FAQs

Addressing

How do I get an Address?
If the location you are seeking an address for is within a municipal boundary (i.e., Lander, Riverton, Dubois, Hudson, Pavillion or Shoshoni) please contact the appropriate municipality.

To get an address in unincorporated Fremont County, you must submit a Rural Address Request Form, appropriate fee and cost for an address sign to the Planning Department. This can be done via mail or in our office.

The GIS Technician will review your application, assign an address number and inform you, Emergency Services, the USPS, UPS and FedEx with your new address.

At the time the new address is assigned, an address sign will be ordered for you. You are responsible for placing the address sign at the entrance to your property.

How is the address number determined?

If the address location is on a currently named road, the address number will be assigned based on a number range defined by the Fremont County Address System.

In most cases, the address number assigned will be chosen where the driveway to the address location meets the named road. Generally, addresses north or east of the named road will have an even number assigned and addresses south or west of the named road will have an odd number assigned.

If the address location is on an unnamed road and there are two or less addressed locations along the access, a number will be assigned based on the named road that the access road intersects.

If the address location is on an unnamed road and all of the addressed locations along that road have been assigned, the road will be named using the process defined in the Rural Addressing Regulations. Following the naming, all addresses along the road will be reassigned accordingly using the new road name.

Can my address be changed?

If an existing address does not conform to the County address system or policy, the GIS Technician may initiate the process for changing an address.

How do I report an address sign missing or down?

Once ordered and delivered, the address sign is the responsibility of the landowner.

Address signs must conform to Fremont County Rural Addressing colors, white reflective numbers on a red reflective background, and size, four-inches (4") in size. For your convenience, Fremont County Planning will assist you in ordering a new address sign. Please refer to the Fee Schedule for address sign costs.

Sewer System

Where is the sewer for my property?

Public sewer may or may not be available in unincorporated areas of Fremont County. In most areas outside of the principal towns, a septic system must be installed for the treatment of human waste.

To protect your well, your neighbors water supply and you and your neighbor’s health, you must apply for a Small Wastewater (Septic) Permit for the treatment of wastewater from your home.

Small Wastewater (Septic) Permits

Please contact the Planning Department before beginning a project. You must have a valid address to begin a septic project.

What is a Small Wastewater (Septic) permit?
A Septic Permit is a written document, issued by the county, confirming the proper installation or modification of a small wastewater system.

A small wastewater system is any sewage system, disposal system or treatment works designed to discharge less than 2,000 gallons of domestic sewage per day.

Where can I get an application for a septic permit?
The Septic Permit Application can be found on our website or can be picked up at the Planning Department.

Who can I contact if I have any questions about the application?
For any questions regarding septic permit applications for an existing system or a proposed system, please contact the Small Wastewater Specialist at (307) 332-1830.

Who can install wastewater systems in Fremont County? Can I install my own wastewater system?
Once approval to construct is granted, property owners may hire a contractor to do the system installation for them or they may install their own system under the guidance of the county Planning Department. Fremont County strongly suggests hiring a qualified contractor to perform your installation as all systems must be inspected and approved before a permit is issued. Performing the installation yourself may prove to be a costly mistake in the long run.

How do I determine the size of my wastewater system?
The wastewater system is determined by the number of bedrooms in the structure, as well as other criteria. For more complete requirements, please schedule an appointment with the Small Wastewater Specialist (307-332-1830).

When can I begin putting the system in?
Following filling out a Small Wastewater Application and paying the appropriate fee, you must schedule an Office Consultation and Site Evaluation with the Small Wastewater Specialist. This will result in an Authorization to Construct. Once issued, the Authorization to Construct grants permission to install, repair or modify a system. Once excavation and installation is complete, your installation must be inspected and approved by the Small Wastewater Specialist. The installer cannot backfill until the Small Wastewater Specialist has visited the site and given final approval of the system.

When approved by the Small Wastewater Specialist, a Small Wastewater Permit will be issued.

