In order to promote and enhance the public safety, general welfare and convenience, it is necessary that road or highway setback lines be established in the Town of Wescott, Shawano County, Wisconsin.
Road or highway setbacks as defined in § 285-80 are applicable on all Town, county or state highways within the boundaries of the Town of Wescott. Where a road or highway is on the dividing line of the City of Shawano, this section is not intended to be effective on the side within the City of Shawano, nor on the side within another Town where the road or highway is located on a Town boundary.
Table 4: Front Yard Setbacks
Jurisdiction of Public Road
Minimum Required Front Yard from Center Line of Paved or Gravel Roadway Surface
(feet)
Minimum Required Front Yard from Closest Public Road Right-of-Way or Easement Line if no Paved or Gravel Road Surface
(feet)
Town road
50
17
County trunk highway
65
35
State trunk or U.S. highway
75
45
EXCEPTIONS:
1.
In no case shall a building be set back less than 25 feet from the nearest state trunk or U.S. highway right-of-way line.
2.
Where each of the two adjoining lots on either side of a lot contains at least one preexisting principal building, the minimum required front yard setback on the lot may be reduced to a number equal the average setback of the closest principal buildings to the public street on the adjoining lots, except where such setback would be in violation of exception 1.
A. 
A permit will be issued specifically for construction of a driveway (with not greater than zero pitch for the first 15 feet of the driveway) that connects to a Town road to ensure that there is no hazard to snowplows.
B. 
Property owners are required (when possible), to construct driveways with a downward pitch leading away from the Town road.
C. 
The actual pitch is to be determined by individual circumstances interpreted by a representative of the Town Board.
D. 
A new driveway shall be constructed as to provide a twelve-foot-wide base.
E. 
The permit will be issued regardless of whether the property is agricultural, residential, business, or industrial.
F. 
The Town Board will set a reasonable cost for the permit, reviewed annually, and will be on file in the Town Clerk's office.
G. 
Any new driveway (upon adoption of this chapter) that extends further than 500 feet from a public right-of-way must have a passing lane for emergency vehicles (maintained in all weather conditions) and a paved 100-foot diameter turnaround adjacent to the residence, reviewable and acceptable to the local fire department of jurisdiction. The passing lane must have an eighteen-foot-wide base and run 40 feet for every 250 feet of driveway.
A. 
No new building, mobile home, or other structure or part thereof shall be placed between the setback lines established by this chapter and the highway, except as provided by this chapter.
B. 
No building, mobile home, sign or structure or part thereof existing within such setback lines on the effective date of this chapter shall be altered, enlarged or added to in any way that increases or prolongs the permanency thereof.
C. 
If any building or structure other than a sign is destroyed or damaged, the rebuilding or reconstruction of the building or structure will be governed by § 285-50.
D. 
If any sign is destroyed or damaged, the rebuilding or reconstruction of the sign will be governed by § 285-73.
The following kinds of structures may be placed between the setback line and the highway:
A. 
Open fences.
B. 
Telephone, telegraph and power transmission poles and lines and microwave radio relay structures may be constructed within the setback lines, and additions to and replacements of existing structures may be made, provided the owner files with the Town Board an agreement in writing to the effect that the owner will remove all new construction, additions and replacements erected after the adoption of this chapter at his expense, when necessary for the improvement of the highway.
C. 
Underground structures not capable of being used as foundations for future prohibited overground structures.
D. 
Access or service highways constructed according to plans as approved by the Town Board. In giving such approval, the Town Board shall give due consideration to highway safety and maximum sight distances.
E. 
This section shall not be interpreted so as to prohibit the planting and harvesting of field crops, shrubbery or trees; provided, however, that no building or structure, trees or shrubbery, shall be so located, maintained or permitted to grow so that the view across the sectors at the intersections shall be obstructed.
A. 
In each quadrant of every public road right-of-way intersection or public road easement intersection (including street-railroad intersections), there shall be a vision triangle per the following standards (see Figure 1).
B. 
Within the vision triangle, no object over 2.5 feet in height above the roadbeds shall be allowed, except for transparent fences; telecommunication and power transmission poles, lines, and portable equipment; field crops; and deciduous trees with mature canopies beginning greater than eight feet from the ground.
C. 
A railroad shall be considered the equivalent of a 55 mph road for the purposes of calculating the required vision triangle.
Table 5: Dimensional Requirements for Vision Triangles
Side Road Distance (feet)
Posted Speed
(mph)*
Major Road Distance
(feet)**
Through movement possible from side road**
No through movement possible from side road ("T" intersection)***
25
90
90
75
30
105
105
75
35
120
120
75
40
135
135
75
45
150
150
75
50
165
165
75
55
180
180
75
NOTES:
*
Use the posted speed of the main road and side road to determine the respective distances.
**
Based on distance traveled in two seconds at posted speed plus 5 mph.
***
Based on a distance traveled in 2 seconds at 25 mph because vehicle approaching intersection on side road has to slow down to make a turn.
Figure 1: Vision Triangle
285 Figure 1 Vision Triangle.tif