Bolthole Index

Juneau County, Wisconsin

Building permits, zoning and septic rules in the Town of Cutler, Wisconsin

The Town of Cutler in Juneau County, Wisconsin, requires a building permit for a new one- or two-family home, including a stick-built, modular or manufactured-home installation1. Cutler routes building permit applications through the Town Board and Building Inspector, and we could not confirm a Town zoning ordinance2. Septic permits stay with Juneau County, which issues sanitary permits for private septic systems inside the Town3.

At a glance

Building permit
Required for a new one- or two-family dwelling1
Building inspections
Required for a new one- or two-family dwelling4
Local zoning
A comprehensive Town zoning rule was not confirmed; ask the Town Clerk before relying on a proposed use5
Septic permit
Juneau County administers sanitary permits for private systems36
RV living
Long-term residential use on private land was not confirmed; ask the Town Clerk2
Owner-builder
A qualifying owner-occupant may apply without contractor certification, but permits still apply7
Town-road driveway
A Town permit is required before installing, altering or changing access8

Who to call

Building permits

Town of Cutler Building Inspector

Building-code questions and inspection work after Town Board approval

608-697-7807

[email protected]

916 Silver Lake Drive - P.O.Box 340, Portage, WI 53901

Building permits

Town of Cutler Clerk

Town building, land-use, driveway and fire-sign applications before Town Board review

608-427-6539

[email protected]

W10164 24th St, Camp Douglas, WI 54618

Septic permits

Juneau County Sanitation & Zoning Department

Sanitary permits and plan review, private sewage information, shoreland building permits and floodplain questions

608-847-9391

[email protected]

650 Prairie Street Mauston, WI 53948

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 9, 2026.

Off-grid gear

Going off-grid in Town of Cutler means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

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Do you need a building permit in the Town of Cutler, Wisconsin?

Yes. A new one- or two-family dwelling in the Town of Cutler requires a Uniform Dwelling Code building permit, including a stick-built, modular or manufactured-home installation.9 The covered work follows Wisconsin's Uniform Dwelling Code, and Cutler is listed as having delegated authority for the municipal process.10

New covered dwellings also require inspections for footings, foundation and reinforcement, rough work, insulation and final completion; contact the inspector identified on the permit when each stage is ready.11 A qualifying owner-occupant may apply for the construction and erosion-control permits without Dwelling Contractor Certification, but the owner-builder allowance does not remove the permit or inspection requirements.7 The available Town material does not establish which alterations, accessory structures or agricultural buildings require a building permit, so ask the Town Clerk about the exact project before work begins.

Who handles building permits in the Town of Cutler?

Start with the Town of Cutler Clerk at 608-427-6539 or [email protected] to obtain and submit the Town applications.12 The Town procedure calls for the completed application, fee worksheet and full Town payment to reach the clerk before the application goes to the next regular monthly Town Board meeting.13

After Town Board approval, the building or land-use application is forwarded to the Building Inspector and assessor, and the Building Inspector supplies the permit for posting.2 The Town's Building Inspector can be reached at 608-697-7807 or [email protected] after the Board approves the application.14 Building-inspector fees are paid directly to the inspector according to the inspector's specifications, and the available material does not give a complete numeric building-fee schedule.15

Does the Town of Cutler have zoning, and what does Juneau County control?

We could not confirm that the Town of Cutler has adopted a comprehensive zoning ordinance or published a complete zoning map and district schedule. Ask the Town Clerk to confirm the parcel's allowed use, minimum lot size, setbacks, building height and any rule for a proposed accessory dwelling before treating the land as buildable.

Juneau County rules still apply in specialized areas. Development, repair, modification, additions and changes of use in mapped county floodplain areas require a land-use permit before work begins.16 Juneau County also administers shoreland and wetland rules, shoreland building permits, floodplain rules and land-use permits through its Sanitation & Zoning Department.17 Near water, Juneau County shoreland rules require a zoning permit before construction within 1,000 feet of a lake or flowage, 300 feet of a navigable river or stream, and in all floodplains, and set a general 75-foot water setback18. The county's floodplain ordinance does not prove that every Cutler parcel is zoned or that a particular parcel lies in a mapped floodplain.

How do septic permits work inside the Town of Cutler, Wisconsin?

