Bolthole Index

Juneau County, Wisconsin

Building permits, zoning and land rules in the Town of Lemonweir, Wisconsin

The Town of Lemonweir in Juneau County, Wisconsin, requires Town zoning and building permits for most new construction, additions and alterations.1 Lemonweir administers local zoning and Town-road driveway permits, while Juneau County handles sanitary permits and specialized shoreland and floodplain rules.2345

At a glance

Building permit
Required for most new construction, additions and alterations1
Zoning
The Town of Lemonweir is zoned; some land may also be in Mauston's extraterritorial zoning area2
Septic
Juneau County handles sanitary permits and delegated plan review46
Town-road driveway
A permit is required, including for farm-field access3
Land divisions
Divisions under 35 acres need Plan Commission and Town Board approval7
RV or tiny-home living
Not confirmed; ask the Town about the parcel and proposed use2

Who to call

Building permits

Town of Lemonweir Town Hall

Town zoning, building-permit routing, Town-road driveway permits, land divisions and extraterritorial-zoning questions

6088474786

[email protected]

N3935 19th Ave, Mauston, WI 53948

Septic permits

Juneau County Sanitation & Zoning Department

Sanitary permits, septic plan review, shoreland building permits and floodplain questions in Juneau County

608-847-9391

[email protected]

650 Prairie Street Mauston, WI 53948

Zoning

Juneau County Shoreland Zoning

Juneau County shoreland zoning and shoreland building permits

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 10, 2026.

Off-grid gear

Going off-grid in Town of Lemonweir 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 Lemonweir, Wisconsin?

Yes. The Town of Lemonweir requires building permits and zoning permits for most new construction, additions or alterations, swimming pools, signs and businesses.1 New one- and two-family dwellings, including stick-built, modular and manufactured-home installations, also require a Wisconsin Uniform Dwelling Code permit.8

Start with the Town Hall for Town zoning approval and the current building-permit route.9 A UDC application must include the permit application, contractor-license information, building plans, required data and the permit fee.10 New covered dwellings require footing, foundation, rough, insulation and final inspections; notify the inspector identified on the UDC permit when the work is ready.11 A qualifying owner who occupies or will occupy the dwelling can use the owner-builder allowance, but the building permit and code requirements still apply.12

Does the Town of Lemonweir have zoning?

Yes. The Town of Lemonweir administers zoning inside the Town, and zoning permits apply to most of the construction and land-use activities identified by the Town.2 A portion of the Town may also fall within the City of Mauston's extraterritorial zoning area, so ask the Town Hall whether the parcel needs Town zoning approval, Mauston extraterritorial approval or both.139

We could not confirm Lemonweir's current district names, parcel assignments or dimensional schedule; ask the Town Hall for the parcel's setbacks, minimum lot size, minimum dwelling size, lot coverage and building height.9 Land divisions smaller than 35 acres require Lemonweir Plan Commission and Town Board approval, but that threshold is not a minimum-lot-size rule.7 Separate county floodplain districts apply to mapped flood-hazard land, where covered development requires a county land-use permit before work begins.14

How do septic permits work inside the Town of Lemonweir?

Juneau County, rather than the Town of Lemonweir, handles the sanitary-permit side of a private septic project.4 Wisconsin requires a sanitary permit before a local building permit is issued for a building that uses a private sewage system.6

Juneau County has delegated plan-review authority for qualifying at-grade and mound systems with design flows up to 1,000 gallons per day; other designs may require Wisconsin DSPS review.15 The County sanitation page says sanitary permits are required for new installations, replacements or modifications, repairs, reconnections and non-plumbing systems such as outhouses and transfer tanks.16 The sanitary-permit application must be completed by a licensed plumber.16

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

We could not confirm a general Town of Lemonweir rule allowing long-term RV occupancy or temporary camping on an ordinary private lot. Ask the Town Hall about the parcel, duration, utilities and intended occupancy before buying land or placing an RV.9 Juneau County's special rules for campgrounds in floodplain-regulated areas require county land-use approval and do not answer whether someone may live in an RV on an ordinary private parcel.17

We also could not confirm Lemonweir's current minimum dwelling size or a separate tiny-home classification. A tiny home used as a new dwelling still needs the applicable Town zoning approval, and a covered new one- or two-family dwelling requires a UDC building permit.28 A manufactured-home installation is included in the statewide UDC rule, but that does not establish where Lemonweir zoning allows the home to be placed.18

Building a home in the Town of Lemonweir: what are the steps?

