ADU rules in Mount Pleasant, WI — also called accessory dwelling unit regulations or granny flat ordinances — cover setbacks, owner-occupancy, parking, and permit requirements.
The Village of Mount Pleasant regulates accessory dwelling units in Chapter 90 (Zoning) of the Code of Ordinances, adopted under Wis. Stat. Sec. 61.35 (village zoning). Mount Pleasant uses two ADU forms: a 'backyard cottage' (a small detached accessory residential building containing a single self-contained accessory dwelling unit on the same lot as a detached house) and a 'secondary suite' (an attached accessory dwelling within the principal dwelling). Backyard cottages are allowed in all R (Residential) Districts on lots occupied by a single detached house and are subject to the lot and building regulations of Table 90-110-8. Only one backyard cottage is allowed per lot, and a backyard cottage is not permitted on a lot that already contains a secondary suite. Recent amendments presented to the Village Board lowered the maximum height for detached accessory structures to 20 feet (or the height of the principal structure, whichever is less), increased the detached accessory-structure setback from 6 to 10 feet, and added a Building Area Ratio (BAR) for new residential construction.
Chapter 90 of the Mount Pleasant Code of Ordinances is the Zoning Ordinance, administered by the Planning Office at 8811 Campus Drive (262-664-7829) and adopted under Wis. Stat. Sec. 61.35 and Sec. 62.23. The Use Classification System defines a 'backyard cottage' as a small accessory residential building occupied by a single, self-contained accessory dwelling unit, located on the same lot as but not attached to a detached house, and a 'secondary suite' as an accessory dwelling unit within or attached to the principal dwelling. Backyard cottages are listed as a form of accessory dwelling unit allowed by R Districts on lots occupied by a single detached house and must comply with the lot and building regulations of Table 90-110-8 (in Division 90-110, Residential Districts). Specific limitations from the Accessory Uses and Structures provisions: (a) no more than one backyard cottage per lot; (b) backyard cottages may not be on lots occupied by a secondary suite; (c) no more than one of the dwelling units on a lot occupied by a backyard cottage may be a rental dwelling unit, and a backyard cottage may not be rented for periods of less than seven consecutive days; (d) no additional parking is required; (e) total residents in the backyard cottage and detached house combined may not exceed the number permitted for a household; (f) exterior finish material must match the principal dwelling unit in type, size, and placement; and (g) before any permits are issued, the property owner must file a deed restriction with the Racine County Register of Deeds binding the owner, heirs, and assigns to the regulations. For secondary suites, the floor area may not exceed 40% of the gross floor area of the principal dwelling unit (excluding any attached garage). Type A residential home occupations are capped at 33% of the dwelling unit's floor area or 750 square feet, whichever is less. The Planning Director recommended (and the Village Board considered) Chapter 90 amendments lowering the maximum height of detached accessory structures to 20 feet or the height of the principal structure, increasing detached accessory-structure setbacks from 6 to 10 feet, and instituting a Building Area Ratio for new residential construction including additions and accessory buildings. Applicants should confirm current Table 90-110-8 numeric standards with the Planning Office and Zoning/Code Enforcement Officer Matt Soens (262-664-7810) before designing.
Constructing or occupying a backyard cottage or secondary suite without a Chapter 90 zoning permit, in a non-R District, on a lot that already contains the other ADU type, or in violation of the Table 90-110-8 lot and building standards is a Chapter 90 violation. Renting a backyard cottage for periods of less than seven consecutive days, exceeding the one-rental-unit-per-lot rule, or operating without the recorded deed restriction also violates the Accessory Uses and Structures provisions. Mount Pleasant enforces Chapter 90 through the Zoning/Code Enforcement Officer with permit revocation, stop-work orders, forfeitures, and injunctive relief through the Village Attorney under the general penalty provisions of the Code.
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