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City of Watertown, WI chevron_right chevron_right Part III: Land Use Legislation chevron_right Chapter 550 Zoning
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Chapter 550 Zoning

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New Laws

Title Adopted Subject Affects
Ord. No. 26-01  pdf
2025-02-16
Zoning Amendment
Ch 550
Ord. No. 26-04  pdf
2026-03-17
Zoning Amendment
Ch 550
Ord. No. 26-06  pdf
2026-03-17
Zoning Amendment
Ch 550
[HISTORY: Adopted by the Common Council of the City of Watertown 11-19-2002 by Ord. No. 02-52 (Ch. 18 of the former City Code). Amendments noted where applicable.]
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment 1 - Appendix A, Zoning Map AmendmentsAttachment 2 - Appendix B, Land Use RegulationsAttachment 3 - Appendix C, Density and Intensity StandardsAttachment 4 - Appendix D, Bulk RegulationsAttachment 5 - Appendix E, Landscaping and Bufferyard RegulationsAttachment 6 - Appendix F, Detailed Classification of Plant SpeciesAttachment 7 - Redevelopment District No. 2 Design Standards
Article I Introduction and Definitions
§ 550-1 Title.
§ 550-2 Authority.
§ 550-3 Legislative intent.
§ 550-4 Rationale; appearance of ordinance text.
§ 550-5 Purpose.
§ 550-6 Separability and nonliability.
§ 550-7 Abrogation.
§ 550-8 Rules of interpretation.
§ 550-9 Jurisdiction.
§ 550-10 Reenactment and repeal.
§ 550-11 Effective date.
§ 550-12 Introduction to word usage, abbreviations and definitions.
§ 550-13 Word usage.
§ 550-14 Abbreviations.
§ 550-15 Definitions.
Article II Establishment of Zoning Districts
§ 550-16 Purpose.
§ 550-17 Standard zoning districts and standard zoning district categories.
§ 550-18 Map of standard zoning districts.
§ 550-19 Interpretation of zoning district boundaries.
§ 550-20 Purpose and intent of standard zoning districts.
§ 550-21 Rural Holding (RH) District.
§ 550-22 Countryside Residential (CR-10ac) District.
§ 550-23 Exurban Residential-1 (ER-1) District.
§ 550-24 Single-Family Residential-4 (SR-4) District.
§ 550-25 Two-Family Residential-6 (TR-6) District.
§ 550-26 Multifamily Residential-8 (MR-8) District.
§ 550-27 Multifamily Residential-10 (MR-10) District.
§ 550-28 Senior Residential (SNR) District.
§ 550-29 Neighborhood Office (NO) District.
§ 550-30 Planned Office and Institutional (PO) District.
§ 550-31 Neighborhood Business (NB) District.
§ 550-32 Planned Business (PB) District.
§ 550-33 General Business (GB) District.
§ 550-34 Central Business (CB) District.
§ 550-35 Planned Industrial (PI) District.
§ 550-36 General Industrial (GI) District.
§ 550-37 Heavy Industrial (HI) District.
§ 550-38 Planned Development Overlay District.
§ 550-39 Purpose and mapping of natural resource protection overlays.
§ 550-40 Floodway, Flood-Fringe, and Floodplain Overlay Districts.
§ 550-41 Shoreland-Wetland Overlay District.
§ 550-42 Waterways Overlay District.
§ 550-43 Woodland Overlay District.
§ 550-43.1 Steep Slope Overlay District.
§ 550-43.2 Downtown Historic Preservation Overlay Zoning District.
§ 550-43.3 Community Entry Corridor Design Overlay Zoning District.
§ 550-43.4 Airport Overlay Zoning District.
Article III Land Use Regulations
§ 550-44 Purpose.
§ 550-45 Regulation of allowed land uses.
§ 550-46 Tables of land uses.
§ 550-47 Regulations applicable to all land uses.
Article IV Detailed Land Use Descriptions and Regulations
§ 550-48 Land use categories.
§ 550-49 Residential land uses.
§ 550-50 Agricultural land uses.
§ 550-51 Institutional land uses.
§ 550-52 Commercial land uses.
§ 550-53 Storage or disposal land uses.
§ 550-54 Transportation land uses.
§ 550-55 Industrial land uses.
§ 550-56 Accessory land uses.
§ 550-57 Temporary land uses.
§ 550-58 Natural resource disruption and required mitigation standards.
Article V Nonconforming Use Regulations
§ 550-59 Applicability.
§ 550-60 Definition.
§ 550-61 Continuance of nonconforming use.
§ 550-62 Modification of nonconforming use.
§ 550-63 Discontinuance of nonconforming use.
§ 550-64 Maintenance of nonconforming use.
