Shed permit rules in Burlington, WI β also referred to as storage shed, backyard shed, or accessory building regulations β set size limits, setbacks, and when a building permit is required.
Burlington regulates sheds as accessory structures under Chapter 315 (Zoning) of the City Code. Sheds are permitted in residential districts in the rear yard only, must sit at least three feet from any lot line and ten feet from any alley line, and are sized according to lot area: 720 sf maximum on lots up to 10,000 sf, scaling up to 900 sf on lots of 40,000 sf or more. Combined accessory footprints may not cover more than 20% of the required rear yard.
Chapter 315 of the City of Burlington Code sets the dimensional and locational limits for storage and tool sheds. Tool and storage sheds incidental to a residential use are listed as a permitted accessory use in the RS-2, RD-1, RM-1, and RM-2 residential districts. Location is restricted: an accessory structure may only be placed in the rear yard, never in the required street yard or front yard. Setbacks require the structure to be no closer than three feet to any side or rear lot line and no closer than ten feet to any alley line, although the alley setback may be reduced to the average of the abutting structures' alley setbacks but never less than five feet. Maximum size is governed by a graduated lot-area schedule: lots up to 10,000 sf permit a 720 sf shed, lots up to 15,000 sf permit 800 sf, lots up to 20,000 sf permit 850 sf, and lots of 40,000 sf or more permit 900 sf. The combined footprint of all accessory buildings may not occupy more than 20% of the required rear yard. Height is capped at the height of the principal structure or 25 feet, whichever is less. Building permits are issued by the Burlington Building Department under Chapter 115 (Building Construction) and the Wisconsin Uniform Dwelling Code (Wis. Admin. Code Chapters SPS 320-325) for any habitable accessory structure; non-habitable storage sheds still require zoning review for setback and size compliance. The underlying zoning authority traces to Wis. Stat. Β§62.23, which authorizes Wisconsin cities to adopt zoning ordinances regulating the size, location, and use of accessory buildings.
Building a shed without zoning approval, locating it outside the rear yard, placing it within three feet of a lot line or ten feet of an alley line, or exceeding the lot-area-based maximum size or 20% rear-yard coverage cap, can result in a stop-work order, an order to relocate or remove the structure, and forfeitures under the City's non-criminal-disposition schedule. Sheds erected without a required Uniform Dwelling Code permit can also be cited by the Building Department under Chapter 115 and Wis. Admin. Code SPS 320-325. Variances from the Chapter 315 dimensional standards are heard by the Burlington Zoning Board of Appeals.
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