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

Town of Breed’s own rules

• Agricultural exemptionConditional

  Agricultural-use driveways inside the Town of Breed, under the town driveway/culvert ordinance only

  • Exemption applies only to the town driveway/culvert ordinance, not to zoning, building, or septic rules.
  • Requires town board approval.

  “driveways used for agricultural purposes only may be exempt from the requirements of this ordinance pursuant to town board approval.”

• Driveway accessRequired

  Driveways on land inside the Town of Breed, including new access connections to public roads

  • Town board permit required before constructing, replacing or relocating an access driveway connected to a public roadway.
  • No town permit is required where a WisDOT or Oconto County Highway Department permit addresses the substantial concerns of the ordinance.
  • Permit is effective for 12 months and may be renewed once for an additional 12 months; a new application and fee are needed if the driveway is not built by then.
  • Applicant must notify the town clerk or a board member within 10 days of completion; the town board inspects within 10 days of notice.
  • Culvert and ditch work in the public right-of-way also requires a town permit.

  permit effective period: 12 months (may be renewed once for one additional 12-month period)

  “no person shall construct, replace or relocate an access driveway connected to a public roadway unless the town board has issued a permit.”

• Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

  Driveway/culvert permit fees inside the Town of Breed

  • Amount is set by resolution of the Town Board and printed on the application form; the resolution and fee amount were not located.
  • Temporary driveway use requires a deposit set by town resolution.

  “an application fee of an amount determined by a resolution of the town board will be charged.”

Rules another office applies inside Town of Breed

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

• Who permits septicCounty (with conditions)

  Private onsite wastewater treatment systems (septic) for habitable structures on land inside the Town of Breed; the Oconto County sanitary ordinance applies there

  • The county sanitary ordinance is enforced by the Oconto County zoning office Sanitary Department; the town's own pages do not regulate septic.
  • Oconto County page states the sanitary ordinance's purpose and that it is administered under chapter 145 of the Wisconsin statutes and DSPS chapters 381-391.

  “the sanitary department of the oconto county zoning office enforces the oconto county sanitary ordinance.”

• Septic permitRequired

  Installing or altering a private onsite wastewater treatment system (septic) serving a habitable structure inside the Town of Breed

  • Exceptions exist ('with few exceptions') and are not listed on the page.
  • Work must be done by a properly licensed plumber.
  • Contact the zoning office to confirm when a permit is needed and whether a licensed plumber must perform the work.

  “with few exceptions, all work performed on a powts must be by a properly licensed plumber and permitted by oconto county.”

• Off-grid sanitationLimited

  Non-septic sanitation (privies or alternatives) for habitable structures inside the Town of Breed

  • Applies only where the structure does not contain plumbing and has no water service.
  • Holding tanks are allowed only as a last resort under the county sanitary rules.

  “if a habitable structure does not contain plumbing and has no water service, then privies, otherwise known as out-houses, or other alternatives to privies (i.e., composting toilets, etc.) may be used as a powts.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Land divisions and subdivisions of land inside the Town of Breed

  • The county planning page lists land division among the ordinances the department administers; the land division ordinance's standards were not opened.
  • The Town of Breed has its own official-map and subdivision guidance in the comprehensive plan (not adopted as ordinance by the town per the opened pages).

  “these ordinances include the areas of general zoning, floodplain, shoreland protection, sanitary, land division, physical address and recycling.”

• Building in a floodplainRequired

  Development in mapped flood hazard areas (regional flood floodway and floodfringe districts) inside the Town of Breed

  • Floodway, floodfringe and general floodplain districts are regulated by the county zoning ordinance; the plan says further development in Breed should remain consistent with it.
  • Specific floodplain permit requirements and standards were not opened.

  “the oconto county zoning ordinance regulates development in flood hazard areas to protect life, health and property and to provide a uniform basis for the preparation, implementation and administration of sound floodplain regulations for all county floodplains.”

• Permit processPartial

  Zoning, sanitary and other county land-use permits for land inside the Town of Breed, issued by the county Planning, Zoning and Solid Waste Department

  • Published process is general; application steps and forms for the specific permit types were not opened.
  • The town's own driveway/culvert permit process is a separate, town-run process (see driveway claim).

  “the planning, zoning and solid waste department issues permits, makes necessary inspections, and enforces all applicable ordinances.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption for homeowner construction inside Breed town
• Building code adopted — Building code (Uniform Dwelling Code or other) for new dwellings inside Breed town
• Inspections — Building inspections of new dwellings inside Breed town
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy for new dwellings inside Breed town
• Local zoning — Whether Breed town adopts and administers its own zoning ordinance for land inside Breed 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.