Juneau County Sanitation & Zoning, rather than the Town building office, administers private onsite wastewater systems in Cutler where the county ordinance applies.19 Every covered private sewage system requires a separate complete application signed by a licensed plumber and a county sanitary permit.6 The county says sanitary permits are required for new installations, replacements or modifications, repairs, reconnections and non-plumbing systems such as outhouses and transfer tanks.17

The Juneau County Zoning Department inspects covered systems that are installed, modified or reconnected, and the system must remain open until inspection and acceptance under the stated conditions.20 Juneau County soils rate only 0.5% without severe limits for a conventional septic drain field, so make the soil and system evaluation an early purchase contingency.21 Juneau County reviews plans only for at-grade and mound systems up to 1,000 gallons per day using approved components; individual site designs go to the state Department of Safety and Professional Services2223. A non-plumbing sanitation system is limited to a structure without indoor plumbing that is not used as a full-time residence.24

Can you live in an RV or tiny home in the Town of Cutler?

We could not confirm a complete Town of Cutler rule allowing long-term residential RV occupancy or temporary camping on an ordinary private lot. Ask the Town Clerk how a camper or RV may be used and permitted before buying land or relying on it as housing. County campground rules limited to mapped floodplain districts do not answer the private-lot question.

We also could not confirm a separate Town rule for tiny homes, a numeric minimum dwelling size or complete dimensional standards. A tiny home used as a new one- or two-family dwelling would still fall within the statewide permit rule for covered dwellings, while its placement and occupancy need a parcel-specific answer from the Town.1 A new manufactured-home installation is expressly included in the covered dwelling-permit rule, but that does not by itself confirm where a manufactured home or tiny home may be occupied.25

Building a home in the Town of Cutler, Wisconsin: what are the steps, in order?

  1. Ask the Town Clerk to confirm the proposed use and any parcel-specific land-use, dimensional or RV restrictions that apply.
  2. Determine whether Juneau County shoreland or floodplain review affects the site; covered floodplain development needs a county land-use permit before work begins.5
  3. If the home will use private sewage, have a licensed plumber complete the sanitary application and obtain the Juneau County sanitary permit.6
  4. Submit the Town building or land-use application, fee worksheet and Town payment to the clerk for Town Board review.13
  5. After approval, work with the Town Building Inspector, pay the inspector's separate fees and post the supplied permit.215
  6. Call for the required dwelling inspections at the stages identified on the UDC permit.26
  7. Obtain a Town driveway permit before installing or changing access to a Town public road.8

What should you check before buying land in the Town of Cutler?

Confirm the parcel's allowable use and dimensional requirements with the Town Clerk because a complete local zoning map, lot-size schedule, setback table and tiny-home rule were not confirmed. Check Juneau County floodplain and shoreland jurisdiction separately with the Sanitation & Zoning Department before assuming the Town building process is the only approval.17

For private wastewater, order the soil and site evaluation early because only 0.5% of Juneau County soils rate without severe limits for a conventional drain field.21 Before constructing a new private well, obtain the Wisconsin Well Construction Notification Number; the stated notification fee is $50.50.27 A residential or non-residential driveway connecting to a Town of Cutler public road needs a Town permit before installation, alteration or change, and the application fee is $50.8 That Town-road rule does not establish the access process for a county or state highway.8

Watch-outs

  • A Town building approval does not replace the Juneau County sanitary permit required for a covered private sewage system.26
  • Long-term RV occupancy, temporary camping and a separate tiny-home classification were not confirmed; ask the Town Clerk before purchasing or placing a unit.12
  • Floodplain development can require a Juneau County land-use permit in addition to the Town building process.16
  • The published Town driveway rule applies to access onto a Town of Cutler public road, not automatically to county or state highways.8
  • Building within 1,000 feet of a lake or flowage or 300 feet of a navigable river or stream needs a Juneau County shoreland zoning permit even where the Town has no zoning of its own18.

