Menasha's Accessory Structures: The Rules That Matter

Every city handles accessory structures a little differently. In Menasha, Wisconsin, there are 2 distinct rules that residents and property owners should be aware of. Some are stricter than what neighboring cities enforce, and others are more relaxed. Here is what you need to know.

Shed Rules

Sheds in Menasha are 'unattached accessory buildings' under the Title 13 zoning code. The Garage, Shed & Accessory Structure Factsheet (current as of 12/6/2022) caps an accessory building (non-garage) at 200 square feet, requires 3-foot rear and side yard setbacks, a 25-foot front yard setback (or prevailing setback), and bars any shed between the principal building and the street right-of-way. Detached garages and accessory buildings combined cannot occupy more than 30 percent of the rear yard, sidewalls cannot exceed 12 feet, and overall height cannot exceed 18 feet or the height of the principal building.

Key details: Max Shed Size: 200 sqft. Side/Rear Setback: 3 ft (over 8 ft from house). Front Yard Sheds: Prohibited. Rear Yard Coverage: 30% max. Max Height: 18 ft / 12 ft sidewall.

A shed installed without a building permit, in a front yard, in violation of the 3-foot setbacks, or in excess of the 200-square-foot accessory-building cap violates the Title 13 zoning code and the Building Code (Title 15). Building Inspections (920-967-3655) and Community Development (920-967-3650) enforce the rules with stop-work orders, orders to relocate or remove the structure, and after-the-fact permitting. Continued non-compliance is a separate offense for each day under the chronic-nuisance-premises article (Sec. 11-7-8) and is also a public nuisance under Sec. 11-7-2(a) for accessory structures not maintained in good repair, with abatement available under Sec. 11-7-6.

ADU Rules

Menasha regulates accessory structures and accessory uses through Title 13 (Zoning) of the Menasha Municipal Code, adopted under Wis. Stat. Sec. 62.23. Section 13-1.G governs Satellite Earth Stations, Television/Radio Antenna Towers, Wind Energy Systems, Accessory Uses, and Home Occupations. Detached garages and accessory buildings have explicit setback, size, and height limits: 3 ft minimum side and rear yard if located 8 ft or more from the principal structure (8 ft rear / 6 ft side if closer), max 18 ft overall height, max 12 ft sidewall height, and may not occupy more than 30 percent of any rear yard. Accessory buildings (sheds) are capped at 200 sq ft. Detached garage size caps depend on district: 816 sq ft in R-1/R-1a; 624 sq ft per dwelling unit in R-2/R-2a.

Key details: Title 13 is: Title 13 is the Menasha Zoning Code; Sec. 13-1.G covers accessory uses. Detached garage/accessory building: Detached garage/accessory building 8+ ft from principal: 3. Detached garage/accessory building: Detached garage/accessory building under 8 ft from principal:. Retaining Wall: Max overall height 18 ft; max sidewall height 12 ft. Accessory building (shed): Accessory building (shed) max size 200 sq ft.

Building, expanding, or occupying an accessory structure or garage without zoning approval and a building permit is a violation of Title 13. Common violations include exceeding the 30 percent rear-yard coverage cap, exceeding 18 ft overall or 12 ft sidewall height, exceeding the 200 sq ft cap for accessory buildings or the 816/624 sq ft caps for detached garages, and locating a structure inside the required setbacks. Enforcement is handled by the Code Enforcement Specialist and may include stop-work orders, citations and forfeitures, and orders to remove or modify non-conforming structures.

The Bottom Line

Menasha's accessory structures rules are a mixed bag. Some areas are strict, others are relaxed, and the details matter. The best approach is to check the specific rule that applies to your situation rather than assuming Menasha is broadly strict or permissive.

All of the above reflects Menasha's municipal code as of our last review. If you need specifics on fines, exemptions, or filing requirements, the detailed ordinance pages linked above have the full breakdown.