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

Rules another office applies inside Town of Gillett

Town of Gillett 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 inside Gillett town. The Oconto County Sanitary Ordinance is countywide and therefore applies inside the town; it is not a Gillett town ordinance.

  • Holding tanks are permitted only as a last resort, according to the county sanitary page.
  • Soil type largely determines the POWTS type; the county Zoning office confirms when a permit is needed.

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

• Septic permitRequired

  Installation or work on a private onsite wastewater treatment system (septic) for a habitable structure inside Gillett town. Applies through the Oconto County Zoning office's sanitary permit, not a town permit.

  • The county says 'with few exceptions' that POWTS work must be done by a licensed plumber and permitted by the county; the exceptions are not listed on the page.
  • Sanitary permit application (Form 12-001, rev. 01/2022) requires complete system plans or a POWTS evaluation, per the county's secondary search result; not opened and not relied on.
  • Contact the county Zoning office (920-834-6827) to confirm when a permit is needed.

  “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-plumbed habitable structures with no water service inside Gillett town, under the Oconto County Sanitary Ordinance (countywide)

  • Applies only where the habitable structure does not contain plumbing and has no water service.
  • Holding tanks are permitted only as a last resort, according to the county sanitary page.
  • Alternatives such as composting toilets are described as sanitary alternatives, and the county says these products must be state approved, per the county sanitary page secondary text; not separately quoted.

  “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.”

Still unanswered

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

• Building permit — Building permits for new construction inside Gillett town (Oconto County, WI)
• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption from licensing or permit rules for work inside Gillett town (Oconto County, WI)
• Building code adopted — Building code adoption for land inside Gillett town (Oconto County, WI)
• Inspections — Building inspection for construction inside Gillett town (Oconto County, WI)
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy for new buildings inside Gillett town (Oconto County, WI)

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.