  1. Ask the Town Hall to identify the parcel's zoning district and whether Mauston's extraterritorial zoning boundary applies.139
  2. Check Juneau County shoreland and mapped floodplain jurisdiction before fixing the house location; covered floodplain development requires a county land-use permit before work begins.19
  3. If the home will use private sewage, obtain the required sanitary permit before the local building permit.6
  4. Submit the Town zoning materials and the UDC application, plans, contractor information, required data and fee for the new dwelling.120
  5. Obtain a Town driveway permit before creating access to a public Town road, including farm-field access.3
  6. Call the inspector identified on the UDC permit as each required inspection stage is ready.21

What stays with Juneau County, and what should you check before buying?

Lemonweir decides Town zoning and Town-road access, while Juneau County handles sanitary permits and applicable shoreland and floodplain approvals.2345 County shoreland zoning applies within 1,000 feet of a lake or flowage, within 300 feet of a navigable river or stream and in floodplains, and a county permit is required before construction starts in those areas.22

In county shoreland jurisdiction, the general water setback is 75 feet from the ordinary high-water mark, subject to stated exceptions.23 A shoreland-wetland lot for a main building generally needs at least 20,000 square feet and 100 feet of water frontage without public sewer, or 10,000 square feet and 65 feet of water frontage with public sewer.2425 Make septic feasibility an early purchase contingency: only 0.5% of Juneau County soils are rated without severe limitations for a conventional septic drain field.26

Watch-outs

  • A Town zoning or building permit does not replace the Juneau County sanitary permit required for a building using private sewage.16
  • Access to a public Town road requires a driveway permit even when the access serves a farm field.3
  • Land near water or in a mapped floodplain can require Juneau County approval in addition to Lemonweir's permits.2227
  • Long-term RV living, private-land camping and district-specific tiny-home standards remain unconfirmed; ask the Town Hall before relying on any of them.9

Sources

  1. Town of Lemonweir - Zoning (Town of Lemonweir), quoted and re-checked
  2. Town of Lemonweir - Zoning (Town of Lemonweir), quoted and re-checked
  3. Town of Lemonweir - Zoning (Town of Lemonweir), quoted and re-checked
  4. Delegated Agents for Private On-Site Wastewater Treatment System Plan Review (Town of Lemonweir), quoted and re-checked
  5. Sanitation & Zoning, quoted and re-checked
  6. Requirement for Plan Review Prior to Issuing Local Permits, quoted and re-checked
  7. Town of Lemonweir - Zoning (Town of Lemonweir), quoted and re-checked
  8. UDC (Uniform Dwelling Code / One- and Two-Family Dwellings), quoted and re-checked
  9. Town of Lemonweir Town Hall (townoflemonweirwi.gov)
  10. UDC (Uniform Dwelling Code / One- and Two-Family Dwellings), quoted and re-checked
  11. UDC (Uniform Dwelling Code / One- and Two-Family Dwellings), quoted and re-checked
  12. Permit Requestor FAQs, quoted and re-checked
  13. Town of Lemonweir - Zoning (Town of Lemonweir), quoted and re-checked
  14. Juneau County Floodplain Zoning Ordinance, quoted and re-checked
  15. Delegated Agents for Private On-Site Wastewater Treatment System (POWTS) Plan Review, quoted and re-checked
  16. Juneau County Sanitation & Zoning Department (co.juneau.wi.gov)
  17. Juneau County Floodplain Zoning Ordinance, quoted and re-checked
  18. UDC (Uniform Dwelling Code / One- and Two-Family Dwellings), quoted and re-checked
  19. Juneau County Floodplain Zoning Ordinance, quoted and re-checked
  20. UDC (Uniform Dwelling Code / One- and Two-Family Dwellings), quoted and re-checked
  21. UDC (Uniform Dwelling Code / One- and Two-Family Dwellings), quoted and re-checked
  22. Juneau County Shoreland Zoning (co.juneau.wi.gov)
  23. General Shoreland Zoning Provisions, quoted and re-checked
  24. Juneau County Code, Appendix A, Sec. 3.1 — Lots not served by public sanitary sewer, quoted and re-checked
  25. Juneau County Code, Appendix A, Sec. 3.2 — Lots served by public sanitary sewer, quoted and re-checked
  26. 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
  27. Juneau County Floodplain Zoning Ordinance, quoted and re-checked

Written October 10, 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 Lemonweir

Town of Lemonweir’s own rules

  • Building permitRequired

    Most new construction, additions or alterations, swimming pools, signs, and businesses inside Lemonweir town.

