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

Town of Tainter’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Work within Tainter town's Uniform Dwelling Code Ordinance.

  • A permit is required for alteration exceeding $1,000 in any 12-month period and for building, additions, or alterations within the ordinance's scope.
  • Structural changes or major mechanical-system changes involving extensions require permits.
  • Restoration or repair to the prior code-compliant condition, residing, reroofing, interior finishing, and cabinetry installation are exempt.

  alteration value threshold: > 1000 USD (Measured in any twelve-month period.)

  “Under the Town’s Uniform Dwelling Code Ordinance, no person shall alter, in excess of $1,000.00 value in any twelve month period, build, add onto or alter any building within the scope of the ordinance without first obtaining a building permit for such work from the building inspector.”

• Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

  Buildings within the scope of Tainter town's Uniform Dwelling Code Ordinance.

  • The town inspector administers and enforces the ordinance.
  • parameters limited to work within the ordinance's scope.

  “The Town’s Uniform Dwelling Code Ordinance promotes the general health, safety and welfare and maintains required local uniformity with the administrative and technical requirements of the Wisconsin Uniform Dwelling Code.”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  Single-family housing created or reviewed under Tainter town's Land Division Ordinance.

  • The one-acre minimum may be reduced to one-half acre through the stated conservation-subdivision standards.
  • The source does not establish that this is a general zoning district standard independent of the land-division ordinance.

  single-family minimum lot area: 1 acre (May be reduced to no less than one-half acre through Section 6.3A conservation subdivision standards.) · conservation-subdivision reduced minimum: >= 0.5 acre (Section 6.3A conservation subdivision standards.)

  “The minimum lot area in the Town of Tainter for single family housing is one (1) acre. This minimum lot area may be reduced to no less than one-half (1/2) acre by applying conservation subdivisions standards as described in Section 6.3A, Conservation Development Bonuses.”

• Off-grid sanitationLimited

  Manufactured and mobile home communities inside Tainter town.

  • An existing community may not construct a new individual private septic system for a unit unless it meets the stated treatment standard.
  • This does not preclude repair or reconstruction of a private septic system in an existing community.
  • Individual holding tanks pumped when full are allowed in lieu of individual septic systems.

  “This does not preclude the repair or reconstruction of a private septic system in an existing manufactured and mobile home community.”

• Mandatory utility hookupConditional

  New manufactured and mobile home communities inside Tainter town.

  • Each mobile home, manufactured home, or camping unit in a new community must connect to municipal sewer or a qualifying private shared treatment facility.
  • Individual holding tanks are allowed instead of individual septic systems.

  “After the effective date of this ordinance, any new manufactured and mobile home community shall connect all mobile homes, manufactured homes, or camping units to either a municipal sewer system or to a private shared sewage treatment facility, such as a recirculating sand filter system or other Town approved treatment system which meets or exceeds the treatment capability of a recirculating sand filter system.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Land divisions and specified development inside Tainter town.

  • The ordinance applies to all land divisions and to other development requiring public improvements or dedication of public land.
  • It expressly applies to condominium development.
  • Public-right-of-way creation/realignment, divisions into parcels of 40 acres or more, and easement creation/realignment are exempt.

  exempt parcel-size threshold: >= 40 acres (Division into lots, parcels, or tracts each of which is forty acres or greater.)

  “This Ordinance shall apply to all land divisions and to all other developments not involving a division in the Town where the installation of public improvements and/or dedication of any public lands is required, including those areas where lots of record existed prior to the adoption of this Ordinance.”

• Driveway accessRequired

  New or changed Town Highway access inside Tainter town.

  • State-highway access permits are issued by Wisconsin DOT; county-highway access permits are issued by Dunn County Highway Department.
  • The claim concerns Town Highway access.

  “All new Town Highway Accesses (or any changes to existing Town Highway Access) require a Town Highway Access Permit.”

• Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

  Town Highway Access Permit applications for driveways inside Tainter town.

  • The fee is due when filing the Town Highway Access Permit Application.

  Town Highway Access Permit fee: 75 USD (Due upon filing the application.)

  “First: A $75.00 permit fee is due upon filing the Town Highway Access Permit Application. Make checks payable to Town of Tainter.”

• Permit processPartial

  Driveway/highway access permits for Town highways inside Tainter town.

  • Work may not begin until the chairman or designee approves the application and the permit is conspicuously placed at the proposed access.
  • Completion and notice deadlines apply.

  completion deadline after permit issue: <= 2 years · completion-notice deadline: <= 30 days (Notify Town Board or designated inspector after completion.)

  “The Highway Access must be complete and ready for final inspection within 2 years of permit issue. You must notify the Town Board or the designated inspector within 30 days of Highway Access completion.”

Rules another office applies inside Town of Tainter

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

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  County zoning districts applicable in Tainter town.

  • The county checklist advises applicants to check town requirements as well.
  • The cited source directs readers to the Dunn County Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance for district detail.

  “Dunn Co. zoning districts are described in more detail through the Dunn Co. Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance available online at www.co.dunn.wi.us or 715-231-6521.”

• SetbacksSpecified

  Construction in Tainter town subject to the county/township setback controls described by Dunn County.

  • The checklist directs applicants to determine applicable setbacks and notes they are enforced by the county and townships.
  • Road and other setbacks may vary by facility or location.

  principal-structure side-yard setback: 10 ft · principal-structure rear-yard setback: 25 ft

  “Side Yard (principal structure) 10’ Rear Yard (principal structure) 25’”

• Building in a floodplainLimited

  Floodplain development inside Tainter town under Dunn County's county-wide floodplain/shoreland zoning.

  • The county checklist says building is restricted in floodplains, while certain recreational uses are allowed.
  • The cited source describes floodplain/shoreland zoning as county-wide.

  “Building is restricted in floodplains, but certain recreational uses are allowed. Floodplain/Shoreland zoning is county-wide.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residential work inside Tainter town.
• Inspections — Building work inside Tainter town.
• Certificate of occupancy — Buildings inside Tainter town.
• Minimum dwelling size — Single-family dwellings inside Tainter town.
• Lot coverage — Lots inside Tainter 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.