All housing construction requires a site plan approval before a permit can be issued. (For accessory buildings and mobile home, please see appropriate sections). Approval is required by both the Town and the County.
Town policies on buildings and their location can be found in the Town’s Land Use Plan and Building Ordinance.
Dane County’s zoning ordinances on building locations can be found in Chapter 10 of Dane County Zoning Ordinances. Before submitting an application with the Town, you should confirm with the County that the building home size and proposed location conform to the County’s zoning requirements.
Step 1: To Apply
* Applicants should begin the process with Dane County Zoning at the same time as with the Town. See paragraph above.
- Complete a Permit Application, selecting “Site Plan” and “Building.”
- With the application, you should include the following exhibits:
- Plat Map
- Aerial photo/site analysis
- Soil/slope analysis
- Site Plan
- Sewage system site availability – (If a sewage system site is not included, approval will be contingent upon its receipt. If the acceptable sewage system site is more than 100 feet from the proposed location of the dwelling or falls outside of any area to be rezoned, the new location must be approved by the Town Board.)
- Land Division Approval (if this property was divided from a larger one)
- Submit the completed Permit Application (include original + 8 copies of the application and each exhibit) and a fee of $550 to the Town Deputy Clerk, Stephanie Zwettler at 9730 County Rd A, Mount Horeb, WI 53572. Email questions to: sszwettler@gmail.com
Note: If applying for a land division or zoning change at the same time, only one application is necessary and all can be combined under a single deposit of $550. However, if submitted at different times, a deposit will be charged each time. Applications requiring more than one site view will require an additional $250.00 fee per site visit. However, applications requiring only one site view for approval may be eligible for up to 50% refund.
Step 2: After Applying for Home Site
Upon receipt of the complete application with exhibits and the appropriate fee, the Deputy Clerk will issue the neighbor notification letter. This letter will be sent by certified mail to all adjoining landowners at least 10 days prior to the Land Use Committee’s regularly scheduled monthly meeting. The notification letter states the intended land use change, the date of the scheduled site viewing by the Land Use Committee and of the impending public hearing at the next regularly scheduled meeting of that committee.
Step 3: At the Site View
It is necessary that you or your agent attend both the site viewing and the public hearing. Failure to do so could result in a recommendation for denial or postponement of your application if there are questions that cannot be answered.
Sites must be field-staked for the site view. Site views are held the Saturday prior to the Land Use Committee meeting.
It is possible that it might take more than one site viewing and/or public hearing to resolve any concerns that might arise.
Step 4: At the Land Use Committee Meeting
The Land Use Committee holds a meeting, usually the first Wednesday evening of the month, after the site view. It is a public hearing to allow the applicant to present his/her intentions for the land division or zoning change. It is also the opportunity for neighbors and other residents of the community to express their concerns or questions and to present other pertinent information to the Committee.
After careful consideration of the request, its conformity with the Land Use Plan and the Land Division Ordinance or Zoning Change Ordinance, and other information presented, the Land Use Committee will recommend approval, conditional approval, denial, or tabling to allow time to gather additional information. This decision will be forwarded to the Town Board.
Step 5: At the Town Board Meeting
The Town Board will then consider the application at its next scheduled meeting only if a recommendation has been made by the Land Use Committee. The Town Board usually meets on the second Tuesday of the month. Unless your appearance is requested to answer questions, you do not need to attend this meeting. However, if you choose to attend, be advised that this meeting is not a second public hearing, and your input should be limited to new information only.
After consideration, the Board will approve, conditionally approve, or deny your request. If approved, the Clerk will issue you an appropriate approval and report the Town’s actions to the Dane County Planning & Development.