Sources

  1. UDC (Uniform Dwelling Code / One- and Two-Family Dwellings) (Town of Cutler), quoted and re-checked
  2. Fire Sign, Driveway, and Building/Land Use Procedure (Town of Cutler), quoted and re-checked
  3. Chapter 15 — Private Onsite Wastewater Treatment Systems Ordinance (Town of Cutler), quoted and re-checked
  4. UDC (Uniform Dwelling Code / One- and Two-Family Dwellings) (Town of Cutler), quoted and re-checked
  5. Juneau County Floodplain Zoning Ordinance (Town of Cutler), quoted and re-checked
  6. Chapter 15 — Private Onsite Wastewater Treatment Systems Ordinance (Town of Cutler), quoted and re-checked
  7. Instructions for Submitting a UDC Permit Application (Town of Cutler), quoted and re-checked
  8. Minimum Driveway Specifications (Town of Cutler), quoted and re-checked
  9. UDC (Uniform Dwelling Code / One- and Two-Family Dwellings) (Town of Cutler), quoted and re-checked
  10. UDC (Uniform Dwelling Code / One- and Two-Family Dwellings) (Town of Cutler), quoted and re-checked
  11. UDC (Uniform Dwelling Code / One- and Two-Family Dwellings) (Town of Cutler), quoted and re-checked
  12. Town of Cutler Clerk (townshipofcutler.com)
  13. Fire Sign, Driveway, and Building/Land Use Procedure (Town of Cutler), quoted and re-checked
  14. Town of Cutler Building Inspector (townshipofcutler.com)
  15. Fire Sign, Driveway, and Building/Land Use Procedure (Town of Cutler), quoted and re-checked
  16. Juneau County Floodplain Zoning Ordinance (Town of Cutler), quoted and re-checked
  17. Juneau County Sanitation & Zoning Department (co.juneau.wi.gov)
  18. General Shoreland Zoning Provisions, quoted and re-checked
  19. Chapter 15 — Private Onsite Wastewater Treatment Systems Ordinance (Town of Cutler), quoted and re-checked
  20. Chapter 15 — Inspection; General (Town of Cutler), quoted and re-checked
  21. Share of soils USDA rates "not limited" for a conventional septic drain field (SSURGO). A strict rating: the median county is about 6% and a tenth of counties are 0%, so a low figure means most lots need a site evaluation or an engineered system, not that septic is impossible. Cite it only with that caveat: Bolthole Index county data
  22. Delegated Agents for Private On-Site Wastewater Treatment System (POWTS) Plan Review, quoted and re-checked
  23. Juneau County POWTS Plan Review Delegation Letter, quoted and re-checked
  24. Chapter 15 — Private Onsite Wastewater Treatment Systems Ordinance (Town of Cutler), quoted and re-checked
  25. UDC (Uniform Dwelling Code / One- and Two-Family Dwellings) (Town of Cutler), quoted and re-checked
  26. UDC (Uniform Dwelling Code / One- and Two-Family Dwellings) (Town of Cutler), quoted and re-checked
  27. Well and heat exchange notification (Town of Cutler), quoted and re-checked

Written October 9, 2026 from the rules quoted below, each taken from an official source and re-checked by an independent reviewer. This is research, not legal advice: rules change, so confirm with the office before you buy or build.

Answers from the rulebook for Town of Cutler

Town of Cutler’s own rules

  • Driveway accessRequired

    Residential and non-residential driveways accessing a Town of Cutler public road.

    • A permit is required before installation, alteration, or change of the driveway.
    • Minimum road-surface width at the entrance/exit right-of-way is 20 feet.
    • Minimum width clearance is 20 feet and minimum height clearance free of trees and wires is 20 feet.
    • Driveways must provide maximum visibility, have a center-line perpendicular to the public road, and slope away from the public road within the public right-of-way.
    • The town board determines adequate road-bed material and culvert requirements.
    • Driveways 60 feet or longer must provide a vehicle turnaround so backing onto the public road is unnecessary.
    • The application fee is $50.00.
    • The town board reviews applications at its second-Monday monthly meeting; after approval, a town board member inspects the proposed location before the permit is issued.
    • The source expressly covers access to a Town of Cutler public road; it does not establish the rule for driveways connecting to county roads.

    application fee: 50 USD · minimum road-surface width at entrance/exit right-of-way: 20 feet · minimum width clearance: 20 feet · minimum height clearance: 20 feet (free of trees and wires) · turnaround threshold: >= 60 feet (vehicle turnaround required)

    “No driveways shall be installed, altered or changed without first obtaining a permit authorizing the installation, change or construction of the driveway.”
    2 more reviewed findings on this topic
    • Required — New driveway installation inside Cutler town.
      “permit issued for landowner to proceed with driveway installation”
    • Required — Residential and non-residential driveways accessing a Town of Cutler public road.
      “No driveways shall be installed, altered or changed without first obtaining a permit authorizing the installation, change or construction of the driveway.”
  • Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

    At least the Town of Cutler driveway permit process.

