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

Town of Draper’s own rules

• InspectionsRequired

  Required building inspections for work done inside Draper town limits, by the town's contracted inspector

  • Applies to work that requires a building inspection, which under the state UDC means one- and two-family dwellings.
  • Town uses an outside contractor, TAK Inspections, phone (715) 820-0415.
  • Driveway work is separately inspected by a town crew or town board member before sign-off.

  “once work is complete, any required building inspections are done through: tak inspections troy kadlecek w3196 county rd. d, phillips, wi 54555 phone: (715) 820-0415”

• Driveway accessRequired

  Driveway connections to town roads in Draper town; state, county and other road connections go to WisDOT or Sawyer County Highway

  • Town issues driveway permits with terms for size, location and installation for drainage and visual clearance.
  • Town crew or board member visits the site and inspects the driveway after construction before sign-off.
  • Connections to a county road (letter road) go to the county highway department; to a numbered state highway go to WisDOT.

  “a member of the town crew and/or town board member will come to your proposed driveway location”

• Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

  Town driveway permit fee only; county LUP and sanitary fees are not covered by this claim

  • Driveway permit fee is $25 per driveway, with terms and conditions for size, location and installation.
  • County fee schedule (linked from the county permits page) was not opened, so county fee amounts are not stated here.

  driveway permit fee: 25 USD (per driveway)

  “the town of draper issues driveway permits for $25 per driveway with terms and conditions for size, location and installation”

• Permit processPartial

  Permit process for construction, rezoning and conditional use inside Draper town

  • Land use permits, rezonings and conditional use permits start with Sawyer County Zoning in Hayward, (715) 643-8288.
  • Town board reviews CUPs and rezones and makes a recommendation to the county before permits are granted; the county schedules hearings and approves final permits.
  • After a county land use permit issues, check with the township for any additional permits or fees.
  • Construction cannot begin until the permit is processed and approved, with paperwork and fees received.

  “conditional use permits and rezones go through the town of draper board for review, input and recommendation to the county prior to the permits being granted, but all scheduling for the required hearings is done at sawyer county and the final permits are approved by sawyer county zoning.”

Rules another office applies inside Town of Draper

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

• Building permitRequired

  New or replacement structures placed on land inside Draper town, an unincorporated town within Sawyer County zoning administration

  • Permit must be issued before construction begins; leveling and prep may occur but no pouring of cement or structural work until the land use permit is approved and paid.
  • Accessory structures not for human habitation, not on vacant land, not within 300 ft of shoreland and not greater than 100 sq ft do not require a LUP; all other structures do, including printable, moveable, skid-mounted or temporary structures.
  • All buildings or structures on the permit must be completely enclosed within 12 months of the permit issue date; one extension of up to six months may be granted if requested before the permit date.
  • Application must include the permit application, plot map, setbacks, associated fees, and for a dwelling a general layout.

  accessory structure exemption maximum area: <= 100 sq ft (Only if it is an accessory structure not for human habitation, not on vacant land, and not within 300 ft of shoreland)

  “a land use permit (lup) is required for any new or replacement structure, as defined in sawyer county zoning ordinance section 2.0, that is being built, assembled, or placed on land for usage either long-term or temporary.”

• Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

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

  • Applies to one (1) and two (2) family dwellings only, per the county page's description of the state UDC.
  • Towns, including Draper town, enforce the UDC as required by the state.

  “the udc is a statewide uniform standard for the construction and inspection of all one (1) and two (2) family dwellings of which the original construction began after june 1, 1980.”

• Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

  Dwellings in Sawyer County zone districts other than A-1, A-2 and C-1, inside Draper town

  • Habitable living area is completely enclosed area for living or sleeping that can be used year round; decks, open porches, garages, overhangs and seasonal rooms do not count.
  • Dwelling must also meet the Uniform Dwelling Code.
  • Additions to pre-built homes may be used to meet habitable area but must be approved by the UDC.

  minimum dwelling width: >= 20 ft · minimum dwelling depth: >= 20 ft · minimum habitable living area: >= 500 sq ft

  “residences or dwellings must have a minimum of 20 ft in width, 20 ft in depth, and 500 sq ft of habitable living area and meet uniform dwelling code (udc).”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — Dwellings in A-1, A-2 and C-1 zone districts inside Draper town

    “the only exception is a-1, a-2, and c-1 zone districts which must have a minimum of 14 ft in width, 20 ft in depth and 500 sq ft of habitable living area.”

