Town of White River fence permit

How to file for a fence permit in the Town of White River

Steps based on ashlandcountywi.gov — zoning

1. Call Ashland County Zoning Administration (715-682-7000, Courthouse Rm 109, 201 Main St W, Ashland) and ask whether your fence needs a land use permit, especially if it is near water (shoreland).
2. If told a permit is needed, apply through the County's online Catalis portal or by mail/in person at the Zoning Administration office; checks are payable to Ashland County Zoning Administration.
3. Call Diggers Hotline (811) at least 3 business days before digging.

Paying

Pay online by credit card, in person, or by mail (checks payable to Ashland County Zoning Administration); permits are not issued until fees are paid

Other rules to know

• The Town of White River follows the Ashland County zoning ordinance, so fence permits come from the county zoning office, not the town.
• No fence rule or fence permit was found for Ashland County zoning. The County Zoning page lists online permits only for an Accessory Building Permit, a Dwelling Permit and a Shoreland Grading Permit (Catalis portal); the County permit application form (Dwelling, Accessory Structure, Non-Plumbing, Alteration-Addition, Sanitary, Fill/Grade, Other) does not mention fences.
• The County's ordinance index lists a 1934 Zoning Ordinance amended in 2002 and 2018, and shoreland, floodplain and subdivision ordinances. The archived 1934 text on energyzoning.org does not mention fences; the current amended text could not be found online.
• Coverage: the Town of Jacobs and Town of Chippewa comprehensive plans state that zoning is exercised through Ashland County. The 1934 ordinance text lists Agenda, Ashland, Gingles, Gordon, Jacobs, Marengo, Morse, Sanborn, Shanagolden and White River. Chippewa is included on the strength of its comprehensive plan only. The Town of La Pointe has its own zoning (separate entry); Peeksville is a separate entry because it was not confirmed.
• Same-name trap: Wisconsin also has a Town of Gordon in Douglas County (gordonwi-douglas.gov). The one here is the Town of Gordon listed by Ashland County.
• Town clerks (from the Ashland County website): Town of Ashland, LeeAnn Hermanson, 507-254-0875, [email protected]; Town of Gingles, Laura A. Martinsen, 715-685-8452, [email protected]; Town of Morse, Theresa Koosmann, 715-681-0456, [email protected]; Town of Sanborn, Jamie Weaver, 715-292-3581; Town of White River, Valerie Jolma, 715-413-8090, [email protected]. Clerks for Agenda, Chippewa, Gordon, Jacobs, Marengo and Shanagolden were not found on an official page.
• Land use permit fee schedule shows 'FAILURE TO OBTAIN PERMIT RESULTS IN A DOUBLE PERMIT FEE'; no fence fee is listed.

Before you dig

Call Diggers Hotline at 811 (or file online at diggershotline.com) at least 3 business days before digging post holes. Find your lot corner markers and keep the fence on your side of the line. County parcel maps can be off by several feet; if you're not sure where the line is, a licensed land surveyor can stake it.

Frequently asked questions

Sources

Summarized from the Town of White River's own ordinances, forms and permit pages. Each link opens the original.

1. ashlandcountywi.gov — zoning
2. ashlandcountywi.gov — municipalities
3. ashlandcountywi.gov — Ordinances Indexing 9 2025
4. energyzoning.org — Zoning ordinance (archived copy)
5. townoflapointewi.gov — ashland co. permit app 2025
6. ashlandcountywi.gov — Jacobs policy
7. ashlandcountywi.gov — Chippewa policy
8. ashlandcountywi.gov — town ashland
9. ashlandcountywi.gov — town gingles
10. ashlandcountywi.gov — town morse
11. ashlandcountywi.gov — town sanborn
12. ashlandcountywi.gov — town white river