Subdivisions

If you are planning to subdivide your land, we strongly recommend that you contact the Planning Director before proceeding with any survey work, deed recordings or sales agreements. There are many exceptions to the rules and we most certainly want to help you conduct a legal subdivision of your land.

What is a subdivision?
A subdivision is the creation or division of a lot, tract, parcel or other unit of land for the immediate or future purpose of sale, building development or redevelopment for residential, recreational, industrial, commercial or public uses.

Do I need permission to subdivide my land?
Subdivision Regulations govern the subdivision of land within unincorporated Fremont County. These regulations were developed pursuant to Wyoming State Statutes (W.S. 18-5-301 through 18-5-315). While several types of subdivisions may be exempt from the regulations (e.g., family exemption, large-acreage exemption, boundary line adjustments…), others fall under the categories of “Simple Subdivision” and “Regular Subdivision.” These types of subdivisions require applicants to work with the Planning Department to complete the processes outlined in the regulations.

What is the difference between an exempt division, a Simple Subdivision and a Regular Subdivision?

          Exempt division
While there are several reasons that a land division could be exempt from the subdivision regulations, we’ll focus this example on lot size alone.

If a landowner splits his/her parcel into pieces that are each 35 acres or larger, the division is Statutorily exempt, due to minimum acreage, and the landowner is not required to go through the subdivision process.


          Simple Subdivision
A Simple Subdivision is a division of one unit of land (a parcel) into not more than a total of five (5) lots smaller than 35 acres each. The most common example of a Simple Subdivision is when a person wants to break off a portion of their parcel to sell it to someone else.

          One Lot Simple Subdivision
Let’s say the parcel is currently 70 acres and the owner wants to sell a 30-acre piece of it. In essence, a 40-acre parcel and a 30-acre parcel are being created. The 40-acre parcel is exempt from the regulations because it is 35 acres or larger, however, the 30-acre parcel is not.

Therefore, the landowner would be required to go through the formal Simple Subdivision process before he/she would be able to sell the 30-acre parcel.

          Five Lot Simple Subdivision
If the same landowner chose to split the 70 acre parcel into a 40-acre parcel and five, six-acre parcels, it would still qualify as a Simple Subdivision, but it would be a 5-lot Simple Subdivision (the 40 acre parcel would be exempt).


          Regular Subdivision
In a final example, if the landowner decided to split the 70-acre parcel into seven, 10 acre parcels, the division would be considered a 7 lot Regular Subdivision (subdividing one unit of land into six or more lots, each smaller than 35 acres.


How long does it take to complete the Simple Subdivision process?
Once you have selected a Licensed Surveyor, submitted all the required documents as described in the Simple Subdivision Regulations including filling out the Simple Subdivision Application and paid the necessary fees, you should anticipate the process taking approximately 60 days to complete a Simple Subdivision to the point where Lots can be sold. Be aware, this timeline assumes you have already contacted the Soil Conservation Service, the Bank if there is a mortgage and secured the necessary access permits. Additionally, be aware that before the Plat can be recorded, corner monuments must be installed and road(s) if necessary, must be built and signed.

For various reasons, any of the above-mentioned steps in the process could be delayed, thus extending the time required to complete the process.

 

     

           


 

 

Flooding and Flood Risks

Please refer to the Floodplain Zoning Regulations or call the Planning Department before beginning a project.

Is flooding a problem in Fremont County?
Several areas in Fremont County are at risk of flooding based upon historic events. To identify our community’s flood risk, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) conducted a Flood Insurance Study. The data compiled during that study was used to create Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMS), which provide an official depiction of the mapped flood hazards for properties within each community.

How do I find out if my property lies within a flood hazard area?
The easiest way to see if your property lies within a flood hazard area is to turn on the ‘Flood Hazard Zones’ tab on the Fremont County Mapserver. This will highlight in blue the mapped 100 year event flood plain. It will also highlight in blue and red stripes the Floodway. This is an area where no construction can occur

You can view digital copies of the FIRMs online at https://msc.fema.gov/portal/home and the Planning Office has a hardcopy set of the FIRM panels. If you have questions about areas designated as flood hazard areas in unincorporated Fremont County, you may contact the GIS Technician.

