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

Rules another office applies inside Town of Forest

Town of Forest 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 onsite wastewater treatment systems (septic) on land inside Forest town, administered by St. Croix County Community Development

  • The county program covers permits and maintenance records; the state sanitary permit requirement for new installations is a state rule that the county page cites.

  “The St. Croix County Community Development Department ensures public health and environmental protection by managing septic systems. We issue permits for new septic system installations and maintain records of existing system maintenance throughout the county.”

• Septic permitRequired

  Repair, reconnection or rejuvenation of a POWTS, and non-plumbing sanitation, on land inside Forest town

  • Applies to repair, reconnection, or rejuvenation of a POWTS and to installation of non-plumbing sanitation; new POWTS installations use the state sanitary permit.

  “A County Sanitary Permit is required for the repair, reconnection, or rejuvenation of a POWTS, or the installation of a non-plumbing sanitation (i.e. privy, composting toilet, etc.)”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Required — New private onsite wastewater treatment system (POWTS) installation inside Forest town

    “A State Sanitary Permit is required for the installation of a private on-site wastewater treatment system (POWTS).”

• Septic inspectionRequired

  Work requiring a sanitary permit in Forest town

  • The page says staff will conduct at least one inspection for all work requiring a sanitary permit; it does not give the inspection schedule.

  “Staff will conduct at least one inspection for all work requiring a sanitary permit.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Required — Periodic service or inspection of existing private onsite wastewater treatment systems inside Forest town

    “This notice complies with WI Administrative Code SPS 383, which mandates that private onsite wastewater treatment systems be serviced or inspected at least once every three years unless otherwise specified in a management plan.”

• Off-grid sanitationLimited

  Non-plumbing sanitation (privy, composting toilet) inside Forest town

  • Requires a county sanitary permit before installation, per the county page.
  • The page does not describe design or siting rules for these systems.

  “A County Sanitary Permit is required for the repair, reconnection, or rejuvenation of a POWTS, or the installation of a non-plumbing sanitation (i.e. privy, composting toilet, etc.)”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Land division inside Forest town; the county land division rules apply to all townships

  • Stated by the county FAQ; the county land division ordinance text was not opened.
  • Forest town's own subdivision rules, if any, were not located.

  “Shoreland, Floodplain, Land Division, Lower St. Croix Riverway Overlay Districts, and Sanitary apply to all townships.”

• Building in a floodplainLimited

  Development inside mapped floodplain areas in Forest town; the county floodplain rules apply to all townships

  • Stated by the county FAQ; the county floodplain ordinance text and permit steps were not opened.
  • Applies only to land in the floodplain, not to all parcels in the town.

  “This ordinance is intended to regulate floodplain development to:”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder permit eligibility for Forest town
• Building code adopted — Wisconsin Uniform Dwelling Code for new one- and two-family dwellings in Forest town
• Inspections — Building inspections for construction inside Forest town
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy for new dwellings in Forest town
• Local zoning — Whether Forest town (St. Croix County, WI) adopts and administers its own zoning ordinance

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.