Sauk County, WI Building Setbacks & Zoning: Setback Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Side setback
- 10 feet in most zoning districts
- Rear setback
- 25 feet residential; 10 feet commercial/industrial
- Front setback
- 10 feet in every zoning district
- Permit required
- Land use permit, Sec. 7.153
- Applies where
- Only in towns adopting county zoning
Summary
In unincorporated Sauk County, Sauk County Code § 7.094 sets a table of minimum yard setbacks by zoning district. Single-family, multiple-family, rural community and agricultural districts all require a 10-foot side setback, 25-foot rear setback and 10-foot front setback; commercial and industrial districts drop the rear setback to 10 feet. The Zoning Administrator reviews every setback through the land use permit process.
Sec. 7.094. - Lot area, lot coverage, setbacks, floor area, and building height. All lots created shall meet minimum lot area requirements. Except as otherwise provided under Sauk County Code Chapters 8 and 23 and Subchapter IX, lot area, width, setbacks, and building height shall be in accordance with the following: Zoning District (a) Minimum Lot Area (sq. ft.) (b) Minimum Lot Width at the Building Setback Line (ft.) (c) Principal and Accessory Structure Yard Minimum Setbacks (ft.) (d) Maximum Building Height (ft.) (1) Single Family Residential Sewered: 8,000 Unsewered: 20,000 100 Side: 10 Rear: 25 Front: 10
Full Breakdown
Sec. 7.094 covers every lot created in the county's nine zoning districts: Single Family Residential, Multiple Family Residential, Rural Community, Commercial, Recreational Commercial, Industrial, Exclusive Agriculture, Resource Conservancy and Agriculture. For single-family, multiple-family, rural community, exclusive agriculture, resource conservancy and agriculture districts, the side setback is 10 feet, the rear setback is 25 feet and the front setback is 10 feet. Commercial, recreational commercial and industrial districts hold the side and front setbacks at 10 feet but shrink the rear setback to 10 feet, and commercial and industrial parcels must also meet the additional setback increase in Sec.
7.096 once a structure exceeds 35 feet in height. The setback line runs from the lot line, not the road right-of-way; road setbacks are set separately under Sec. 7.098 at 50 feet from state and federal highways, 42 feet from county roads and 30 feet from town roads. Sec. 7.094 applies only where a town has adopted county zoning under Wisconsin Statutes Chapter 59; towns that have not adopted the county's zoning ordinance are not bound by this table, and Baraboo, Lake Delton and the other incorporated cities and villages set their own setbacks under their own codes.
A land use permit from the Zoning Administrator, required under Sec. 7.153, checks compliance before any structure is erected, and Sec. 7.153(7) requires a registered land surveyor's plat of survey whenever a structure is proposed within 10 feet of a required setback so the Zoning Administrator can confirm the distance before footings are poured.
Violations & Fines
Building within a required setback without land use permit approval is enforced under Sec. 7.155: the Zoning Administrator investigates and documents violations, and the Corporation Counsel may seek an injunction to remove or relocate the structure. Any person, firm or corporation that violates, resists, or fails to comply with the zoning chapter faces a forfeiture of not less than $50.00 and not more than $200.00 per day the violation continues, plus the costs of the enforcement action.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the 10-foot side setback apply to my property in unincorporated Sauk County?
What is the rear setback for a house in the Agriculture district?
Can I build closer than 10 feet from my county road right-of-way?
What happens if I build inside the required setback?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Sauk County
Compare Sauk County to another location·View the Wisconsin building setbacks & zoning overview
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