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

Town of Dunbar’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Structures erected, moved, or structurally altered inside Dunbar town under its zoning ordinance.

  • No permit is required for structural repairs or interior structural alterations with cost or fair market value under $500, or exterior improvements or additions under $1,000.
  • A permit application must be made to the Town Zoning Administrator; permits expire after six months unless substantial work has commenced.
  • A fire number must be assigned and posted before a building permit is issued.

  structural-repair or interior-alteration exemption threshold: < 500 USD (No building permit required.) · exterior-improvement or addition exemption threshold: < 1000 USD (No building permit required.) · permit expiration: 6 months (Unless substantial work has commenced.)

  “No structure of any kind, including buildings, shall hereafter be erected, moved or structurally altered until a building permit therefore shall have been applied for and issued.”

• Building code adoptedPartial

  Mobile homes manufactured April 1, 2007 or later and installed inside Dunbar town.

  • The ordinance expressly addresses Uniform Dwelling Code compliance for the listed manufactured dates; it does not establish a general building-code adoption for all construction in the text reviewed.
  • Mobile homes manufactured after June 1, 1980 but before April 1, 2007 are exempt from the UDC unless placed on a basement or crawl space; exempt units must be installed according to manufacturer specifications.

  “Any mobile home manufactured April 1, 2007 or newer complies with the State Uniform Dwelling Code (UDC) codes of compliance. This includes the installation of such unit.”

• InspectionsLimited

  Buildings, structures, and land uses inside Dunbar town for zoning-ordinance compliance.

  • The source assigns the Zoning Administrator authority to conduct compliance inspections but does not state that each construction project receives a mandatory inspection.

  “Conduct inspection of buildings, structures, and use of land to determine compliance with the terms of this ordinance.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  All lands and waters inside the Town of Dunbar, Marinette County, Wisconsin.

  • Greater restrictions established by other Town ordinances or federal, state, and county law take precedence.

  “The Town of Dunbar pursuant to Section 60.82, 60.10(2C), 60.62, 61.35, 62.23, and 66.058 of the Wisconsin Statutes, hereby enacts a zoning ordinance to read as follows:”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Land inside Dunbar town subject to the Town zoning map.

  • District locations and boundaries are set forth in the zoning map entitled Zoning District Map for the Town of Dunbar, Marinette County, Wisconsin, dated May 16, 1984, incorporated into the ordinance.

  “For the purpose of this ordinance, the Town of Dunbar, Marinette County, Wisconsin, is hereby divided into the following zoning districts: R-1 Residential District R-2 Residential District A-1 Agricultural District B-1 Business District I-1 Religious College and Conference Camp District F-1 Forestry District”

• Camping on your landLimited

  Camping units on private lots inside Dunbar town.

  • A private lot may host a camping unit for no more than 15 days in a calendar year without a land-use permit for a private camping unit or conditional-use permit.
  • Camping units are otherwise restricted to listed public or private campgrounds.

  temporary private-lot camping duration: <= 15 days per calendar year (No land-use permit for a private camping unit or conditional-use permit during this period.)

  “No camping unit including recreational mobile homes, camping trailers or tents, shall be located within the Town of Dunbar except in a federal, state, town or county camp, a private campground except that a camping unit may be places on a private lot for not more than Fifteen (15) days in any one calendar year without a land use permit for a private camping unit or a conditional use permit.”

• Tiny homesLimited

  Small buildings intended for human habitation or occupancy inside Dunbar town.

  • The zoning ordinance requires a permanent foundation for each building intended for human habitation or occupancy.
  • R-1 and R-2 building-size rules require at least 600 square feet of living space per dwelling unit; the source does not use the term tiny home.

  minimum dwelling living space in R-1 and R-2: >= 600 square feet per dwelling unit (Applies under the R-1 building-size rule, incorporated by reference for R-2.)

  “Minimum size of dwelling shall be 600 square feet of living space per dwelling unit.”

• Manufactured homesLimited

  Mobile homes outside mobile-home parks inside Dunbar town.