    • The published $50 fee is for driveway applications; building inspector fees are separately paid directly to General Engineering according to its specifications.
    • The general building fee worksheet was linked by the town but was not readable in the reviewed material.

    driveway permit fee: 50 USD

    “Complete the application and mail or deliver, along with the $50.00 payment (check made payable to: Town of Cutler), to: Bobbie K Georgeson, Clerk, Town of Cutler, W10164 24th Street, Camp Douglas, WI 54618.”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
  • Permit processPublished (with conditions)

    Fire-sign, driveway, and building/land-use applications inside Cutler town.

    • The landowner requests applications from the clerk.
    • The clerk receives completed applications, the town fee worksheet, and town payment before presenting them at the next regular monthly meeting.
    • After town-board approval, building/land-use applications are forwarded to the building inspector and assessor; the inspector provides the permit for posting.
    • Building inspector fees are paid directly to the inspector.
    “Building/Land Use applications will be copied, and forwarded to Building Inspector and Assessor. Permit (provided by Building Inspector) sent to land owner, for posting.”
    2 more reviewed findings on this topic
    • Published (with conditions) — Fire-sign, driveway, and building/land-use applications inside Cutler town.
      “Fire Sign, Driveway, and Building/Land Use Procedure:”
    • Published (with conditions) — Building/land-use applications inside Cutler town.
      “Clerk receives completed application(s), Town of Cutler Fee Calculation Worksheet, and town portion payment, in full, with a check made payable to “Town of Cutler” then presents to the board at the next regular scheduled monthly meeting”

Rules another office applies inside Town of Cutler

Town of Cutler 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 dwelling units inside Cutler town.

    • The permit is issued through the delegated municipal process or, where applicable, the state process.
    • The Town of Cutler procedure requires building/land-use applications to be forwarded to the building inspector and a permit to be provided for posting.
    “A permit under the UDC is required for new one- and two-family dwelling units. This includes stick-built, modular, and manufactured home installations.”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
  • Owner-builder exemptionAvailable (with conditions)

    An owner-occupant applying for an erosion-control or construction permit for a one- or two-family dwelling inside Cutler town.

    • The applicant must be or become the owner-occupant of the dwelling; the exemption is for applying without a Dwelling Contractor Certification and does not eliminate UDC permits or inspections.
    “without a Dwelling Contractor Certification”
  • Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

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

    • Wisconsin's Uniform Dwelling Code applies statewide to the covered dwelling class.
    • Town of Cutler is listed by DSPS as delegated for UDC authority.

    code chapters: SPS 320-325

    “A permit under the UDC is required for new one- and two-family dwelling units. This includes stick-built, modular, and manufactured home installations.”
    3 more reviewed findings on this topic
    • Adopted (with conditions) — New one- and two-family dwellings, including manufactured-home installations, inside Cutler town.
      “A permit under the UDC is required for new one- and two-family dwelling units. This includes stick-built, modular, and manufactured home installations.”
    • Adopted (with conditions) — New one- and two-family dwellings inside Cutler town, including stick-built, modular, and manufactured-home installations.
      “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.”
    • Adopted (with conditions) — New one- and two-family dwellings, including manufactured-home installations, inside Cutler town.
      “The program governing one- and two-family dwelling units (including manufactured homes) is also called the UDC program, referring to the Uniform Dwelling Code.”
  • InspectionsRequired

    New one- and two-family dwellings inside Cutler town.

    • When ready, notify the inspector identified on the UDC permit.

    required inspections: footings; foundation and foundation reinforcement; rough; insulation; final

    “The following inspections are required on new one- and two-family dwellings. When ready for inspection, notify the inspector identified on your UDC permit.”
    3 more reviewed findings on this topic
  • Who permits septicCounty

    Private onsite wastewater treatment systems inside Cutler town where the Juneau County ordinance applies.

    • The ordinance applies to geographic areas of Juneau County not served by a public sewer approved by the Department of Natural Resources.
    • The administering authority is the Juneau County Zoning Department, not the county health department.
    “County. The County Authority; the Juneau County Zoning Department.”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
    • County (with conditions) — Private sewage systems and non-plumbing sanitation systems inside Cutler town, administered under Juneau County Chapter 15.
      “County. The County Authority; the Juneau County Zoning Department. [...] The requirements of this ordinance shall apply to all geographic areas of the County not served by a public sewer approved by the Department of Natural Resources. [...] The Zoning Administrator shall be responsible for the administration of this ordinance.”
  • Septic permitRequired

    Every private sewage system serving land inside Cutler town that is subject to the Juneau County ordinance.

