Zoning
A TOWNSHIP BUILDING PERMIT IS NOT A COUNTY ZONING PERMIT!
Crawford County is not comprehensively zoned but does have Floodplain and Shoreland-Wetland Zoning Ordinances.
Federal, State, County, and local regulations STILL APPLY, especially near water!
PERMITS MUST BE SECURED PRIOR TO COMMENCING CONSTRUCTION OR SITE ACTIVITY OF ANY KIND! (Penalties apply)
THERE IS A 75' SETBACK FOR IMPROVEMENTS and SITE WORK RESTRICTIONS WITHIN 300' OF A NAVIGABLE RIVER OR STREAM.
Many dry ditches, ravines, etc., are navigable; disputed navigability or ordinary high water mark determined by WI DNR.
DEVELOPMENT IN MAPPED FLOODPLAINS MUST HAVE:
Elevation Certificate - required for zoning compliance (also National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), mortgages, etc.)
- must be completed by WI licensed professional engineer or surveyor
Foundation & Anchoring Plan - must be completed by WI licensed professional engineer or architect
Crawford County - administers ordinance in unincorporated areas - Townships administer additional ordinances
Cities and Villages - administer ordinances independently of the County
Crawford County Chapter 16 - Shoreland-Wetland Zoning Ordinance
Crawford County Chapter 20 - Floodplain Zoning Ordinance
Contact LOCAL CLERKS for BUILDING PERMITS and Driveway Permits
Click here to download Clerk Directory and UDC Building Inspectors
Click here to download Zoning Permit Application
Crawford County Chapter 16 - Shoreland-Wetland Zoning Ordinance
SHORELAND-WETLAND ZONING
Counties, cities and villages are required to adopt shoreland-wetland zoning ordinances to regulate activities in wetlands in the shoreland zone. The minimum standards for shoreland-wetland zoning ordinances are found in Chapter NR 115, Wis. Admin. Code , for counties and in Chapter NR 117, Wis. Admin. Code , for cities and villages. While they are slightly different, the standards in Chapter NR 115 and 117 establish uses that may be permitted in a wetland in the shoreland zone and any uses that are not listed in the zoning ordinance are prohibited.
SHORELAND ZONING JURISDICTION
Shoreland zoning rules apply to unincorporated land that is:
- within 1,000 feet of a navigable lake, flowage, or pond
OR
- within 300 feet of a navigable stream, or the landward side of a floodplain, whichever is greater.
In this figure, shoreland zoning rules apply in the shaded areas:
Crawford County Chapter 20 - Floodplain Zoning Ordinance
Wisconsin has required communities (counties, cities, villages) to regulate floodplains since 1968 under Chapter NR 116. Floodplain regulations are used to reduce flood risk and maintain the natural values of undeveloped floodplains. Wisconsin chose to enact floodplain management standards which exceed the minimum standards of the National Flood Insurance Program in order to ensure that development in flood prone areas has a reduced risk to flooding. The floods of 2008 and 2010 exceeded the anticipated base flood. Development built to meet the higher Wisconsin standards had reduced levels of damage.
Federal Standards
The federal government has set standards for floodplain management as part of the requirements for participating in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) since 1968. The requirements for the NFIP can be found in 44 Code of Federal Regulation 59-72 .
Local Ordinances
Local floodplain ordinances must meet the requirements in ch. NR 116 and 44 CFR 59-72 if the community participates in the NFIP. Many communities have the local ordinance posted on the community website. The first point of contact for questions about floodplain management should be your county, city or village zoning administrator or other responsible official.
Floodplain Definitions
The floodplain is land that has been or may be covered by floodwater during the regional flood. The floodplain includes the floodway and floodfringe areas. These areas are labeled on the Flood Insurance Rate Maps as A, AE, A1-30, AO or AH zones.
The floodway is the channel of a river or stream and those portions of the floodplain adjoining the channel required to carry the regional flood discharge. The floodway is the most dangerous part of the floodplain -- it is associated with moving water.
The floodfringe is the portion of the floodplain outside of the floodway that is covered by flood water during the regional flood. The term floodfringe is generally associated with standing water rather than flowing water. Development is allowed in the floodfringe subject to local floodplain ordinance requirements.
The regional flood is the same as the 100-year flood, the 1-percent chance flood, or the base flood (FEMA).
The regional flood elevation is the elevation determined to be representative of large floods known to have occurred in Wisconsin or which may be expected to occur on a particular lake, river, or stream at a frequency of 1% during any given year. (Wisconsin only)
The base flood elevation is the elevation determined by FEMA to which flood water is expected to rise during the base flood.
The flood protection elevation is an elevation that is two feet above the regional flood elevation. (Wisconsin only)
Benzing Surveying LLC - Ryland Benzing
808 5th Ave SW Waukon, IA 52172
563-568-2136
ryland@benzingsurveying.com
Due North Surveying LLC - Jacob Mohn
1890 Great River Rd Lansing, IA 52151
563-419-3930
duenorthsurveyingllc@gmail.com
River Valley Land Surveying LLC - Richard and Daniel Marks
721 Kennedy St Sauk City, WI 53583
608-643-4391 or 608-434-3034
rich@rvls.net
Vierbicher
108 W Blackhawk Ave
Prairie du Chien, WI 53821
608-326-1051
Click here to download the Surveyors Contact List
This list is not comprehensive nor an endorsement of the surveyors listed.
The Surface Water Data Viewer (SWDV) is a DNR data delivery system that provides interactive web mapping tools for a wide variety of datasets including chemistry (water, sediment), physical and biological (macroinvertebrate, fish) data.
Click here to visit the WI DNR Surface Water Data Viewer
The FEMA Flood Map Service Center (MSC) is the official public source for flood hazard information produced in support of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). Use the MSC to find your official flood map, access a range of other flood hazard products, and take advantage of tools for better understanding flood risk.
Click here to visit the FEMA Flood Map Service Center
Laws & Regulations
- Chapter NR 115 , Wis. Admin. Code - Wisconsin's Shoreland Management Program
- Chapter NR 116 , Wis. Admin. Code - Wisconsin's Floodplain Management Program
- Chapter NR 117 , Wis. Admin. Code - Wisconsin's City and Village Shoreland-Wetland Protection Program
Educational Videos
Educational Links
- WI DNR Waterway Regulations & Public Trust Doctrine
- Shoreland Development Density and Impervious Surfaces