Town of Chilton fence permit
Do you need a fence permit in the Town of Chilton? Not confirmed. Contact the Town of Chilton before you build; the rules below are what we found in the ordinance.
permit.guide can turn a fence drawn on an aerial photo of your lot into a complete permit application package for the Town of Chilton (site plan, aerial photo and filled-in details) in a few minutes. Start with your address.
Quick facts
- Permit required
- Not confirmed source
- Front (street) yard
- Open fences may be placed between the setback line and the highway right-of-way (closed fences are not listed in that exception) source
- Corner lots
- No structure over 3 feet in a vision clearance triangle (150 ft from centerline intersection on town roads outside a platted subdivision, 125 ft inside one, 200 ft county roads, 250 ft state/federal roads; 25 ft along lot lines for sewered platted-subdivision lots) source
- How to apply
- Email, mail, in person source
Still being confirmed with Chilton: Does a fence 4 ft or taller need a Town zoning permit, and what is the fee? Does the December 2025 zoning ordinance keep the same fence provisions (fences under 4 ft exempt as minor structures; 3 ft vision-triangle limit)?
How to file for a fence permit in the Town of Chilton
Steps based on townofchiltonwi.gov — Building Permit Application revB
- Call the Town office (920-849-4720, Mon-Thu 8am-4pm) to ask whether your fence needs a Town zoning permit and get the form.
- Submit the application (Building Permit Application rev B) with any plans or drawings and a check payable to the Town of Chilton, by mail or in person (N4695 County Road BB, Chilton, WI 53014) or by email ([email protected]), about a week before you plan to start.
- Call Diggers Hotline (811) at least 3 business days before digging.
- Paying
- Check payable to the Town of Chilton, returned with the application
- Review time
- Plans or drawings are reviewed and approved, which can take up to a week (building permit application)
Who to contact
Sheila Koehler-Oakley
Building applications and permits
- Phone
- 920-849-4720
- [email protected]
- Hours
- Mon-Thu 8am-4pm, or by appointment
- Address
- Town of Chilton, N4695 County Road BB, Chilton, WI 53014
Contact from townofchiltonwi.gov — building inspector
What to submit
Other rules to know
- Town Zoning Ordinance §24.411(A): all accessory buildings and structures require a zoning permit except listed exemptions, which include minor structures and agricultural fences meeting Ch. 90, Wis. Stats.; the definition of 'minor structure' includes walls and fences under four feet in height. Fences 4 ft or taller therefore appear to need a zoning permit (not stated outright).
- Separately, the Town requires a building permit for home projects of $4,000.00 or more in material cost (repairs and remodels under $4,000 are exempt).
- Calumet County shoreland zoning (Chapter 52) applies in all unincorporated (town) areas within 1,000 ft of a lake/pond/flowage or 300 ft of a navigable river or stream; a county permit may be needed near water.
- The Zoning Administration page lists no zoning administrator by name (only McMahon's wetland delineator, 920-751-4200).
- Building inspections: Jon Zarate, McMahon Engineers/Architects, 920-751-4200.
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 Town of Chilton, WI?
Not confirmed. Contact the Town of Chilton before you build; the rules below are what we found in the ordinance.
How tall can a fence be in the Town of Chilton?
Front (street) yard: Open fences may be placed between the setback line and the highway right-of-way (closed fences are not listed in that exception). Corner lots: No structure over 3 feet in a vision clearance triangle (150 ft from centerline intersection on town roads outside a platted subdivision, 125 ft inside one, 200 ft county roads, 250 ft state/federal roads; 25 ft along lot lines for sewered platted-subdivision lots).
How do I apply for a fence permit in the Town of Chilton?
Call the Town office (920-849-4720, Mon-Thu 8am-4pm) to ask whether your fence needs a Town zoning permit and get the form. Submit the application (Building Permit Application rev B) with any plans or drawings and a check payable to the Town of Chilton, by mail or in person (N4695 County Road BB, Chilton, WI 53014) or by email ([email protected]), about a week before you plan to start. Call Diggers Hotline (811) at least 3 business days before digging. permit.guide can turn a fence drawn on an aerial photo of your lot into a complete permit application package for the Town of Chilton (site plan, aerial photo and filled-in details) in a few minutes.
Who do I contact about a fence permit in the Town of Chilton?
Sheila Koehler-Oakley, Building applications and permits. Phone 920-849-4720, email [email protected].
Sources
Summarized from the Town of Chilton's own ordinances, forms and permit pages. Each link opens the original.
Ordinance: Town of Chilton Zoning Ordinance Ch. 24 (posted Dec. 2025), §24.202, §24.410(E)-(G), §24.411(A)
- townofchiltonwi.gov — Zoning Ordinance town chilton
- townofchiltonwi.gov — building inspector
- townofchiltonwi.gov — Building Permit Application revB
- townofchiltonwi.gov — zoning administration
- townofchiltonwi.gov — departments
- townofchiltonwi.gov — 2026 Fee Schedule town chilton
- ledgeviewnaturecenter.org — Zoning
- energyzoning.org — Zoning ordinance (archived copy)
- townofchiltonwi.gov — ordinances
Work for the Town of Chilton? 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.