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

Town of Carson’s own rules

• Driveway accessLimited

  Driveways inside the Town of Carson, subject to the road jurisdiction.

  • Driveway and culvert permits may be required.
  • For town roads, contact the Town Clerk; for county roads, contact the Portage County Highway Department; for state or federal highways, contact Wisconsin DOT.

  “driveway and culvert permits may be required. contact the appropriate agency depending on your location: ▪ town roads – contact the town clerk ▪ county roads - contact the portage county highway department (715) 345-5230.”

Rules another office applies inside Town of Carson

Town of Carson 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 Carson that is under Portage County zoning.

  • The source lists Carson among the towns that must secure a county zoning permit before proceeding with a project.

  “if you live in the towns of alban, almond, amherst, belmont, buena vista, carson, dewey, eau pleine, hull, lanark, linwood, new hope, plover, sharon, and stockton, you will need to secure a zoning permit before proceeding with your project.”

• Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

  A1 Exclusive Agricultural district land inside the Town of Carson.

  minimum floor area: 720 square feet

  “a1 exclusive agricultural 35 720 35 acres 200 25 (b) 25 (b) unlimited”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — R2 Single Family district land inside the Town of Carson.

    “r2 single family 35 720 20,000 100 10 (b) 25 (b) 2,800 (l)(m)”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  A1 Exclusive Agricultural district land inside the Town of Carson.

  minimum lot area: 35 acres · minimum lot width: 200 feet

  “a1 exclusive agricultural 35 720 35 acres 200 25 (b) 25 (b) unlimited”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — R2 Single Family district land inside the Town of Carson.

    “r2 single family 35 720 20,000 100 10 (b) 25 (b) 2,800 (l)(m)”

• SetbacksSpecified

  A1 Exclusive Agricultural district land inside the Town of Carson.

  • Detached accessory structures may be 6 feet in the rear yard under note (b).

  minimum side yard: 25 feet (note (b)) · minimum rear yard: 25 feet (note (b))

  “a1 exclusive agricultural 35 720 35 acres 200 25 (b) 25 (b) unlimited”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — R2 Single Family district land inside the Town of Carson.

    “r2 single family 35 720 20,000 100 10 (b) 25 (b) 2,800 (l)(m)”

• Building heightSpecified

  A1 Exclusive Agricultural district land inside the Town of Carson.

  • Unless otherwise specified by section 7.1.6.1(C).

  maximum height: 35 feet (unless otherwise specified by 7.1.6.1(C))

  “a1 exclusive agricultural 35 720 35 acres 200 25 (b) 25 (b) unlimited”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — R2 Single Family district land inside the Town of Carson.

    “r2 single family 35 720 20,000 100 10 (b) 25 (b) 2,800 (l)(m)”

• Living in an RVLimited

  Placement of campers on land inside the Town of Carson.

  • A zoning permit is required.
  • The county procedures identify Agricultural, Conservancy, and Rural Limited districts for camper placement and state campers are prohibited in other districts.
  • The camper permit is valid for one calendar year.
  • Camper sewage handling is subject to the conditions in the camper application.

  camper zoning permit fee: 50 USD · permit duration: one calendar year (January–December)

  “placement of campers in agricultural, conservancy and/or rural limited zoning districts (prohibited in other districts);”

• Who permits septicCounty (with conditions)

  Private onsite wastewater work for homes inside the Town of Carson.

  • A sanitary permit is required before a zoning permit for a new home or specified bedroom/sewer-line additions.
  • Commercial buildings must first obtain state approval for building and onsite waste treatment systems.

  “a sanitary permit is required before a zoning permit can be issued for new homes and additions to homes which increase the number of bedrooms or disrupt the existing building sewer line. a licensed plumber must submit a sanitary permit application to our office for any septic system with running water”

• Septic permitRequired

  New homes and qualifying home additions inside the Town of Carson using a septic system with running water.

  • Required before the zoning permit for a new home or an addition that increases bedrooms or disrupts the existing building sewer line.
  • A licensed plumber must submit the sanitary-permit application for a septic system with running water.

  “a sanitary permit is required before a zoning permit can be issued for new homes and additions to homes which increase the number of bedrooms or disrupt the existing building sewer line.”

• Septic inspectionLimited

  Short-term rentals or tourist rooming houses inside the Town of Carson using a private onsite wastewater treatment system.

  • Inspection may be needed depending on the age of the private onsite wastewater treatment system.
  • The inspection question arises before issuance of the zoning permit.

  “a private onsite wastewater treatment system may need to be inspected by a licensed individual, depending on the age, prior to the issuance of the zoning permit.”

• Off-grid sanitationAllowed (with conditions)

  Non-plumbing sanitation systems, including privies or outhouses, inside the Town of Carson.

  • This applies to non-plumbing sanitary permits such as privies or outhouses.

  “homeowners are allowed to apply for non-plumbing sanitary permits such as privies or outhouses.”

• Well permitRequired

  Private well construction inside the Town of Carson.

  • The well notification number and associated fee are required before well construction.
  • The source directs the applicant to a well installer or Wisconsin DNR.

  “private well construction: contact your well installer or the wisconsin department of natural resources (dnr) to obtain a required well notification number and pay the associated fee prior to well construction.”

• Agricultural exemptionConditional

  Farm buildings and structures inside the Town of Carson under Portage County zoning.

  • The structure must not be for human habitation.
  • It must not be permanently fixed to the ground and must be readily removable in its entirety.
  • The exception does not apply to roadside stands or permitted signs.

  “for farm buildings and structures not for human habitation which are not permanently fixed to the ground and are readily removable in their entirety; provided that this regulation shall not apply to roadside stands or permitted signs.”

• Building in a floodplainRequired

  Structural changes to buildings in floodplain areas inside the Town of Carson under Portage County zoning.

  • The requirement is for structural changes to buildings in a floodplain.
  • The county Zoning Section administers the Floodplain Zoning ordinance.

  “structural changes to buildings in a floodplain;”

• Short-term rentalsAllowed (with conditions)

  Short-term rentals and tourist rooming houses in Residential, Agricultural, and Neighborhood Commercial districts inside the Town of Carson.

  • A county zoning permit is required.
  • Road access, stormwater or erosion control, parking and paving, landscaping and screening, lighting, and proposed occupancy must be reviewed and approved before permit issuance.
  • Private onsite wastewater may limit occupancy and may need licensed inspection depending on age.

  “short-term rentals and tourist rooming houses are a permitted use in the residential, agricultural, and the neighborhood commercial zoning districts in all towns under portage county zoning.”

• Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

  Portage County zoning permits for projects inside the Town of Carson.

  • The fee depends on the work proposed.
  • The county directs applicants to its fee schedule.

  “include fee payment– depends on work being proposed. (see fee schedule)”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Portage County zoning permits for projects inside the Town of Carson.

  • Submit at least two weeks before the intended start of construction.
  • Construction start includes footings, foundations, basements, and slab work.
  • A site drawing and structure staking are required.

  minimum application lead time: >= 2 weeks (before intended start of construction)

  “return the completed application to our office at least 2 weeks prior to the intended start of construction. construction start includes footings, foundations, basements and slab work.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built dwellings inside the Town of Carson.
• Building code adopted — Residential construction inside the Town of Carson.
• Inspections — Building work inside the Town of Carson.
• Certificate of occupancy — Occupancy of structures inside the Town of Carson.
• Lot coverage — Land inside the Town of Carson under Portage County zoning.

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.