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

Town of Pella’s own rules

• Who permits septicCounty (with conditions)

  Unsewered land inside the Town of Pella.

  • The county ordinance applies only to unincorporated and unsewered areas.
  • The Shawano County Zoning Administrator and designees administer the ordinance.

  “The Shawano County Zoning Administrator and his or her designees shall administer this ordinance.”

• Septic permitRequired

  Installation or modification of a POWTS, privy, or non-plumbing toilet on unsewered land inside the Town of Pella.

  • Applies in unincorporated and unsewered areas.
  • Permit must be obtained before POWTS construction.
  • Emergency repairs may be done without a permit if reported promptly for a determination; listed manhole-riser, cover, baffle, filter, or pump work does not require a permit.

  “No person may install or modify a POWTS, privy or non-plumbing toilet unless the owner of the property on which the POWTS, privy or non-plumbing toilet is to be installed holds a valid State or County Sanitary Permit”

• Septic inspectionRequired

  POWTS construction on unsewered land inside the Town of Pella.

  • Applies in unincorporated and unsewered areas.
  • Inspection is after construction and before backfilling.
  • Septic-tank maintenance includes pump-out and inspection at intervals not exceeding three years.

  septic tank pump-out and inspection interval: <= 3 years (Applies to septic-tank maintenance.)

  “The issuing agent shall inspect all POWTS after construction, but before backfilling.”

• Off-grid sanitationLimited

  Privies and non-plumbing toilets on unsewered land inside the Town of Pella.

  • County POWTS ordinance applies to unincorporated and unsewered areas.
  • A sanitary permit is required before installation or modification.
  • A privy may be permitted only when the served building has no plumbing or water service, subject to stated public-land and campground exceptions.

  “A privy may be permitted only when the building served by the privy is not provided with plumbing or water service, except for privies to be located on public lands or campgrounds, parks, private campgrounds and group camps operating as a non-profit service organization.”

• Mandatory utility hookupConditional

  Buildings with plumbing on unsewered land inside the Town of Pella.

  • County POWTS ordinance applies to unincorporated and unsewered areas.
  • Public sanitary sewer must be used where available; otherwise an approved POWTS is required.
  • Existing private sewage systems must be discontinued and replaced within one year after public sewer becomes available.

  replacement period after public sewer becomes available: 1 year (Private sewage systems must be discontinued and replaced.)

  “All plumbing fixtures shall be connected to a public sanitary sewer system where available. Where such a public sewer system in not available, a POWTS shall be used. After a public sewer system becomes available private sewage systems shall be discontinued and replaced within one year.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Land divisions inside the Town of Pella.

  • Shawano County Planning and Development Department states that its Land Division Ordinance has countywide jurisdiction.

  “In addition, the Shawano County Planning and Development Department has jurisdiction County-wide with the following Ordinances: POWTS (Private On-Site Wastewater Treatment System Ordinance), Non-Metallic Mining Ordinance, Floodplain Ordinance, Shoreland-Wetland Zoning Ordinance, Land Division Ordinance, 911 Uniform Property Numbering System Ordinance, and Citation Authority Ordinance.”

• Driveway accessLimited

  Driveways serving land inside the Town of Pella.

  • State or federal highway driveways require contact with WisDOT.
  • County-highway driveways require contact with the Shawano County Highway Department.
  • A driveway on a town road may require a permit from a designated town official.

  “Driveways on a town road may require obtaining a permit from a designated town official”

• Building in a floodplainLimited

  Development in floodplain areas inside the Town of Pella.

  • Shawano County Planning and Development Department states that its Floodplain Ordinance has countywide jurisdiction.
  • Specific permit thresholds and standards were not established from the opened official material.

  “In addition, the Shawano County Planning and Development Department has jurisdiction County-wide with the following Ordinances: POWTS (Private On-Site Wastewater Treatment System Ordinance), Non-Metallic Mining Ordinance, Floodplain Ordinance, Shoreland-Wetland Zoning Ordinance, Land Division Ordinance, 911 Uniform Property Numbering System Ordinance, and Citation Authority Ordinance.”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  County sanitary and land-use permit process relevant to projects inside the Town of Pella.

  • A 911 address/fire number is required before a sanitary permit issues.
  • Applicant must obtain plan approval from county, state, or both, as applicable.
  • A site plan is required for the land-use permit.

  911 address/fire-number fee: 75 USD (Issued by Shawano County Planning and Development Department.)

  “Must have a 911 address/fire number assigned to property before a sanitary permit can be issued”

Rules another office applies inside Town of Pella

Town of Pella 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)

  Dwellings, including dwellings inside the Town of Pella.

  • Town of Pella is listed by Wisconsin DSPS as a delegated UDC agent.

  “Town of Pella, Shawano County (58036) | Delegated | PDF Letter”

Still unanswered

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

• Building permit — Building construction inside the Town of Pella.
• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builders inside the Town of Pella.
• Inspections — Building inspections inside the Town of Pella.
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificates of occupancy for buildings inside the Town of Pella.
• Local zoning — General zoning of land inside the Town of Pella.

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.