§ 550-65 Reconstruction of two-family dwellings in areas formerly zoned R-2.
§ 550-66 Nonconforming lots, structures and buildings.
§ 550-67 Continued use exemptions.
Article VI Group Developments
§ 550-68 Definition.
§ 550-69 Use regulations.
§ 550-70 Discrimination against condominium forms of ownership.
Article VII Density and Intensity
§ 550-71 Purpose.
§ 550-72 How to use this article.
§ 550-73 Required natural resources site evaluation.
§ 550-74 Residential density standards.
§ 550-75 Nonresidential intensity standards.
§ 550-76 Detailed instructions for density and intensity regulations.
§ 550-77 Nonconforming development regulations.
Article VIII Bulk Regulations
§ 550-78 Purpose.
§ 550-79 Residential bulk standards.
§ 550-80 Nonresidential bulk standards.
§ 550-81 Yard setback adjustments.
§ 550-82 Intrusions into required yards.
§ 550-83 Exceptions to maximum height regulations.
§ 550-84 Substandard lot regulations.
§ 550-85 Nonconforming structure and building regulations.
Article IX (Reserved)
§ 550-86 through § 550-92. (Reserved)
Article X Landscaping and Bufferyard Regulations
§ 550-93 Purpose.
§ 550-94 How to use this article.
§ 550-95 Landscaping points, landscaping measurements and sample landscaping layouts.
§ 550-96 Landscaping requirements for regular development.
§ 550-97 Landscaping requirements for other permanently protected green spaces.
§ 550-98 Landscaping requirements for required reforestation.
§ 550-99 Landscaping requirements for bufferyards.
§ 550-100 Classification of plant species.
§ 550-101 Requirements for installation, maintenance and use of landscaped and bufferyard areas.
§ 550-102 Calculating landscaping and bufferyard requirements.
§ 550-103 Depiction on required site plan.
Article XI Performance Standards
§ 550-104 Purpose.
§ 550-105 Access standards.
§ 550-106 Visibility standards.
§ 550-107 Off-street parking and traffic circulation standards.
§ 550-108 Off-street loading standards.
§ 550-109 Exterior storage standards for residential, office and commercial districts.
§ 550-110 Exterior lighting standards.
§ 550-111 Vibration standards.
§ 550-112 Noise standards.
§ 550-113 Air pollution standards.
§ 550-114 Odor standards.
§ 550-115 Electromagnetic radiation standards.
§ 550-116 Glare and heat standards.
§ 550-117 Fire and explosion standards.
§ 550-118 Toxic or noxious material standards.
§ 550-119 Waste material standards.
§ 550-120 Drainage standards.
§ 550-121 Exterior construction material standards.
§ 550-122 Hazardous materials standards.
§ 550-123 Fencing standards.
§ 550-124 Signal-receiving antenna (satellite dish) standards.
§ 550-125 Wind energy systems standards.
§ 550-126 Outdoor storage of firewood standards.
§ 550-127 Swimming pools.
§ 550-128 Administration and enforcement of performance standards.
Article XII Signs and Projections
§ 550-129 Purpose.
§ 550-130 Definition of a sign.
§ 550-131 Definitions and rules related to sign groups, sign categories, and sign types.
§ 550-131.1 Electronic message signs.
§ 550-131.2 Fuel price signs.
§ 550-131.3 Group developments.
§ 550-131.4 Street banners.
§ 550-132 Permitted sign rules.
§ 550-133 Sign setback, height, measurement, and flexibility.
§ 550-134 Sign permits - Application, enforcement, and revocation.
§ 550-135 Sign prohibitions and limitations.
§ 550-136 Appearance, construction and maintenance of signage.
§ 550-137 Nonconforming signs.
§ 550-138 Removal of sign and sign structures where principal land use is no longer occurring.
Article XIII Procedures and Administration
§ 550-139 Purpose.
§ 550-140 Amendment of zoning regulations.
§ 550-141 Amendment of Official Zoning Map.
§ 550-142 Conditional use review and approval procedures.
§ 550-143 Temporary use review and approval procedures.
§ 550-144 Site Plan Review Committee.
§ 550-145 Site plan review and approval procedures.
§ 550-146 Certificate of occupancy.
§ 550-147 Variance review and approval procedures.
§ 550-148 Interpretations.
§ 550-149 Historic preservation regulations.
§ 550-150 Community Entry Corridor Overlay Zoning District.
§ 550-151 Community Gateway Overlay Zoning District.
§ 550-152 Planned development procedures.
§ 550-153 Purpose of administrative regulations.
§ 550-154 Zoning Administrator.
§ 550-155 Plan Commission.
§ 550-156 Zoning Board of Appeals.
§ 550-157 Fees.
§ 550-158 Violations and penalties.
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