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

Town of Dexter’s own rules

• Building code adoptedAdopted

  Construction inside Dexter town limits under the town's Uniform Dwelling Code ordinance

  • The UDC ordinance text was not opened; its existence is shown by the town ordinance list.

  “udc ordinance fines & citation ordinance #09-08 private well - water systems ordinance #708”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside Dexter town limits; the town lists its own zoning ordinance on its official ordinances page

  • The zoning ordinance text was not opened. The town zoning page returned HTTP 404 and the ordinance PDF on energyzoning.org exceeds the fetch size limit.
  • The ordinance is titled Town of Dexter Zoning Ordinance #2023-4-18 per a third-party host; not verified on the town site.

  “alternate board of review members ordinance zoning ordinance resolutions”

• Permit feesPublished

  Town zoning and building permit fees inside Dexter town limits

  • The fee schedule document itself was not opened; its existence is shown by the town forms and ordinances pages.

  “zoning fee schedule permit request to construct & operate transmission lines on town highway”

Rules another office applies inside Town of Dexter

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

• Septic permitRequired

  Locating, installing or altering a private sewage system inside Dexter town limits

  • Construction may proceed after the sanitary permit is issued.
  • Emergency repairs may be made without a permit if reported to the administrator.

  “no person shall locate, install, move, reconstruct, extend, enlarge, convert, substantially alter or change the use of a powts or any of its component parts without the appropriate sanitary permit”

• Septic inspectionRequired

  Newly constructed structures and structures requiring a reconnection permit inside Dexter town limits

  • The system must be installed, inspected and approved before the structure is occupied.

  “the private sewage system or non-plumbing sanitation system for newly constructed structures or structures requiring a reconnection permit shall be installed, inspected and approved before the structure may be occupied.”

• Off-grid sanitationLimited

  Sewage handling for structures inside Dexter town limits without public sewer

  • Plumbing must connect to a private onsite wastewater treatment system; discharge to the ground surface or groundwater is prohibited.
  • Holding tanks and other alternatives require county and state approval.

  “all plumbing fixtures used or intended for use to collect, discharge or transmit wastes shall be connected to a private onsite wastewater treatment system (powts)”

• Well permitRequired

  Private wells inside Dexter town limits

  • A county well location permit is required before construction, reconstruction or replacement of a private water system.
  • Permit applications are made by the property owner or designated agent.

  “no private water system may be constructed within the jurisdictional limits of the county without the appropriate permit and without being in full compliance with the provisions of this ordinance and all other applicable state and local laws and regulations, ch. nr 812, wis. adm. code.”

• Mandatory utility hookupConditional

  Structures inside Dexter town limits that are not served by a public sewer

  • The county septic rule applies where no public sewer serves the structure.
  • No Dexter town rule requiring connection to a public sewer or water main was found; availability of public sewer or water in Dexter town was not established.

  “all structures or premises in wood county that are permanently or occasionally intended for human habitation or occupancy, that are not serviced by a public sewer, shall have a system for holding or treatment and dispersal of sewage and wastewater that complies with the provisions of this ordinance.”

• Building in a floodplainLimited

  Private sewage systems located in a floodplain inside Dexter town limits

  • Must also comply with NR 116 and the Wood County floodplain zoning ordinance.
  • The county may require floodplain or wetland delineation and floodplain-tied elevations before a sanitary permit.

  “any powts or portion thereof, installed in a floodplain shall also comply with all applicable requirements of nr 116, wisconsin administrative code, and the wood county floodplain zoning ordinance.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder construction inside Dexter town limits
• Inspections — Inspections for construction inside Dexter town limits
• Certificate of occupancy — Occupancy approval for new construction inside Dexter town limits
• Zoning districts — Zoning districts inside Dexter town limits
• Minimum dwelling size — Single-family residential district inside Dexter town limits

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.