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

Town of Farmington’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Structures built, moved, or structurally altered inside Farmington town, and substantial land-use changes.

  • Where applicable, a sanitary permit from the Polk County Zoning Administrator is required before the Town Clerk issues the land-use permit.
  • A permit cannot issue for a structure or use that does not conform to the zoning ordinance.

  “No structure shall be built, moved or structurally altered and no land use shall be substantially altered until a land use permit has been issued by the Town Clerk.”

• InspectionsLimited

  Electrical work on any building inside Farmington town.

  • This finding addresses electrical work only; the located application does not establish a general inspection requirement for every building component.

  “New State Regulations require ANY electrical work on ANY building requires an inspection – if you project will have electricity, you will need to get an inspection from our inspector.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside the Town of Farmington, Polk County, Wisconsin.

  • The ordinance incorporates Polk County Shoreland Protection Zoning Ordinance provisions; where there is a conflict, contradiction, or near duplication, the more restrictive provision applies.

  “The Town Board of the Town of Farmington, Polk County, Wisconsin, does ordain as follows:”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Zoning districts inside Farmington town.

  • District boundaries are shown on Town Board-adopted zoning maps filed with the Town Clerk and Polk County Zoning Administrator.

  “For the purpose of this ordinance the Farmington Township is hereby divided into seven districts as follows: 1. Residence District - Section V 2. Agriculture District - Section VI 3. Conservancy District - Section VII 4. Restricted Commercial District - Section VIII 5. Commercial District - Section IX 6. Industrial District - Section X 7. Recreational - Section XIII”

• Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

  Every permanent dwelling thereafter erected in Farmington town.

  • The rule does not apply to summer cottages, hunting or fishing cabins, or house trailers of any type.

  one-story dwelling floor area: >= 400 square feet (per family dwelling) · two-story dwelling floor area: >= 700 square feet (per family dwelling)

  “Every permanent dwelling hereafter erected in Farmington Township shall provide not less than 400 square feet of floor area for a one-story building for each family dwelling therein, nor less that 700 square feet for a two-story building for each family dwelling therein, except that this provision shall not apply to summer cottages, hunting or fishing cabins or house trailers of any type.”

• Who permits septicCounty (with conditions)

  Sanitary permitting for development inside Farmington town.

  • The sanitary permit is required where applicable before the Town Clerk may issue a land-use permit.

  “Where applicable a sanitary permit from the Polk County Zoning Administrator shall be required before the issuance of a land use permit.”

• Septic permitRequired

  Development inside Farmington town where a sanitary permit is applicable.

  • The permit must be obtained from the Polk County Zoning Administrator before issuance of the Town land-use permit.

  “Where applicable a sanitary permit from the Polk County Zoning Administrator shall be required before the issuance of a land use permit.”

• Off-grid sanitationLimited

  Single-family dwellings inside Farmington town where water or sewer hookups are unavailable.

  • The dwelling must install a septic system and well complying with applicable county and state health regulations.

  “In the event water or sewer hook ups are not available, the single family dwelling shall install a septic system and well which complies with all applicable County and State health regulations.”

• Mandatory utility hookupConditional

  All single-family dwellings inside Farmington town where housing is allowed.

  • All single-family dwellings must be properly connected to utilities including water, sewer, and electricity.
  • If water or sewer hookups are unavailable, the dwelling must install a septic system and well complying with applicable county and state health regulations.

  “All single family dwellings shall be properly connected to utilities, including but not limited to, water, sewer and electricity. In the event water or sewer hook ups are not available, the single family dwelling shall install a septic system and well which complies with all applicable County and State health regulations.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Subdivision review and roads serving subdivisions inside Farmington town.

  • The Board may require roads to be constructed to the subdivision boundary, special setbacks, screening, buffers, and access limits.
  • Subdivider notice to contiguous landowners is required.
  • A road serving three or more lots must be dedicated to the town and meet ordinance standards.

  “In the course of the subdivision review, the Board may designate roads as arterial, collector or local roads. This decision shall be based upon county or town plans for road networks. The Board may require any road to be constructed to the boundary of the subdivision. The Board may require special setbacks, screening and other buffers along roads and may limit access along such roads.”

• Driveway accessRequired

  Driveway construction inside Farmington town.

