Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Franklin, Wisconsin

Franklin’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Construction of any building or mechanical system inside Franklin city limits.

  • A valid permit from the Department of Inspection Services must be obtained before construction begins.

  “No owner or contractor may commence construction of any building or mechanical system prior to obtaining a valid permit from the Department of Inspection Services.”

• Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

  Buildings and mechanical systems inside Franklin city limits.

  • The incorporated Wisconsin codes are as amended from time to time.
  • Franklin has Certified Municipality Status.
  • The Building Inspector administers and enforces the section.

  “The City hereby adopts and incorporates by reference the Wisconsin Uniform Building Code, as amended from time to time, the Wisconsin Administrative Code Chapters SPS 302.31 Plan Review Fee Schedule, SPS 305 Credentials, SPS 316 Electrical Code, SPS 320-325 Uniform Dwelling Code, SPS 327 Campgrounds, SPS 361-366 Commercial Building Code, SPS 375-379 Buildings Constructed Prior to 1914, SPS 381-387 Uniform Plumbing Code, as amended from time to time.”

• InspectionsLimited

  Radiant heating units installed inside Franklin city limits.

  • The unit cannot be operated until the Building Inspection Division has been called for an inspection and has granted final approval.

  “Inspection. No person shall operate or permit the operation of a radiant heating unit without first calling for an inspection and receiving final approval from the Building Inspection Division.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside Franklin city limits.

  • The Unified Development Ordinance was adopted by the Franklin Common Council.

  “[HISTORY: Adopted by the Common Council of the City of Franklin 5-6-2025 by Ord. No. 2025-2675]”

• Mandatory utility hookupWater and sewer (with conditions)

  Subdivision plats, certified survey maps, and condominiums inside Franklin city limits when public water and sanitary sewer facilities are available.

  • When public sanitary sewer is available, the developer must make sewer service available to each lot or dwelling unit.
  • When public water is available, the developer must make water service available to each lot or dwelling unit.
  • Where public water is unavailable, the Common Council may allow adequate private systems meeting Wisconsin standards.

  “When public sanitary sewer facilities are available to the Subdivision Plat, Certified Survey Map or condominium, the subdivider or condominium developer shall construct sanitary sewer facilities in such a manner as to make adequate sanitary sewer service available to each lot within the Subdivision or Certified Survey Map or dwelling unit within a condominium.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Subdivision, development, and platting of land inside Franklin city limits.

  • Subdivision improvements are conditions of approval and are financed by the developer.

  “Establish reasonable rules and regulations governing the subdivision, development and platting of land, the preparation of plats, the location and extension of streets and highways, the installation of utilities and the provision of necessary public grounds for parks, playgrounds, and public open space;”

• Driveway accessRequired

  Lots in subdivisions, certified survey maps, and condominiums inside Franklin city limits.

  • Each lot must front or abut a public street, unless a dedicated public-street access right-of-way at least 60 feet wide is provided.

  minimum dedicated access right-of-way width: >= 60 feet (Applies where a parcel does not front on a public street due to right-of-way width or other site conditions.)

  “Access. Each lot shall front or abut a public street. In the event any parcel does not front on a public street, due to the street's right-of-way width or other site conditions, a dedicated right-of-way providing access to the parcel from a public street, with a minimum width of sixty (60) feet, shall be provided.”

• Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

  Building permits inside Franklin city limits.

  • The City Council determines the building permit fee.

  “The building permit fee shall be determined by the City Council.”

Rules another office applies inside Franklin

Franklin does not set these itself; the county, a health district or the state does, and they apply to every address inside its limits.

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  R-C Countryside Residence District inside Franklin city limits.

  • Lots not served by public sanitary sewer and water supply facilities are subject to § 15-8-02.

  minimum lot area: >= 40000 square feet · minimum lot width: >= 150 feet · minimum lot depth: >= 110 feet

  “Lot Area (sq ft) | 40,000* | 18,000 | 10,000 | 12,000** | 7,200”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — A Agricultural District inside Franklin city limits.

    “Standard | B-N | B-G | B-R | B-MU | B-SM | B-P | LI | A | A-P | I | P”

• SetbacksSpecified

  R-C Countryside Residence District inside Franklin city limits.

  • A detached garage may have a 10-foot minimum rear setback.

  front setback: >= 60 feet · street-side setback: >= 45 feet · interior-side setback: >= 20 feet · rear setback: >= 30 feet (10 feet is allowed for detached garages.)

  “Front (ft) | 60 | 45 | 30 | 15 | 25”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — A Agricultural District inside Franklin city limits.

    “Front (ft) | 25 | 25 | 40 | 30(1) | 10 | 50 | 30 | 50 | 50 | 30 | 50”

• Lot coverageSpecified

  R-C Countryside Residence District inside Franklin city limits.

  • Impervious surface coverage includes buildings, porches, decks, patios, terraces, pools, paved parking, driveways, and walkways.

  maximum impervious surface coverage: <= 20 percent

  “Impervious Surface Coverage (%) | 20 | 40 | 50 | 60 | 40”

• Building heightSpecified

  A Agricultural District inside Franklin city limits.

  • Specified architectural projections and special structures may exceed district height limits.

  maximum building height: <= 35 feet (Subject to § 15-3-03 height exceptions.)

  “Height Building (ft) | 40 | 40 | 50 | 50(2) | 40 | 95 | 45 | 35 | 35 | 45 | 40”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — R-C Countryside Residence District inside Franklin city limits.

    “Building Height (ft) | 35 | 35 | 35 | 35 | 35”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Franklin or Milwaukee County directly.

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residential construction inside Franklin city limits.
• Minimum dwelling size — Principal dwellings inside Franklin city limits.
• Living in an RV — Residential occupancy of recreational vehicles on private land inside Franklin city limits.
• Camping on your land — Temporary camping on private land inside Franklin city limits.
• Tiny homes — Tiny-home occupancy inside Franklin city limits.

Each answer was extracted from an official source and independently re-checked against that source by a second reviewer. That is an evidence check, not legal advice. Rules change; confirm with the authority before you buy or build.

Off-grid gear

Going off-grid in Franklin means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

• Water Crystal Quest Filter any source — well, rain, or creek — to drinking-clean.
• Power Bluetti Solar generators and home battery backup for living off the grid.
• Septic Soil percolation test kit Run your own perc test before paying an engineer — the first thing a septic office asks about.
• Water Well water test kit Bacteria, nitrates, hardness — know what the well on a parcel is really pumping.

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