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

Town of Stephenson’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Building construction, alteration or moving of buildings inside Stephenson town limits

  • Building permits are issued by the town building inspector; the town's building regulations page lists plan, contractor and setback submittal items.
  • Construction without a permit is a violation; starting without a permit carries a fee of 2x the original permit cost (building regulations fee schedule).

  penalty for starting without permit: 2 x original permit cost

  “starting without a permit – 2x original permit cost”

• Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

  New construction, alteration and repair of buildings inside Stephenson town limits, under the town's own Building Code (Title 15)

  • Adopts Wisconsin administrative codes (chs. COMM 16-17, 20-25, 26, 67, 69, 70, 81-86, and COMM 50-66, 75-79 and 70 where applicable) for municipal enforcement under Sec. 15-1-3 state uniform dwelling code enforcement.
  • The town building code applies to new buildings erected, moved into, or substantially altered in the town.
  • Adoption is for municipal enforcement; the specific code editions and revisions were not separately verified.

  “the following wisconsin administrative codes and subsequent revisions are adopted for municipal enforcement”

• InspectionsRequired

  Permitted construction inside Stephenson town limits

  • Inspection requests are made by the applicant or their designee; one- and two-family dwelling permits include 8 inspections, new manufactured dwellings include 3, used manufactured homes include 3.
  • Permit fee schedule states missed or additional non-compliance inspections cost $50.00 each.

  inspections included, one and two family dwelling: 8 count

  “inspection requests shall be made by applicant or their designee.”

• SetbacksSpecified

  Principal and accessory structures inside Stephenson town limits (side yard, all districts; the town has no district scheme found)

  • Setbacks are measured from the roof overhang, not the building wall.
  • Front yard: all town roads, public streets and county forest roads require a 63-foot centerline or 30-foot right-of-way setback, whichever is greater; county trunk highways 75-foot centerline or 42-foot right-of-way; state and federal highways 110-foot centerline or 50-foot right-of-way, whichever is greater.
  • Rear yard: ten (10) foot minimum from the rear lot line.
  • Setbacks also apply to LP tanks, power pedestals, outdoor heating units, boats, cars, trailers, RVs and camping units, except when stored on existing driveways.

  side yard setback, each side minimum: >= 10 feet (aggregate of both sides must total at least 25 feet)

  “side yard setback requirement. ten (10) feet minimum on each side, with an aggregate of twenty-five (25) feet.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Land divisions and subdivisions inside Stephenson town limits

  • The code index lists Title 14A, Land Division and Subdivision Code; its substantive requirements were not read.

  “14a - land division and subdivision code 15 - building codes”

• Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

  Building permit fees for work inside Stephenson town limits; collected by Nature's Edge Inspection Agency

  • Fees are collected at permit issuance; checks payable to Nature's Edge Inspection Agency.
  • Permit expires 2 years after issuance if exterior not complete; renewal is 50% of original fee.
  • Plan reviews, early starts, handicap ramps and occupancy permits carry no charge; garages $150 (plumbing sanitary permit needed from Marinette County).

  permit fee, one and two family dwelling: 350 USD (plus $0.15 per finished square foot; includes 8 inspections)

  “one and two family dwelling: (includes 8 inspections) $350.00 plus.15 cents per square foot (finished)”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Building permit application process inside Stephenson town limits

  • Applicant submits contractor license numbers, two complete sets of building plans (plus one on site), plot plan showing setbacks, parcel number, project cost and energy calculations; permits are obtained from the building inspector or downloaded from the Permits & Licenses page.

  “building permits may be obtained by contacting the building inspector”

Rules another office applies inside Town of Stephenson

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

• Septic permitRequired

  Installing, reconnecting or moving plumbing or septic inside Stephenson town limits

  • Listed on the town building-regulations page as a sanitary permit; the page attributes the sanitary permit to Marinette County for the garage fee line.

  “sanitary permit (if any plumbing/septic installed or re-connected or moved)”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption for a home inside Stephenson town limits
• Local zoning — Land inside Stephenson town limits: whether the town administers its own general zoning ordinance
• Zoning districts — Zoning districts inside Stephenson town limits
• Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling size inside Stephenson town limits
• Minimum lot size — Minimum lot size inside Stephenson 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.