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

Town of Cleveland’s own rules

• Who permits septicCounty (with conditions)

  Private onsite wastewater systems serving premises inside Cleveland town limits.

  • Marathon County Chapter 15 administration is performed by the County Administrator and may be delegated to Conservation, Planning, and Zoning Department personnel.
  • State POWTS code requirements also apply.

  “Administrator. A person employed by Marathon County in the Conservation, Planning, and Zoning Department to administer and enforce this ordinance. [...] The requirements of this ordinance shall apply to all geographic areas of the County.”

• Septic permitRequired

  Installation, establishment, construction, replacement, repair, reconnection, or modification of a private sewage or non-plumbing sanitation system inside Cleveland town limits.

  • A separate application and sanitary permit is required for every private sewage system.
  • Minor repairs do not require a sanitary permit.
  • Soil and site evaluations, plans, applicable fees, and listed application documents are required.
  • A sanitary permit cannot be issued where DNR-approved public sewer is available as described in §15.11.

  “Every private sewage system shall require a separate application and sanitary permit. [...] A sanitary permit shall be obtained by the property owner, his agent or contractor, before any private sewage system or part thereof may be installed, replaced, repaired, reconnected or modified. A sanitary permit is not required for minor repairs.”

• Septic inspectionRequired

  New and existing private sewage systems inside Cleveland town limits.

  • Visual inspection is required within three years after installation and at least every three years thereafter.
  • A certified operator must pump a septic tank within three years and at least every three years thereafter unless inspection shows sludge and scum occupy less than one-third of tank volume.
  • Installation must remain open until inspected and accepted.

  visual inspection interval: <= 3 years (Within three years of installation and at least once every three years thereafter.)

  “All new and existing private sewage systems shall be visually inspected within three years of the date of installation and at least once every three years thereafter.”

• Off-grid sanitationLimited

  Non-plumbing sanitation systems, including pit privies, inside Cleveland town limits.

  • A County Sanitary Permit is required before construction or installation.
  • Pit-privy applications require soil data from a Certified Soil Tester to establish SPS 391 compliance.
  • Systems are subject to County inspection for SPS 391 and ordinance compliance.

  “A County Sanitary Permit shall be obtained prior to constructing or installing a non-plumbing sanitation system. [...] Pit privy permit applications shall be accompanied by soil data provided by a Certified Soil Tester to determine compliance with SPS 391, Wisconsin Administrative Code.”

• Mandatory utility hookupConditional

  Structures or premises inside Cleveland town limits that would otherwise use a private sewage system.

  • The source addresses sewer only, not public-water connection.
  • When DNR-approved public sewer is available as described in County Code §15.11, a sanitary permit for a private sewage system may not issue.

  “When public sewers approved by the Department of Natural Resources become 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 utility having jurisdiction.”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Town building-permit requests inside Cleveland town limits.

  • The source is a Spring 2023 Town newsletter and does not identify which construction activities require a permit.
  • Applicant is directed to contact the Town clerk and provide building size and estimated cost.

  building permit fee stated in source: 15 USD (Source is the Spring 2023 newsletter; no current fee-schedule effective date was located.)

  “Building Permits may be obtained by calling or emailing Alexandra Skaya. Please provide the size of the building and estimated cost. The fee for the permit is $15. The invoice and permit will be mailed to you.”

Still unanswered

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

• Building permit — Residential building work inside Cleveland town limits.
• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residential construction inside Cleveland town limits.
• Building code adopted — Building construction inside Cleveland town limits.
• Inspections — Building construction inside Cleveland town limits.
• Certificate of occupancy — Occupancy of buildings inside Cleveland town limits.

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.