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

Town of Wagner’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Non-temporary structures located, erected, moved, reconstructed, extended, enlarged, or structurally altered inside Wagner town.

  • Temporary structures as defined in §10.1600 are excluded.
  • Permit is obtained from the Town Zoning Administrator.
  • The application must include the listed applicable site, owner, structure, survey, sewage, and water information.

  “No structure (excluding temporary structures as defined in Section 10.1600) shall hereafter be located, erected, moved, reconstructed, extended, enlarged, or structurally altered until after the owner or his agent has securcd aZoninglBuilding Permit from the Zoning Administrator.”

• InspectionsLimited

  Structures, lands, and waters governed by Wagner town's zoning ordinance.

  • The Zoning Administrator conducts inspections as often as necessary to assure ordinance compliance.
  • The Administrator may prohibit use or erection until inspection and approval.

  “Inspect all structures, lands, and waters as often as necessary to assure compliance with this Code.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Structures, lands, waters, and air within Wagner town's unincorporated limits.

  • The ordinance states that its jurisdiction applies within the unincorporated limits of the Town of Wagner.

  “The jurisdiction of this Ordinance shall apply to ali structures, lands, water, and air within the unincorporated limits of the Town of Wagner, Marinette County, Wisconsin.”

• Who permits septicCounty (with conditions)

  Private sewage systems serving land inside Wagner town that is not served by a DNR-approved public sewer.

  • Marinette County Chapter 15 applies where no DNR-approved public sewer serves the area.
  • The County is defined as the Marinette County Land Information Department - Zoning Division.

  “The requirements of this chapter shall apply to all area of Marinette County not served by a public sewer approved by the Department of Natural Resources.”

• Off-grid sanitationLimited

  Nonplumbing sanitation systems inside Wagner town where Marinette County Chapter 15 applies.

  • A nonplumbing sanitation system may be permitted only if the served structure or premises has no indoor plumbing.
  • If plumbing or running water is supplied, another acceptable sewage-disposal method must be provided.
  • A county sanitary permit is required before construction or installation.

  “A nonplumbing sanitation system may be permitted only when the structure or premises served by the nonplumbing sanitation system is not provided with an indoor plumbing system. If plumbing is installed in the structure or running water is supplied to the structure, an acceptable method of sewage disposal other than, or in addition to, a nonplumbing sanitation system must be provided.”

• Mandatory utility hookupSewer (with conditions)

  A Wagner town structure or premises then served by an available DNR-approved public sewer and formerly served by a private sewage system.

  • Availability is determined by the local sewer service entity.
  • The private system must be disconnected within one year after public sewer becomes available.
  • The disconnected system must be abandoned under SPS 383.

  private-system disconnection deadline: <= 1 year (Runs when public sewers approved by DNR become available to the structure or premises.)

  “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 (1) year and a connection made to the public sewer. Determination of whether sewer is available shall be made by the local sewer service entity.”

• Building in a floodplainRequired

  New development, structural repair, or use change in a Wagner town area subject to Marinette County floodplain regulations.

  • A land-use permit is required before covered work begins, including sewer and water facilities.
  • Wagner's zoning ordinance directs applicants for projects in County-regulated floodplain areas to Marinette County and bars issuance of any required Town permit until the County permit is issued.
  • Where Town and County regulations conflict, the Town ordinance states that the more restrictive regulation applies.

  “A land use permit shall be obtained before any new development or any structural repair or change in the use of a building or structure, including sewer and water facilities, may be initiated.”

• Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

  Permits, variances, and amendments governed by Wagner town's zoning ordinance.

  • Fees are established by separate Town Board resolution and may be amended or revised.
  • A double fee applies if work begins before a permit is applied for and issued.

  unpermitted-work fee multiplier: 2 fee (If work starts before a permit is applied for and issued.)

  “All fees shall be established by separate resolution by the Town Board, which may be amended and revised from time to tirne as deemed appropriate.”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Wagner town zoning/building permit applications.

  • Applications are made to the Zoning Administrator using forms furnished by that Administrator.
  • The ordinance lists applicable applicant, site, structure, survey, sewage-disposal, and water-supply information.

  “Applications for ZoninglBuilding Permit shall be rnade to the ZoningAdministrator on forms fuinished bythe ZoningAdministrator and shall include the following where applicable:”

Rules another office applies inside Town of Wagner

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

• Well permitLimited

  Wells inside Wagner town capable, alone or in combination on one property, of producing 70 or more gallons per minute.

  • Written DNR approval is required before construction for the stated capacity threshold.
  • The DNR publication also identifies separate written-approval circumstances for school, wastewater-treatment-plant, and community-water-system wells.

  combined well capacity: >= 70 gallons per minute (Applies to a well or combination of wells on one property.)

  “State statutes require that any owner who constructs and/or operates a well or combination of wells on one property that together are capable of producing 70 or more gallons per minute, must obtain written approval from the DNR prior to construction.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residential construction inside Wagner town.
• Building code adopted — Building-code adoption for construction inside Wagner town.
• Certificate of occupancy — New or altered structures inside Wagner town.
• Living in an RV — Long-term RV occupancy on private land inside Wagner town.
• Camping on your land — Temporary camping on private land inside Wagner town outside regulated floodplain/campground contexts.

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.