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

Rules another office applies inside Town of Hammond

Town of Hammond 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 (including manufactured homes) built inside Hammond town

  • The Uniform Dwelling Code (Wisconsin program code chapter SPS 320-325) governs one- and two-family dwellings; other building types are not covered by this claim.
  • No Hammond town building code adoption was located.

  “The program governing one- and two-family dwelling units (including manufactured homes) is also called the UDC program, referring to the Uniform Dwelling Code. Enforces construction standards and inspection procedures including evaluation of building materials.”

• Zoning districtsPublished

  St. Croix County general zoning districts as applied to land inside Hammond town

  • Applies inside Hammond town because county general zoning covers the town.
  • Shoreland, floodplain and Lower St. Croix Riverway overlay districts may apply in addition to the base district.

  “The Section 15.285 Use Table of the St. Croix County Code of Ordinances provides a table of listed uses that are permitted within each zoning district.”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  r-1 residential district under St. Croix County Chapter 15, applied to parcels inside Hammond town (main single-family residential district)

  • Table heading is 'standard design'; conservation design development (§ 15.325) may have different lot rules that were not checked.
  • Density: 1 principal dwelling per 10 acres (table 15.230.1).
  • Land division parcel count is calculated by dividing the parcel size at adoption of the ordinance by 10.
  • Overlay districts (shoreland, floodplain, riverway) may impose additional limits.

  lot area (min): >= 1.5 acre

  “table 15.230.1 r-1 dimensional standards standard design 1 lot area (min) 1.5 acre minimum 2 density (max) 1 principal dwelling per 10 acres 3 height (max) 50 feet”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — ag-1 agricultural district under St. Croix County Chapter 15, applied to parcels inside Hammond town

    “table 15.220.1 ag-1 dimensional standards 1 lot area (min) 3 acres 2 density (max) 1 principal dwelling per 40 acres or quarter-quarter (¼ - ¼) section 3 height (max) 50 feet”

• SetbacksDistrict specific (with conditions)

  ag-1 agricultural district under St. Croix County Chapter 15, applied to parcels inside Hammond town

  • Setbacks are minimums from Table 15.220.1.
  • Accessory structures have 5 ft side and rear setbacks; structures that house animals have 100 ft.
  • Overlay districts (shoreland, floodplain, riverway) may impose greater setbacks.

  street setback (principal): >= 50 ft · side setback (principal): >= 10 ft (any side) · rear setback (principal): >= 25 ft

  “4 street setback (min) 50' 5 side setback (min) 10’ any side 5’ accessory structure, 100' structure that houses animals 6 rear setback (min) 25’ for principal building”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • District specific (with conditions) — r-1 residential district under St. Croix County Chapter 15, applied to parcels inside Hammond town

    “4 street setback (min) 50' 5 side setback (min) 10’ any side 5’ accessory structure,100' structure housing animals 6 rear setback (min) 25’ for principal building”

• Who permits septicCounty (with conditions)

  Private onsite wastewater systems and non-plumbing sanitation on land inside Hammond town

  • Applies inside Hammond town because the county sanitary ordinance applies to all townships.
  • County ordinance implements Wisconsin SPS 381-387 and 391 and DNR rules; state rules apply through it.
  • No Hammond town sanitary ordinance was located.

  “This Ordinance applies to the entire geographical area of St. Croix County except on land owned by the federal and state government.”

• Septic permitRequired

  Installing, replacing, reconnecting, restoring or modifying a private onsite wastewater system (POWTS) or non-plumbing sanitation system on land inside Hammond town

  • Permit is issued by the county Community Development Department under Chapter 12.
  • A sanitary permit is valid for two (2) years from the date of issue and renewable for two more years if applied for before expiration.
  • Systems must be designed under state sanitary permit rules; a soil and site evaluation is required for in-situ systems unless already on file.
  • A county sanitary permit is required before constructing a non-plumbing sanitation system.

  “A sanitary permit shall be obtained by the property owner, his or her agent or contractor, before any POWTS or non-plumbing sanitation system may be installed, replaced, reconnected, restored, or modified.”

• Septic inspectionRequired

  Private onsite wastewater systems (POWTS) installed or modified inside Hammond town

  • The installing plumber must give notice for final inspection to the county department.
  • The entire system must be left open until inspected unless the department fails to inspect within the stated time period.

  “All POWTS shall be inspected by the Department for compliance with Wis. Admin. Code §§ SPS 382-384, SPS 391, and other appropriate Wisconsin Statutes and Administrative Codes, and this ordinance.”

• Off-grid sanitationLimited

  Non-plumbing sanitation (for example privies) on land inside Hammond town

  • A county sanitary permit must be obtained before a non-plumbing sanitation system is built.
  • Privies require a county sanitary permit, a soil and site evaluation, and a signed maintenance agreement; non-plumbing systems need a service contract.
  • Cesspools for domestic wastewater and holding tanks under 2,000 gallons are prohibited (separate claim).

  “A non-plumbing sanitation system may be permitted only when the structure or premises served by the non-plumbing sanitation system is not provided with an indoor plumbing system.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Prohibited — Cesspools for domestic wastewater as a sanitation component on land inside Hammond town

    “Installation of the following technology, designs, or methods as POWTS components are prohibited: 1) Holding tanks less than 2,000 gallons in size. 2) Cesspools for disposal of domestic wastewater.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Land divisions of land inside Hammond town

  • County land division ordinance applies to all townships.
  • Chapter 15 density formulas limit the number of lots from existing parcels in ag-1 and r-1 districts.

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

• Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

  County sanitary permit and related fees for systems in Hammond town (building permit fees are not covered by this claim)

  • Fees are set by the county committee and published as a fee schedule; the current amounts were not extracted.
  • Double penalty fee applies to after-the-fact permits; no refunds once costs are incurred.

  “All fees shall be established by the Committee and published a fee schedule.”

• Permit processPartial

  County sanitary permit process for systems in Hammond town; the town building permit process is not published in sources reviewed

  • A completed sanitary permit application includes a signed application, plans and specifications, and house plans (optional).
  • State plan approval is needed for some systems; plan revisions and plumber changes require new filings and fees.
  • Permit application forms are provided by the county department.

  “A completed sanitary permit application shall include: 1) A signed sanitary permit application, 2) Plans and specifications meeting the requirements of Wis. Admin. Code § SPS 383.22 (2), 3) House plans with the room layout. (Optional)”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder permit exemption for dwellings inside Hammond town
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy for new dwellings inside Hammond town
• Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling floor area inside Hammond town
• Lot coverage — Maximum lot coverage inside Hammond town
• Living in an RV — Long-term RV occupancy on private land inside Hammond 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.