Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Town of Bass Lake, Wisconsin

Town of Bass Lake’s own rules

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside Bass Lake town, where the town participates in Sawyer County comprehensive zoning rather than administering a separate town zoning ordinance.

  • Sawyer County administers the applicable comprehensive zoning ordinance for Bass Lake town; the county page states that all townships except Spider Lake adopted it.

  “All of the townships, with the exception of Spider Lake have adopted the Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance.”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Land inside Bass Lake town subject to the Sawyer County zoning ordinance.

  • The county's dimensional schedule identifies R-1, RR-1, RR-2, A-1, A-2, C-1, I-1, and F-1 districts.

  “SECTION 17.0 ZONE DISTRICTS GENERAL: The Permitted Uses and Conditional Uses stated for each zone district are intended to be representative in nature - not all inclusive.”

• Manufactured homesAllowed (with conditions)

  Manufactured homes in the R-1 Residential One District inside Bass Lake town.

  • Manufactured homes must meet the dimensional requirements as originally designed.
  • The R-1 district permits one-family and two-family year-round dwellings.

  “including manufactured homes which meet the dimensional requirements as originally designed.”

• Accessory dwellingsLimited

  Accessory structures with habitable living area inside Bass Lake town.

  • Guesthouses with kitchen and bathroom facilities and accessory structures with habitable living area are dwelling units.
  • Only one dwelling unit is allowed per lot.

  dwelling units per lot: 1

  “Only one dwelling unit is allowed per Lot.”

• Who permits septicCounty (with conditions)

  Private onsite wastewater systems inside Bass Lake town.

  • Systems are also subject to Wisconsin DSPS Chapter SPS 83.
  • County Sanitarian reviews the licensed plumber's application and POWTS design.

  “which is reviewed by the County Sanitarian”

• Septic permitRequired

  Installation, repair, or alteration of a private sewage system inside Bass Lake town.

  • Only Wisconsin licensed plumbers may design and apply for the sanitary permit.
  • A site and soil evaluation is required for most systems, excluding holding tanks.

  “a sanitary permit is required to install, repair or alter a private sewage system.”

• Septic inspectionRequired

  New private onsite wastewater systems inside Bass Lake town.

  • The licensed plumber schedules the needed installation inspection with the county sanitarian after permit processing and approval.

  “the plumber will schedule the needed installation inspection with the county sanitarian.”

• Off-grid sanitationLimited

  Non-plumbing sanitation and private wastewater disposal inside Bass Lake town.

  • The county regulates non-plumbing sanitation systems and POWTS.
  • For an open-pit privy, a site and soil evaluation is required; a sealed-vault privy does not require that evaluation.
  • A dwelling associated with a privy cannot contain a pressurized water system.

  “the dwelling that is associated with the privy cannot contain a pressurized water system.”

• Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

  Town building, camping, and driveway permits inside Bass Lake town.

  • Fees cited are those published on the town permit page; county and state fees may apply separately.

  building permit fee: 100 USD · annual camping permit fee: 250 USD · driveway permit fee: 50 USD

  “Building permit fee is $100.00. [...] The annual fee is $250.00. [...] Driveway permit fee is $50.00.”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Building and camping permits inside Bass Lake town.

  • Town building permit follows submission of a Sawyer County land-use permit.
  • Camping applications are considered by the Town Board at regular monthly meetings and must be received no later than the Thursday before the regular meeting for that month's agenda.

  “Camping permit applications are presented to the Town Board at the regular monthly meetings for approval”

Rules another office applies inside Town of Bass Lake

Town of Bass Lake 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 (with conditions)

  One- and two-family dwellings inside Bass Lake town whose original construction began after June 1, 1980.

  • Additional town or local-municipality building permits may be required.
  • The county states that all towns and villages enforce the UDC as required by Wisconsin.

  UDC construction-start threshold: after June 1, 1980

  “The program governing one- and two-family dwelling units (including manufactured homes) is also called the UDC program”

• InspectionsRequired

  One- and two-family dwellings inside Bass Lake town whose original construction began after June 1, 1980.

  • County source states that towns and villages enforce the UDC as required by the state.

  “The following inspections are required on new one- and two-family dwellings.”

• Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

  A-1 Agricultural One District inside Bass Lake town.

  • Values are minimum residence floor area by bedroom count.

  one-bedroom minimum floor area: 500 sq ft · two-bedroom minimum floor area: 600 sq ft · three-bedroom minimum floor area: 700 sq ft

  “3 Bedrooms 700 700 700 700 700 700 700 700”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — R-1 Residential One District inside Bass Lake town.

    “1 Bedroom 500 500 500 500 500 500 500 500”

• SetbacksSpecified

  A-1 Agricultural One District inside Bass Lake town.

  • Road and shoreland requirements may impose other setbacks.

  principal front yard: 50 ft · principal rear yard: 50 ft · principal side yard: 20 ft · accessory side yard: 10 ft

  “Accessory Building 5 5 5 10 10/50 5 10 5”

• Building heightSpecified

  A-1 Agricultural One District inside Bass Lake town.

  • Subject to §4.4 Airport Safety Regulations.

  building height limit: 35 ft (subject to §4.4 Airport Safety Regulations)

  “Subject to Section 4.4 Airport Safety Regulations”

• Well permitRequired

  New private wells inside Bass Lake town.

  • The notification requirement excludes high-capacity wells, reconstruction of existing wells, and wells on Native American property.
  • High-capacity wells or other wells requiring written DNR approval follow that approval's notification requirements.
  • Well Construction Notification fee is $50.50.

  Well Construction Notification fee: 50.5 USD (not refundable or transferable)

  “Obtain a Well Construction Notification Number prior to constructing a well.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built dwellings inside Bass Lake town.
• Certificate of occupancy — Buildings inside Bass Lake town.
• Lot coverage — Land inside Bass Lake town.
• Tiny homes — Tiny homes used as dwellings inside Bass Lake town.
• Mandatory utility hookup — New homes inside Bass Lake 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.