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

Town of Athelstane’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Erecting, installing, enlarging, setting up, relocating, moving or razing a dwelling, building, structure or mobile home inside Athelstane town

  • Permit must be obtained from the town's agent before work begins; construction proceeds after the permit is issued.
  • Any permits required by the State of Wisconsin and/or Marinette County must be obtained before the town building permit is issued.
  • Building permits expire 18 months after issue; unfinished projects need a new permit.
  • Ordinance section 1(g) requires signs to advise landowners of building permit requirements.

  building permit fee: 75 USD · after-the-fact permit fee: 300 USD (applies when work starts before permit is obtained)

  “no dwelling, building, structure, mobile home or any part thereof shall be erected or installed, enlarged, set up, relocated, moved or razed within the town of athelstane by any individual, owner, firm or corporation until a building permit has been obtained from the proper agent of the town of athelstane.”

• Building code adoptedAdopted

  Dwellings and buildings within Athelstane town limits

  • Adopts Wisconsin Uniform Dwelling Code provisions for one- and two-family dwellings, with Wisconsin administrative code chapters adopted by reference, including amendments as they occur.
  • The ordinance text names IBC/IECC/IMC/IFGC editions (2000) for building, energy, mechanical and fuel-gas codes, subject to Wisconsin modifications under comm 61-65.

  “chapter comm 50 - 66, wis adm code (wisconsin state building code) and comm 75 – 79, wis adm code (existing buildings code) are hereby adopted and made a part of this ordinance”

• InspectionsLimited

  One- and two-family dwellings and related work inside Athelstane town

  • Enforcement is by the town building inspector or a state-provided or contract inspector certified by the department.
  • Building inspection costs, if applicable, are the responsibility of the landowner.
  • The ordinance does not state that every permitted project requires a final inspection; scope of required inspections not confirmed.

  “the building inspector and his/her delegated representatives are hereby authorized and directed to administer and enforce all of the provisions of the uniform dwelling code.”

• Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

  Any dwelling, stick-built, manufactured or modular, inside Athelstane town (the ordinance sets one town-wide rule, with no district split)

  • Measured as footprint.
  • Applies to one- and two-family dwellings constructed for human occupancy.

  minimum dwelling footprint: >= 576 sq ft

  “a minimum footprint of five hundred seventy-six (576) square feet is required for any dwelling, stick built, manufactured or modular home constructed for human occupancy.”

• SetbacksSpecified

  Buildings, decks and porches inside Athelstane town (one town-wide rule, no district split)

  • Road setback is measured from the centerline of any town or county road.
  • Side and rear setback is measured from lot lines; the overhang of a structure is the measuring point.
  • Fences are exempt from the 15-foot side and rear setback.

  road setback from centerline: >= 75 feet · side and rear setback: >= 15 feet (fences exempt)

  “the minimum setback for buildings, decks or porches shall be seventy-five (75) feet from the centerline of any town or county road.”

• Tiny homesLimited

  Dwellings smaller than 576 square feet of footprint inside Athelstane town (derived from the minimum dwelling footprint rule; the ordinance does not use the term tiny home)

  • A dwelling below the 576 sq ft minimum footprint does not meet the town's dwelling size requirement.
  • Derived limit; the ordinance does not state a tiny-home rule expressly.

  minimum dwelling footprint: >= 576 sq ft

  “a minimum footprint of five hundred seventy-six (576) square feet is required for any dwelling, stick built, manufactured or modular home constructed for human occupancy.”

• Manufactured homesLimited

  Manufactured homes placed inside Athelstane town

  • Manufactured homes must meet state manufactured home standards adopted by the town (SPS 321.40 as cited in the ordinance).
  • Manufactured homes must be placed on a concrete slab with hurricane tie-downs regardless of age.
  • Manufactured homes must meet the 576 sq ft minimum footprint.

  “all manufactured homes are required to be put on a concrete slab with hurricane tie-downs, regardless of age.”

• Accessory dwellingsLimited

  A second dwelling on the same parcel inside Athelstane town (the ordinance does not use the term accessory dwelling)

  • Parcels of 3 acres or less may have only one dwelling.
  • Parcels greater than 3 acres may have up to two dwellings.
  • Lot area calculations exclude dedications, right-of-way, easements or reservations.

  parcel size threshold for second dwelling: > 3 acres

  “no more than one (1) dwelling shall be erected or maintained on any parcel comprised of three (3) acres or less. parcels greater than three (3) acres may have up to two (2) dwellings.”

• Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

  Building permits issued by the Town of Athelstane

  • After-the-fact permit fee applies when work begins before a permit is obtained.
  • Building inspection costs, if applicable, are the responsibility of the landowner and are not included in the stated fee.
  • Groundwater fee for sanitary permits is a separate county/state charge under Wis. Stat. 145.19(6) and is not part of the town fee.

  building permit fee: 75 USD · after-the-fact permit fee: 300 USD (applies when work begins before a permit is obtained)

  “the cost of the building permit shall be seventy-five ($75.00) dollars.”

• Permit processPartial

  Building permit applications in Athelstane town

  • Application must include owner name and address, property address and parcel number, description of work, and estimated project value.
  • Permits are issued by the town clerk or a person designated by the town board.
  • Permits expire 18 months after issue.
  • Town clerk is reachable on Saturdays per the town homepage; the process is only partly published (no step-by-step checklist found).

  “such permit shall be issued by the town clerk or person designated by the town board upon application, including the following:”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builders constructing a dwelling inside Athelstane town
• Certificate of occupancy — New dwellings inside Athelstane town
• Local zoning — Land inside Athelstane town limits, Marinette County, Wisconsin
• Zoning districts — Zoning districts inside Athelstane town
• Minimum lot size — Minimum parcel area for a residential lot inside Athelstane 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.