Shed permit rules in Green Bay, 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.
Sheds in Green Bay are detached residential accessory structures regulated under Section 44-590 and Table 44-4 of the Green Bay Municipal Code. Sheds under 50 square feet are exempt from a building permit but must still meet zoning. Detached sheds in one- and two-family districts must sit behind the principal building (or in the side yard not abutting a street) with a 4-foot side and 4-foot rear setback (2-1/2 feet on narrow lots), a 55-foot front setback, and at least 3 feet between accessory structures.
Green Bay's Community and Economic Development Department - Inspections Division regulates sheds as detached residential accessory structures under Section 44-590 (Residential accessory buildings) of the Green Bay Municipal Code. The published Shed Permit Application Guide and Table 44-4 set the controlling rules. First, permits: a building permit is not required if the shed is less than 50 square feet, but zoning still applies. Second, location: Section 44-590(c)(1) requires detached accessory structures to be located to the side or rear of the principal building and prohibits them in the required front yard or in any side yard abutting a street. Third, setbacks under Table 44-4 for one- and two-family lots: 55-foot front yard, 4-foot side yard, 4-foot rear yard, and 3 feet between structures; lots less than 60 feet wide need only a 2-1/2-foot side yard, and lots less than 90 feet deep need only a 2-1/2-foot rear yard. Fourth, size and number: each one- or two-family lot is allowed two detached structures, with the first up to 1,000 square feet per dwelling unit and the second up to 150 square feet. Fifth, height: maximum 16 feet to the peak with a 10-foot maximum side wall height. Sixth, lot coverage: no more than 30 percent of the required rear yard may be covered by accessory structures, and at least 50 percent of the lot must remain pervious green space or a variance is required. Seventh, materials: metal-exterior sheds are capped at 120 square feet in residential zones unless a conditional use permit is granted under Section 44-590(c)(3). Eighth, design: Section 44-590(a) requires the design, exterior materials, roof style, and colors to be similar to or commonly associated with the main residence. Ninth, fire separation: Wisconsin Administrative Code SPS 321.08 requires a 3/4-hour fire-rated wall and 1/3-hour rated openings if the shed sits less than 5 feet from the dwelling or less than 3 feet from a property line. Anchoring is required under the Shed Permit Application Guide regardless of size. Permits are administered by the Inspections Division at 100 N. Jefferson Street, Room 608, (920) 448-3300.
A shed installed without a required permit, in front of the principal structure, in a side yard abutting a street, or inside the 4-foot setback violates Section 44-590 and is enforceable by the Green Bay 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 Chapter 44 zoning forfeiture and may be referred to the City Attorney for abatement.
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