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

Town of Trempealeau’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Buildings in Trempealeau town over 150 square feet; the town page directs residents to a combined county and town application

  • Construction may proceed only after the zoning permit and building permit are issued; the application is signed by a town official before it goes to the county office.
  • Smaller structures are not covered by this statement.

  threshold: > 150 square feet (buildings at or under this size are not covered by the town statement)

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

• Driveway accessRequired

  New driveways and driveways for new homes in Trempealeau town

  • Application is obtained from the town clerk and returned to the town clerk for review and signature.
  • The county application form also has a town-approval box for an approved driveway.

  “An application for a Driveway Permit may be obtained from the town clerk. Return the completed application to the town clerk for review and signature.”

• Permit processPublished

  Zoning and building permit process for projects inside Trempealeau town

  • The application is obtained from the town clerk or county Department of Land Management and returned to the town clerk for signature first.
  • The signed application then goes to the county office, where a fee is paid; call before submitting because a fee applies.

  “After the application has been signed by the town board the application should be mailed or hand delivered to the Department of Land Management”

Rules another office applies inside Town of Trempealeau

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

• Owner-builder exemptionConditional

  Owner-occupants building their own dwelling in Trempealeau town without a dwelling contractor certification

  • The owner must be or will be an owner-occupant of the dwelling.
  • The owner must sign the county permit certification; this is a permit-form pathway, not a general exemption.

  “i vouch that i am or will be an owner-occupant of this dwelling [...] without a dwelling contractor certification”

• Certificate of occupancyRequired

  New one- and two-family dwellings in Trempealeau town on the county building permit fee schedule

  • The final occupancy permit is bundled into the new-dwelling building permit fee, separate from the land use/zoning permit.

  “Includes all required building, HVAC, electric & plumbing permits, and final occupancy permit, does not include Land Use / Zoning Permit.”

• Septic permitRequired

  Installing a private on-site wastewater treatment system on property in Trempealeau town

  • A valid sanitary permit must be held by the property owner before installation.
  • The permit is issued by the governmental unit responsible for regulating private on-site systems; the county or other unit that issues it for Trempealeau town is not confirmed.

  “no person may purchase or install a private on-site wastewater treatment system unless the owner [...] holds a valid sanitary permit issued under this section.”

• Permit feesPublished

  Land use/zoning and building permit fees for projects in Trempealeau town, set by the county Department of Land Management

  • Fees are rounded to the nearest dollar.
  • Permit fees are not refundable.
  • Work started before a permit is obtained doubles the fee or $200, whichever is greater.
  • The fee schedule is effective 1/1/25 and was revised 7/01/2015 per its header.

  single-family dwelling land use/zoning fee: 210 USD (administrative site evaluation for 1- or 2-family dwellings) · UDC new one/two family dwelling fee: >= 770 USD (or total sq ft of basement, living area, deck and attached garages at $0.33 per sq ft, whichever is greater)

  “Residential housing [...] Administrative, Land use / Zoning Related Site Evaluation [...] $210.00 [...] UDC One & Two Family Dwelling [...] $770.00 or [...] $0.33 per sq. ft”

Still unanswered

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

• Zoning districts — Zoning district map and district list applying inside Trempealeau town
• Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling size in the main single-family residential district inside Trempealeau town
• Minimum lot size — Minimum lot size in the single-family residential and agricultural districts inside Trempealeau town
• Lot coverage — Lot coverage limits inside Trempealeau town
• Building height — Maximum building height inside Trempealeau 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.