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

Town of Sherman’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Structures and substantial land-use alterations inside Sherman town, as an unincorporated portion of Iron County.

  • No structure may be built, moved, or structurally altered, and no land use substantially altered, before a County Zoning Administrator land-use permit issues.
  • Exceptions: farm buildings, school bus-stop shelters, and structures not for human habitation that meet dimensional and setback requirements and are under 1,000 cubic feet.
  • Construction-alteration-removal permits expire after 12 months without building activity; land-use-change permits expire after 18 months without action.

  “No structure shall be built, moved, or structurally altered, and no land use shall be substantially altered until a Land Use Permit has been issued by the County Zoning Administrator.”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  County zoning districts applicable within unincorporated Sherman town.

  • District application depends on the official county zoning map.
  • The land-use ordinance states county zoning regulates unincorporated Iron County and divides it into districts.

  “The Board of Supervisors of Iron County in regular session on the (twenty-first) day of January, 1971 do ordain and enact an ordinance regulating and restricting the location, construction and use of buildings, structures and the use of land in the unincorporated portions of Iron County and for said purposes dividing the County into districts.”

• Camping on your landLimited

  Temporary RV dwelling use on private parcels inside Sherman town.

  • The rule applies to RVs outside approved campgrounds or parks.
  • A temporary dwelling RV located 14 or more days and fewer than 90 days in a calendar year requires an RV permit.
  • Longer stays require a conditional-use permit, annual RV permit, and compliant sanitation.

  temporary RV dwelling duration: 14 to less than 90 days per calendar year (Permit required.)

  “Require a Recreational Vehicle Permit when it is being used for a temporary dwelling and is located on a parcel of land 14 or more days and less than 90 days in a calendar year.”

• Who permits septicCounty (with conditions)

  Private sewage systems inside Sherman town, as an unincorporated portion of Iron County.

  • The county Zoning Administrator is the issuing agent for the private sewage system program.

  “The Zoning Administrator shall act as the Iron County issuing agent and is hereby assigned the duties of administering the private sewage system program.”

• Septic inspectionRequired

  Private sewage systems inside Sherman town.

  • The issuing agent must inspect or arrange inspection after construction and before backfilling, by the end of the next workday after plumber notice, excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays.
  • The maintenance program requires inspection at least once every three years and certification to the county every three years.
  • An owner who misses the maintenance-letter deadline may be charged a $100 unanswered-maintenance fee plus pumping costs and face civil action.

  maintenance inspection interval: per 3 years · unanswered maintenance fee: 100 USD (Plus pumping costs; nonresponse may result in Iron County Circuit Court Civil Action.)

  “The issuing agent shall inspect or cause the inspection of all private sewage systems after construction, but before backfilling no later than the end of the next workday, excluding Saturdays, Sundays and holidays, after receiving notice from the plumber in charge.”

• Agricultural exemptionConditional

  Farm buildings inside Sherman town.

  • A county land-use permit is not required for farm buildings.
  • The exemption does not establish exemption from other applicable rules.

  “A Land Use Permit is not required for farm buildings, school bus-stop shelters or structures not for human habitation provided such structures meet the dimensional and setback requirements of this Chapter.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Subdivision review inside Sherman town.

  • Iron County Land and Zoning Department lists Certified Survey Map and Subdivision review among its services.
  • Town land-division controls may also apply, but the official town ordinance PDF could not be opened.

  “Land use permitting Sanitary system permitting Fire number applications Tourist Rooming House permitting Shoreland permitting Recreational Vehicle permitting Certified Survey Map and Subdivision review”

• Short-term rentalsLimited

  Tourist rooming houses/short-term rentals inside Sherman town.

  • No person may operate without a Zoning Department administrative permit.
  • A resident agent within 50 miles is required unless the owner permanently resides in Iron County.
  • POWTS occupancy cannot exceed the lesser of system design or state-license occupancy.
  • Advertising may begin only after all town, county, and state permits and licenses are obtained.

  short-term stay: <= 30 days (Definition of tourist rooming house.)

  “Tourist Rooming House (TRH): Any lodging, place, tourist cabin, or cottage where sleeping accommodations are offered for pay to tourist or transients, or to persons who stay or intend to stay for a short term of thirty (30) days or less.”

• Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

  County land-use permits inside Sherman town.

  • The County Zoning Committee establishes land-use permit application fees.
  • The current schedule is retained by the County Zoning Administrator; no amount was published in the opened ordinance.

  “The fee for filing of applications for land use permits shall be established by the County Zoning Committee. A copy of the current fee schedule shall be kept on file in the office of the County Zoning Administrator.”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  County land-use permits inside Sherman town.

  • Applications require scale maps or drawings showing lot location, size, shape, proposed structures, adjacent streets/lakes/streams, uses, and number of families.
  • Permit expiry is 12 months for construction-related permits without building activity and 18 months for land-use changes without action.

  “Applications for land use permits shall be accompanied by scale maps or drawings showing accurately the location, size and shape of the lot (s) involved, and of any proposed structures, including the relation to abutting streets and any abutting lakes or streams, and the existing and proposed use of each structure and lot and the number of families to be accommodated.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built dwellings inside Sherman town.
• Building code adopted — Building construction inside Sherman town.
• Inspections — Building inspections inside Sherman town.
• Certificate of occupancy — Residential occupancy inside Sherman town.
• Local zoning — Land inside the Town of Sherman, Iron County, Wisconsin.

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.