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

Town of Lessor’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Construction, reconstruction, relocation, enlargement or structural alteration of buildings inside Lessor town (zoning permit)

  • Exemptions include signs requiring a sign permit and reconstruction that does not change the outer walls or roof of an existing building.
  • Structures less than 12 inches above grade are exempt if they meet setback and impervious surface requirements.
  • A zoning permit expires 12 months after issuance if construction has not commenced.
  • State or county building permits were not verified in this research.

  “the construction, reconstruction, location, relocation, erection, extension, enlargement, conversion, or structural alteration of any building, structure, or part thereof, except for the following:”

• InspectionsLimited

  Zoning-compliance inspections by the town zoning administrator in Lessor town

  • Inspection authority is tied to zoning compliance; no mandatory building-inspection schedule was found in the opened text.
  • State building inspection rules were not verified.

  “conduct inspections of buildings, structures and uses of land to determine compliance with the terms of this ordinance.”

• Certificate of occupancyRequired

  Occupancy or use of new, altered or moved buildings in Lessor town

  • The certificate of compliance is applied for with the zoning permit and issued within ten days after erection, alteration, repair or moving.
  • On written request, the zoning administrator may certify existing buildings and premises.

  “no vacant land shall be occupied or used and no building or structure hereafter erected, altered or moved shall be occupied or used until a certificate of compliance shall have been used by the zoning administrator.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  All land inside Lessor town limits, under the Town of Lessor Zoning Ordinance adopted March 2, 2012

  • Where town and Shawano County regulations conflict, the more restrictive regulation applies (Section 11.504).
  • Copy reviewed is a third-party mirror; the official town copy and any later amendments were not located.

  “a zoning permit, certifying that any such use, building, structure, or site complies with the provision of this ordinance, shall be required in the following instances unless specifically exempted there from by this ordinance:”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Zoning districts of Lessor town, including open lands, agricultural and residential; A-R agricultural residential; C-G commercial general; and M manufacturing

  • Tables 1 and 2 set permitted, conditional, and dimensional standards for each district.
  • The official zoning map is kept by the zoning administrator (Section 11.204).

  “a-r agricultural residential the a-r district is intended for mainly single family detached residential development along with compatible home occupations”

• Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

  Single-family residences in Lessor town (all districts where the use is allowed)

  • Structure width must be at least 24 feet; narrower homes need a conditional use permit.

  minimum first floor area: >= 960 square feet (exclusive of attached garages, carports, or open decks)

  “the minimum first floor area shall be 960 square feet, exclusive of attached garages, carports, or open decks.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — Two-family residences (each unit) in Lessor town

    “all two-family residences shall meet the standards for a single-family residence except that the minimum livable area of each unit shall be not less than 800 square feet, exclusive of attached garages, carports, or open decks.”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  Agricultural residential (A-R) zoning district in Lessor town

  • Larger lot sizes apply where soil conditions require them under COMM 83 or the Shawano County private on-site wastewater ordinance (table note 1).

  minimum lot size: >= 2 acres · maximum lot size: <= 5 acres · minimum lot width: >= 290 feet

  “agricultural residential minimum of 2.0 acres and maximum of 5.0 acres 290 feet 30%”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — Open lands, agricultural and residential zoning district in Lessor town

    “lot size (note 1) minimum of 2.0 acres minimum lot width 290 feet maximum impervious surface (note 3) 20%”

• SetbacksSpecified

  Interior side yard in the open lands, agricultural and residential district and the agricultural residential district in Lessor town

  • Structures housing livestock require 100 feet.
  • Rear yard values in the same table differ by structure type and were not confirmed from the flattened text.

  interior side yard: >= 10 feet (100 feet for a structure housing livestock)

  “interior side yard 100 feet for structure housing livestock; 10 feet for all other structures”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — Front or street yard setback from town roads, all districts in Lessor town (Table 4, Section 11.511)

    “minimum required front yard from centerline of paved or gravel roadway surface 50 feet 65 feet 75 feet”

• Lot coverageSpecified

  Agricultural residential (A-R) district in Lessor town

  • Table note 3 cross-references Section 11.510; the note text was not captured in full.

  maximum impervious surface: <= 30 percent

  “agricultural residential minimum of 2.0 acres and maximum of 5.0 acres 290 feet 30%”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — Open lands, agricultural and residential district in Lessor town

