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

Rules another office applies inside Town of Centerville

Town of Centerville 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 buildings and structures inside Centerville town, which is under Manitowoc County general zoning. Quoted rule is the county's zoning/setback permit.

  • Construction may proceed only after the zoning/setback permit is issued.
  • Chapter 13 (private sewage) also ties county zoning permits to a valid sanitary permit where the building needs a private sewage system.

  “No building or structure shall be erected, moved, established, located, or structurally altered until a zoning/setback permit is issued”

• Who permits septicCounty (with conditions)

  Private onsite wastewater (POWTS) systems on land inside Centerville town, under Manitowoc County Code Chapter 13 (Private Sewage Systems), which the county department administers together with Wis. Admin. Code ch. SPS 383.

  • Chapter 13 sets the sanitary permit, inspection and maintenance rules; the county department issues sanitary permits.
  • Quoted text states the county ordinance applies in Manitowoc County generally; the Centerville-specific administration was confirmed only by the county's countywide ordinance and the county zoning town list.

  “The Planning & Zoning Department administers Chapter 13 of the Manitowoc County Code”

• Septic inspectionRequired

  A new private sewage system serving a newly constructed building inside Centerville town.

  • System must be installed, inspected and approved before the building is occupied (Chapter 13, 13.14(1)).
  • Inspection schedule and procedures in sections 13.28 to 13.31 were not opened.

  “any private sewage system that serves a newly constructed building shall be installed, inspected, and approved before the building may be occupied.”

• Off-grid sanitationLimited

  Non-plumbing sanitation (privies, holding tanks and similar) inside Centerville town under Manitowoc County Chapter 13.

  • A non-plumbing sanitation system may be permitted only when the building served does not have an indoor plumbing system (13.11(2)).
  • Portable restrooms are allowed for temporary purposes only and need no sanitary permit (13.11(3)).
  • Holding tanks are allowed only case by case under 13.12, and a sanitary permit is required for any non-plumbing sanitation system (13.17(2)).

  “a non-plumbing sanitation system may be permitted only when the building served by the non-plumbing sanitation system does not have an indoor plumbing system.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption inside Centerville town
• Building code adopted — Construction codes for dwellings inside Centerville town
• Inspections — Building inspection of new dwellings inside Centerville town
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy for buildings inside Centerville town
• Zoning districts — Zoning districts applying inside Centerville 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.