    • A separate complete application signed by a licensed plumber and a sanitary permit are required for every private sewage system.
    • The permit must be obtained before installation, establishment, or construction of a structure requiring a private sewage or non-plumbing sanitation system.
    • A permit is required before a private sewage system or any part of it is installed, replaced, reconnected, or modified.
    • A sanitary permit is not required for adding manhole risers or replacing manhole covers, risers, baffles, filters, or pumps.
    • Starting construction before obtaining the permit can result in permit fees twice the stated amount and citation or other enforcement action.
    • The ordinance applies in geographic areas not served by a public sewer approved by the Department of Natural Resources.
    “Every private sewage system shall require a separate complete application signed by a licensed plumber and a sanitary permit.”
  • Septic inspectionRequired

    POWTS installed, modified, or reconnected inside Cutler town under the Juneau County ordinance.

    • Inspection notice must be given to the Zoning Department the working day before inspection, excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays.
    • The entire system must remain completely open until inspected and accepted, subject to the stated SPS 383.26(2) and ordinance condition.
    • The Zoning Department may conduct periodic inspections after initial installation inspections when deemed necessary.
    • Additional re-inspection fees may apply when the initial inspection finds incomplete or noncompliant work.
    “These POWTS shall be inspected by the Zoning Department for compliance with chs. SPS 382, SPS 383, SPS 384, and SPS 391, Wisconsin Administrative Code, and other appropriate Wisconsin Statues and Administrative Codes and this ordinance.”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
  • Off-grid sanitationLimited

    Non-plumbing private sewage systems inside Cutler town.

    • The application requires a site map and identifies the owner as responsible for installation of the private sewage system shown on attached plans.
    • The form lists a $200 sanitary permit fee.

    sanitary permit fee: 200 USD

    “Vault Privy Pit Privy Compost Toilet Portable Toilet (Port-a-potty) Transfer Tank Other:”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
    • Limited — Non-plumbing sanitation systems serving structures inside Cutler town.
      “A non-plumbing sanitation system may be permitted only when the structure or premises served by the non-plumbing sanitation system is not provided with an indoor plumbing system and is not used as a full time residence. If plumbing is installed in the structure or water under pressure is supplied to the structure, an acceptable method of sewage disposal other than, or in addition to, a non-plumbing sanitation system must be provided.”
  • Well permitRequired

    New private wells inside Cutler town.

    • Exceptions to the advance-notice requirement are high-capacity wells, reconstruction of existing wells, and wells on Native American property.
    • A property owner may drive or drill a well on their own property; otherwise wells must be constructed by a licensed water-well driller or supervised registered rig operator.
    • The Well Construction Notification fee is $50.50.

    well construction notification fee: 50.5 USD

    “Obtain a Well Construction Notification Number prior to constructing a well. This applies to both drilled wells and driven point wells.”
  • Mandatory utility hookupConditional

    Private sewage systems serving property inside Cutler town when a DNR-approved public sewer becomes available.

    • The private system must be disconnected within one year and a connection made to the public sewer; the local sewer service entity determines whether sewer is available.

    connection deadline: 1 year

    “When public sewers approved by the Department of Natural Resources becomes available to the structure or premises served, the private sewage system shall be disconnected within one year and a connection made to the public sewer. Determination of whether sewer is available shall be made by the local sewer service entity.”
  • Building in a floodplainRequired

    Development inside mapped floodplain areas within Cutler town under the Juneau County Floodplain Zoning Ordinance.

    • The ordinance is limited to regulated floodplain areas shown on official floodplain maps.
    • The ordinance was approved and effective March 21, 2023.
    • A land-use permit is required before development, repair, modification, addition, or change in use, including sewer and water facilities.
    “A land use permit shall be obtained before any development; repair, modification or addition to an existing structure; or change in the use of a building or structure, including sewer and water facilities, may be initiated.”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
    • Required — Development, repair, modification, addition, or change of use in a Juneau County floodplain inside Cutler town.
      “A land use permit shall be obtained before any development”

Still unanswered

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

  • Certificate of occupancy — Certificate-of-occupancy requirements for land inside Cutler town.
  • Local zoning — Land inside Cutler town.
  • Zoning districts — Zoning districts inside Cutler town.
  • Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling size inside Cutler town.
  • Minimum lot size — Minimum lot size inside Cutler town.
11 more unanswered
  • Setbacks
  • Lot coverage
  • Building height
  • Living in an RV
  • Camping on your land
  • Tiny homes
  • Manufactured homes
  • Accessory dwellings
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Subdividing land
  • Short-term rentals

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.

Unanswered questions are usually a sign that Town of Cutler publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Juneau County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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