    “lot size (note 1) minimum of 2.0 acres minimum lot width 290 feet maximum impervious surface (note 3) 20%”

• Building heightSpecified

  Residences in the open lands, agricultural and residential district in Lessor town

  • Height limits do not apply to agricultural buildings such as silos and grain storage, church spires and belfries, water towers, or power or communication towers and poles (Section 11.503).
  • Non-residential structures in other districts have different limits.

  maximum building height, residences: <= 35 feet (exemptions in Section 11.503)

  “maximum building height 35 feet for residences 35 feet for residences”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — Residences in the agricultural residential (A-R) district in Lessor town

    “maximum building height 35 feet for residences 35 feet for residences”

• Manufactured homesLimited

  Manufactured homes moved into Lessor town after March 2, 2012, treated as single-family residences

  • Modular and manufactured homes are included in the single-family residence use.
  • Single-family standards apply: foundation, 24-foot minimum width, 960 square feet minimum first-floor area, 3:12 roof pitch.

  “all single-family residences (including manufactured homes moved into the town of lessor after march 2, 2012) shall meet the following requirements:”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Prohibited — Mobile homes as defined in Section 11.700 (built before June 15, 1976) in Lessor town; existing mobile homes outside parks as of March 2, 2012 may remain in place

    “mobile homes as defined in 11.700 are not allowed in the town of lessor except that an existing mobile home not located in a mobile home park on march 2, 2012 shall be permitted to remain in its original location.”

• Septic permitRequired

  Uses, buildings or structures with human occupancy in Lessor town, before a town zoning permit issues

  • Documentation of water supply and sewage disposal is required before the town zoning permit issues.
  • The county sanitary or POWTS permit itself was not verified in this research.

  “no permit shall be issued for uses, buildings, or structures involving human occupancy without documentation that provision has been made for safe and adequate water supply and disposal of sewage.”

• Off-grid sanitationAllowed (with conditions)

  Agricultural residential (A-R) district in Lessor town

  • The district description contemplates development served by individual on-site septic systems.
  • Septic systems remain subject to county code documentation and the district's minimum lot size.

  “this district requires a minimum lot size of two (2) acres, with development served by individual on-site waste treatment (septic) systems.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Creation of new lots inside Lessor town

  • New lots must meet the minimum width, area and density requirements of the zoning ordinance.
  • New lots must abut a public road and have direct access to it.
  • Larger lot sizes may apply for subdivisions under COMM 83 or the Shawano County private on-site wastewater ordinance.
  • The county land division ordinance and state subdivision law were not opened.

  “no lot shall hereafter be created that does not meet the minimum width, area and density requirements of this ordinance.”

• Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

  Zoning permit and other permit applications in Lessor town

  • Fee is set by the town board; no fee amounts appear in the ordinance text.
  • Fees are non-refundable; a denied application's fee is not refunded.
  • Applications are not accepted until complete, signed, and all fees are paid.

  “all permit applications shall be accompanied by a fee established by the town board.”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Zoning permit application process in Lessor town

  • Application goes to the zoning administrator on town forms with owner information, a site plan and water and sewage evidence.
  • The zoning administrator may require a registered land surveyor's survey.
  • Permits to establish a use expire after 12 months if no action starts; construction permits expire after 12 months if construction has not started.

  “an application for a zoning permit shall be submitted to the zoning administrator on forms furnished by the town and shall include the following information”

Rules another office applies inside Town of Lessor

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

• Who permits septicCounty (with conditions)

  Private on-site sewage disposal for land inside Lessor town; the county code governs, as the town ordinance requires

  • Town zoning permits require approved sewage disposal in accordance with the Shawano County code of ordinances.
  • Shawano County private on-site wastewater ordinance text and Wisconsin POWTS rules were not opened in this research.

  “g. water supply and sewage disposal. satisfactory evidence that a safe and adequate supply of water and approved sewage disposal facilities will be provided, in accordance with the requirements of the shawano county code of ordinances or its successor code, shall be submitted.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder construction in Lessor town
• Living in an RV — Long-term RV occupancy on private land in Lessor town
• Camping on your land — Temporary camping on private land in Lessor town
• Accessory dwellings — Accessory dwelling units on residential lots in Lessor town
• Septic inspection — Inspection of private sewage systems serving Lessor town properties

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.