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

Town of Harrison’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Construction, reconstruction, remodeling or moving of a building inside Harrison town with estimated fair market value over $1,000

  • The permit is issued at least 48 hours before work starts, and no excavation or construction may begin until 48 hours have passed.
  • Replacement of an existing roof does not need a permit.
  • Permit is void unless work starts within 6 months of issuance.

  fair market value threshold: > 1000 USD (replacement of an existing roof excluded)

  “a land use permit shall hereafter be required for the construction, reconstruction, remodeling or moving of any building within the town of harrison, whenever the fair market value of such shall be estimated to be over the amount of $1,000.00.”

• InspectionsLimited

  Construction inside Harrison town that will be inhabited

  • The building inspector examines plans for all new buildings and remodeling/reconstruction, and approves or disapproves moves of buildings into the town.
  • Inspection duties are set out in Section V.c; the full text of inspection frequency was not fully read.
  • Appointed by the town board for two-year terms.

  “the building inspector will be involved whenever a construction will be inhabited at any time.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  All land inside Harrison town, Waupaca County, Wisconsin. The town adopted its own zoning ordinance under village powers.

  • The ordinance is titled Zoning Ordinance, Town of Harrison, Waupaca County, Wisconsin; its PDF copy states it was last revised January 2018.
  • The copy was found on energyzoning.org; the town's own zoning page was not reachable, so confirm against the town's official copy.
  • Adopted under Wis. Stat. 62.23(7), with the town board granted village powers under 60.18(12).

  “an ordinance under the provisions of section 62.23(7) to promote the health, safety, morals and general welfare of the town of harrison, waupaca county, wisconsin”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  All land inside Harrison town. The ordinance creates one district only: the General Agricultural District.

  • Permitted uses in the General Agricultural District include agricultural and general farming, single family residences, two family residences, and silviculture.
  • All uses not listed as permitted are conditional uses requiring Board of Appeals review and a public hearing.
  • The Waupaca County shoreland zoning ordinance (adopted May 20, 1997) is adopted by reference to the extent of its greater restrictions.

  “the town of harrison, waupaca county, wisconsin, shall be one general district, known as the general agricultural district.”

• Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

  Mobile home units inside Harrison town

  • Hitch area is not counted toward the minimum.
  • Measured as living space.

  minimum mobile home living space: >= 600 square feet (hitch area excluded)

  “the minimum size of mobile home units shall be 600 square feet of living space.”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  Residential lots in the General Agricultural District (the only district) inside Harrison town

  • Lot must be surveyed by certified survey.
  • Applies to lots used for residential buildings.

  minimum lot size for residential buildings: >= 5 acres

  “any lot to be used for residential buildings shall be at least 5 acres in size with a survey by certified survey.”

  2 more reviewed findings on this topic

  • Specified — A single mobile home on its own lot (not in a mobile home park) inside Harrison town

    “the minimum lot size for a mobile home is 5 acres.”

  • Specified — A mobile home park inside Harrison town (requires a town license)

    “minimum size – 5 acres. maximum number of home sites – 10 per acre.”

• SetbacksSpecified

  Residential buildings in the General Agricultural District inside Harrison town, measured from property lines and from town highways

  • Setback from a town road is the greater of 63 feet from the centerline or 30 feet from the right-of-way line.
  • Side and rear setbacks apply to all buildings.

  side property line setback: >= 20 feet · rear property line setback: >= 20 feet · town road setback from centerline: >= 63 feet (whichever is greater than the right-of-way setback) · town road setback from right-of-way line: >= 30 feet (whichever is greater than the centerline setback)

  “all buildings must be at least 20 feet from the property side line, 20 feet from the rear line and have highway setbacks as follows:”

  3 more reviewed findings on this topic

  • Specified — Residential buildings in the General Agricultural District inside Harrison town along state or county roads

    “county road: must be set back at least 75 feet from the centerline of any town highway or 42 feet from the right of way line of any town highway, whichever is greater.”

  • Specified — Residences in the General Agricultural District inside Harrison town, relative to nearby agricultural fields

    “all residences shall be at least 100 feet from any field being used or capable of being used for agricultural purposes”

  • Specified — Buildings and structures inside Harrison town, measured from section lines

    “no building or other structure shall be erected within twenty (20) feet of any section line.”

• Lot coverageSpecified

  Each mobile home space inside a licensed mobile home park in Harrison town

  • This is a mobile home park site rule, not a general residential lot coverage limit.

  maximum share of site area occupied by unit: <= 25 percent

  “the unit shall not occupy in excess of 25 per cent of the area of the site”

• Building heightSpecified

  Mobile home units inside a licensed mobile home park in Harrison town

  • Park height limit only; no general building height limit for single-family homes was found in the ordinance text read.

  maximum height of a mobile home park unit: <= 15 feet

  “maximum number of home sites – 10 per acre. maximum height of a unit – 15 feet.”

• Living in an RVLimited

  Camping/travel trailers and touring or recreational mobile homes parked outside licensed campgrounds inside Harrison town

  • Up to 2 weeks per year: a zoning administrator permit and a $5.00 fee are required.
  • Longer, semipermanent parking requires an annual town conditional use permit approved by the town board for up to 3 years.
  • No conditional use permit if the unit is used for living quarters or business for more than 4 months in any of the 3 years.
  • Waupaca County sanitary ordinance applies to these units. A permit may be denied if sanitation facilities create a health hazard.
  • Units kept in licensed campgrounds may stay up to 8 months in a year.

  short-term parking permit fee: 5 USD · maximum parking period without conditional use permit: <= 2 weeks per year

  “camping/travel trailers and touring or recreational mobile homes which are parked for more than 2 weeks and on a semipermanent basis outside of campgrounds, require an annual town conditional use permit.”

