Wausau, WI Building Setbacks & Zoning: Lot Coverage Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Max impervious surface (SR-2)
- 45 percent of lot area
- Minimum lot area (SR-2)
- 15,000 square feet
- Minimum lot width (SR-2)
- 100 feet
- Governing law
- Title 23 Zoning, eff. Jan. 1, 2020
- Enforcing agency
- Div. of Inspection, Zoning & Electrical Systems
- General penalty
- $10-$200 forfeiture per offense per day
Summary
Wausau's Title 23 zoning code caps how much of a lot can be covered by buildings and paved surface, expressed as a maximum impervious surface ratio in each district's bulk table. In the SR-2 Single Family Residential-2 district, the city's most common single-family zone, the limit is 45 percent on a minimum 15,000-square-foot lot, enforced by the Division of Inspection, Zoning and Electrical Systems.
23.02.30 - (SR-2) Single Family Residential-2 Zoning District. ... (7)Density, intensity, and bulk regulations for the (SR-2) Single Family Residential-2 District. ... Minimum Lot Area 15,000 square feet Maximum Impervious Surface Ratio 45 percent Minimum Lot Width 100 feet Minimum Lot Depth 110 feet
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 12 Update 2).
Full Breakdown
Wausau's 2019 zoning rewrite, Title 23 of the Municipal Code, effective January 1, 2020, regulates lot coverage through a Maximum Impervious Surface Ratio line printed in the density, intensity and bulk table for each zoning district under Article II. 30(7) sets the ratio at 45 percent of lot area, applied to a minimum lot size of 15,000 square feet, a minimum lot width of 100 feet and a minimum lot depth of 110 feet. Impervious surface includes the building footprint plus driveways, patios, walkways and any other surface that sheds rather than absorbs stormwater, so a homeowner adding a large room, a detached garage and a paved driveway on a standard SR-2 lot must keep the combined coverage under the 45 percent ceiling.
10, confirms that all structures must comply with the requirements listed for each zoning district in Article II, meaning the impervious ratio applies alongside the district's setback, height and lot-area standards rather than in isolation. 51. 02 tables, so the applicable percentage always depends on the parcel's specific zoning district, not a single citywide number.
Violations & Fines
Building or paving beyond the maximum impervious surface ratio is an unlawful land use under Wausau Municipal Code Section 23.10.60(1), which bars any development activity that violates Title 23. The City reserves the right to order abatement and bill the property owner for the cost under Section 23.10.60(3). Because Title 23 sets no separate fine for this violation, the general municipal penalty in Section 1.01.110 applies: a forfeiture of not less than $10.00 nor more than $200.00 per offense, with each day a violation continues charged as a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the maximum lot coverage allowed in Wausau's SR-2 district?
Does the 45 percent limit apply to every lot in Wausau?
What happens if a property in Wausau exceeds its lot coverage limit?
Who enforces Wausau's lot coverage rules?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Wausau
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