Zoning

In the interest of allowing emergency vehicles, snow plows, etc., safe access to property, Washburn County has adopted the following minimum standards:

• Driveways must be twenty (20) feet wide, unobstructed into the driveway to a height of fifteen (15) feet.
• Driveways must have a turn around twenty (20) feet wide and forty (40) feet long within 100 feet of the building.

Driveway permits are required off all county highways from the Washburn County Highway Department.

Some townships also require driveway permits. Inquire at your township level.

Click here to review a comprehensive list of zoning fees.

The Washburn County Board of Supervisors adopted a Zoning Ordinance in 1968. The Ordinance was amended and replaced by the current Zoning Ordinance in 1978 with ongoing amendments to the Ordinance.

The purpose of the Zoning Ordinance is to promote and protect the public health, safety, and general welfare by:

• Guiding orderly expansion of growth and development
• Protecting agriculture and environmentally sensitive lands
• Protecting natural beauty and enhancing recreational opportunities
• Preventing pollution
• Preventing conflicts between different land uses.

The above goals are accomplished by the requirements of permits for all structures, private onsite waste disposal systems, grading and filling within the shorelands, and the enforcement of standards on the development of lots.

Commonly Referenced Ordinances:

Boathouse Ordinance

Camper Ordinance

Guest Cabin and Bunkhouse Ordinance

A rural address/fire number is required for each developed property. The number must be applied whenever a new building site is established. Please contact the Land Information Office for details.

Note: It may take 3 months to process a sign.

Proper maintenance of the private onsite waste treatment system is recommend by pumping the septic tank every three years or as needed to prevent premature failure.

The frequency of pumping depends on several factors: size of the tank, usage, volume of solids in wastewater. A tank requires pumping when it is 1/3 full of scum and sludge. Use a stick to poke into the septic tank to measure the amount of sludge in the bottom of the tank. A good pumping interval is every 1 to 3 years.

There are several things you can do to prolong the life of your septic system. Install water-saving devices and be on-guard for leaky fixtures. Water conservation reduces the amount of liquid going into the drainfield. Have the tank(s) pumped and inspected regularly. Keep surface water away from the septic system area including the septic and pump tanks. Keep driveways, parked vehicles and building off the drainfield area. Soil compaction can cause premature failure by restricting the infiltrative and evaporative capability of the soil. The use of pretreatment alternatives such as aeration tanks have been shown to improve effluent quality and moderate or reduce ponding. Understand what can and cannot be put into the septic tank.

Biological and chemical additives are not needed to aid or accelerate decomposition. At this time there is no conclusive data to support the effectiveness of enzymes or any chemical treatment to rejuvenate a failing drainfield. These products are approved by the State of Wisconsin only because they do not harm the septic system.

WARNING! Never enter the septic tank. The septic tank produces gases which can kill a person in a matter of minutes. Never go into a septic tank to retrieve someone. Call for emergency services and put a fan at the top of the tank to blow in fresh air.

Highway Setbacks

All setbacks are level horizontal measurements from a point to the farthest extension of the structure toward the point.

When setback requirements cannot be met, it is advisable to contact the Zoning Department for further information.

Other Setbacks

The septic tank must be a minimum distance of:

• 25 feet from a well.
• 05 feet from a building.
• 02 feet from a lot line.
• 15 feet from a pool.
• 25 feet from the OHWM of any navigable body of water.

The private waste system disposal field must be a minimum distance of:

• 10 feet from a building
• 05 feet from a lot line.
• 50 feet from a well and/or the OHWM of any navigable body of water.
• 20 feet from the crown of a 20% or greater slope.

The well must be a minimum distance of:

• 02 feet from a building drip line.
• 25 feet from a septic tank.
• 50 feet from the soil absorption field of a private sewage system.
• 50 feet from a privy.

All structures, permanent, portable and no matter the size must meet all setbacks. If setbacks cannot be met, call the Zoning Office.

