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

Town of Summit’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Building, moving, or altering a structure on land inside the Town of Summit subject to Douglas County zoning.

  • The County page also lists changing the use of an existing structure, grading and filling, and a variety of land uses.
  • Uses identified as conditional uses require Town Board recommendation and Zoning Committee approval at a public hearing.
  • Special permit conditions exist for parcels adjacent to streams, lakes, and wetlands.

  “Douglas County zoning permits are required for: Building, moving, or altering any structure”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside the Town of Summit, Douglas County, Wisconsin, is within the County's unincorporated-area zoning jurisdiction; the Town's official county directory identifies Summit as a Town.

  • District boundaries and mapped district classifications control the applicable zoning standards.
  • The source does not establish that Summit itself adopted or administers the county ordinance.

  “Town of Summit – Changing 1.8 acres from A-1: Agricultural zone district to R-1: Residential zone district.”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  County zoning districts applicable to land inside the Town of Summit's unincorporated town territory.

  • Exact district boundaries are determined by the official County zoning maps.
  • In a conflict between the official zoning map and detailed zoning maps, the detailed maps govern.

  “For the purposes of this ordinance, the unincorporated areas of Douglas County are hereby divided into the following types of districts:”

• Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

  County zoning land-use permits affecting land inside the Town of Summit.

  • The fee is established by the County Zoning Committee.
  • The current fee schedule is kept on file in the County Zoning Administrator's office.

  “The fee for filing of applications for land use permits shall be established by the County Zoning Committee.”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  County zoning land-use permit applications affecting land inside the Town of Summit.

  • Applications must include scale maps or drawings showing lot location, size, shape, structures, relation to abutting streets and lakes or streams, uses, and families accommodated.
  • Construction, alteration, or removal permits expire after 12 months if building activity has not begun; land-use-change permits expire after 18 months if no action has been taken.

  construction permit expiration if no building activity begins: 12 months · land-use-change permit expiration if no action is taken: 18 months

  “Applications for land use permits shall be accompanied by scale maps or drawings showing accurately the location, size and shape of the lot(s) involved”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residential construction inside the Town of Summit.
• Building code adopted — Residential construction inside the Town of Summit.
• Inspections — Building work inside the Town of Summit.
• Certificate of occupancy — Occupancy of buildings inside the Town of Summit.
• Minimum dwelling size — Dwellings inside the Town of Summit.

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.