  • Only one mobile home is allowed per parcel.
  • The mobile home must meet the zoning district's single-family requirements, including minimum lot size, floor space, and setbacks.
  • It must have compliant onsite sanitary facilities; Town Board may require a private sewage system and all year-round units must have one.
  • Mobile homes built April 1, 2007 or later must comply with the State Uniform Dwelling Code.

  mobile homes allowed outside park: 1 per parcel (Two or more mobile homes on a parcel are considered a mobile-home park.)

  “Shall be allowed 1 mobile home per parcel of land. [...] Must meet zoning district requirements for a single-family dwelling, including but not limited to minimum lot size, minimum floor space, and minimum setback requirements.”

• Off-grid sanitationLimited

  Human-habitation buildings in the R-2 Residential District inside Dunbar town without municipal sewer service.

  • A properly functioning private sewage system or privy and a valid sanitary permit are required under the Marinette County Private Sewage System Ordinance.
  • For construction permit applications without municipal sewer service, a county onsite-system permit or another appropriate waste-disposal means must be supplied.

  “Every building intended for human habitation or occupancy shall be provided with a properly functioning private sewage system, as defined by 145.01(14) Wisconsin Statues or privy and have a valid sanitary permit in accordance with the Marinette County Private Sewage System Ordinance.”

• Driveway accessLimited

  Private driveways and conditional-use development driveway locations inside Dunbar town.

  • Private garages, carports, and driveways are listed as permitted accessory uses in R-1 and R-2.
  • For conditional uses, the Plan Commission reviews driveway location, highway access, traffic generation, and circulation and may recommend or the Town Board may require highway-access restrictions.

  “The Plan Commission shall review the site, existing and proposed structures, architectural plans, neighboring uses, parking areas, driveway location, highway access, traffic generation and circulation, drainage, sewage and water systems, the proposed operation and shall review the proposed use for compliance with all other provisions of this ordinance.”

• Building in a floodplainLimited

  Conditional uses proposed inside Dunbar town that require floodproofing or related development conditions.

  • This evidence establishes Town authority to impose floodproofing conditions on conditional uses; a separate Town floodplain ordinance or broader permit rule was not located in the reviewed text.
  • All conditional uses must comply with other ordinance provisions, including lot width and area, yards, height, parking, loading, traffic, highway access, and performance standards.

  “Conditions such as landscaping, architectural design, type of construction, construction commencement and completion date, sureties, lighting, fencing, location, size and number of signs, water supply and waste disposal systems, higher performance standards, street dedication, certified survey maps, flood proofing, ground cover, diversions, silting basins terraces, streambank protection, planting screens, operational control, hours of operation, improved traffic circulation, deed restrictions, highway access restrictions, increased yards, or additional parking may be recommended by the Plan Commission and may be required by the Town Board upon its finding that these are necessary to fulfill the purpose and intent of this Ordinance.”

• Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

  Town zoning permits and land-use approvals inside Dunbar town.

  • The published zoning ordinance incorporates the Town of Dunbar Fee Schedule Ordinance rather than publishing the schedule amount in this code section.
  • Fees are doubled if required permits were not secured before construction or use of a structure or land.

  late-permit fee multiplier: 2 times applicable Town fee-schedule amount (Failure to secure necessary permits before construction or use.)

  “Failure to secure the necessary permits prior to commencing construction or to the use of any structure or land shall constitute a violation of this Ordinance and the fees shall be twice those shown in the Town of Dunbar Fee Schedule Ordinance.”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Town zoning building-permit applications inside Dunbar town.

  • Application is submitted in writing to the Town Zoning Administrator by the landowner or authorized agent.
  • The application must include specified site documents and plans, proposed sewage-disposal and water-supply plans when municipal services are unavailable, plus any additional information required by the Town Planning Commission and Zoning Administrator.
  • The Zoning Administrator must grant or deny the permit in writing within 30 days; a permit expires after six months absent substantial work.

  zoning administrator decision period: <= 30 days (Grant or denial must be in writing.) · permit expiration: 6 months (Unless substantial work has commenced.)

