Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Town of Garden Valley, Wisconsin

Town of Garden Valley’s own rules

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside Garden Valley town; county-administered comprehensive zoning applies because Garden Valley is listed as a participating zoned township.

  • Jackson County administers the applicable comprehensive zoning ordinance; this is not evidence that Garden Valley adopted its own separate zoning ordinance.
  • Land-use changes or development require permits and may require a public hearing.

  “Currently, there are fourteen townships regulated by the Jackson County Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance. Any land use changes or development will require permits and possibly a public hearing for the approval of the project.”

• Living in an RVLimited

  Travel trailers and camping units on undeveloped or vacant property inside Garden Valley town.

  • Without registration, placement is limited to 25 days in a calendar year.
  • Registered units require annual registration before January 31, a visible sticker, sanitary provisions, garbage/trash disposal, and only one unit per lot or parcel.
  • Primary-residence occupation is prohibited; local ordinances or restrictive covenants may also prevent siting.

  unregistered placement limit: <= 25 days per calendar year (unless registered with Jackson County Zoning Department) · annual registration fee: 100 USD

  “Occupation of the unit as a primary residence is STRICTLY prohibited. Local ordinances or restrictive covenants may prevent the siting of these travel trailer/camping units on a parcel of land.”

• Camping on your landLimited

  Travel-trailer or camping-unit placement on undeveloped or vacant land in zoned Garden Valley town.

  • Garden Valley is listed as a participating zoned township.
  • Unregistered placement is limited to 25 days in a calendar year; registration is required for a unit kept for the calendar year.

  unregistered placement limit: <= 25 days per calendar year (unless registered with Jackson County Zoning Department)

  “In any zoned township, a travel trailer or camping unit can be located on undeveloped or vacant property for ONLY 25 days in a calendar year UNLESS it is registered with the Jackson County Zoning Department.”

• Who permits septicCounty (with conditions)

  Private sanitary systems for dwellings inside Garden Valley town.

  • The Town directs residents to the Jackson County Zoning Office for sanitary-system permits.
  • The county program is enforced in unincorporated Jackson County, which includes Garden Valley town.

  “First a land use permit must be obtained from the Jackson County Zoning Office, Jackson County Court House, 307 Main Street, Black River Falls, 715-284-0220. A sanitary system permit is handled through this office as well.”

• Septic inspectionRequired

  POWTS installations, remediations, repairs, and reconnections inside Garden Valley town.

  • Inspection must occur before backfilling.
  • The county asks for at least 48 hours' notice for an onsite inspection; if it cannot attend, elevation data, date of installation, and an as-built plan must be submitted.

  “All POWTS systems including remediations, repairs and reconnections are required to be inspected PRIOR to backfilling. With proper notice, our office should be able to attend ALL inspections.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Land divisions and subdivisions proposed inside Garden Valley town.

  • Four lots or fewer within five years use a certified survey map and registered land surveyor.
  • Five or more lots below 1.5 acres require state, county, and local-township review and a zoning-committee sketch-plat public hearing.
  • Five or more lots above 1.5 acres require county and local-township review and a zoning-committee sketch-plat public hearing.

  small land division threshold: <= 4 lots within five years (certified survey map method) · large subdivision threshold: >= 5 lots (review varies according to whether lots are less than 1.5 acres)

  “Five lots or more, less than 1.5 acres in size, will need to be reviewed by the State of Wisconsin, Jackson County and the local township. All plat procedures must be followed. A public hearing is required for the initial Sketch Plat Review with the Zoning Committee.”

• Driveway accessLimited

  Driveway entrances from public roadways inside Garden Valley town.

  • A permit may be required for a driveway entrance from a public roadway.
  • State/federal highway access is referred to Wisconsin DOT; county-highway access to Jackson County Highway Department; township-road access to the local township.
  • Driveways must appear on site plans for county minimum requirement verification.

  “An individual may be required for a driveway entrance off of a public roadway. Contact the Wisconsin Department of Transportation for questions regarding Federal or State Highways. For access off of a County Highway, contact the Jackson County Highway Department at 715.284.0264.”

• Short-term rentalsLimited

  Short-term rentals in the specified Jackson County zoning districts inside Garden Valley town.

  • A short-term rental is a residential dwelling rented for a fee for fewer than 29 consecutive days.
  • Allowed as a conditional use only in R-1, R-2, R-3, R-4, A-1, and A-2 districts.
  • Must meet local building code, county health licensing, state requirements, county private-septic provisions, and Section 17.50 parking requirements.
  • A CUP application and fee are required; notice is sent to owners within 300 feet, announced in Banner Journal for two weeks and on radio, and sent to the local township.

  short-term-rental duration: < 29 consecutive days (rental for a fee)

  “Short term rentals are allowed as a conditional use within the R-1, R-2, R-3 and R-4 residential districts and the A-1 and A-2 agricultural districts. The following condition will apply:”

Rules another office applies inside Town of Garden Valley

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

• Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

  New one- and two-family dwellings, and additions or alterations to homes constructed after June 1, 1980, inside Garden Valley town.

  • The local municipality administers and enforces the Uniform Dwelling Code.
  • The stated dwelling scope excludes other structures unless separately regulated.

  “In Jackson County, the local municipality is responsible for administration and enforcement of the Uniform Dwellling Code (UDC). A UDC Building Permit is required for the construction or placement of any new one or two family dwellings and additions or alterations to any home constructed after June 1, 1980.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residential work inside Garden Valley town.
• Certificate of occupancy — Residential construction and occupancy inside Garden Valley town.
• Minimum dwelling size — Dwellings inside Garden Valley town.
• Minimum lot size — Lots inside Garden Valley town.
• Setbacks — Structures inside Garden Valley 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.