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

Town of Spruce’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Construction inside the Town of Spruce.

  • The official Town page identifies Tom Smith Inspections LLC as building inspector.

  “building permits are required for the town of spruce”

Rules another office applies inside Town of Spruce

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

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside the Town of Spruce, an unincorporated community of Oconto County.

  • Oconto County, rather than the Town of Spruce, maintains and administers the general zoning ordinance.

  “oconto county has zoning jurisdiction within all unincorporated communities of the county. oconto county maintains and administers the general zoning ordinance”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  County zoning districts applicable inside the Town of Spruce.

  • The exact district for a parcel must be determined from the County zoning map.

  “general zoning utilizes a system of districts designated for different uses based on land suitability, infrastructure, avoidance of conflict with nearby uses, protection of environmental features, economic factors, and other local factors.”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  New lots in the Oconto County Rural Residential (RR) district inside the Town of Spruce.

  • Pre-existing RR lots have separate standards based on record and map dates.

  minimum parcel size: 2 acres (new lots)

  “The minimum size for new lots shall be as follows: (added 12-17-98) Minimum parcel size for new lots shall be 2.0 acres.”

• SetbacksSpecified

  Development inside the Town of Spruce subject to Oconto County zoning.

  • All required setback areas and yard spaces must be on the same legal parcel as the principal structure or use.
  • Specific setbacks vary by district, road, water, use, and other ordinance provisions.

  “All required setback areas and yard spaces shall be located on the same lot (that is, the legal parcel of record) as the principal structure or use.”

• Building heightSpecified

  Regulated objects, structures, and equipment in all Oconto County zoning districts inside the Town of Spruce.

  • The Planning and Zoning Committee may establish a height exceeding 35 feet under listed standards.
  • Architectural projections are exempt; special airport-height standards apply in affected areas.

  basic height limit: 35 feet (subject to section 14.407 exceptions and waivers)

  “A basic height limit of 35 feet is hereby established for all regulated objects, structures and equipment in all zoning districts.”

• Living in an RVTemporary only (with conditions)

  Recreational vehicles on private property inside the Town of Spruce.

  • RV must be moved off property every 60 days unless a temporary permit is approved.
  • Wheels must remain affixed and intact; the RV cannot be permanently affixed to ground; permanent human habitation is prohibited.
  • Temporary permits require documented sanitary-waste accommodations and are valid less than one year.

  maximum stay without temporary permit: <= 60 days (unless temporary permit approved)

  “rv ordinance summary must be moved off property every 60 days unless temporary permit approved. wheels have to remain affixed and intact (normal repairs are allowed) cannot be permanently affixed to the ground no permanent human habitation or commercial / business conducted within an rv”

• Camping on your landLimited

  Camping and campgrounds inside the Town of Spruce.

  • Four or more campsites, or one to three sites advertised as a campground, require zoning permits.
  • Campgrounds are only permitted in Park & Recreation zoning with a conditional use permit.

  “campground standards: any property with 4 or more camp sites or 1 to 3 camp sites, if advertised as a campground, require proper zoning permits for use as a campground.”

• Tiny homesLimited

  Tiny homes inside the Town of Spruce.

  • Homes below 700 square feet are not allowed.
  • Permanent homes over 700 square feet require proper land-use permits, building inspections, sanitary permits, POWTS, and other listed approvals.
  • Tiny homes may be accepted at a properly zoned private campground.

  minimum permanent home area: > 700 square feet

  “any home less than 700 square feet is not allowed permanent homes greater than 700 square feet are allowed with all proper land use permits, building inspections, sanitary permits, powts, etc tiny homes may be accepted at a properly zoned private campground”

• Manufactured homesLimited

  Manufactured-home placement and permanent occupancy inside the Town of Spruce.

  • Existing dwelling/mobile/manufactured homes more than 15 years old may only be allowed with a conditional use permit.
  • All mobile homes need permanent foundations meeting SPS 321.40; skirting and tie-downs are required.
  • Land-use permits, building inspections, sanitary permits, POWTS, physical address, driveway permit, and other approvals are required before placement and permanent occupancy.

  minimum dwelling area: > 700 square feet

  “placement of existing dwelling / mobile home / manufactured home that is more than 15 years old may only be allowed with a conditional use permit”

• Who permits septicCounty (with conditions)

  Private onsite wastewater systems inside the Town of Spruce.

  • The county ordinance incorporates applicable Wisconsin statutes and administrative rules.

  “The requirements of this chapter shall apply to all lands and waters within Oconto County.”

• Septic inspectionRequired

  New private sewage systems and systems subject to reconnection approval inside the Town of Spruce.

  • For newly constructed buildings or structures requiring a reconnection permit, the system must be approved, installed, and inspected before occupancy.

  “The private sewage system for newly constructed buildings or structures requiring a Reconnection Permit shall be approved, installed, and inspected before the building may be occupied.”

• Mandatory utility hookupSewer (with conditions)

  Properties inside the Town of Spruce served by a private sewage system when DNR-approved public sewer becomes available.

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

  connection deadline after sewer availability: <= 1 year

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

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Land divisions, subdivisions, and resubdivisions inside the Town of Spruce.

  • The ordinance establishes design standards and procedures for subdivisions and resubdivisions.

  “To establish reasonable standards of design and procedures for subdivisions and re-subdivisions in order to further the orderly layout and use of land; and to insure proper legal descriptions and monumenting of subdivided land.”

• Building in a floodplainRequired

  Development in mapped floodplain areas inside the Town of Spruce.

  • The rule applies to floodplain development; floodplain location and district must be determined under Chapter 21.
  • Other necessary federal, state, and local permits must be secured before the floodplain development permit.

  “failure to obtain a floodplain development permit shall be a violation of these regulations and shall be punishable in accordance with s. 21.900.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built dwellings inside the Town of Spruce.
• Building code adopted — Residential construction inside the Town of Spruce.
• Inspections — Building work inside the Town of Spruce.
• Certificate of occupancy — New or altered buildings inside the Town of Spruce.
• Lot coverage — Land inside the Town of Spruce.

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.