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

Town of Wausaukee’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Erecting, enlarging, altering, moving, demolishing or razing a building or structure inside Wausaukee town (town building permit, issued by the town clerk)

  • Permit is issued by the town clerk to the owner or authorized agent; it is effective for twelve months from the date issued for the work stated on the permit.
  • Repair or minor alterations are exempt when, in the clerk's determination, they do not exceed $500.00 in assessed value (costs 50% material and 50% labor).
  • Routine maintenance (house painting, roofing replacement, and replacement of windows of the same style and size with no additional work) needs no permit.
  • Town approval is conditioned on the clerk determining the building will comply with the town ordinances; a refusal goes to the town board.
  • Homes, cottages, and additions to preexisting homes also need a state building permit (see separate claim); the state permit must be obtained before the town permit is issued.

  permit validity: 12 months

  “no building or structure, or any part thereof shall hereinafter be erected, enlarged, altered, moved, demolished, razed, or used within the town, except as herein provided, until a permit therefore shall first have been obtained by the owner, or his or her authorized agent, from the town clerk.”

• SetbacksSpecified

  Any permanent or temporary structure inside Wausaukee town, measured from the town road right-of-way, platted access and egress right-of-way, and adjoining property line

  • Applies to the drip line of any structure, permanent or temporary.
  • Measured from a town road right-of-way or a platted access and egress right-of-way: 30 feet minimum.
  • Measured from the adjoining property line, even where both properties are owned jointly: 10 feet minimum.
  • This is a town building-ordinance setback, not a zoning district setback; shoreland and floodplain setbacks under county rules may be stricter and are not covered here.

  setback from town road right-of-way: >= 30 feet (drip line measure; also applies to platted access and egress right-of-way) · setback from adjoining property line: >= 10 feet (applies even if both properties are owned jointly)

  “the drip line of any structure either permanent or temporary shall not be within 30 (thirty) feet of a town road right of way, or within 30 (thirty) feet of a platted access and egress right of way.”

• Living in an RVLimited

  Unlicensed travel trailers and mobile homes parked on land inside Wausaukee town that is not occupied as residential property with a residential dwelling

  • Unlicensed travel trailers and mobile homes parked more than 21 days on such land are subject to the ordinance's restrictions and provisions.
  • Converted vehicles (vans, semi trailers, school buses, trolley cars) are not dwelling units under the ordinance, and parking unlicensed vehicles in the town is prohibited.
  • Permanently sited dwellings, including manufactured and mobile homes, must be attached to a permanent foundation or on concrete blocks and skirted within ninety days of setup.

  parking period before ordinance restrictions apply: > 21 days (land occupied as residential property with a residential dwelling erected thereon is excluded)

  “all unlicensed travel trailers and mobile homes that are parked for more than twenty-one (21) days on any land that is not occupied as residential property with a residential dwelling erected thereon, shall be subject to all restrictions and provisions of this ordinance.”

• Manufactured homesLimited

  Manufactured and mobile homes set in Wausaukee town

  • Manufactured or mobile homes older than 15 years may not be set in the town; newer units are not barred by this rule.
  • All dwelling units, including manufactured and mobile homes, must be attached to a permanent foundation or set on concrete blocks and skirted with appropriate material within ninety days of setup.
  • Dwelling units including manufactured and mobile homes located under these requirements are treated as permanent dwellings and taxed accordingly.

  maximum age of manufactured or mobile home set in town: <= 15 years

  “the town of wausaukee prohibits manufactured or mobile homes in excess of 15 years of age to be set in the town of wausaukee.”

• Septic permitRequired

  Building permit applications for structures inside Wausaukee town that rely on a private sewage system

  • Alternative: written documentation that the existing private sewage system is not failing, has sufficient size and soil conditions, and that the proposed structure meets setback requirements.
  • A privy permit is an acceptable substitution where the structure has no running water and no plumbing (see off-grid claim).

  “there shall be submitted a copy of a valid sanitary permit, or provide written documentation verifying that the existing private sewage system is not a failing system and has sufficient size and soil conditions to accommodate the waste water load”

• Off-grid sanitationLimited

  Structures inside Wausaukee town with no running water and no plumbing

  • Applies only to a structure that is not served by running water and has no plumbing; a privy permit is accepted in place of a sanitary permit.
  • Ordinance does not state the privy permit issuer or its requirements.

  “if a structure is not served by running water and does not have plumbing, a privy permit is an acceptable substitution for a sanitary permit.”

• Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

  Town building permit and fire number fees for work inside Wausaukee town

  • Fee conflict: the ordinance sets a $30.00 fire number charge, while the town building-ordinance page's fire number application lists a $60.00 payment; the $60.00 figure is not explained on the page. Confirm with the town clerk.
  • The town page says the state permit fee is not known to the town and must be confirmed with the state permit issuer; state permit fees are not published here.
  • The 2017 ordinance fee is the only ordinance fee on the record; the page does not state a newer fee schedule.

  town building permit fee: 20 USD (per permit) · fire number fee (ordinance): 30 USD (additional, if a fire number is needed) · fire number application payment (town page): 60 USD (stated on the town building-ordinance page; conflicts with the ordinance's $30.00)

  “there shall be a charge of $20.00 per permit, and an additional $30.00 for a fire number if needed.”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Obtaining a town building permit for structures inside Wausaukee town

  • Garages, storage buildings, and decks: the permit is obtained from the town clerk at the town hall or by mail with a check for $20.00 payable to the town, a project description, the owner's address and phone, and the property location.
  • Homes, cottages, and additions to preexisting homes: obtain the state building permit first, then submit a copy of the state application with the town check; the town clerk issues the town permit.
  • Projects within 300 feet of a river or stream, or within 1000 feet of a lake, pond or flowage, also need a Marinette County zoning permit (see floodplain claim).
  • The page says the zoning permit is from the county and cost unknown.

  “if you are building garage; storage; deck, you can obtain building permit from me at the town hall.”

Rules another office applies inside Town of Wausaukee

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

• Building in a floodplainRequired

  Development within 300 feet of a river or stream or to the landward edge of a floodplain (whichever is greater), or within 1000 feet of a lake, pond or flowage, inside Wausaukee town (county zoning permit that applies inside the town)

  • The zoning permit is issued by the Marinette County zoning department, not the town.
  • The county permit rules, fee, and floodplain standards were not opened and are not stated here.
  • The page says the distance applies to the greater of 300 feet or the landward edge of the floodplain; the exact county shoreland and floodplain standards are not in this record.

  river or stream setback distance: >= 300 feet (or to the landward edge of a floodplain, whichever is greater) · lake, pond or flowage distance: >= 1000 feet

  “if your project is 300 ft. or closer to a river or stream or to the landward site of a floodplain, whichever is greater; or 1000 ft from a lake, pond or flowage you will need to contact marinette county zoning department for a zoning permit”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption for building inside Wausaukee town
• Building code adopted — Building code applicable to new dwellings inside Wausaukee town
• Inspections — Inspections of new construction inside Wausaukee town
• Certificate of occupancy — Occupancy approval for a new home inside Wausaukee town
• Local zoning — Land inside Wausaukee town (Marinette County, WI): whether the town adopts and administers its own zoning ordinance

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.