Shed permit rules in Appleton, WI — also referred to as storage shed, backyard shed, or accessory building regulations — set size limits, setbacks, and when a building permit is required.
Sheds in Appleton are accessory buildings under Section 4-141 of the Appleton Municipal Code. Sheds under 50 square feet are exempt from a building permit but must still meet zoning. Sheds over 100 square feet require a concrete slab, sheds 150 square feet or larger are reclassified as a garage. All sheds must sit in a side or rear yard, at least 3 feet from any side or rear lot line, 10 feet from the principal building and 5 feet from any other accessory building.
Appleton's Department of Community Development - Building Inspections Division regulates sheds as accessory buildings under Section 4-141 of the Appleton Municipal Code. The published Sheds handout sets four core rules. First, classification: any accessory building 150 square feet or larger is treated as a garage rather than a shed, which triggers different zoning and building-permit requirements. Second, permits: sheds smaller than 50 square feet are exempt from a building permit but must still satisfy all zoning standards (location, setback and lot-coverage). Third, foundation: any shed over 100 square feet must be built on a concrete slab. Fourth, location: sheds may only be placed in the side or rear yard - never the front yard - and must sit at least 3 feet from any side or rear lot line, at least 10 feet from the principal dwelling, and at least 5 feet from any other accessory building. The published worksheet also notes a 5-foot setback if the property abuts an improved alley. Side-yard placement within the first 60 feet of lot depth follows the underlying residential district setback (8 feet in R-1A, 6 feet in R-1B and R-2, 5 feet in R-1C). Sheds also remain subject to Wisconsin Statute 62.23 zoning authority and to the Wisconsin Uniform Dwelling Code through Outagamie County for any electrical work. Building permit applications and Inspections Division contact (920-832-6411) are administered weekday mornings 8:00 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. at City Hall, 100 N. Appleton Street.
A shed installed without a required permit, in the front yard, or inside the 3-foot side or rear setback violates Section 4-141 and is enforceable by the Appleton Building Inspections Division. Typical responses include a stop-work order, an order to relocate or remove the structure, and after-the-fact permitting fees. Continued non-compliance is a code violation forfeiture under Section 1-16 of the Appleton Municipal Code and may be referred to the City Attorney for abatement.
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