Grant County, WI Building Setbacks & Zoning: Setback Rules (2026)

The Shoreland Protection Ordinance for Grant County, Wisconsin regulates lands in the unincorporated areas of the county within 1,000 feet of the ordinary high-water mark of navigable lakes, ponds or flowages, and within 300 feet of navigable rivers or streams or to the landward side of the floodplain, whichever distance is greater (§ 316-5). Section 316-24 says building setbacks are established to conform to health, safety and welfare requirements, preserve natural beauty, reduce flood hazards and avoid water pollution. The base rule in § 316-25A is a setback of 75 feet from the ordinary high-water mark to the nearest part of a building or structure, for all buildings and structures.

Section 316-26 reduces the setback for a proposed principal structure by averaging. With existing principal structures in both directions, the setback equals the average of their distances from the ordinary high-water mark, provided both are on adjacent lots, both are within 250 feet of the proposed structure and are the closest structures, and both are less than 75 feet from the water. With an existing principal structure in only one direction, the setback equals the average of that structure's distance and the required 75 feet, on the same adjacent-lot, 250-foot and less-than-75-feet conditions.

Either way the average setback cannot be reduced to less than 35 feet. Section 316-25B exempts listed structures, including boathouses, open-sided structures such as gazebos and decks, and walkways a maximum of 60 inches wide. Section 316-27 requires buildings in a floodplain to comply with any applicable floodplain zoning ordinance. A substandard lot can still be a building site under § 316-23 if it was never reconfigured, never developed across an adjacent lot and meets all other requirements; otherwise a variance from the Board of Adjustment is required. Under § 316-53A a permit from the Zoning Administrator is required before any new development.