Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Town of La Valle, Wisconsin

Town of La Valle’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  New one- and two-family dwellings and additions or alterations increasing habitable dimensions in La Valle town.

  • Minor alterations including re-siding, interior finishing, cabinetry installation, re-roofing, and minor repairs as determined by the building inspector are exempt.
  • No more than two roofing layers may be installed unless structural calculations are provided.

  “Prior to commencing any of the following work, the owner or agent shall seek and obtain a valid permit from the Town of LaValle building inspector: (1) New one and two family dwellings: (2) Additions and alterations that increase the habitable dimensions of a dwelling, including decks, additions and alterations made to one or two family dwellings including those built prior to June 1, 1980;”

• Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

  Dwellings, trailers, mobile homes, prefabricated, modular, and manufactured homes, detached garages, and boathouses in La Valle town.

  • The code excludes out-buildings used exclusively for agricultural purposes, children's play structures, dog kennels, portable storage sheds under 120 square feet, and commercial buildings.
  • The town adopted Wisconsin Administrative Code Chapters COMM 16, COMM 20-25, COMM 28, and COMM 81-86 and subsequent revisions for enforcement.

  portable storage shed exemption threshold: < 120 square feet (Excluded from the Town building-code scope.)

  “this building code shall apply to all dwellings”

• InspectionsRequired

  Buildings subject to the town building code in La Valle town.

  • Town contracts with General Engineering for building permits and inspections.
  • For occupied dwellings, the inspector must have reasonable cause to believe noncomplying work is being done before entering.

  “The Town Board shall provide for building inspections for the Town of LaValle. Building inspections for the Town of LaValle maybe provided in any manner including: (1) Establishing an Office of Building Inspector, or (2) Contracting with any qualified person, or (3) Contracting with any qualified agency.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside La Valle town; the town has adopted the Sauk County zoning ordinance to apply in the township, with county zoning administration.

  • The Town's Building in La Valle page states that Sauk County regulates the town's zoning.

  “Town of La Valle is regulated by Sauk County Zoning.”

• Septic permitRequired

  Construction, alteration, use change, installation, extension, enlargement, conversion, or structural alteration of a POWTS serving land inside La Valle town.

  • No sanitary permit is required for servicing treatment or holding tanks or cleaning clogged sewer or effluent line pipes when work follows Wisconsin statutory requirements.
  • Complete applications require the listed application, maintenance, management, plan, soil-report, fee, and other applicable materials.
  • A permit expires after two years unless renewed before expiration; only one two-year renewal is allowed.
  • Occupancy of a new residence cannot occur until the POWTS is installed and fully functional.

  permit completion period: 2 years (Unless renewed before expiration.)

  “No person shall construct, alter, change the use of, or place a structure or building designed for human habitation, which requires a POWTS until all appropriate permits have been issued by the Department.”

• Septic inspectionRequired

  POWTS with treatment or dispersal components serving land inside La Valle town.

  • The inspection must be performed by a licensed master plumber, licensed master plumber-restricted service, certified POWTS inspector, or certified septage servicing operator.
  • Treatment tank components must be inspected and/or pumped at three-year intervals after installation.
  • If sludge and scum are at least one-third of tank volume, the tank must be pumped; if volume is unknown, clean it at a combined depth of 18 inches.

  initial inspection timing: 2 years after installation (For POWTS using a treatment or dispersal component.) · recurring inspection interval: per 3 years (After the initial inspection.)

  “at least once every three years thereafter”

• Off-grid sanitationLimited

  Privies and other non-sewer onsite sanitation on land inside La Valle town.

  • A person constructing a privy in the county must hold a valid permit from the POWTS Administrator.

  “Any person constructing a privy in the County must hold a valid permit from POWTS Administrator for such privy.”

• Agricultural exemptionAvailable (with conditions)

  Out-buildings used exclusively for agricultural purposes in La Valle town.

  • The exemption is from the scope of the town building code.

  “out-buildings used exclusively for agricultural purposes”

• Driveway accessRequired

  Establishing, constructing, improving, reconstructing, modifying, or relocating a driveway or culvert within a road right-of-way in La Valle town.

  • Resurfacing is exempt if it does not change driveway or culvert grade or location.
  • Application must be written, submitted to the Town Clerk, and include fees and required map/plan information.
  • The permit is effective for 12 months and may be renewed once for up to an additional 12 months.
  • No building permit for new building construction may issue until driveway permit approval.

  initial permit period: 12 months (May be renewed for one additional 12-month period.)

  “You will need a Driveway Permit before you can build on your land”

• Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

  Town building-permit applications in La Valle town.

  • Fees are established annually by the Town Board and remain effective until changed.
  • The building inspector may charge double fees if work starts before permit issuance.

  “At the time of building permit application, the applicant shall pay fees as established periodically by the Town Board. The fees shall be established annually by the Town Board and shall remain in effect until changed by the Town Board. If work commences prior to permit issuances, double fees may be charged by the building inspector.”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Town building-permit applications for construction subject to the La Valle town building code.

  • Two building-plan sets are required for work over $5,000, work expanding a building, new buildings, or when required by the inspector.
  • A plot plan is required for new buildings or additions; work in subdivided areas must be physically staked so setbacks can be inspected.
  • The Town's online information directs applicants first to Sauk County for a land-use permit and then to the town building inspector.

  plan-submission value threshold: > 5000 USD (Also required for new buildings, expansions, or as required by inspector.)

  “Two sets of building plans shall be submitted to the building inspector for any work valued over $5,000.00, any work which expands the size of a building, any new building or as required by the building inspector. If a new building or building addition is proposed, then a plot plan showing such work and existing buildings and property lines shall be submitted.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residential construction in La Valle town.
• Minimum dwelling size — Single-family residential dwellings inside La Valle town.
• Minimum lot size — Residential lots inside La Valle town.
• Setbacks — Residential construction inside La Valle town.
• Lot coverage — Residential parcels inside La Valle 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.