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

Town of Lucas’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  New, moved, enlarged, altered, demolished, razed, or used buildings and structures inside the Town of Lucas.

  • Normal repairs, cosmetic changes, and small moveable buildings are exempt as stated in §15-1-2(A)(1)(h).
  • Land-use permit exceptions include specified in-kind equipment replacement, specified minor work, and qualifying accessory/farm structures under 100 square feet or regularly moved and not fixed or anchored.

  “No building of any kind shall be moved within or into the Town of Lucas and no new building or structure, or any part thereof, shall hereafter be erected, or ground broken for the same, or enlarged, altered, moved, demolished, razed or used within the Town, except as herein provided, until a Land Use Permit and other required permits have been obtained by the owner, or his/her authorized agent, from the Town of Lucas or its designee.”

• Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

  Construction activity inside the Town of Lucas.

  • The incorporated administrative codes include SPS 316, SPS 320-325, SPS 326, SPS 360-366, SPS 367, SPS 375-379, and SPS 381-387.
  • The ordinance states that future amendments, revisions, and modifications of incorporated administrative-code provisions are intended to become part of the Town code.

  “The following Wisconsin Administrative Codes and subsequent revisions pertaining to construction activity are adopted by reference for municipal enforcement and incorporated herein (see also Section 15-1-4):”

• InspectionsRequired

  UDC-permitted construction inside the Town of Lucas.

  • Inspections must be requested at least two 8-hour business workdays in advance.
  • Construction may proceed if inspection has not occurred by the end of the second business day after notice or as otherwise agreed with the inspector.

  “The following UDC inspections shall be requested a minimum of two (2) 8-hour business workdays in advance by the applicant/contractor or property owner as applicable:”

• Living in an RVLimited

  Recreational vehicles outside mobile-home parks inside the Town of Lucas.

  • The vehicle may not be permanently attached to a private sewage system.
  • The vehicle must be state licensed annually for road travel.
  • Wheels may not be removed except for repairs, and it may not be fixed to the ground so as to prevent ready removal.

  “Recreational vehicles may not be permanently attached to a private sewage system.”

• Manufactured homesLimited

  Mobile or manufactured homes outside mobile-home parks inside the Town of Lucas.

  • Land-use and UDC building permits are required before occupancy or relocation.
  • Units must meet referenced federal HUD standards.
  • A Dunn County sanitary or privy permit is required before the building permit.
  • Only one mobile unit is permitted on a recorded tract, except a tract with three or more units is deemed a mobile-home park.

  “No person shall park a mobile home outside of a mobile home park for occupancy or change its location within the Town without first obtaining Land Use and UDC Building permits from the Town of Lucas.”

• Driveway accessRequired

  Many new driveways accessing Town of Lucas roads.

  • County-road access may require a county permit and state-highway access may require a state permit.

  “DRIVEWAY PERMITS: When do I need one? They are required by the town for many new driveways.”

• Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

  Building, electrical, plumbing, HVAC, and related permits inside the Town of Lucas.

  • Fees are established under §1-3-1.
  • Fees double when a required permit is not obtained before construction.
  • Required impact fees must be paid within 14 days of building-permit issuance unless expressly excepted.

  late permit fee multiplier: 2 times (when a required permit is not obtained before commencement of construction) · impact fee payment deadline: 14 days (unless expressly excepted)

  “Fees for building, electrical, plumbing, HVAC and other related permits shall be as established pursuant to Section 1-3-1.”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Land-use and residential UDC permits inside the Town of Lucas.

  • Land-use applications must be made in writing on a Town form.
  • Residential UDC applications go to the Town UDC-certified residential building inspector.
  • Applications require owner and land information and any additional information required by the Town Board or inspectors.
  • For certain projects, two plan sets and a plot plan are required.

  “Application for a Land Use Permit shall be made in writing to the Town of Lucas upon a form furnished by the Town of Lucas.”

Rules another office applies inside Town of Lucas

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

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside the Town of Lucas, where Dunn County comprehensive zoning applies.

  • Dunn County excludes only the towns of Eau Galle, Elk Mound, New Haven, Rock Creek, Sand Creek, and Springbrook; Lucas is not listed as an exception.

  “Dunn County's Chapter 13 Comprehensive Zoning ordinance applies to all towns and unincorporated areas, except the towns of Eau Galle, Elk Mound, New Haven, Rock Creek, Sand Creek, and Springbrook.”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  County zoning districts applicable inside the Town of Lucas.

  • The County zoning page provides a Zoning Districts official document link and states the comprehensive zoning ordinance applies to Lucas.

  “The Dunn County Land Use Control (Zoning) Division regulates the types of uses which can occur in each zoning district, as well as the specific development standards for each zoning district.”

• SetbacksSpecified

  Building placement inside the Town of Lucas.

  • The County construction brochure describes setbacks enforced by the County and townships.
  • The listed standards include road, septic, water, side-yard, and rear-yard setbacks.

  side yard principal structure: 10 ft · rear yard principal structure: 25 ft · ordinary high water mark: 75 ft

  “Setback requirements from a building are: Distance from building foundation Distance Drainfield 10’ Septic Tank 5’ Ordinary High Water Mark 75’ Vent to air intake 10’ Side Yard (principal structure) 10’ Rear Yard (principal structure) 25’”

• Who permits septicCounty (with conditions)

  Private sanitary systems serving buildings inside the Town of Lucas.

  • A licensed plumber, certified soil test, and septic design are required as described by Dunn County.

  “Sanitary Permits: This is the first County permit required for any building to be used for human occupancy.”

• Septic permitRequired

  Any building for human occupancy inside the Town of Lucas.

  • The applicant must use a Wisconsin licensed plumber.
  • The permit requires a soil test by a Wisconsin certified soil tester and a septic design.

  “Contact a Wisconsin Licensed Plumber to obtain the permit which will require a soil test by a Wisconsin Certified Soil Tester and a septic design.”

• Septic inspectionRequired

  New and replacement sanitary systems inside the Town of Lucas.

  • Applies to new and replacement sanitary systems.

  “The County performs new & replacement sanitary system inspections.”

• Well permitRequired

  Well construction inside the Town of Lucas.

  • Wisconsin DNR sets well-construction standards.
  • The County brochure directs applicants to the Dunn County Public Health Department.

  “A Well Permit IS required thru the Dunn County Public Health Dept. at 715-232-2388 .”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Land divisions inside the Town of Lucas.

  • The County's land-division ordinance applies to all towns in Dunn County.

  “Dunn County's Shoreland, Floodplain, Land Division, and Sanitary ordinances apply to all Towns in Dunn County.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built dwellings inside the Town of Lucas.
• Certificate of occupancy — Occupancy of buildings inside the Town of Lucas.
• Minimum dwelling size — Dwellings inside the Town of Lucas.
• Minimum lot size — Lots inside the Town of Lucas.
• Lot coverage — Land inside the Town of Lucas.

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.