• Camping on your landLimited

  Recreational campgrounds and camping units inside Harrison town

  • Campgrounds require an annual license from the town board.
  • Congregations of two or more recreational units in one location are treated as a campground and must be licensed.
  • Sanitation facilities and screening rules apply to licensed campgrounds.
  • Campsite-based annual license fee.

  campground license fee: 5 USD per campsite (annual license)

  “the establishment of recreational campgrounds within the town of harrison shall be permitted.”

• Tiny homesLimited

  Single-family site-built dwellings inside Harrison town (the ordinance has no tiny-home definition)

  • Minimum structure valuation applies, exclusive of land, wells and septic system.
  • Two-family dwellings have a $20,000 minimum per unit.
  • Mobile homes are governed by separate rules.

  minimum single-family dwelling structure valuation: >= 20000 USD (exclusive of land, wells and septic system)

  “all single family dwellings (excluding mobile homes) shall have a minimum dwelling structure valuation shall be $20,000.00 exclusive of land, wells and septic system.”

• Manufactured homesLimited

  Mobile homes placed outside mobile home parks inside Harrison town

  • A permanent foundation with footings is required.
  • Wheels must be removed and the unit skirted.
  • Minimum 600 square feet of living space; minimum 5-acre lot; minimum valuation of $20,000 exclusive of windbreaks, entrance buffers, carports, unattached structures, wells and septic systems.
  • Dwellings including mobile homes must have an approved septic system or permanently installed waste incinerator unit; privies are prohibited.

  mobile home permit fee: 10 USD (charged for the original permit; not for renewal)

  “specifications for mobile homes: a permanent foundation with footings shall be required.”

• Accessory dwellingsProhibited

  A second residential building (such as a guest house or accessory dwelling) on a lot inside Harrison town

  • A mobile home or other vehicle used as a dwelling is not an accessory building or use under the ordinance definitions.
  • Ordinance states one residential building per lot.

  “in no case shall there be more than one residential building on one lot.”

• Off-grid sanitationLimited

  Waste disposal for dwellings and other buildings producing liquid wastes inside Harrison town

  • Privies are prohibited.
  • A permanently installed waste incineration unit may be installed in lieu of a septic system.
  • Otherwise, the Waupaca County sanitary ordinance septic rules apply.

  “permanently installed waste incineration units may be installed in lieu of septic system. no privies shall be allowed in the town of harrison.”

• Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

  Land use permits and related fees inside Harrison town

  • The land use permit fee is set by the town board and revised each January.
  • Other fees in the ordinance: $10.00 for a mobile home permit, $5.00 for a short-term camping/travel trailer permit, $5.00 per campsite for campground licenses.
  • The current fee schedule was not located; the ordinance fees may be out of date.

  “applicants for land use permits must pay the sum set by town board at the time of the appointment of the zoning administrator. said fee schedule shall be revised and changed if necessary by the town board at the time of its january meeting in each subsequent year.”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Land use permit process for construction inside Harrison town

  • Apply through the zoning administrator (appointment first); form must show location, owner, construction type, size and dimensions, and whether new construction, reconstruction or alteration.
  • Permit is issued after the zoning administrator's inspection and reviewed for compliance with the ordinance and state law.
  • A notice goes to the town clerk and assessor when a permit is issued.
  • The permit is void if work does not start within 6 months.

  minimum wait before work starts after permit issuance: >= 48 hours

  “the permit shall be issued at least 48 hours before the work commences”

Rules another office applies inside Town of Harrison

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

• Who permits septicCounty (with conditions)

  Private sewage treatment and disposal systems serving dwellings and mobile homes inside Harrison town. The Waupaca County sanitary ordinance applies there through the town zoning ordinance.

  • Waupaca County Sanitary Ordinance #2, adopted November 8, 1967 and as amended, is the rule that applies.
  • The town zoning ordinance says the rule is duly enforced under the zoning ordinance.
  • Permanently installed waste incineration units may be used in place of a septic system.

  “all dwellings, mobile homes or any building producing liquid wastes shall be subject to the regulations of the waupaca county sanitary ordinance #2 adopted by the waupaca county board of supervisors on 11-8-67 and as thereafter amended.”

• Septic permitRequired

  New dwellings and mobile homes requiring private on-site wastewater treatment inside Harrison town (issued under the Waupaca County sanitary ordinance)

  • Under Wis. Stat. 145.195, a town may not issue a building permit for a structure requiring a private system unless a compliant system already exists or all permits to install one have been obtained.
  • A sanitary permit is valid for 2 years from issue and renewable for similar periods.
  • The sanitary permit may be transferred to a subsequent owner, who must obtain a new copy from the issuing agent.

  sanitary permit validity: 2 years (renewable for similar periods)

  “no county, city, town or village may issue a building permit for construction of any structure requiring connection to a private on-site wastewater treatment system unless a private on-site wastewater treatment system satisfying all applicable regulations already exists to serve the proposed structure or all permits necessary to install a private on-site wastewater treatment system have been obtained.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder construction inside Harrison town
• Building code adopted — Building code applicable to construction inside Harrison town
• Certificate of occupancy — Occupancy of a newly built or altered building inside Harrison town
• Septic inspection — Private septic systems serving homes inside Harrison town
• Well permit — Private water wells for homes inside Harrison 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.