Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Evansville, Wisconsin

Evansville’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  New one- and two-family dwellings inside Evansville city

  • Sec. 18-3(b) also requires a permit for repairs/alterations when labor and materials exceed $1,000 or other listed triggers (text read only in part)
  • Sec. 18-3 title mentions an exception; not read
  • Zoning administrator must sign off on permits (sec. 130-31(a))

  repair/alteration permit cost threshold: > 1000 USD (other triggers listed in sec. 18-3(b))

  “no person shall build or cause to be built any one- or two-family dwelling without first obtaining a state uniform building permit for such dwelling from the city building inspector.”

• Building code adoptedAdopted

  One- and two-family dwellings and commercial buildings inside Evansville city

  • Adopted by reference including later superseding Wisconsin Administrative Code provisions
  • The city building inspector, certified by the state, administers and enforces the code
  • Code text cites older Comm chapter numbers; current SPS numbering not checked

  “the wisconsin administrative code for one- and two-family dwellings, also known as the uniform dwelling code, wis. admin. code chs. comm 20--25, and the building and heating, ventilation and air conditioning code, wis. admin. code chs. comm 50--64 and 69, are adopted by reference”

• Local zoningPresent

  All lands and waters within Evansville city limits

  • Chapter 130 'shall include all lands and waters within the city' (sec. 130-5)
  • The posted code may lag recent amendments (e.g., Ordinances 2024-04, 2024-05); not checked

  “this chapter shall include all lands and waters within the city.”

• Zoning districtsPublished

  Zoning districts inside Evansville city

  • Districts include Agricultural (A), B-1 to B-5, C-1, C-2, LL-R, LL-R12, LL-R15, R-1, R-2, R-3, PUD, MHP, HC overlay, SP, I-1 to I-3, O-1, GP overlay and TND
  • Map not reviewed; recent amendments (2024-04, 2024-05) may have changed districts

  “division 15. residential district one (r-1) sec. 130-981. purpose and intent. sec. 130-982. uses permitted by right.”

• Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

  Single-family dwelling in Residential District One (R-1) inside Evansville city

  • Sec. 130-983 lists as a conditional use single-family units with above-grade floor area of at least 800 and less than 1,000 square feet
  • Other districts (R-2, R-3, LL-R, Agricultural) not read

  minimum above-grade floor area, single-family, R-1: >= 1000 square feet (800 to under 1,000 sq ft only as conditional use)

  “(11) minimum above-grade floor area for single-family dwelling: 1,000 square feet.”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  Single-family dwelling in Residential District One (R-1) inside Evansville city

  • Also a maximum single-family lot area of 14,000 square feet in R-1
  • Two-family minimum 8,000 square feet
  • Minimum lot frontage 50 feet; lot width at setback line 60 to 100 feet
  • Other districts not read

  minimum lot area, single-family, R-1: >= 6000 square feet · maximum lot area, single-family, R-1: <= 14000 square feet

  “(7) minimum lot area for single-family dwelling: 6,000 square feet”

• SetbacksSpecified

  Residential District One (R-1) inside Evansville city

  • Front/street side minimum is 20 feet only if one of the alternate standards in sec. 130-984(3) is met
  • Occupied dwelling units must keep 10 feet of building separation unless fireproofed
  • Driveway side and rear yard setbacks 3 feet
  • Other districts not read

  minimum front and street side yard: >= 25 feet (20 feet with alternate standards) · maximum front and street side yard: <= 30 feet · minimum rear yard: >= 20 feet · minimum side yard: >= 8 feet (total of 20 feet on both sides, or 8 feet total when alternate standards are met)

  “a. minimum front and street side yard setback: 25 or 20 feet when alternate standards are met (see sec. 130-984(3)).”

• Building heightSpecified

  Residential District One (R-1) inside Evansville city

  • Other districts not read

  maximum building height, R-1: <= 35 feet

  “within the r-1 district, the following standards shall apply: (1) maximum building height: 35 feet.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Evansville or Rock County directly.

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built dwellings inside Evansville city
• Inspections — Inspections of new construction inside Evansville city
• Certificate of occupancy — Occupancy of new buildings inside Evansville city
• Lot coverage — Lot coverage in Evansville city districts
• Living in an RV — RV occupancy inside Evansville city

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.