Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Onalaska, Wisconsin

Onalaska’s own rules

• Building permitLimited

  Construction in the R-MMH manufactured/mobile home district inside Onalaska city

  • Citywide permit rules are in Title 15 and were not read.

  “no person shall construct, alter or add to any structure, attachment or building in a manufactured or mobile home district or on a manufactured or mobile home space without a permit from the inspection department.”

• Building code adoptedPartial

  Manufactured and mobile home district (R-MMH) inside Onalaska city; city also has a Title 15 building code not opened

  • Only the R-MMH incorporation was quoted; Title 15 not read.

  “state uniform dwelling code § sps 321.40 and ch. sps 326 and the state electrical code ch. sps 316, as may be amended, are hereby made a part of this section and incorporated herein by reference”

• Local zoningPresent

  Land inside Onalaska city (La Crosse County), under Title 13 Unified Development Code

  • The city code on ecode360 (customer county: La Crosse) is Title 13 Unified Development Code with Chapter 02 Zoning Districts.

  “no person shall park, locate or place any manufactured or mobile home outside of a licensed manufactured and mobile home district in the city of onalaska”

• Zoning districtsPublished

  Zoning districts inside Onalaska city

  • Division 5 lists only R-3, R-4, R-MMH, MC, MU-C, MU-N and A-1 district-specific standards; other districts (e.g. R-1) are in other divisions not opened.

  “13.02.51 r-3 medium-density residential and r-4 high-density residential districts. 13.02.52 r-mmh manufactured and mobile home district.”

• Living in an RVLimited

  RV occupancy as living quarters in the R-MMH district inside Onalaska city

  • Rule for other districts not found.

  “in manufactured or mobile home districts, recreational vehicles shall not be occupied as living quarters and sales lots shall not be permitted”

• Manufactured homesLimited

  Occupied manufactured or mobile homes inside Onalaska city

  • Limited to the licensed R-MMH district; units built before 1974 are prohibited; site plan permit after plan commission and common council approval; exceptions for dealer lots, service premises, sales display up to 120 days, and owner's accessory garage or rear yard (unoccupied).

  “no person shall park, locate or place any manufactured or mobile home outside of a licensed manufactured and mobile home district in the city of onalaska”

• Building in a floodplainRequired

  Development in the floodplain overlay inside Onalaska city

  • Fill must be at least two feet above regional or base flood elevation, contiguous to land outside the floodplain, and the map amended, to remove land from the floodplain.

  “any development or use within the areas regulated by this section shall be in compliance with the terms of this section, and other applicable local, state, and federal regulations.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Onalaska or La Crosse County directly.

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption inside Onalaska city
• Inspections — Building inspection inside Onalaska city
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy inside Onalaska city
• Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling size inside Onalaska city
• Minimum lot size — Minimum lot size inside Onalaska city

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.