Stairways and Piers. Stairways, elevated walkways and that portion of piers landward of the ordinary high water mark are exempted from the shoreline setback requirement provided:

• The structure is necessary to access the shoreline because of steep slopes or wet, unstable soils.
• The structure shall be located so as to minimize earth disturbing activities and shoreline vegetation removal during construction and to be visually inconspicuous as viewed from the adjacent waterway and public thoroughfares.
• The structure shall be no more than five (5) feet wide.
• Structures shall be inconspicuously colored.
• Railings are permitted only where required by safety concerns.
• Canopies and roofs on such structures are prohibited.
• Landings for stairways or docks are permitted only where required by safety concerns and shall not exceed forty (40) square feet.
• Such structures shall be constructed in accordance with best management practices for minimizing adverse impact on the shoreland area and adjoining water. In determining whether a structure will comply with best management practices the Zoning Department may seek the assistance of the Land & Water Conservation Department.
• Stairways are considered a structure and are subject to side property line setbacks.

Land Use Permits

Washburn County issues Land Use permits. When we review the permits we are making sure you are zoned correctly, meeting all required setbacks (Lot Lines, Lake, River, Streams, Wetlands, Floodplain, and Roadways. Along with meeting all building setbacks to septic tanks, and drain fields and all other applicable setbacks) and your sanitary is sized properly for your project whether a Dwelling or Garage with a bathroom.

Building Permits

Uniform Dwelling Code Inspector (State of Wisconsin) issues the Building Permit. When they are reviewing permits they are making sure that you have your county permits and that the builders/contractors are licensed and your structure is built to the Construction Standards found in Chapter SPS321. These Uniform Dwelling Code (UDC) inspectors are hired by the township. We have a list on our web site.

Click here to review the Washburn County Zoning Schedule of Deposits.

Click here to review zoning districts and dimensions.

Find comprehensive information within our Zoning Pamphlet.

A zoning permit (land-use) permit is required before any structure is erected, placed, moved, expanded or structurally altered. In 2015, the Wisconsin Legislature expanded the definition of a “structure”; therefore the following structures need permits, even if they are portable: dwellings, accessory buildings (larger than 64 square feet), farm structures, additions, bunk houses, guest cabins, boat houses, mobile homes, concrete slabs, patios, decks, retaining walls, stairways, walkways/sidewalks and firepits. Structures that do not need permits must still be placed to meet setbacks. If you are not sure if your project requires a permit, contact the zoning office before you build.

Individual towns may require permits for some activities. Check with your town while you are planning your project.

You will need to provide the following information on the application form:

1. Legal description of the property.
2. Size and cost of building.
3. Plot plan showing the location of existing buildings and the proposed building, with setback distances clearly marked from the new building to the center line or right of way line of the nearest road, lot lines, and the OHWM of any navigable body of water, and the location or proposed location of the well and septic system. (All setbacks for the structure), driveway width and length.
4. The direction North should be shown on the plot plan.
5. Rural address/fire number.
6. Acreage (area) or lot dimensions.
7. Names of roads and bodies of water.

Take your soil evaluation results, site plans, and construction information to a Wisconsin licensed Master Plumber who will complete the necessary forms and obtain the Sanitary Permit. The plumber is responsible for the installation of the private sewage system. Sanitary permits are valid for a period of two years from the date of issuance, and are both renewable and transferable, except for some plans requiring state approval. Renewals and/or transfers must be completed before the expiration date of the current permit.

It is the responsibility of both the owner and the contractor to obtain all the necessary permits.

No work on any structure or private sewage system may take place until the proper permit has been issued. Any work on such structures or private sewage systems undertaken without proper permits will constitute a violation of the Washburn County Zoning Ordinance.

A rural address/fire number is required for each developed property. The number must be applied whenever a new building site is established. Please contact the Land Information Office for details.

Note: It may take 3 months to process a sign.

1 – Washburn County issues Land Use permits. When we review the permits we are making sure you are zoned correctly, meeting all required setbacks (Lot Lines, Lake, River, Streams, Wetlands, Floodplain, and Roadways. Along with meeting all building setbacks to septic tanks, and drain fields and all other applicable setbacks) and your sanitary is sized properly for your project whether a Dwelling or Garage with a bathroom.

2 – Uniform Dwelling Code Inspector (State of Wisconsin) issues the Building Permit. When they are reviewing permits they are making sure that you have your county permits and that the builders/contractors are licensed and your structure is built to the Construction Standards found in Chapter SPS321. These Uniform Dwelling Code (UDC) inspectors are hired by the township. We have a list on our web site.