What should I do if my property is in a flood hazard area and I want to make improvements?
If your property is located within a mapped flood hazard area and you are planning to make changes (such as excavation or construction), you will need to fill out a Floodplain Development Application through the Planning Department.

Am I eligible for flood insurance?
Fremont County participates in the NFIP, a program that provides means for property owners to financially protect themselves from flood risks. If you are a homeowner, renter, or business owner in unincorporated Fremont County, flood insurance coverage options from the NFIP https://www.floodsmart.gov are available to you whether your property lies within a flood hazard area or not.

Several towns within Fremont County also participate in the NFIP: Lander, Riverton, Dubois, Hudson and Shoshoni participate while Pavillion does not.

Can I contest whether or not my property is in a designated flood hazard area?
The owner of the property can petition FEMA for a “Letter of Map Revision” where the property will be evaluated more extensively to see if an error is present. FEMA provides an explicit appeal procedure online https://www.floodmaps.fema.gov/fhm/bfe_status/bfe_main.asp.

Building and Development

Where can I find the building codes for Fremont County?
Fremont County does not have any building codes for development in unincorporated areas. However, if you wish to sell your property in the future, we recommend that you use a national building code standard for any improvement projects. For development within town limits, please contact the appropriate municipality to determine if they have special building codes or requirements.

What am I required to do before I build on or alter my property?
Before construction please contact the Fremont County Planning Department. The staff will assist you to ensure your planned activities are in accordance with any planning regulations and appropriately contemplate addressing, easements, setbacks, well and septic locations.

How do I get utilities to my property?
Refer to Topic 11 - Utilities

I want to put a fence up on my property. Are there any special requirements for fences in Fremont County?
Fremont County does not have any building codes for parcels in unincorporated areas. We do recommend that you conduct a thorough review of any deeds and/or surveys for your parcel and any adjacent parcels whose boundary lines may come into question upon fence construction. If no survey exists, we strongly recommend that you obtain a survey for your property before commencing construction.

What is required to drill a well on my property?
Refer to Topic 13 - Wells.

Where can I find snow load information?
Snow load, frost depth and wind information can be found under the FAQ tab under the Planning Department. The US Forest Service may also help developers estimate snow load amounts.

Recommendations for Snow Load, Wind Speed & Frost Depth
Minimum Engineering Recommendations for snow load, wind speed and frost depth within Fremont County. We do not have any documented information for snow load, wind speed or frost depth for locations above 7,000 feet in elevation. The recommendation is to use the Jackson, Wyoming information, which can be found on their website (www.tetonwyo.org).

For the City of Lander and lower elevations around Lander:
          Roof Snow Load - 40 psf
          Ground Snow Load - 57 psf
          Wind Speed - 115 mph
          Frost Depth - 42 in

For the City of Riverton and adjacent elevations:
          Ground Snow Load - 30 psf
          Wind Speed - 107 mph 
          Frost Depth - 30 in
          Seismic Design Category - C

For the Town of Dubois:
          Frost Depth - 66 in. within the city limits. Frost Depth increases with increasing elevation.
Dubois has no specific snow loads in their building codes as snow loads vary significantly by location and elevation. They refer questions on snow depth and wind speeds to either the U.S. Forest Service or the Natural Resources Conservation Service.  
Many local contractors use a roof snow load of 60 psf in town. Note: Jackson snow loads are 130 - 175 psf as elevation increases. (Refer to www.tetonwyo.org).
Maps

How can I find a map of land parcels or aerial photography in Fremont County?
Visit Mapserver.

Are digital data layers available for purchase?
Several GIS data layers are available free and can be found in the introduction page of Mapserver.

Legal Records and Surveys

Where can I find a copy of the deed or legal description for property in Fremont County?
The County Clerk’s Office holds all official land records for the county.

