Brookfield Committee To Discuss Treehouse Regulations

BROOKFIELD, WI— The City of Brookfield Legislative & Licensing Committee will discuss creating regulations ordinance for treehouses and roofed playhouses as residential accessory buildings. A meeting is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Tuesday.

Treehouses and roofed play houses are permitted as residential accessory buildings, but do not require a permit. These residential accessory buildings may not be located in the setback or offset area and may not exceed 100 square feet in area. They do not count towards the residential accessory building limit in subsection B, but there may not be more than one per lot.

Alderman Mike Hallquist initiated the discussion. The item was taken to the Plan Commission in September 2020. The Plan Commission supported the idea of a code amendment to allow these items. Staff contacted other communities in the area and was unable to find existing code that addressed this issue, according to online city documents

Presently, treehouses or playhouses are not listed as a permitted use on residential properties.

There is a provision in the code that states that residential accessory buildings under 30 square
feet do not require permit. Citizens have indicated that the size is too restrictive, documents said.

The Inspection Services Department is proposing a change that would permit these items. Staff is proposing an allowance of up to 100 square feet and a limit of one of these items on a residential property. These items will not require building permits or inspections.