Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Town of Green Lake, Wisconsin

Town of Green Lake’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Land-disturbing activity, including placement or alteration of a building or structure, inside the zoned Town of Green Lake.

  • A complete county land-use permit application usually requires a completed application, scaled site plan, and fee based on construction cost.

  “A land use permit is required for any land-disturbing activity, including the placement or alteration of any building or structure, within the zoned Towns or within the jurisdiction of the ordinances this Department administers.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside the Town of Green Lake, which has adopted the Green Lake County Zoning Ordinance.

  • The zoning ordinance is administered by Green Lake County rather than adopted as a separate town code.

  “Of the ten Towns in Green Lake County, six have adopted the County Zoning Ordinance: Town of Berlin, Town of Brooklyn, Town of Green Lake, Town of Mackford, Town of Manchester, and Town of Marquette.”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Land inside the Town of Green Lake subject to the adopted Green Lake County Zoning Ordinance.

  • The county's official zoning-district map establishes district boundaries and is available through the county Land Use Planning and Zoning Department.

  number of county zoning districts: 14

  “For the purposes of this chapter, Green Lake County, Wisconsin, is hereby divided into 14 zoning districts, as follows:”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  Parcels in the Town of Green Lake classified R-4 Rural Residential District.

  • Road right-of-way area is excluded from the minimum-acreage calculation.
  • Land-division design standards in County Chapter 315 apply.

  minimum contiguous land area: >= 3 acres (road right-of-way is excluded) · maximum contiguous land area: < 8 acres

  “A lot or parcel shall have a three-acre-minimum and less than eight-acre-maximum of contiguous land area. The area within the road right(s)-of-way shall not be included in the minimum acreage requirement; however, design standards pursuant to Chapter 315, Code of Green Lake County, Land Division and Subdivision, shall apply.”

• Lot coverageSpecified

  Shoreland property inside the Town of Green Lake within 300 feet of the ordinary high-water mark.

  • The shoreland ordinance also applies within 1,000 feet of navigable lakes, ponds, and flowages and within 300 feet of navigable rivers and streams.
  • Existing impervious-surface percentages above 15% may establish the percentage allowed for a new project, subject to a land-use permit.

  impervious surface limit: <= 15 percent (or the percentage existing before new construction)

  “The Shoreland Zoning ordinance has language limiting the impervious surfaces to 15%, or to the percentage existing prior to new construction.”

• Living in an RVLimited

  Land in the Town of Green Lake classified R-1 Single-Family Residence District under the adopted county zoning ordinance.

  • The rule concerns use of trailers and mobile homes as dwellings; specific exceptions allowed by the chapter remain applicable.

  “Single-family dwellings. Trailers and mobile homes may not be used for dwellings except as specifically permitted by this chapter.”

• Manufactured homesAllowed (with conditions)

  Parcels inside the Town of Green Lake classified R-2 Single-Family Mobile Home Residence District under the adopted county zoning ordinance.

  • Homes must be occupied by a single family.
  • Homes must be permanently mounted on a stone, concrete, or masonry foundation, skirted, and adequately served by compliant sanitary facilities.

  “In the Class Two Residential District, all uses and structures shall be permitted that are permitted in the Single-Family Residence District, and, in addition thereto, mobile and manufactured homes occupied by a single family shall be permitted.”

• Accessory dwellingsAllowed (with conditions)

  Detached accessory building structures on parcels in the Town of Green Lake classified R-1 Single-Family Residence District.

  • Human habitation is limited to one detached accessory building structure per lot or parcel.
  • Habitable area is limited to 20% of footprint area or 300 square feet, whichever is less.

  maximum habitable accessory-building area: <= 20 percent of footprint area (or 300 square feet, whichever is less) · maximum habitable accessory-building area: <= 300 square feet (whichever is less than 20% of footprint area)

  “Human habitation of a detached accessory building structure may be allowed, however shall be limited to 20% of the footprint area or 300 square feet, whichever is less. This standard shall apply to only one detached accessory building structure per lot or parcel.”

• Building in a floodplainRequired

  Land-disturbing development in floodplain-regulated areas inside the Town of Green Lake.

  • The county land-use permit requirement applies within the jurisdiction of the county's Floodplain Zoning Ordinance.
  • The county is required by state statute to maintain and enforce its floodplain ordinance.

  “These ordinances include the federally-required Floodplain Zoning Ordinance, the state-mandated Shoreland Zoning Ordinance, and the County’s Zoning Ordinance, among others.”

• Short-term rentalsLimited

  Tourist rooming houses on parcels inside the Town of Green Lake classified R-4 Rural Residential District.

  • Tourist rooming houses are listed as conditional uses, subject to the county zoning chapter's conditional-use standards.

  “Conditional uses. Conditions and standards for a conditional use permit are set forth in § 350, Article VII, Conditional Use Permits.”

• Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

  County land-use permits for projects inside the Town of Green Lake.

  • The county identifies the fee as based on project construction cost.
  • The official page directs applicants to page 2 of the permit application for the fee schedule.

  “Application fee, based on cost of construction for the project. See Page 2 of the permit application for the fee schedule.”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  County land-use permit applications for applicable projects inside the Town of Green Lake.

  • The county describes these as the usual components of a complete application.

  “A complete Land Use Permit application usually consists of three parts: 1. Completed application form 2. Site Plan rendered to scale 3. Application fee, based on cost of construction for the project.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residential construction inside the Town of Green Lake.
• Building code adopted — Residential construction inside the Town of Green Lake.
• Inspections — Residential building work inside the Town of Green Lake.
• Certificate of occupancy — New or altered dwellings inside the Town of Green Lake.
• Minimum dwelling size — Primary dwellings inside the Town of Green Lake.

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.