Frequently Asked Questions About Drainage Plan Requirements

A drainage plan is a proposed method for controling rainwater on your property.

A drainage plan is required before any addition, new home, garage or building is built. A drainage plan is also required for filling yards for the purposes of landscaping or raising ground elevations.

Ordinance #284 (click here) was adopted by the Campbellsport Village Board of Trustees on January 10th, 2005 and is now in effect.  The ordinance was necessary because of numerous instances in the past of drainage problems on private property.  The ordinance is intended to make sure that private property owners plan for proper drainage prior to landscaping or building new structures.  It is also intended to prevent property owners from causing drainage problems for their neighbors.

No.  A drainage plan must be submitted and approved for every property before a building permit will be issued.  "Master" drainage plans may be approved for more than one property, however.  Homes that are being built in new subdivisions for which a master drainage plan has been approved and is on file with the Village of Campbellsport should not require an additional drainage plan unless the property owner expects to deviate from that plan. 

The Building Inspector does not give final approval for a drainage plan unless directed to do so by the Village Board of Trustees, and then only on a case by case basis.  The plan must first be submitted to and approved by the Plan Commission, and then be submitted to and approved by the Village Board of Trustees before the Building Inspector can issue a building permit.

The requirement for a drainage plan simply means that the property owner needs to plan ahead.  Plan Commission meetings are held on the 4th Tuesday of every month, and Village Board meetings are held the second Monday of every month.  Anyone wishing to have a drainage plan reveiwed should submit their plan to the Village Clerk at least a week in advance of those meetings so that consideration of their plan can be placed on the meeting agenda.

The Village has not adopted a specific format for drainage plans for individual lots.  The amount of detail required depends on how complicated the drainage issues are for a specific piece of property.  By request, the Building Inspector will provide a sample drainage plan and a list of required items to assist contractors and homeowners in preparing a drainage plan for individual lots.  The following sample shows the minimum level of detail that should be provided for a simple drainage plan; and depicts lot lines, location of structures, elevations and direction of water flow.  More detail may be required for more complex situations. 

According to the new ordinance, it will be the responsibility of the owner or developer to provide adequate drainage facilities to deal with any water running off their property. 

Any person creating a drainage problem on adjacent property is responsible for correcting the situation either by surface or underground drainage of this area. The corrections must be done by accepted engineering practices and must be approved by the Director of Public Works. If in the judgment of the Director of Public Works, unusual conditions demonstrate a need for more comprehensive review, the Director of Public Works may require that the corrections must be first submitted and approved by the Plan Commission, and then submitted and approved by the Village Board of Trustees.

In certain cases, the village may offer technical assistance to improve drainage.