Wausau, WI Right to Farm: Agricultural Zoning Protection (2026)
Key Facts
- District
- RH-35 Rural Holding, § 23.02.20
- Density cap
- 1 dwelling per 35 gross acres
- Stated purpose
- protect farm operations from encroachment
- By-right uses
- cultivation, community garden, market garden
- Husbandry setback
- 300 ft from residential property (§ 23.03.26)
Summary
Wausau's Rural Holding (RH-35) zoning district exists specifically to protect farming: City Code Section 23.02.20(1) caps density at one home per 35 gross acres and states the district's purpose is to "protect existing farm operations from encroachment by incompatible uses" while preserving eligibility for farming incentive programs.
(1)Intent. This district intended to permit very low-density single family detached residential development at a density of no more than one dwelling unit for every 35 gross acres. This district acts as a "holding zone" to preserve productive agricultural lands in the long-term, protect existing farm operations from encroachment by incompatible uses, promote further investments in farming, and may maintain eligibility for farming incentive programs.
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
Wisconsin's right-to-farm protections run through state statute, but Wausau's own 2019 zoning rewrite backs that policy with a dedicated zoning district. " That density ceiling is the operative mechanism: by keeping non-farm housing sparse, the City limits the number of new residential neighbors who could otherwise object to ordinary farm activity like manure spreading, equipment noise, or early-morning fieldwork. RH-35 permits cultivation, community gardens and market gardens by right, and allows single-family dwelling units by right only on 35-acre lots, while smaller lots down to 15,000 square feet require a conditional use permit through the Plan Commission and Common Council.
26 fill out the picture for cultivation and husbandry operations wherever they are sited citywide: cultivation carries a minimum parking requirement of one space per employee, and husbandry (animal-raising) uses must keep animal buildings at least 300 feet from residentially zoned property. Land outside Wausau's city limits falls under Marathon County zoning instead, so this RH-35 protection applies only inside the city.
Violations & Fines
Wausau's RH-35 intent language is a zoning policy, not a criminal penalty provision; violations arise when a property owner exceeds the one-dwelling-per-35-acre density cap or builds a use RH-35 does not list without first securing a conditional use permit, which the Inspections and Zoning Division enforces through citation and permit denial under Title 23.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Wausau have a zoning district that protects farms?
Can I build a house on a small lot in Wausau's RH-35 district?
How far must farm animal buildings sit from houses in Wausau?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Wausau
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