How can I find out if my land has been surveyed in the past?
If a land survey was conducted, it is possible (but not guaranteed) that the survey was filed with the County Clerk’s Office. If a survey was conducted but not recorded, it is possible that a local surveying/engineering firm did the work. You may want to try contacting them to see if they have anything on record. The Planning Department does not keep official records of any surveys; however we keep copies of all survey plats provided during the subdivision process

Access and Roads

Do I need permission to develop an access road to my property from a county road?
If there is an existing field access, you should check with the Fremont County Transportation Department to determine if it can be upgraded to allow residential traffic.

If the access you are requesting will be newly constructed and intersects any County Road, you will need to complete an Access Permit Application through the Transportation Department. The applications are $125.00 for Residential Access and $225.00 for Commercial Access. The Transportation Department  staff will assist you in completing the application. Access Permits require an onsite review prior to approval and an onsite review following construction. The permit is approved when the Transportation Superintendent and the County Commissioners sign the application. This process typically takes 2-3 weeks.

If the access you are requesting will be newly constructed and intersects any State Highway, you will need to contact WYDOT https://openei.org/wiki/RAPID/Roadmap/3-WY-e to obtain an access permit.

When does the County name a road?
The Rural Addressing Regulations require the naming of roads if:

  • It is a County Road.
  • It is a road in a Platted Subdivision.
  • Three or more rural addresses exist, or are proposed, along a private road or are served by the private roadway.

Who names the new roads?
The GIS Technician works with all landowners who may be impacted by the new road to develop an appropriate road name. If those involved cannot agree on a name, the GIS Technician will assign a name.

How do I find out who owns a road?
Road research requests can be performed by the Planning Department to determine if a road is County, Publicly Dedicated or Privately Dedicated. To determine the exact legality of a road, you may want to research the County Clerk's database or hire a Title Company.

How do I find the right-of-way width for a road?
County Roads typically have a 60-100’ ROW. Private or Publicly Dedicated Roads have varying widths of ROW. In all cases, to determine the exact width of ROW, you may want to research the County Clerk's database or hire a Title Company.

How do I report a missing or damaged road sign?
To report a down, missing or damaged sign on a County Road, contact the Transportation Department at 307-332-1038.
If the missing or damaged sign is on a Private or Publicly Dedicated Road, replacement is the responsibility of the land owners accessing their property via that road. You can contact the GIS Technician to assist you in ordering and installing a new sign.

Minerals, Gas and Oil

Does the Planning Department have information about geologic studies or exploration done related to minerals, gas and/or oil?
No. The Planning Department does not have this type of information. Refer to the Wyoming Oil and Gas Commission or the Department of Interior, Bureau of Land Management EPA and DEQ.

Where can I find information about mineral rights and oil and gas leases in Fremont County?
The Clerk’s Office holds information regarding mineral rights and oil and gas leases for private lands in unincorporated Fremont County. For publicly owned lands, contact the appropriate agency (e.g., BLM, Forest Service, etc.).

Utilities

How do I get utilities to my property?
Contact the local utility provider for gas, electric, water, irrigation or telephone services.

Water Rights and Irrigation

How do I find out if water rights exist on a particular plot of land?
Check the records in the Clerk’s Office or through the Wyoming State Engineer's Office. The records should indicate the appropriation amount, priority of the right and how and where the water is to be used. The Wyoming State Engineers Office is charged with the regulation and administration of the water resources in Wyoming. The granting of a water right by the state engineer does not include the granting of ditch easements and rights of way. You must negotiate these with the affected landowners.

Am I required to get a permit to create a new ditch to divert water from a stream on my property?
New water diversions from streams, including ditches and pipelines, require an application be submitted to the Wyoming State Engineers Office. The same is true if you want to enlarge an existing ditch or pipeline.

Am I required to get a permit to construct or enlarge a reservoir?
An application from the Wyoming State Engineer's Office is required to permit construction or enlargement of reservoirs.

Water Wells

Am I required to get a permit to drill a ground water well on my property?
Before you drill a well that will be used for domestic and/or stock use, you must submit an application for a permit to the Wyoming State Engineer's Office. Copies of the form can be downloaded from the Wyoming State Engineer's Office or picked up at the Planning Department.