Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Whitewater, Wisconsin

Whitewater’s own rules

• Local zoningPresent

  Land inside Whitewater city limits; Title 19 Zoning of the city code

  • Districts follow the city zoning map; boundaries follow corporate limits and other listed lines.

  “for the purpose of this title, the city is divided into the following zoning districts: r-1 one-family residence district”

• Zoning districtsPublished

  Zoning districts inside Whitewater city

  • Districts include R-1, R-1x, R-2, R-3, R-4 mobile home, business, manufacturing, agricultural transition (AT), institutional, wetland and floodplain districts and overlays.

  “boundaries of all districts shall be as shown on the map entitled "zoning map, city of whitewater, wisconsin,"”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  R-1 One-Family Residence District inside Whitewater city

  • A nonconforming lot may be buildable if it meets other standards including 19.60.050 and is approved by the plan and architectural review commission.
  • Minimum lot width is 80 feet.

  minimum lot area R-1: >= 10000 sq ft

  “minimum lot area in the r-1 district is ten thousand square feet.”

• SetbacksSpecified

  R-1 One-Family Residence District inside Whitewater city

  • Not more than 40 percent of front or rear yard may be impervious except as a conditional use.
  • Shoreland must comply with chapter 19.46 and may require DNR approval.
  • Side yard is 25 feet on a corner lot.

  front yard: >= 25 ft · side yard: >= 10 ft (corner lot 25 ft) · rear yard: >= 30 ft · shore: >= 75 ft

  “b. side, ten feet, corner lot, twenty-five feet; c. rear, thirty feet;”

• Lot coverageSpecified

  R-1 One-Family Residence District inside Whitewater city

  • Separate maximum impervious surface chart (50% to 65% by lot size) triggers a stormwater management plan.

  maximum lot coverage: <= 30 percent

  “maximum lot coverage (principal and accessory structures) in the r-1 district is thirty percent.”

• Building heightSpecified

  R-1 One-Family Residence District inside Whitewater city

  maximum building height: <= 2.5 stories or 35 feet

  “maximum building height in the r-1 district is two and one-half stories or thirty-five feet.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Whitewater or Walworth County directly.

• Building permit — Building permits inside Whitewater city
• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption inside Whitewater city
• Building code adopted — Building code inside Whitewater city
• Inspections — Building inspections inside Whitewater city
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy inside Whitewater city

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.