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

Town of Melrose’s own rules

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  Proposed lots created by land division inside the Town of Melrose.

  • The 1.5-acre minimum does not apply where a more restrictive local ordinance, specified county or state code, or a county Board of Adjustment variance applies.

  minimum proposed lot size: >= 1.5 acres (subject to listed local ordinance, county/state code, or variance exceptions)

  “all proposed lots are to be a minimum of 1.5 acres in size, unless one of the following applies:”

• Who permits septicCounty (with conditions)

  Private onsite wastewater systems inside the Town of Melrose.

  • County Private Onsite Wastewater Treatment Ordinance requirements apply in unincorporated Jackson County, including town territory outside the separate Village of Melrose.

  “the jackson county private onsite wastewater treatment ordinance requirements are enforced in all unincorporated areas of jackson county. the permit is issued for the installation of a private sewage system.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Land divisions inside the Town of Melrose.

  • Parcels smaller than a rectangular half of a government protracted quarter-quarter require county approval and a CSM; five or more lots require a subdivision plat; qualifying five-or-more-lot subdivisions also require state plat review and county approval.

  CSM maximum: <= 4 lots (land divisions creating a parcel less than a rectangular half of a government protracted quarter-quarter) · subdivision-plat threshold: >= 5 lots (five or more lots)

  “land divisions that create a parcel that is less than a rectangular half of a government protracted quarter-quarter require county approval and shall be recorded as a certified survey map (csm). a maximum of four (4) lots can be created via a csm. land divisions of five (5) or more lots shall be recorded as a subdivision plat.”

• Driveway accessLimited

  New or changed driveway access from a Jackson County trunk highway inside the Town of Melrose.

  • The county permit applies only to county highways, not state highways or local town roads; application is by the site landowner; approved permit must precede work; no application fee is charged.

  application fee: 0 USD (County-highway driveway access application)

  “there is no fee for the application, however the applicant must have an approved permit before any work is to be completed.”

• Building in a floodplainLimited

  Property inside Melrose town shown on FEMA Floodplain mapping.

  • County Chapter 20 restrictions apply; the county directs owners to contact the Zoning Department for parcel-specific regulations.

  “The Zoning Department is responsible for the administration and enforcement of regulations for any property which is shown on the FEMA Floodplain mapping.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residential work inside Melrose town.
• Building code adopted — One- and two-family dwelling construction inside Melrose town.
• Certificate of occupancy — Residential occupancy inside Melrose town.
• Minimum dwelling size — Single-family dwellings in county zoning districts inside the Town of Melrose.
• Setbacks — Residential structures in county zoning districts inside the Town of Melrose.

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.