Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Village of North Fond du Lac, Wisconsin

Village of North Fond du Lac’s own rules

• Building code adoptedAdopted

  One- and two-family dwellings inside North Fond du Lac village

  • Pre-June 1, 1980 homes altered use SPS 320-325 as village dwelling code
  • Commercial: SPS 361-365, 366, 375-379
  • SPS 327 camping units also adopted

  “the wisconsin uniform dwelling code was adopted june 2, 1980. all amendments thereto, are adopted and incorporated by reference”

• InspectionsRequired

  Permitted construction inside North Fond du Lac village

  • Inspector may inspect work during reasonable hours; inspection warrant possible if access refused

  “if a permit has been obtained to perform work at a public building, private building or a property within the limits of the village of north fond du lac, the inspector has the right, during reasonable hours, to inspect the work performed. failure to grant access to a property may result in an inspection warrant being requested by the inspector.”

• Certificate of occupancyRequired

  New homes, mobile homes, apartment and commercial buildings inside North Fond du Lac village

  • Building inspector may grant conditional occupancy for undue hardship
  • Occupancy form checks gutters/downspouts, smoke detectors, drainage plan, sidewalks/driveway approaches, address numbers
  • 8.12 also requires a certificate of compliance before use of new buildings

  “occupancy permits must be issued prior to occupancy of a new home, mobile home, apartment building, or commercial building.”

• Local zoningPresent

  All land inside North Fond du Lac village (Fond du Lac County)

  • Village zoning ordinance effective date stated as November 2, 1959; Chapter 21 posted version dated 7-9-25

  “see 21.19 of the north fond du lac zoning code for board of appeals information.”

• Zoning districtsPublished

  Village zoning districts (R-1 to R-8 residential, business, industrial, business park, office/institutional) inside North Fond du Lac village

  • Posted Chapter 21 PDF dated 7-9-25

  “schedule 21.05 - b bulk requirements residential districts”

• Minimum lot sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Residential districts R-1, R-2, R-3 inside North Fond du Lac village (R-4/R-8 7,200 sq ft; agricultural/rural district not identified)

  • Bulk requirements for special-permit uses may be modified by village board
  • R-4 to R-8 and two-family rules in Schedule 21.05-b not detailed

  R-1 min lot area: >= 15000 sq ft · R-2 min lot area: >= 12000 sq ft · R-3 min lot area: >= 9000 sq ft

  “r-1 all permitted uses. 15,000 125 30 10 25 35 35 25 r-2 all permitted uses. 12,000 100 25 8 20 35 35 25 r-3 all permitted uses. 9,000 75 25 6 12 35 35 35”

• SetbacksDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Residential districts R-1, R-2, R-3 inside North Fond du Lac village

  • Yards in feet: front / one side / total sides / rear

  R-1 yards front/side/total side/rear: 30/10/25/35 ft · R-2 yards front/side/total side/rear: 25/8/20/35 ft · R-3 yards front/side/total side/rear: 25/6/12/35 ft

  “r-1 all permitted uses. 15,000 125 30 10 25 35 35 25 r-2 all permitted uses. 12,000 100 25 8 20 35 35 25 r-3 all permitted uses. 9,000 75 25 6 12 35 35 35”

• Lot coverageDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Residential districts R-1, R-2, R-3 inside North Fond du Lac village

  R-1 max lot covered: <= 25 percent · R-2 max lot covered: <= 25 percent · R-3 max lot covered: <= 35 percent

  “r-1 all permitted uses. 15,000 125 30 10 25 35 35 25 r-2 all permitted uses. 12,000 100 25 8 20 35 35 25 r-3 all permitted uses. 9,000 75 25 6 12 35 35 35”

• Building heightDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Residential districts R-1, R-2, R-3 inside North Fond du Lac village

  R-1, R-2, R-3 max building height: <= 35 ft

  “r-1 all permitted uses. 15,000 125 30 10 25 35 35 25 r-2 all permitted uses. 12,000 100 25 8 20 35 35 25 r-3 all permitted uses. 9,000 75 25 6 12 35 35 35”

• Living in an RVLimited

  Camping trailers, travel trailers and motor homes on lots in residence districts inside North Fond du Lac village

  • Parking/storage only at side or rear of principal building
  • Temporary lodging on a lot with a dwelling needs a zoning administrator temporary permit and is limited to four days in any consecutive 30-day period
  • Interim dwelling during construction or after damage: temporary permit 12 months, extendable up to 12 more

  temporary lodging limit: <= 4 days per 30-day period

  “one camping trailer, travel trailer or motor home may be parked or stored in the open on a lot in a residence district and then only at the side or rear of the principal building.”

• Camping on your landLimited

  Tents on lots inside North Fond du Lac village

  • Temporary tents for religious, amusement, recreation, business or manufacturing purposes need a special permit

  “tents shall not be erected, used or maintained on any lot, except such small tents as are customarily used for recreation purposes and are located on the same lot as a dwelling.”

• Manufactured homesLimited

  Mobile homes inside North Fond du Lac village

  • Exception: temporary permit under 21.02(6)(c)
  • Park must be approved by the village board

  “mobile homes, except those covered by a temporary permit in section 21.02 (6)(c), are permitted only in a mobile home park approved by the village board.”

• Accessory dwellingsLimited

  Efficiency dwelling within an owner-occupied one-family dwelling, residential districts, inside North Fond du Lac village

  • Not more than 30 percent of total usable floor area, not to exceed 375 square feet
  • Detached ADUs not addressed in text reviewed

  max efficiency unit area: <= 375 sq ft

  “one efficiency dwelling (see definitions) is permitted when such dwelling is included within the structure of an owner-occupied one family dwelling and does not occupy more than 30 percent of the total usable floor area not to exceed 375 square feet of such one family dwelling.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Lot division inside North Fond du Lac village

  • Resulting lots must meet zoning lot area and width
  • Public site fee under section 8.96
  • Separate land division chapter (Ch. 7) not opened

  “no lot shall hereafter be divided into two or more lots for the purpose of transfer of ownership unless all lots resulting from each such division shall have lot areas and widths as required in this ordinance, have complied with the subdivision control ordinance, and have paid a public site fee in accordance with section 8.96.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Village of North Fond du Lac or Fond du Lac County directly.

• Building permit — Construction inside North Fond du Lac village
• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builders inside North Fond du Lac village
• Minimum dwelling size — Single-family dwellings in R districts
• Tiny homes — Tiny homes inside North Fond du Lac village
• Who permits septic — Private sewage systems inside North Fond du Lac village

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.