  “A building permit shall be granted or denied in writing by the Zoning Administrator within 30 days. The permit shall expire within six (6) months unless substantial work has commenced.”

Rules another office applies inside Town of Dunbar

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

• Minimum dwelling sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)

  R-1 Residential District and R-2 Residential District dwellings inside Dunbar town.

  • R-2 incorporates the R-1 building-size rule.

  minimum dwelling size: >= 600 square feet of living space per dwelling unit (R-1 rule; R-2 building size is the same as R-1.)

  “Minimum size of dwelling shall be 600 square feet of living space per dwelling unit.”

• Minimum lot sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)

  R-1 Residential District lots not served by a public sanitary sewage system inside Dunbar town.

  • Lot width and area must permit a private sewage system under the County Sanitary Ordinance.
  • The stated minimum is per dwelling unit and applies to lots not served by public sanitary sewer.

  minimum lot area: >= 20000 square feet per dwelling unit (Lots not served by public sanitary sewage.) · minimum lot frontage: >= 100 feet (Lots not served by public sanitary sewage.)

  “The width and area of all lots not served by a public sanitary sewage system shall be sufficient to permit the use of a private sewage system, as defined in Section 145.01(14) Wisconsin Statutes, in accordance with the County Sanitary Ordinance, and at a minimum the lot shall be 20,000 square feet in area per dwelling unit to be constructed and shall have a minimum lot frontage of 100 feet.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • District specific (with conditions) — A-1 Agricultural District lots inside Dunbar town.

    “1. Area - 5 acres minimum 2. Zoning Lot Frontage - 165 feet minimum”

• Lot coverageSpecified

  Individual mobile-home spaces in mobile-home parks inside Dunbar town.

  • Applies to a mobile home and its accessory buildings on a mobile-home space.

  maximum mobile-home-space coverage: <= 36 percent (Mobile home and accessory buildings combined.)

  “In no case shall a mobile home and its accessory buildings occupy more than 36 percent of a space.”

• Building heightDistrict specific (with conditions)

  R-1 Residential District, R-2 Residential District, and A-1 Agricultural District residential dwellings inside Dunbar town.

  • R-2 all structures are limited to 35 feet except under Section IV height regulations.
  • A-1 residential dwellings are limited to 35 feet except under Section IV height regulations; A-1 farm structures have a separate 60-foot maximum.

  maximum height: <= 35 feet (R-1 and R-2 structures; A-1 residential dwellings, except as provided by Section IV height regulations.) · A-1 farm-structure maximum height: <= 60 feet (Except as provided by Section IV height regulations.)

  “1. Farm Structure - 60 feet maximum - except as provided in Section IV, Subsection E. 2. Residential Dwellings - 35 feet maximum - except as provided in Section IV, Subsection E.”

• Who permits septicCounty (with conditions)

  Private sewage systems serving buildings intended for human habitation or occupancy inside Dunbar town.

  • The system must be properly functioning and hold a valid sanitary permit under the Marinette County Private Sewage System Ordinance.

  “This plan shall include a copy of the permit issued by the Marinette County Zoning Administrator for the installation of any onsite soil absorption sanitary sewage disposal system, or other appropriate means of waste disposal.”

• Septic permitRequired

  Buildings intended for human habitation or occupancy inside Dunbar town using private sewage systems.

  • The Town code requires a properly functioning private sewage system and a valid sanitary permit under the Marinette County Private Sewage System Ordinance.
  • For a building-permit application where municipal sewerage is unavailable, the applicant must provide the county permit for an onsite soil absorption system or another appropriate waste-disposal means.

  “Every building intended for human habitation or occupancy shall be provided with a properly functioning private sewage system as defined by 145.01(14) Wisconsin Statutes, for the treatment of domestic waste and have a valid sanitary permit in accordance with the Marinette County Private Sewage System Ordinance.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residential construction inside Dunbar town.
• Certificate of occupancy — Residential structures inside Dunbar town.
• Accessory dwellings — Accessory dwelling units inside Dunbar town.
• Septic inspection — Private sewage systems inside Dunbar town.
• Well permit — Private wells serving land inside Dunbar 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.