or camp sites shall be 15 per acre.”

• Camping on your landLimited

  Seasonal camping units and tents in approved campgrounds inside Union town.

  • Camping is permitted in approved campgrounds without a regular zoning permit.
  • No more than one wheeled camping unit or shelter unit is allowed per individual campsite.
  • An auxiliary tent may not be erected for more than 14 consecutive days.

  auxiliary tent duration: <= 14 consecutive days (Tent serves as an auxiliary shelter at an individual seasonal campsite)

  “a tent may be erected to serve as an auxiliary shelter, but shall not be erected for a period of more than 14 consecutive days.”

• Manufactured homesLimited

  Manufactured homes and manufactured-home parks inside Union town.

  • Manufactured homes are permitted in manufactured-home parks and as temporary manufactured homes.
  • Otherwise they are not permitted unless considered single-family residences or single-family dwelling units.
  • Only legally existing manufactured-home parks predating ordinance adoption are permitted; expansion must comply with the ordinance.

  “Otherwise, manufactured homes are not permitted unless the manufactured homes are considered single-family residences or single-family dwelling units”

• Accessory dwellingsAllowed (with conditions)

  Accessory dwelling units on the same lot as a primary residence inside Union town.

  • Only one ADU may be allowed on the same lot as the primary residence.
  • The ADU must be more than 300 square feet, no more than 1,000 square feet, and smaller than the principal dwelling.

  maximum accessory dwelling units per primary-residence lot: <= 1 ADU · ADU floor area: more than 300 to 1,000 square feet (Must have less floor area than the principal residential dwelling unit)

  “One Accessory Dwelling Unit may be allowed on the same lot as the primary residence.”

• Who permits septicCounty (with conditions)

  Private onsite wastewater treatment systems inside Union town, Door County.

  • The County Sanitarian Division administers POWTS in Door County.
  • Town building-permit materials require a copy of a sanitary permit for a new home.

  “the authority and power of Door County in exercising administration and enforcement responsibilities regarding a POWTS”

• Septic permitRequired

  Installation, construction, or specified modification of a POWTS inside Union town.

  • The owner must possess a valid sanitary permit and obtain plan approval.
  • The cited modification rule applies to addition or replacement of a holding, treatment, or dispersal component, reconnection, or any repair.
  • A permit expires two years from issuance unless renewed.

  sanitary permit expiration: 2 years (unless renewed)

  “The owner of the property on which the POWTS is to be installed possesses a valid sanitary permit.”

• Septic inspectionLimited

  POWTS components inside Union town when a sanitary permit is required.

  • No POWTS component may be covered or put into service until the County Code Administrator or DSPS has had an opportunity to inspect it.
  • The County Code Administrator may inspect existing POWTS at other times or for other activities.

  “no part of a POWTS component may be covered nor any POWTS component put into service until the Code Administrator or the Department of Safety and Professional Services has had an opportunity to inspect”

• Off-grid sanitationLimited

  Alternatives to water-carried sanitation systems and devices inside Union town.

  • Standards under Wisconsin Administrative Code Chapter SPS 391 are incorporated by reference.
  • The Code Administrator may prohibit, restrict, or impose more stringent requirements.
  • A sanitary permit is required.
  • Earthen pit privies are prohibited.

  “A sanitary permit is required for alternatives to water-carried sanitation systems and devices.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Land divisions inside Union town, one of Door County's towns.

  • Door County Land Division applies in all 14 Door County towns.

  “The Door County Land Division is also in effect in all 14 towns.”

• Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

  Town building and zoning permits inside Union town.

  • All permit applications must include a Town Board-established fee.
  • The Zoning Administrator does not accept an application until it is complete and all established Town fees are paid in full.

  “Application for Zoning Permit Town of Union Sign Ordinance Chapter 15 Application for Sign Permit Town of Union Fee Schedule Application for Zoning Map Amendment”

Rules another office applies inside Town of Union

Town of Union does not set these itself; the county, a health district or the state does, and they apply to every address inside its limits.

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  Principal and conditional uses in Union town's Single Family Residential (SF-20) district.

  • The lot-width requirement is measured at the building line.
  • The district purpose states that new lots not served by public sewer require at least 20,000 square feet.

  minimum lot area: >= 20000 square feet · minimum lot width at building line: >= 100 feet

  “Minimum lot area: 20,000 sq. ft. Minimum lot width at building line: 100 ft.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — Principal and conditional uses in Union town's General Agricultural (GA) district.

    “Minimum lot area: 2 acres [...] width at building line: 300 ft.”

• SetbacksSpecified

  Principal and conditional uses in Union town's General Agricultural (GA) district.

  • Front-yard setbacks are governed by section 7.0304.
  • The table separately identifies planned-residential-development setbacks.

  minimum rear setback: >= 50 feet · minimum side setback: >= 50 feet

  “Minimum rear: 50 ft. [...] Minimum side: 50 ft.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — Principal and accessory uses in Union town's Single Family Residential (SF-20) district.

    “Minimum rear: Principal use 40 ft. [...] Minimum side: Principal use 10 ft. [...] Minimum shoreland: 75 ft.”

• Building heightSpecified

  Residential structures in Union town's General Agricultural (GA) district.

  • The table reports no maximum for agricultural structures.
  • Section 7.0215 contains further height provisions and exemptions.

  maximum residence height: <= 35 feet · maximum residential accessory structure height: <= 35 feet

  “Maximum Residence: 35 ft. Maximum Residential Accessory: 35 ft. Maximum Agricultural Structures: N/A”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — All structures in Union town's Single Family Residential (SF-20) district.

    “Structure Height: (See Section 7.0215) Maximum All Structures : 35 ft.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residential construction inside Union town.
• Lot coverage — Lots inside Union town.
• Well permit — Private wells inside Union town.
• Mandatory utility hookup — New homes inside Union town where public water or sewer may be available.
• Agricultural exemption — Agricultural uses and structures inside Union 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.