    • The town page says the requirement applies to most, rather than all, listed projects.
    • The town page also states that extraterritorial zoning permits may apply in the ETZ area.
    “PERMITS REQUIRED: Town of Lemonweir is ZONED. Town Zoning & Extraterritorial Zoning Permits and Building Permits are required for most new construction, additions or alterations, swimming pools, signs & businesses.”
    2 more reviewed findings on this topic
    • Required — Most new construction, additions and alterations inside Lemonweir town.
      “Town Zoning & Extraterritorial Zoning Permits and Building Permits are required for most new construction, additions or alterations, swimming pools, signs & businesses.”
    • Required — Most new construction, additions, and alterations inside Lemonweir town; UDC permits are required for new one- and two-family dwellings.
      “Town Zoning & Extraterritorial Zoning Permits and Building Permits are required for most new construction, additions or alterations, swimming pools, signs & businesses.”
  • Local zoningPresent

    Land inside Lemonweir town, including town zoning and applicable extraterritorial zoning areas.

    • A portion of Lemonweir may also be subject to the City of Mauston extraterritorial zoning boundary.
    • Most new construction, additions or alterations, swimming pools, signs and businesses require permits.
    • A $500 fine may be imposed for violations.
    “PERMITS REQUIRED: Town of Lemonweir is ZONED. Town Zoning & Extraterritorial Zoning Permits and Building Permits are required for most new construction, additions or alterations, swimming pools, signs & businesses. A $500 fine may be imposed if violation is found.”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
    • Present — Land inside Lemonweir town limits.
      “PERMITS REQUIRED: Town of Lemonweir is ZONED. Town Zoning & Extraterritorial Zoning Permits and Building Permits are required for most new construction, additions or alterations, swimming pools, signs & businesses.”
  • Zoning districtsPartial

    Land inside Lemonweir town, including the portion subject to the City of Mauston extraterritorial zoning boundary if applicable.

    • The town officially states that Lemonweir is zoned and refers to zoning districts, but the opened page does not list current district names or parcel assignments.
    • The town page states that zoning-district changes require Plan Commission and Town Board approval.
    • ETZ applicability and parcel-level district assignments were not established from an independently opened official ordinance or map.
    “Town of Lemonweir is ZONED. Town Zoning & Extraterritorial Zoning Permits and Building Permits are required for most new construction, additions or alterations, swimming pools, signs & businesses.”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
    • Partial — Zoning districts inside Lemonweir town limits.
      “All LAND DIVISIONS less than 35 acres, ZONING DISTRICT changes and ZONING ORDINANCE amendments must be approved by the Plan Commission and Town Board.”
  • Subdividing landLimited

    Land divisions of less than 35 acres inside Lemonweir town.

    • Approval by the Plan Commission and Town Board is required for land divisions less than 35 acres.
    • The reviewed page does not establish all subdivision-ordinance requirements for larger divisions.

    land division area threshold: < 35 acres (The page specifically addresses land divisions less than 35 acres.)

    “All LAND DIVISIONS less than 35 acres, ZONING DISTRICT changes and ZONING ORDINANCE amendments must be approved by the Plan Commission and Town Board.”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
    • Regulated (with conditions) — Land divisions inside Lemonweir town.
      “All LAND DIVISIONS less than 35 acres, ZONING DISTRICT changes and ZONING ORDINANCE amendments must be approved by the Plan Commission and Town Board.”
  • Driveway accessRequired

    Access to any public town road inside Lemonweir town, including farm-field access.

    • A driveway permit is required to access any public town road.
    • The source directs applicants to call the town hall for more information.
    “DRIVEWAY PERMITS are required to access any public town road—this includes farm field access. Call the town hall for more information”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
    • Required — Access to any public town road inside Lemonweir town, including farm-field access.
      “DRIVEWAY PERMITS are required to access any public town road—this includes farm field access.”
  • Permit processPartial

    Building-permit process for new one- and two-family dwellings and other regulated construction inside Lemonweir town.

    • The town requires zoning and building permits for most new construction, additions, and alterations.
    • UDC applications require project, owner, contractor, location, zoning, and permit information where applicable.
    • Inspection stages for new one- and two-family dwellings include footings, foundation, rough, insulation, and final inspections.
    • The town's specific submission office and fee schedule were not established from an independently opened town document.
    “The following inspections are required on new one- and two-family dwellings. When ready for inspection, notify the inspector identified on your UDC permit.”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
    • Partial — Zoning, building and driveway permit process inside Lemonweir town.
      “Town Zoning & Extraterritorial Zoning Permits and Building Permits are required for most new construction, additions or alterations, swimming pools, signs & businesses. A $500 fine may be imposed if violation is found. DRIVEWAY PERMITS are required to access any public town road—this includes farm field access. Call the town hall for more information or contact the City of Mauston Zoning Administrator regarding ETZ questions at 608-847-6676.”

