Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Village of Bear Creek, Wisconsin

Village of Bear Creek’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Buildings and structures inside Bear Creek village limits.

  • Permit must be obtained from the Building Inspector before the enumerated work.
  • Minor repair and maintenance work valued at less than $500 may be authorized without a permit if it does not change listed building characteristics; reroofing is exempt minor repair.

  “No building of any kind shall be moved within or into the Village, and no new building or structure, or any part thereof, shall hereafter be erected, or ground broken for the same, or enlarged, altered, moved, demolished, razed or used within the Village, except as herein provided, until a permit therefor shall first have been obtained by the owner, or his authorized agent, from the Building Inspector.”

• Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

  One- and two-family dwellings inside Bear Creek village limits.

  • The code incorporates Wisconsin Administrative Code Chapters SPS 320 through SPS 325 and SPS 327, including future amendments, revisions, and modifications.

  “State code adopted. The Administrative Code provisions describing and defining regulations with respect to one- and two-family dwellings in Chs. SPS 320 to SPS 325 and Ch. SPS 327, Wis. Adm. Code, are hereby adopted and by reference made a part of this chapter as if fully set forth herein.”

• InspectionsRequired

  Permitted buildings inside Bear Creek village limits.

  • Builder must notify the Building Inspector when ready; listed stages are footing/foundation, framing and rough trades, insulation, and final.

  “The builder shall notify the Building Inspector when ready for inspections, and the Building Inspector shall inspect within 48 hours of notice all buildings at the following stages of construction:”

• Certificate of occupancyRequired

  New buildings, additions, and alterations inside Bear Creek village limits.

  • Final inspection must find no violation; hardship occupancy before final completion may be permitted if safe and sanitary, for a time that should not exceed 120 days.

  “No building, or part thereof, shall be occupied until a certificate of occupancy has been issued, nor shall any building be occupied in any manner which conflicts with the conditions set forth in the certificate of occupancy.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside Bear Creek village limits.

  • The published municipal code includes Chapter 390, Zoning.

  “The Village of Bear Creek is hereby divided into zoning districts as shown upon a map designated as the Official Zoning Map of the Village of Bear Creek, and made a part of this chapter.”

• Who permits septicLocal (with conditions)

  Private wastewater disposal systems inside Bear Creek village limits where public sewer is unavailable under § 278-2D.

  • The code defines approving authority as the Village Water and Sewer Commission or its authorized representative.
  • Additional requirements may be imposed by the health officer.

  “The Water and Sewer Commission of the Village of Bear Creek or it's duly authorized deputy, agent or representative.”

• Septic permitRequired

  Private wastewater disposal systems inside Bear Creek village limits where public sanitary sewer is unavailable under § 278-2D.

  • Written permit signed by the approving authority is required before construction.
  • Application must include information deemed necessary; Village Fee Schedule permit and inspection fee is due when filed.

  “Before commencement of construction of a private wastewater disposal system the owner(s) shall first obtain a written permit signed by the approving authority.”

• Septic inspectionRequired

  Private wastewater disposal systems inside Bear Creek village limits where public sanitary sewer is unavailable under § 278-2D.

  • Installation must be completed to the approving authority's satisfaction; applicant must notify before underground portions are covered; inspection is to occur within 48 hours after notice.

  “The approving authority shall be allowed to inspect the work at any stage of construction and, in any event, the applicant for the permit shall notify the approving authority when the work is ready for final inspection, and before any underground portions are covered.”

• Off-grid sanitationLimited

  Wastewater disposal inside Bear Creek village limits.

  • Private wastewater disposal is allowed only where public sanitary sewer is unavailable under § 278-2D and must comply with Chapter 278.
  • If public sewer later becomes available as defined by § 278-2D, connection is required within 90 days and former private facilities must be cleaned and filled.

  “Where a public sanitary sewer is not available under the provisions of § 278-2D, the building sewer shall be connected to a private wastewater disposal system complying with the provisions of this section.”

• Mandatory utility hookupWater and sewer (with conditions)

  Residential construction inside Bear Creek village limits.

  • Sewer and water, grading, and graveling must be installed in streets necessary to serve the property before a residential building permit issues.
  • For sewer connection after notice, the public sewer must be within 100 feet of the property line.

  public sewer distance from property line: <= 100 feet (Connection is required within 90 days after official notice for qualifying property.)

  “The owner(s) of all houses, buildings, or properties used for human occupancy, employment, recreation, or other purposes, situated within the Village and abutting on any street, alley, or right-of-way in which there is now located or may in the future be located a public sanitary sewer of the Village, is hereby required at the owner's (owners') expense to install suitable toilet facilities therein, and to connect such facilities directly with the proper public sewer in accordance with the provisions of this chapter, within 90 days after date of official notice to do so, provided that said public sewer is within 100 feet (30.5 meters) of the property line.”

• Driveway accessRequired

  Driveways crossing or through sidewalks or curbs inside Bear Creek village limits.

  • Village Board resolution may otherwise specially permit; application is written and must give reason.
  • Application must be made at least 24 hours before intended installation, subject to the Board's reasonable examination time.

  “Unless otherwise especially permitted by resolution of the Village Board, upon written application giving the reason therefor, no person shall construct, repair or reconstruct any driveway across or through any sidewalk or curbing without having first obtained a permit from the Village Board.”

• Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

  Private wastewater and driveway permits inside Bear Creek village limits.

  • Sewer permit and inspection fees are set in the Village Fee Schedule on file in Village offices.
  • Driveway permit fee refers to the Village Fee Schedule; no dollar amount was published in retrieved material.

  “Refer to the Village Fee Schedule for the amount of permit fee.”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Building permits inside Bear Creek village limits.

  • Written application uses a form supplied by the Building Inspector and must provide listed owner, land, designer, proposed-use, and additional requested information.
  • Plans are required unless the Inspector waives them for qualifying alteration, repair, or moving work costing no more than $2,000.

  “Application for a building permit shall be made, in writing, upon a form furnished by the Building Inspector and shall state the name and address of the owner of the land and also the owner of the building, if different, the legal description of the land upon which the building is to be located, the name and address of the designer, the use to which said building is to be put, and such other information as the Building Inspector may require.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Village of Bear Creek or Outagamie County directly.

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residential construction inside Bear Creek village limits.
• Minimum dwelling size — Dwellings inside Bear Creek village limits.
• Minimum lot size — Lots inside Bear Creek village limits.
• Setbacks — Structures inside Bear Creek village limits.
• Lot coverage — Lots inside Bear Creek village limits.

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.

Off-grid gear

Going off-grid in Village of Bear Creek means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

• Water Crystal Quest Filter any source — well, rain, or creek — to drinking-clean.
• Power Bluetti Solar generators and home battery backup for living off the grid.
• Septic Soil percolation test kit Run your own perc test before paying an engineer — the first thing a septic office asks about.
• Water Well water test kit Bacteria, nitrates, hardness — know what the well on a parcel is really pumping.

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