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

Town of Dodge’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Any building over 150 square feet inside Dodge town.

  • A zoning permit and building permit are both required.
  • The town directs applicants to obtain the application from the Trempealeau County Department of Land Management and obtain town review and signature before delivery to the department.

  building area threshold: > 150 square feet

  “A zoning permit and a building permit are required for any building over 150 square feet.”

• Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

  One- and two-family dwelling construction sites inside Dodge town.

  • The county Unified Dwelling Code Ordinance is described as being in effect within all municipalities in Trempealeau County.
  • The source states that construction sites must comply with county construction-site and stormwater-management requirements.

  “The Unified Dwelling Code Ordinance adopted on December 20, 2004 and updated November 15, 2016 by the Trempealeau County Board of Supervisors, is in effect within all municipalities in the County.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside the Town of Dodge, where the town adopted the county zoning ordinance and county administers it.

  • The town adopted the revised County Zoning Ordinance in 2008; administration is by Trempealeau County Planning/Zoning Department.

  “the town adopted the revised county zoning ordinance in 2008. the zoning ordinance is administered by the trempealeau county planning/zoning department.”

• Zoning districtsPartial

  Land inside Dodge town.

  • The town plan describes most of the town as Rural Residential, with scattered business properties and properties identified as Exclusive Agriculture for farmland-preservation-agreement purposes.
  • The complete current county zoning map and district schedule were not located in opened official materials.

  “for the most part, the town is zoned rural residential except for scattered properties zoned for business uses or zoned exclusive agriculture for farmland preservation agreement purposes.”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  Land inside Dodge town; the plan describes the town as mostly Rural Residential with scattered business and Exclusive Agriculture properties.

  • The town comprehensive plan states the town's minimum lot size is two acres.

  minimum lot size: 2 acres

  “the minimum lot size in the town of dodge is two acres.”

• Who permits septicCounty (with conditions)

  Private septic systems and other waste-disposal systems inside Dodge town.

  • The county ordinance regulates installation and operation of private septic systems and other waste-disposal systems.
  • The county's Zoning Office can respond to failing-system complaints and order correction.

  “The county Sanitary and Private Sewage System Ordinance was adopted by the County Board on April 19, 1982.”

• Septic inspectionRequired

  Private septic-system installation and maintenance inside Dodge town.

  • The county ordinance also uses soil onsite inspections, septic-system plan reviews, and holding-tank and septic-tank pumping notices.
  • The county Zoning Office may respond to failing-system complaints and order correction.

  “Soil onsite inspections, septic system plan reviews, holding tank and septic tank pumping notices and septic system installation inspections are all regulatory mechanisms of this ordinance.”

• Well permitLimited

  Private well location, construction, and abandonment inside Dodge town.

  • The county describes its delegated authority as governing groundwater access through private-well location, construction, abandonment, and well and drillhole abandonment.

  “The purpose of the County to have Well Delegation Authority through Chapter NR 845 is to protect Wisconsin’s drinking water and groundwater resources by governing access to groundwater through regulating private well location, construction and abandonment and well and drillhole abandonment.”

• Driveway accessRequired

  New driveways inside Dodge town.

  • Application is obtained from the town clerk.
  • The applicant returns the completed application to the town chair for town-board review.
  • The permit issues after the town chairman signs and the $50.00 fee is paid.

  driveway permit fee: 50 USD

  “An application for a Driveway Permit may be obtained from the town clerk. Return the completed application to the town chair for review by the town board. Once signed by the town chairman the permit will be issued upon payment of the $50.00 fee.”

• Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

  Building and zoning permit applications inside Dodge town.

  • The town states that a fee is involved and directs applicants to call the Department of Land Management before sending the application.
  • A separately described driveway permit is issued after town-chair signature and payment of $50.00.

  driveway permit fee: 50 USD

  “There is a fee involved so please call the Department of Land Management (715) 538-2311 (ext. 223) before sending in your application.”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Building and zoning applications for Dodge town.

  • Applicant obtains the building-permit application from the Trempealeau County Department of Land Management.
  • Applicant returns the completed application to the town chair for review and signature.
  • Following town-board approval, the applicant mails or delivers the application to the Department of Land Management.

  “Return the completed application to the town chair for review and signature by a town official. After the application has been approved by the town board the application should be mailed or hand delivered to the Department of Land Management, P.O. Box 67, 36245 Main Street, Whitehall, WI 54773.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built dwellings inside Dodge town.
• Inspections — Building work inside Dodge town.
• Certificate of occupancy — Occupancy of structures inside Dodge town.
• Minimum dwelling size — Residential dwellings inside Dodge town.
• Setbacks — Structures inside Dodge 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.