Rules another office applies inside Town of Lemonweir

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

  • Owner-builder exemptionAvailable (with conditions)

    An owner-occupant applying for an erosion-control or construction permit for a dwelling inside Lemonweir town.

    • The applicant must be or become the owner-occupant of the dwelling.
    • The owner-occupant may apply without a Dwelling Contractor Certification.
    • The DSPS application requires the owner-occupant attestation.
    “I vouch that I am or will be an owner-occupant of this dwelling for which I am applying for an erosion control or construction permit without a Dwelling Contractor Certification and have read the cautionary statement regarding contractor responsibility on the reverse side of the last ply of this form.”
    2 more reviewed findings on this topic
    • Available (with conditions) — An owner-occupant applying for a Wisconsin dwelling permit for work on that dwelling, including inside Lemonweir town.
      “Per Wisconsin Administrative code the above does not apply to an owner of a dwelling who resides or will reside in the dwelling and who applies for a building permit to work on that dwelling.”
    • Conditional — New one- and two-family dwelling permit filing inside Lemonweir town.
      “required unless submitter has indicated that he/she will be owner-occupant.”
  • Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

    New one- and two-family dwellings, including manufactured homes, inside Lemonweir town.

    • The Wisconsin Uniform Dwelling Code governs construction standards and inspection procedures.
    • The municipality, county, or state may administer permitting and inspection depending on delegated authority.

    code chapters: SPS 320-325

    “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.”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
    • Partial — Commercial and multi-family construction inside Lemonweir town; one- and two-family dwelling requirements were not fully established from the sources reviewed.
      “Wisconsin law generally requires that commercial or multi-family buildings [...] receive state plan review approval under the State Commercial Building Code”
  • InspectionsRequired

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

    • Required UDC inspections include footings, foundation, rough, insulation, and final inspections.
    • The inspector identified on the UDC permit must be notified when work is ready.
    “The following inspections are required on new one- and two-family dwellings. When ready for inspection, notify the inspector identified on your UDC permit.”
  • Who permits septicCounty

    POWTS plan review for applicable systems in Lemonweir town, through Juneau County's delegated authority.

    • The DSPS table lists Juneau County as delegated for at-grade systems up to 1,000 gallons per day and mound systems up to 1,000 gallons per day.
    • Plan reviews may also be submitted to DSPS under the state delegation rules.

    at-grade systems capacity: <= 1000 gpd · mound systems capacity: <= 1000 gpd

    “County of Juneau (29999) | PDF Letter | At-grade systems ≤ 1,000 gpd Mound systems ≤ 1,000 gpd”
  • Septic inspectionRequired

    POWTS construction and installation serving land inside Lemonweir town.

    • Inspection is required in accordance with the plan-review conditional approval letter.
    • The applicant must contact the agency that issued the POWTS permit.
    “Inspection of POWTS construction and installation is required in accordance with the plan review conditional approval letter. Contact the agency that issued your POWTS permit.”
  • Building in a floodplainRequired

    Floodplain development inside Lemonweir town, including structures, roads, bridges, fill, and storage.

    • All human activities are regulated in the floodplain, but the level of regulation differs by flood zone.
    • Floodway restrictions prohibit new structures, substantially improved or damaged structures, hazardous or solid-waste storage, and wells/sewage systems; only low-flood-damage-potential open-space development is allowed.
    • Floodfringe new structures must have the first floor elevated on fill to two feet above base flood elevation and have dryland access.
    • Local ordinances must be checked for specific activities and permits.

    floodfringe elevation: 2 feet above base flood elevation (applies to new and substantially damaged or improved structures in the floodfringe)

    “All human activities are regulated in the floodplain including activities such as structures, roads, bridges, fill and storage. The level of regulation differs based on the flood zone. Local ordinances should be checked to determine what specific activities are allowed or prohibited and what permits are required.”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
    • Required — Development in mapped floodplain areas inside Lemonweir town subject to the Juneau County Floodplain Zoning Ordinance.
      “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 Lemonweir or Juneau County directly.

  • Certificate of occupancy — Occupancy of buildings inside Lemonweir town.
  • Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling size inside Lemonweir town.
  • Minimum lot size — Residential lots inside Lemonweir town.
  • Setbacks — Building and structure setbacks inside Lemonweir town.
  • Lot coverage — Lots inside Lemonweir town.
13 more unanswered
  • Building height
  • Living in an RV
  • Camping on your land
  • Tiny homes
  • Manufactured homes
  • Accessory dwellings
  • Septic permit
  • Off-grid sanitation
  • Well permit
  • Mandatory utility hookup
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Short-term rentals
  • Permit fees

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 Lemonweir publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Juneau County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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