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

Town of Stockton’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  New dwellings built inside the Town of Stockton (UDC building permit issued by the town)

  • The permit is issued by the town through the building inspector the town retains; the county page lists that inspector for Stockton.
  • May be required for other improvements; the county page does not say which ones.
  • Construction may proceed only after the permit is issued; a county zoning permit and sanitary permit come first where applicable.

  “a uniform dwelling code (udc) building permit is required for all new dwellings and may be required for other improvements. these permits are issued by the town.”

Rules another office applies inside Town of Stockton

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

• Building code adoptedAdopted

  New dwellings built inside the Town of Stockton

  • The county page names the uniform dwelling code (UDC) and says the state requires a building permit for construction; it does not cite the Wisconsin administrative code chapter, which was not opened.
  • The county page says the UDC building permit is issued by the town, so the town enforces the state code.

  “it is not a “building permit” which is required separately by the state of wisconsin for actual construction of a structure”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside the Town of Stockton (Portage County), which the county procedures list among the towns under Portage County zoning. This is county zoning that applies inside Stockton town, not an ordinance adopted by the town itself, as far as the county page shows.

  • The county page names the Portage County zoning ordinance and lists Stockton among the towns that need a county zoning permit; it does not say the town has adopted or administers its own zoning ordinance.
  • The county zoning ordinance is section 7.1 of the Portage County code, as cited in the county procedures page.

  “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.”

• Zoning districtsPublished

  Portage County zoning districts that apply to land inside the Town of Stockton

  • The county setback table lists R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, A1, A2, A3, A4, A20, RL, REC, CON, C1-C4 and IND, updated 092619.
  • Town hearing notices opened reference A1, A2, A3 and R1 district codes for Stockton parcels.

  “zoning district r1 rural & urban fringe max height (ft) (a) 35”

• Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

  R1 Rural and Urban Fringe district land inside the Town of Stockton under Portage County zoning

  • 720 sq ft for a year-round dwelling; 400 sq ft for a seasonal dwelling, per footnote (g).
  • Footnote (g) also allows less than 720 sq ft for farm dwellings in the agricultural districts.

  minimum floor area, year-round dwelling: >= 720 sq ft (seasonal dwellings (less than six months per year) 400 sq ft)

  “720 square feet for year-round dwelling (6 months or more/calendar year), 400 square feet for seasonal dwellings (less than six months calendar year).”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  R1 Rural and Urban Fringe district land inside the Town of Stockton under Portage County zoning

  • Minimum lot area of 2 acres and minimum lot width of 200 ft, per the table row.
  • Footnote (a) and (b) apply to other dimensions; see table footnotes.

  minimum lot area: >= 2 acres · minimum lot width: >= 200 ft

  “zoning setbacks, area and height requirements for towns under portage county zoning ordinance min floor min lot area min lot min side area (sq ft) (sq ft) width (ft) yard (ft) 720 (g) 2 acres 200 25 (b)”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — R2 Single Family district land inside the Town of Stockton under Portage County zoning

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

• Building heightSpecified

  R2 Single Family district land inside the Town of Stockton under Portage County zoning

  • Table gives 35 ft as the maximum height for this district; footnote (a) appears in the table but its wording is not tied to this column in the opened text.
  • Accessory structures have separate limits in the table footnotes.

  maximum building height: <= 35 ft

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

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — R1 Rural and Urban Fringe district land inside the Town of Stockton under Portage County zoning

    “zoning district r1 rural & urban fringe max height (ft) (a) 35”

• Living in an RVLimited

  Placing campers (RVs) on private land inside the Town of Stockton

  • Campers may be placed only in agricultural, conservancy and rural limited zoning districts; the county says placement is prohibited in other districts.
  • A zoning permit is required for camper placement; the county fee schedule lists a seasonal camper permit at $50.

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

• Camping on your landLimited

  Camper placement on private land inside the Town of Stockton (the only camping use the county addresses)

  • Camper placement is limited to agricultural, conservancy and rural limited districts and needs a zoning permit.
  • The county page does not address tent or other temporary camping; treat this claim as limited to campers only.

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

• Who permits septicCounty (with conditions)

  Private sewage (septic) systems on land inside the Town of Stockton

  • The state delegates regulation of private onsite wastewater systems to counties; the Portage County On-Site Waste section administers the county private sewage system ordinance (chapter 7.9) and enforces state codes.
  • The county's private sewage system ordinance text was not opened.

