Zoning FAQ

Not getting a permit can create some serious problems for a property owner:

Each permit has different requirements for approval. Please refer to the Permit Information link on the Zoning Office Homepage for specific information on each of the permits our office issues.  

If you’re going to do any type of construction, it is a good idea to check with the County Zoning Office and the Town Building Inspector. 

Any external additions or alterations to a structure will usually require a zoning permit. This includes decks, dormers or roof alterations, lean-tos, replacement porches, etc.  Fences also require a zoning permit. 

Interior remodeling does not require a zoning permit, nor is a zoning permit required for replacement windows, siding, roofing shingles, etc.

Private roads are shared roads and or driveways that serve two or more properties. As such, the same public road setback requirements apply. Private roads within a condominium development have pre-approved setbacks that may differ from public road setbacks. Generally speaking, no new lots can be created on private roads.

You must contact the agency or municipality that owns the road right of way.

Maintenance and inspection is required for ALL septic systems in Winnebago County. The Zoning Office will send requests for pumping information three (3) years from the last maintenance date on file. It is the property owner’s responsibility to read the letter completely and comply with the requirements stated therein. Holding tanks are pumped and inspected when full. Pumping / inspection reports are then filed in the zoning office by the licensed pumper.

No. A holding tank is NOT a system of choice in Winnebago County. Site restrictions such as poor soils, floodplain, or small lot size must be present for the installation of a holding tank to be approved.

Wells are regulated by the Department of Natural Resources. Call the DNR office in Oshkosh at 920-424-3050. Well drillers may also be able to answer questions about wells. Search the yellow pages for well drillers.

Covenants are created by the developer to ensure certain standards that they want to see uniform throughout the new subdivision. These usually have to do with limiting outside parking of vehicles or boats, the number of outbuildings allowed, whether or not clothes can be hung out-side to dry, etc.

That depends on Winnebago County’s future land use map, the zoning district the property is in, and which municipal jurisdictions the property is in. Contact the zoning office first to find out which jurisdiction your property is located. The county zoning office reviews and approves all lot splits and new lot creations within the unincorporated areas of the county. Certified survey maps are required for lot splits within the county’s land division jurisdiction. All lots must have the proper frontage on public streets.