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

Town of Rock’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  A building erected, moved, or structurally altered inside Rock town.

  • A conditional-use permit replaces the building permit when the proposed use is listed as conditional.
  • No building or conditional-use permit may issue until the county sanitary permit has been approved under applicable county and state codes.

  “no building permits or conditional use permits shall be issued until a county sanitary permit has been approved pursuant to applicable county and state codes.”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Zoning districts inside Rock town.

  • The ordinance states that Rock town does not currently have any R-1 districts, although it describes R-1 if implemented.
  • Wood County publishes both the Town of Rock zoning ordinance and zoning map.

  “town of rock zoning ordinance *09/20/2016 zoning map”

• Camping on your landAllowed (with conditions)

  Camping outside approved campgrounds inside Rock town.

  • A camping unit consisting only of an easily removable tent is allowed without a permit.
  • A mobile recreational vehicle is subject to parcel, public-camping, and 180-day limits.

  “grounds as defined in nr 116.12(2)(b), wisconsin administrative code, is allowed without a permit if the camping unit consists of nothing more than an easily removable tent or if the following criteria are met:”

• Manufactured homesLimited

  Placement or location of a mobile home inside Rock town.

  • A mobile-home permit is required and is issued on the same terms and conditions as a building permit except as §7 provides.
  • Temporary placement while constructing a permanent dwelling requires an approved building permit first and expires after two years.

  temporary mobile home permit duration: <= 2 years (temporary placement while constructing a permanent dwelling)

  “Any person desiring to place or locate a mobile home or travel trailer within the Town of Rock shall apply for a mobile home permit, which shall be issued on the same terms and conditions as a building permit, except as provided in this Section.”

• Who permits septicCounty (with conditions)

  Private septic systems inside Rock town, which is within Wood County.

  • The program also applies the Wisconsin Uniform Plumbing Code and Wood County Ordinance #702.

  “the wood county planning & zoning office is the county agency responsible for the regulation and inspection of septic systems as well as the issuance of sanitary permits and any code enforcement that may be required.”

• Driveway accessRequired

  A new or revised driveway/access point from a County Trunk Highway inside Rock town.

  • The rule applies only to access on a County Trunk Highway.
  • It also applies to a revision or addition to an existing driveway/access point.

  “any time a new access point is needed off of a county trunk highway, you will need to obtain a "highway access control permit". you must also obtain the permit if a revision or addition is made to any existing driveway/access point.”

• Building in a floodplainRequired

  Work inside a shoreland or floodplain zone in Rock town.

  • The requirement covers filling, grading, ponding, lagooning, dredging, excavating, soil disturbance, new construction, structural changes outside the current footprint, retaining walls, sidewalks, driveways, and landscaping.
  • The county advises contacting the municipality and Wisconsin DNR because other permits or approval may be required.

  “approval by the wood county planning and zoning office is required prior to starting work within a shoreland or floodplain zone for the following projects: filling, grading, ponding, lagooning, dredging, excavating and any soil disturbance work”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Building and conditional-use permit applications inside Rock town.

  • Applications need scale maps or drawings showing the location, size, and shape of lots and proposed structures, adjoining features, proposed and existing uses, and occupancy/family information.
  • Permits expire if work has not commenced within six months and expire within one year; an extension of up to one year may be granted on valid cause if 50% is completed.

  commencement deadline: <= 6 months (from permit issuance) · permit expiration: <= 1 years (from permit issuance)

  “If within six months of the date of issuance of a building permit or conditional use permit, the proposed construction has not commenced, said permit shall expire. All permits shall expire within one year of the date of issuance.”

Rules another office applies inside Town of Rock

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

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  Single-family and two-family dwellings in Rock town's General Use District.

  • The dwelling must be on a tract of five acres or more.
  • Soils analysis must indicate suitability for private sewage and water systems.

  minimum lot size: >= 5 acres (single-family and two-family dwellings in General Use District)

  “Single-family and two-family dwellings provided they are located on tracts of five (5) acres or more and that soils analysis indicates a suitability for private sewage and water systems.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residential work inside Rock town.
• Building code adopted — Building-code adoption for construction inside Rock town.
• Inspections — Building-project inspections inside Rock town.
• Certificate of occupancy — Occupancy of buildings inside Rock town.
• Minimum dwelling size — Dwellings in Rock town's General Use District.

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.