Outagamie County (unincorporated), WI zoning: where a drive-thru restaurant is allowed
Is a drive-thru allowed in Outagamie County (unincorporated), WI?
A drive-thru restaurant is allowed by right (no conditional use permit, special exception or rezoning) in these zoning districts: CL, CP.
It is not allowed in 7 districts: AGD, IND, PI, RMF, RR, RSF, RTF.
Drive-thru restaurant rule by zoning district
| District | Drive-thru restaurant | What the code says | Section | Source | Read on |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AGD | Not allowed | Drive-in restaurant not listed for AGD | Table 525-31.1 | ecode360.com | 2026-11-13 |
| CL | By right | DRIVE-IN RESTAURANT: Any establishment dispensing or serving food in automobiles - P in CL (Table 525-31.1) Site plan approval required (525-29H). No drive-in stacking/residential distance rule found in the portions read (525-43 access, 525-46 buffers, 525-51 parking not read). | Ch. 525, Table 525-31.1; 525-31.1B | ecode360.com | 2026-11-13 |
| CP | By right | DRIVE-IN RESTAURANT: Any establishment dispensing or serving food in automobiles - P in CP (Table 525-31.1) Site plan approval required (525-29H). No drive-in stacking/residential distance rule found in the portions read (525-43 access, 525-46 buffers, 525-51 parking not read). | Ch. 525, Table 525-31.1; 525-31.1B | ecode360.com | 2026-11-13 |
| IND | Not allowed | Restaurants P in IND, but Drive-in restaurant row has no P/SE in IND | Table 525-31.1; 525-29B | ecode360.com | 2026-11-13 |
| PI | Not allowed | Drive-in restaurant not listed for PI; unlisted uses prohibited (525-29B) | Table 525-31.1 | ecode360.com | 2026-11-13 |
| RMF | Not allowed | Drive-in restaurant not listed for residential districts | Table 525-31.1 | ecode360.com | 2026-11-13 |
| RR | Not allowed | Drive-in restaurant not listed for residential districts | Table 525-31.1 | ecode360.com | 2026-11-13 |
| RSF | Not allowed | Drive-in restaurant not listed for residential districts | Table 525-31.1 | ecode360.com | 2026-11-13 |
| RTF | Not allowed | Drive-in restaurant not listed for residential districts | Table 525-31.1 | ecode360.com | 2026-11-13 |
"By right" means permitted with site plan and building permit review only. Overlay districts, planned developments (PD/PUD) and conditions attached to a past rezoning can change the answer for a single parcel.
Official zoning map layer
To find the district for a parcel, query the jurisdiction's own GIS zoning layer: https://services.arcgis.com/VJeP6MUQzbTKwSpv/arcgis/rest/services/TownofBuchananProposedZoning_PUBLIC_VIEW/FeatureServer/0 (district field: DIST_CODE)
TOWN OF BUCHANAN only (Outagamie County towns zone separately; MUNI field). Layer = Town rezoning project map (PROPOSED Yes/No per parcel) under Ch. 525 adopted 2024 (Ord. 2024-01). Other Outagamie towns need their own layer/code. Code: eCode360 Ch. 525 Table 525-31.1.
Sources
How to confirm before you buy
- Look up the parcel on the official zoning map to get its district and any overlay.
- Open the code section linked in the table and read the use table and the drive-thru standards.
- Call the planning office and ask whether a drive-thru restaurant needs anything beyond site plan review at that address.
Why this library exists
I'm Luke Smith. I find land for drive-thru brands like 7 Brew, Ellianos Coffee and Starbucks, sign the tenant, build the shop and sell it as a net lease property. Every deal starts with the same question: is the use allowed here without a rezoning? Getting that answer takes too long, so we read the codes (with AI research help), and I publish what we find with a link back to every source so you can check it yourself.
If you have a site that fits a drive-thru, or you want to learn how these deals are put together, join the free Reverse Deal Finder community on Skool, see cap rates and land prices by brand, or call 1-760-392-1525. Brokers welcome: I pay commissions.