Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Town of Little Suamico, Wisconsin

Town of Little Suamico’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Construction of any kind in Little Suamico town that is covered by the town building code (per the 2003 text)

  • Permit must be obtained from the building inspector before work starts.
  • Code scope covers new one- and two-family dwellings and additions and alterations built after July 13, 1992.
  • Current 2024 UDC ordinance text was not retrieved; verify. Septic work needs a separate Oconto County permit (see septic claims).

  “no construction of any kind shall taken place unless a building permit for that work shall first be obtained by the owner or his authorized agent from the building inspector.”

• Building code adoptedAdopted

  New one- and two-family dwellings and additions or alterations to them inside Little Suamico town, under the town's own building code

  • The retrieved text is the town's Little Suamico Building Code dated March 2003. Current text was not retrieved.
  • Code scope (section 1.1c) covers buildings built after July 13, 1992.
  • Enforced by the town using a contract with a certified inspector (section 1.3).

  “1.2 state uniform dwelling code adopted wisconsin administrative code chapters 20 through 25, whose effective date is july 13, 1992 and all amendments thereto are hereby adopted and by reference made a part of this ordinance.”

• InspectionsRequired

  Permitted construction inside Little Suamico town under the town building code

  • Inspections are run by the town's building inspector, who is certified and works under a contract with a certified inspector.
  • Inspection scope in the 2003 text covers structure, HVAC, electrical, plumbing, erosion and energy permits.
  • Current 2024 UDC text was not retrieved; verify inspection stages.

  “the building inspector shall administer and enforce all provisions of this code and the udc.”

Rules another office applies inside Town of Little Suamico

Town of Little Suamico 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) on land inside Little Suamico town, administered by Oconto County under its Sanitary Ordinance

  • The county's sanitary ordinance applies to the whole county, including land inside the town.
  • Little Suamico Sanitary District No. 1 is a separate sewer system and was not evaluated here.
  • Only the county sanitary page was opened; the sanitary ordinance text was not retrieved.

  “the general intent of the sanitary ordinance is to regulate the location, construction, installation, alteration, maintenance, and use of onsite waste disposal systems”

• Septic permitRequired

  Installing, altering or repairing a septic (POWTS) system on land inside Little Suamico town

  • Permit issued by Oconto County, with few exceptions.
  • Work must be done by a properly licensed plumber, with few exceptions.
  • Confirm with the county zoning office 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-septic sanitation (privies, holding tanks) for habitable structures inside Little Suamico town

  • All habitable structures must be served by a POWTS (septic system).
  • Privies or alternatives may be used only where a habitable structure has no plumbing and no water service.
  • Holding tanks are allowed only as a last resort.

  “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 Little Suamico or Oconto County directly.

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder construction inside Little Suamico town
• Certificate of occupancy — Occupancy approval for new homes inside Little Suamico town
• Local zoning — Land inside Little Suamico town limits: whether the town administers its own zoning ordinance
• Zoning districts — Zoning districts applying inside Little Suamico town
• Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling size inside Little Suamico 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.