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Polk County, Wisconsin

County Zoning (Polk County) fence permit

Do you need a fence permit in the County Zoning (Polk County)? Not confirmed. Contact County Zoning (Polk County) before you build; the rules below are what we found in the ordinance.

buildit.dog can turn a fence drawn on an aerial photo of your lot into a complete permit application package for County Zoning (Polk County) (site plan, aerial photo and filled-in details) in a few minutes. Start with your address.

Quick facts

Permit required
Not confirmed source
Side and rear yards
Privacy fence: 6 ft max. Open fence: 8 ft max. source
Corner lots
No structures in the road vision clearance triangle source
Distance from lot line
Codified county zoning (Ch. 42, 2022 print): privacy fences 2 ft from rear and side lines unless neighbor gives written permission; open fences exempt from side-yard setbacks; road setbacks apply. The same text also says 'All fences are exempt from side and rear yard setbacks', so confirm. source
How to apply
Call 715-485-9279 source

Still being confirmed with County Zoning: Does Polk County require a land use permit for a residential fence in a county-zoned town?

Plan your fence and build the applicationLook up your address, draw the fence on an aerial photo of your lot, and get a site plan and filled-in application.

How to file for a fence permit in the County Zoning (Polk County)

Steps based on townofeureka.org — permits

  1. Call Polk County Zoning at 715-485-9279 (Eureka's town page gives 715-485-9111) to ask whether your fence needs a land use permit.
  2. If yes, apply on the county's land use permit form to the Zoning Administrator.
  3. Call Diggers Hotline (811) at least 3 business days before digging.
Paying
Fee set by county committee (amount not found)
Permit good for
12 months if no action taken (Sec. 42-146)

Who to contact

Phone
715-485-9279
Hours
Mon-Fri 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
Address
Polk County Land Information - Zoning, 100 Polk County Plaza, Suite 130, Balsam Lake, WI 54810

Contact from polkcountywi.gov — zoning

Other rules to know

  • Only Town of Black Brook (town website) and Town of Eureka (town website) were confirmed as using Polk County zoning. The UW-Extension Rural Living Guide says 17 of the county's 24 towns have adopted county zoning but does not name them. The towns in this list marked 'call' have not been confirmed either way.
  • County ordinance requires a land use permit from the Zoning Administrator before any activity or development; fees are set by the county committee; permits expire 12 months after issue if no action. Whether a fence needs a land use permit is not stated in the text read.
  • Older version (Res. 37-20) also lists fences as accessory structures and defines a privacy fence the same way.
  • Town of Eureka Clerk David Anderson 715-483-9899 ([email protected]); Town of Black Brook Town Hall 715-263-2932, 99 75th Street, Clear Lake, WI 54005.

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

Do I need a permit to build a fence in the County Zoning (Polk County), WI?

Not confirmed. Contact County Zoning (Polk County) before you build; the rules below are what we found in the ordinance.

How tall can a fence be in the County Zoning (Polk County)?

Side and rear yards: Privacy fence: 6 ft max. Open fence: 8 ft max.. Corner lots: No structures in the road vision clearance triangle.

How close to the property line can I put a fence in the County Zoning (Polk County)?

Codified county zoning (Ch. 42, 2022 print): privacy fences 2 ft from rear and side lines unless neighbor gives written permission; open fences exempt from side-yard setbacks; road setbacks apply. The same text also says 'All fences are exempt from side and rear yard setbacks', so confirm.

How do I apply for a fence permit in the County Zoning (Polk County)?

Call Polk County Zoning at 715-485-9279 (Eureka's town page gives 715-485-9111) to ask whether your fence needs a land use permit. If yes, apply on the county's land use permit form to the Zoning Administrator. Call Diggers Hotline (811) at least 3 business days before digging. buildit.dog can turn a fence drawn on an aerial photo of your lot into a complete permit application package for County Zoning (Polk County) (site plan, aerial photo and filled-in details) in a few minutes.

Who do I contact about a fence permit in the County Zoning (Polk County)?

Polk County Land Information - Zoning. Phone 715-485-9279.

Sources

Summarized from County Zoning (Polk County)'s own ordinances, forms and permit pages. Each link opens the original.

Ordinance: Polk County Code Ch. 42 Zoning (Comprehensive Land Use Ordinance)

  1. energyzoning.org — Zoning ordinance (archived copy)
  2. zoneomics.com — Municipal code: chapter 1
  3. cms5.revize.com — Res 37 20 Amended Polk County Comprehensive Land Use w 9 16 Amendments FINAL FOR WEB(1)
  4. polkcountywi.gov — zoning
  5. polkcountywi.gov — faq
  6. polk.extension.wisc.edu — Rural Living Guide 2015 PolkCounty revised 5 15
  7. blackbrookwi.gov — zoning
  8. townofeureka.org — permits
  9. blackbrookwi.gov

Work for County Zoning (Polk County)? Help us keep this right

If anything on this page is wrong or out of date, tell us and we'll fix it. Municipal staff reports are reviewed first. Please include a link to the current ordinance, form or fee schedule if you can.