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

Town of Frankfort’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  New houses or dwellings, and alterations or additions to existing dwellings above $10,000, inside Frankfort town.

  • Re-roofing, re-siding, finishing or interior surfaces and installation of cabinetry are exempt from permit requirements.
  • The ordinance (section 17.03) sets the dwelling threshold as $10,000 value or 400 square feet; the permits page states only the $10,000 threshold.

  alteration or addition cost threshold: > 10000 USD (applies to alterations or additions to existing dwellings; all new dwellings require a permit)

  “All new houses or dwellings will require a Building Permit.”

• Building code adoptedAdopted

  New dwellings inside Frankfort town (ordinance text on residential district permitted uses).

  • The ordinance requires dwellings to follow the uniform dwelling code, which is a Wisconsin state code; the state code text was not opened for this research.

  “Construction of a dwelling requires sanitary and building permits and must follow the Uniform Dwelling Code.”

• Local zoningPresent

  Land inside Frankfort town's limits: the town administers its own zoning ordinance (Chapter 17, Zoning Ordinance 2025-8).

  • The 2025-8 text states it rescinds and replaces all of Chapter 17. The town's zoning page still says the ordinance was adopted July 31, 2013; the adoption and effective date of the 2025-8 replacement were not confirmed.
  • Zoning is enforced by the town board and plan commission; a zoning acknowledgement form goes to the town clerk for new construction and new land uses on existing parcels.

  “The jurisdiction of this Ordinance shall include all lands and waters in the Town of Frankfort, Pepin County, Wisconsin and be under the zoning jurisdiction of the Town of Frankfort Board and Plan Commission.”

• Zoning districtsPublished

  Land inside Frankfort town's limits: zoning districts are published in Chapter 17 with a district zoning map.

  • Districts: Agricultural (AG), Agricultural/Residential (AR), Rural Residential (RR), Lowland Conservancy overlay (C-1), Steep Slope overlay (C-2).
  • The zoning map, floodplain map, steep slope map and karst map are linked from the town zoning page.

  “For the purpose of this ordinance the Town of Frankfort is hereby divided into the following Zoning Districts:”

• Driveway accessRequired

  New access point onto a Frankfort town road.

  • Requires a Highway Access Permit application submitted to the town before construction of the new access point.

  “Before constructing a new access point onto a Town Road, please submit a Highway Access Permit Application.”

• Permit processPartial

  Permit steps for building or expanding on land inside Frankfort town (town clerk, building inspector and county).

  • Non-dwelling construction over $10,000 or 400 sq ft requires a zoning acknowledgement form with the town clerk.
  • Process is partly published: the forms and contacts are listed, but the fee schedule and full procedure were not confirmed.

  “Before building or expanding on your property, please submit a Zoning Acknowledgement Form to the Town Clerk.”

Rules another office applies inside Town of Frankfort

Town of Frankfort 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)

  Sanitary (septic) permits for land inside Frankfort town; the Pepin County zoning office, not the town, issues them. Applies inside Frankfort town because the town's ordinance assigns sanitary permits to the county zoning office.

  • Recorded with geography countywide because the schema does not accept municipality-specific for a county authority; the county rule applies inside Frankfort town by the town's own ordinance and page.

  “The Pepin County Zoning office issues sanitary permits, fire numbers and driveway permits for county roads.”

• Septic permitRequired

  New dwellings needing a septic system inside Frankfort town; permit from the Pepin County zoning office.

  • Construction may proceed after the sanitary permit is issued.
  • Permit terms come from the county; the county sanitary ordinance was not opened.
  • Recorded with geography countywide because the schema does not accept municipality-specific for a county authority.

  “Construction of a dwelling requires sanitary and building permits and must follow the Uniform Dwelling Code.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption for dwelling construction inside Frankfort town
• Inspections — Building inspections for work inside Frankfort town
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy for new dwellings inside Frankfort town
• Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling size inside Frankfort town
• Lot coverage — Lot coverage inside Frankfort 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.