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

Town of Darien’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Construction of a new residence or other building inside the Town of Darien, Walworth County, Wisconsin.

  • A valid permit from the municipal building inspector must be obtained before construction begins.
  • The code lists new buildings, additions including decks, structural alterations, specified equipment replacements, and alterations to plumbing, venting, electrical, gas-supply, HVAC, or plumbing systems as work requiring a building permit.
  • Finishing interior surfaces, installing cabinetry, repairs deemed minor by the Building Inspector, and normal repairs of HVAC, plumbing, and electrical equipment or systems do not require a building permit.
  • The Building Code excludes agricultural-purpose outbuildings except electrical projects, children's play structures, dog kennels, and storage sheds under 120 square feet.
  • The Building Inspector issues the requested permit only after state, county, and local submission requirements are satisfied; permits are valid for two years.

  “No owner or contractor may commence construction of any building or mechanical system prior to obtaining a valid permit from the municipal building inspector.”

Rules another office applies inside Town of Darien

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

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Unincorporated land inside the Town of Darien, Walworth County, Wisconsin; Walworth County, rather than the Town, administers the applicable zoning code.

  • Walworth County's General Zoning Code applies to unincorporated Walworth County land except land in the Town of Bloomfield.
  • County shoreland zoning applies to unincorporated land within 1,000 feet of a lake, pond, or flowage; 300 feet from a river or stream; or to the landward edge of the 100-year flood elevation, whichever is greater.
  • Walworth County states that it does not have zoning jurisdiction in non-shoreland extraterritorial-zoning areas around the City of Elkhorn, Village of Williams Bay, and Village of Fontana, and that its zoning jurisdiction does not include cities or villages.

  “Walworth County administers two zoning codes within unincorporated areas of Walworth County. Both codes are located in Chapter 74 of the Walworth County Code of Ordinances. The County's General Zoning Code applies to all lands within unincorporated Walworth County except for the Town of Bloomfield.”

• Who permits septicCounty (with conditions)

  Private septic systems serving single-family residences on unincorporated land inside the Town of Darien, Walworth County, Wisconsin.

  • The county FAQ describes this process for a single-family residence and identifies the sanitary permit as regulating septic-system location, type, and size.
  • Walworth County Land Use and Resource Management reviews and issues the zoning, sanitary, and erosion-control permits together.
  • After county permits issue, the applicant must contact the appropriate town for the applicable town building permit.
  • County zoning jurisdiction excludes cities and villages and the stated extraterritorial-zoning exceptions; a property-specific jurisdiction determination may be needed.

  “LURM issues all Sanitary Permits for the County and inspects all system installations for compliance to State codes. Wastewater carries disease-causing bacteria, infectious viruses, household chemicals, and excess nutrients that must be removed. If the property is not hooked up to city sewer or a sanitary district, the septic system is your wastewater treatment facility (POWTS - Privately Owned Wastewater Treatment System).”

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.