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

Town of Liberty’s own rules

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Land inside Liberty town governed by Grant County comprehensive zoning.

  • District locations are shown on official zoning maps for each zoned township and detailed parcel/zoning maps.
  • Overlay-district provisions supplement the underlying primary-district regulations.

  “The location and boundaries of the County’s Zoning districts are shown on the “Official Zoning Map” for each zoned township in Grant County and on detailed property tax parcel/zoning maps for each Section in each zoned Township.”

• Manufactured homesLimited

  Manufactured housing installed inside Liberty town.

  • A valid manufacturer certification must be presented with the zoning-permit application.
  • A manufactured house must be at least 24 feet wide; its length must exceed its width along the entire width dimension.
  • The ordinance identifies stated exemptions for a single mobile home on an operating farm, regulated mobile parks and campgrounds, and multifamily dwellings from its ownership provision.

  minimum manufactured-house width: >= 24 ft (A single manufactured-housing unit on an operating farm is exempt from the 24-foot minimum dwelling-width requirement.)

  “A manufactured house must have a minimum width of 24 feet regardless of the method of manufacture in order to receive a zoning permit. The length of the structure must exceed the width along the entire width dimension.”

• Who permits septicCounty (with conditions)

  Private onsite wastewater treatment systems inside Liberty town.

  • County and state permits must be issued before installation.

  “GRANT COUNTY CONSERVATION, SANITATION AND ZONING DEPT [...] Sanitary Permit Application Process For GRANT COUNTY PRIVATE ON-SITE WASTEWATER TREATMENT SYSTEMS (POWTS)”

• Septic permitRequired

  Installation of a private onsite wastewater treatment system inside Liberty town.

  • The system must be installed by a Wisconsin licensed Master Plumber or Master Restricted Sewer Plumber.
  • Application requires a Master-Plumber-signed and dated form, system plans, soil evaluation, and permit fee.
  • For a new single-family home in a zoned township, sanitary permit issuance precedes zoning-permit issuance.

  “Wisconsin State Statutes mandate that a POWTS must be installed by a Wisconsin licensed Master Plumber, or Master Restricted Sewer Plumber. All State and/or County Permits must be issued before the POWTS can be installed.”

• Mandatory utility hookupConditional

  Sites inside Liberty town proposing onsite sewage disposal.

  • A zoning permit cannot issue for onsite disposal when municipal or central-station disposal is available or can be installed at comparable cost.
  • This restriction does not apply to exclusive-agricultural land or property subject to a farmland-preservation agreement.

  “No Zoning Permit shall be issued for any structure designed to use on-site sewage disposal facilities if existing municipal or central station disposal facilities are available to such site, or if such facilities can be constructed or installed at a comparable cost. This subparagraph (e) does not apply to lands zoned exclusive agricultural or property subject to a farmland preservation agreement.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Division of R-1 parcels inside Liberty town that are subject to Grant County's Subdivision Ordinance.

  • Public sewer and water must have been extended before R-1 parcels may be divided into two or more lots.
  • Each new lot must meet the R-1 minimum lot area.
  • Where the subdivision ordinance applies, necessary county approvals must be obtained before division.

  “Parcels or lots contained in this district can be divided into two or more lots only if public sewer and water utilities have been extended to this area and a only if each of the lots created by the division can meet the minimum lot area for this district as required by the zoning ordinance.”

• Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

  Grant County sanitary permits and related POWTS work inside Liberty town.

  • The published fee schedule is effective June 5, 2023.
  • The installation/replacement fee depends on system type and daily flow.

  conventional POWTS installation or replacement permit under 1000 gpd: 400 USD (Non-pressurized in-ground conventional system.) · POWTS installation or replacement permit over 1000 gpd: 500 USD (Any POWTS with or without pretreatment.)

  “Effective June 5th, 2023 [...] Non-Pressurized In-Ground (Conventional) Systems< 1000 gpd--------------------------------------------------------------- $400 [...] Any POWTS with or without pretreatment> 1000 gpd --------------------------------------------------------$500”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Grant County POWTS sanitary-permit process for projects inside Liberty town.

  • A certified soil tester evaluates feasible areas and prepares a soil-and-site evaluation report.
  • A Master Plumber or engineer designs and signs plans under the stated conditions.
  • For other than one- or two-family residential in-ground gravity systems, plans and plan-review fee go to the state for review and approval.

  “The CST provides a report of these findings on a Soil and Site Evaluation Report. [...] Submit an application form signed and dated by a Master Plumber along with the system plans, soil evaluation, and permit fee.”

Rules another office applies inside Town of Liberty

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

• Building permitRequired

  New one- and two-family dwellings, including stick-built, modular, and manufactured-home installations, inside Liberty town.

  • Authority to issue the permit depends on whether the municipality has delegated authority; otherwise DSPS accepts the application.

  “A permit under the UDC is required for new one- and two-family dwelling units. This includes stick-built, modular, and manufactured home installations.”

• Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

  New one- and two-family dwellings, including manufactured-home installations, inside Liberty town.

  • The UDC source identifies SPS 320-325 as its program code chapter.
  • The source states that UDC permitting and inspection authority may be delegated to a municipality; otherwise an application is submitted to DSPS.

  “The program governing one- and two-family dwelling units (including manufactured homes) is also called the UDC program, referring to the Uniform Dwelling Code. Enforces construction standards and inspection procedures including evaluation of building materials.”

• InspectionsRequired

  New one- and two-family dwellings inside Liberty town that are subject to the Wisconsin UDC.

  • The listed inspections are footings, foundation and reinforcement, rough, insulation, and final inspections.

  “The following inspections are required on new one- and two-family dwellings. When ready for inspection, notify the inspector identified on your UDC permit.”

• Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

  Residential R-1 District inside Liberty town.

  • The applicable district is parcel-specific under the official zoning map.

  minimum floor area: >= 1200 sq ft

  “Residential R-1 12 ft ₂ 50 ft 30 ft 6000 sq ft 1200 sq ft ₃ 90 ft 24 ft 35 ft”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  Agricultural A-1 District inside Liberty town.

  • The applicable district is parcel-specific under the official zoning map.

  minimum lot area: >= 3 acres

  “Agricultural A-1 30 ft 30 ft 30 ft 3 acres 800 sq ft 24 ft 40 ft”

• SetbacksSpecified

  Agricultural A-1 District inside Liberty town.

  • The applicable district is parcel-specific under the official zoning map.

  minimum side yard: >= 30 ft · minimum rear yard: >= 30 ft · minimum front yard: >= 30 ft

  “Agricultural A-1 30 ft 30 ft 30 ft 3 acres 800 sq ft 24 ft 40 ft”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — Residential R-1 District inside Liberty town.

    “Note (2) = 6 feet plus an additional 6 feet for each floor above grade including the first of such floors.”

• Building heightSpecified

  Agricultural A-1 District inside Liberty town.

  • The applicable district is parcel-specific under the official zoning map.

  maximum structure height: <= 40 ft

  “Agricultural A-1 30 ft 30 ft 30 ft 3 acres 800 sq ft 24 ft 40 ft”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — Residential R-1 District inside Liberty town.

    “Residential R-1 12 ft ₂ 50 ft 30 ft 6000 sq ft 1200 sq ft ₃ 90 ft 24 ft 35 ft”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residential projects inside Liberty town.
• Certificate of occupancy — Residential construction inside Liberty town.
• Lot coverage — Land inside Liberty town.
• Living in an RV — Long-term recreational-vehicle occupancy on private land inside Liberty town.
• Camping on your land — Temporary camping on private land inside Liberty 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.