  • The driveway permit must be completed before construction.
  • No construction may begin until issuance.
  • Deviations from specifications require Town Board approval.

  minimum sight line: >= 200 feet · minimum separation from driveway access points to road intersections: >= 200 feet

  “The Town of Farmington Driveway Permit shall be completed prior to construction of driveways. All locations and widths of driveway accesses shall be shown on all Certified Survey Maps and on the Final Plat. No driveway construction shall begin until a Driveway Permit has been issued. Any deviations to these specifications must be approved by the Town Board.”

• Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

  Town land-use permit applications inside Farmington town.

  • The Town Board establishes the fee and keeps the current schedule in the Town Clerk's office.
  • The ordinance describes an initial fee, which is not treated as a current fee schedule.

  initial filing fee: per 1 USD per 1,000 USD improvement cost (minimum fee applies) · initial minimum filing fee: >= 3 USD

  “The fee for filing of applications for land use permits shall be established by the Town Board. A copy of the correct fee schedule shall be kept on file the in office of the Town Clerk. Initially, the fee shall be $1.00 per $1,000.00 cost of the improvement with a minimum of $3.00.”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Town land-use permit applications for development inside Farmington town.

  • Applications require scale maps or drawings.
  • Construction, alteration, or removal permits expire after 12 months if no building activity begins; land-use-change permits expire after 12 months if no action has been taken.

  permit commencement period: 12 months (construction, alteration, or removal permit where no building activity begins)

  “Applications for land use permits shall be accompanied by scale maps or drawings showing accurately the location, size and shape of the lot involved, and of any proposed structures including the relation to abutting streets and any abutting lakes or streams and the existing and proposed use of each structure and lot and the number of families to be accommodated.”

Rules another office applies inside Town of Farmington

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

• Minimum lot sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Single- or two-family dwellings in the Residence District inside Farmington town.

  • At least one-half acre must be contiguous building area.
  • Where State Board of Health Administrative Code Chapter H 65 requires a larger lot, that regulation governs.
  • Each additional family requires additional area.

  minimum lot area: >= 2 acres (single- or two-family dwelling) · contiguous building area: >= 0.5 acres · additional area per additional family: >= 3000 square feet (per additional family in residence)

  “Buildings or parts of buildings hereafter erected or structurally altered for single or two family dwelling purposes shall provide a lot area of not less than 2 acres, with a minimum of ½ acres of contiguous building area; and providing further that for each additional family in residence on the premises, an additional 3000 square feet shall be provided”

• SetbacksDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Buildings in the Residence District inside Farmington town.

  • Highway setback regulations apply to all corner lots.
  • For lots under 100 feet wide that were of record at passage of the ordinance, alternate aggregate-side-yard measurements apply.
  • Attached accessory buildings follow the main-building side-yard rule.

  aggregate main-building side yards: >= 25 feet · single main-building side yard: >= 10 feet · main-building rear yard: >= 25 feet · accessory-building rear yard: >= 3 feet

  “In the residence district the aggregate width of the side yards for the main building shall not be less than 25 feet and no single side yard shall be less than 10 feet wide; provided further that the highway setback regulations shall apply to all corner lots. Rear Yard. There shall be a rear yard of not less than 25 feet in depth for any main building. Accessory buildings shall be provided with a minimum rear yard of not less that 3 feet.”

• Building heightDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Buildings in the Residence District inside Farmington town.

  • The ordinance refers to Section IV height exceptions.

  maximum height: <= 35 feet (Residence District) · maximum stories: <= 2.5 stories (Residence District)

  “No building shall be more than 2 ½ stories or 35 feet high. See Section IV.”

• Accessory dwellingsProhibited

  Accessory buildings in the Residence District inside Farmington town.

  • The prohibition applies to an accessory building being used as a separate dwelling unit.

  “Accessory buildings, including private garages and buildings clearly incidental to the residential use of the property, provided however that no accessory building may be used as a separate dwelling unit.”

• Septic inspectionRequired

  POWTS construction and installation, including projects inside Farmington town.

  • Inspection must comply with the applicable plan-review conditional approval letter.
  • The permit identifies the inspector or agency to contact.

  “Inspection of POWTS construction and installation is required in accordance with the plan review conditional approval letter.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residential construction inside Farmington town.
• Building code adopted — Residential construction inside Farmington town.
• Certificate of occupancy — Occupancy of structures inside Farmington town.
• Lot coverage — Land inside Farmington town.
• Living in an RV — RV occupancy on private land inside Farmington 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.