• SetbacksSpecified

  Dwellings (principal structures) on lots inside Draper town, measured from lot lines

  • Setbacks are measured from the closest point of the structure, such as eave overhangs or decks.
  • Accessory structures have separate lot-line setbacks of 5 ft on side one, 5 ft on side two, 30 ft front and 40 ft rear.
  • Road setbacks from centerline: town roads 63 ft; county trunk highways 75 ft; state and US highways 130 ft.

  dwelling side one lot line setback: >= 10 ft · dwelling side two lot line setback: >= 30 ft (Dwellings must be at least 10 ft from a side lot line, with 40 ft total between the two sides) · dwelling front lot line setback: >= 30 ft · dwelling rear lot line setback: >= 40 ft

  “* dwellings must be a minimum of 10 ft from a side lot line, with a total of 40 ft between the two sides.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — Structures near navigable waters and wetlands inside Draper town

    “ordinary high-water mark (ohwm) of navigable waters 75 wetlands adjacent to navigable waters 75 non-navigable wetlands 40”

• Camping on your landLimited

  Temporary camping on vacant land inside Draper town

  • Camping on vacant land requires a fire number; sanitation is required and shall be enforced.
  • Town of Draper's 2019 stated intent to exercise Option 3 of Sawyer County Ordinance 6.73 and draft its own camper-permit ordinance was not verified on an official page and is not relied on here.

  “if camping on vacant land, sanitation is required and shall be enforced.”

• Tiny homesLimited

  Tiny homes as dwellings inside Draper town (county-administered)

  • County states most tiny homes are not permitted; a dwelling must meet the 20 ft by 20 ft and 500 sq ft habitable area minimums and the UDC.
  • Statement is general ('most'), not a categorical ban.

  “in addition, most tiny homes are not permitted within sawyer county.”

• Manufactured homesLimited

  Mobile or manufactured homes as principal structures inside Draper town

  • Most mobile homes do not meet requirements as a principal structure outside designated mobile home parks.
  • Dwellings must meet the 20 ft width, 20 ft depth, 500 sq ft habitable area minimums and the UDC.

  “in general, this means most mobile homes do not meet requirements as a principal structure outside of designated mobile home parks.”

• Who permits septicCounty (with conditions)

  Private onsite wastewater (septic) systems on land inside Draper town (unincorporated, county-administered)

  • Sanitary permits for conventional, mound and holding tank systems are issued by the county Zoning Office.
  • Sanitary permits are valid for 2 years from issue, and are renewable and transferable.
  • State Department of Safety and Professionals must review plans for systems that require state plan approval (see separate state claim).

  sanitary permit validity: 2 years

  “the zoning office is the issuing agent for sanitary permits for conventional, mound, and holding tanks systems.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • State (with conditions) — Plan review for private onsite wastewater systems that require state plan approval, on land inside Draper town

    “the state department of safety and professionals must review all plans for systems that require state plan approval.”

• Septic permitRequired

  New, replacement, modified or newly connected private septic systems and bedroom additions on land inside Draper town

  • Permit is required for certified soil test, design and installation by a Wisconsin licensed plumber, new or replacement systems, modifications, new connections to an existing system, and bedroom additions.
  • A Wisconsin licensed plumber applies for the sanitary permit on the owner's behalf, per the county LUP guidelines.
  • Sanitary permit must be in the office before any processing and review of a land use permit.

  “sanitary permits for chosen systems must be in-office prior to any processing and review of a lup.”

• Off-grid sanitationLimited

  Privy (outhouse) sanitation on land inside Draper town

  • Open pit privy requires a site and soil evaluation by a certified soil tester before a sanitary permit is issued.
  • Sealed vault privy does not require a site and soil evaluation.
  • The dwelling associated with the privy cannot contain a pressurized water system.
  • Privy sanitary permits may be issued to the property owner instead of a plumber.

  “sanitary permits for privy/outhouse installation can be issued to the property owner instead of a plumber.”

• Building in a floodplainLimited

  Building sites inside Draper town that may be in a floodplain or wetland

  • Check the intended building area for floodplains and wetlands before construction.
  • If the site shows wetland or floodplain indicators, stop and contact WI DNR and county zoning before building.
  • Floodplain zoning exists in county zoning (linked on the setbacks page) but its text was not opened.

  “surface water: check the area of intended building for floodplains and wetlands.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption for a home inside Draper town
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy for a new dwelling inside Draper town
• Local zoning — Zoning inside Draper town limits: whether the town adopts and administers its own zoning ordinance
• Minimum lot size — Minimum lot or parcel size for a dwelling inside Draper town
• Lot coverage — Maximum lot coverage inside Draper 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.