  “for decades, under state statute, the state of wisconsin has delegated the responsibility of regulation of powts (private onsite waste treatment systems) also known as septic systems, to wisconsin counties.”

• Septic permitRequired

  New homes and home additions that add bedrooms or disrupt the building sewer, inside the Town of Stockton

  • A sanitary permit is required before a zoning permit can be issued for these projects.
  • A licensed plumber must submit the sanitary permit application for any septic system with running water; homeowners may apply only for non-plumbing sanitary permits.
  • Permit fee for a conventional system is listed in the county fee schedule ($400).

  “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 inspectionRequired

  Newly installed septic systems inside the Town of Stockton

  • The county On-Site Waste section inspects newly installed systems.
  • Short-term rental occupancy may require a licensed inspection of an older system before a zoning permit is issued (county STR procedures).

  “services provided by the portage county on-site waste section include: administration of the private sewage system ordinance, including issuing sanitary permits for new septic systems. and inspection of newly installed systems.”

• Off-grid sanitationLimited

  Non-plumbing sanitation such as privies or outhouses on land inside the Town of Stockton

  • Homeowners may apply for non-plumbing sanitary permits such as privies or outhouses; plumbing-type septic systems need a licensed plumber's sanitary permit application.
  • The county page does not state other limits on privies or outhouses.

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

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Land divisions (county plats and minor or major subdivisions) inside the Town of Stockton

  • The fee schedule lists county plat and subdivision review fees, so the county regulates these divisions.
  • The county subdivision chapter (7.4) text was not opened; procedures and standards are not verified.

  “stormwater plan review for county plats, major subdivisions, and possibly minor subdivisions $250 approved 5-23-17 effective 5-24-17”

• Building in a floodplainRequired

  Structural changes to buildings in a floodplain inside the Town of Stockton

  • A county zoning permit is required for structural changes to buildings in a floodplain; construction may proceed after the permit issues.
  • Floodplain and shoreland chapters (7.6 and 7.7) were not opened.

  “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 Stockton

  • Requires a county zoning permit with site plan review of road access, stormwater or erosion control, parking and paving, landscaping and screening, lighting, and proposed occupancy.
  • Occupancy may be limited by the private onsite wastewater system, which may need inspection by a licensed individual depending on age.
  • The county document is dated 07232019 and may be outdated; not checked against the current ordinance.

  “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 feesPublished

  County zoning and sanitary permit fees for projects inside the Town of Stockton (building permit fees are set by the town and not in this schedule)

  • The fee schedule opened is dated approved 5-23-17, effective 5-24-17. Its amounts may be outdated; a 'Fee Schedule January 2025' is hosted on a non-county vendor site and was not opened.
  • Fees marked with an asterisk are subject to a triple fee for work started before approval.
  • Document recording fees are not included.
  • Home additions $100; garage, accessory building, nonresidential additions, signs and home occupations $50; seasonal camper permit $50; zoning on-site inspection $50; conventional sanitary system $400; alternate system $450; holding tank $500; reinspection $55.

  zoning permit, new home or mobile home on private lot: 200 USD per living unit (asterisked; triple fee if work started before approval) · sanitary permit, conventional system: 400 USD (asterisked) · seasonal camper permit: 50 USD (asterisked)

  “conventional system $400* alternate systems (mounds/at grade/igp/fill) $450* holding tanks $500*”

• Permit processPublished

  Zoning permit process for projects inside the Town of Stockton

  • Submit the zoning permit application at least 2 weeks before construction starts (footings, foundations, basements and slab work count as construction start).
  • Attach a lot drawing showing setbacks, septic tank and drainfield, and stake the building location for verification.
  • Separate stormwater plan review form may be required, decided case by case.
  • Obtain a property address from the town clerk for new or vacant lots; the UDC building permit is issued by the town.

  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.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption from building permits inside the Town of Stockton
• Inspections — Required inspections for new construction inside the Town of Stockton
• Certificate of occupancy — Occupancy approval for new dwellings inside the Town of Stockton
• Lot coverage — Lot coverage limits for land inside the Town of Stockton
• Tiny homes — Tiny home occupancy inside the Town of Stockton

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.