Environmental Rules in Jefferson County, WI (2026)
4 rules for unincorporated Jefferson County, Wisconsin.
Verified from official government sources
Stormwater Management
Jefferson County Code § 16-35(e) requires anyone platting a new subdivision to build stormwater drainage facilities, which may include curbs and gutters, catchbasins, storm sewers, road ditches and open channels, sized and graded to the county engineer's specifications before development proceeds.
Jefferson County Subdivision Stormwater Rule
Some RestrictionsJefferson County Code § 16-35(e)
(e)Stormwater drainage facilities. The subdivider shall construct stormwater drainage facilities, which may include curbs and gutters, catchbasins and inlets, storm sewers, road ditches and open channels, as may be required.(1)All such facilities are to be of adequate size and grade to hydraulically accommodate maximum potential volumes of flow, the type of facility required, the design criteri...
Flood Zones
In the towns under Jefferson County zoning, no structure, fill, or land use change is allowed in a mapped floodway, floodfringe, or general floodplain district without a land use permit from the zoning administrator. Building without one is a violation punishable under the county's general forfeiture penalty, with each day counted as a separate offense.
Floodplain Development Permit, Jefferson County
Significant RestrictionsJefferson County Code §§ 6-184(f), 6-304(b), 6-313
(f)Compliance.(1)No structure or use within areas regulated by this article shall hereafter be located, erected, constructed, reconstructed, repaired, extended, converted, enlarged, or altered without full compliance with the terms of these regulations and all other applicable regulations that apply to uses within the jurisdiction of these regulations.(2)Failure to obtain a floodplain developme...
Boat Dock Permits
In the towns under Jefferson County zoning, a private boat dock or pier is only an accessory use, and only in the W Waterfront District. County Code Section 22-410 limits docks and piers to private residential use, allows boathouses that meet the referenced structural standards, and bars any commercial dock use outright as an accessory activity.
Jefferson County Boat Dock and Pier Rules
Some RestrictionsJefferson County Code § 22-410
(a)Accessory uses in the W Waterfront District are as follows: ... (4)Boathouses, provided that standards of section 22-929 are met.(5)Boat docks and piers for private residential usage only. ... (b)No accessory structure may be used for human occupancy.
Flood Elevation Requirements
In the towns under Jefferson County zoning, floodplain construction standards are keyed to a flood protection elevation set two feet above the regional flood elevation, not the base flood elevation alone. New residential construction in the floodfringe must have its lowest floor raised to that elevation on fill extending at least 15 feet beyond the structure.
Two-Foot Freeboard Rule, Jefferson County
Some RestrictionsJefferson County Code §§ 6-181, 6-247(1)a
Flood protection elevation means an elevation of two feet of freeboard above the Regional Flood Elevation (also see Freeboard.) ... Freeboard means a safety factor expressed in terms of a specified number of feet above a calculated flood level. Freeboard compensates for any factors that cause flood heights greater than those calculated, including ice jams, debris accumulation, wave action, obst...
All Jefferson County ordinances
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