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

Sec. 74-54's conventional-design table for the R-1 single-family residence district, the unsewered district for lots without public sewer, lists each yard separately: a rear yard minimum of 25 feet, a side yard minimum of 15 feet, and a graduated street-yard setback that depends on the road's classification, 25 feet from a subdivision road, 50 feet from a town road, 65 feet from a county road, and 85 feet from a state or federal highway that isn't a freeway. On top of those, any R-1 lot on a navigable water body carries a shore setback of minimum 75 feet.

The county's conservation-development option for R-1 subdivisions of five or more units uses smaller yards, 20 feet rear and 10 feet side, but still holds the shoreyard at an absolute minimum of 75 feet with no averaging permitted. Sec. 74-103 layers general modifications onto these base numbers: uncovered stairs, decks, balconies and fire escapes may project up to six feet into a required yard other than the shoreyard, so long as they stay at least three feet from the lot line; architectural features like eaves and chimneys may project up to three feet; and structures near a maintenance easement for utilities, dams or cell towers must sit back at least 10 feet from it. A county road setback can be reduced to 40 feet where the lot has written approval for both sanitary sewer and water hookup.