[HISTORY: Adopted by the Common Council of the City of Hudson by Ord. No. 1-81 as Ch. 11, Secs. 11.01 through 11.07 and 11.10 of the 1981 Code. Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Animals — See Ch. 99.
Open burning — See Ch. 110.
Controlled substances and drug paraphernalia — See Ch. 118.
Housing standards — See Ch. 140.
Intoxicating liquor and fermented malt beverages — See Ch. 145.
Littering — See Ch. 154.
Loitering — See Ch. 157.
Peace and good order — See Ch. 187.
Solid waste — See Ch. 207.
Tobacco products — See Ch. 225.
Dutch elm disease — See Ch. 229, Art. I
Junked vehicles — See Ch. 237.
Weapons — See Ch. 246.
No person shall erect, contrive, cause, continue, maintain or permit to exist any public nuisance within the City of Hudson.
As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
PUBLIC NUISANCE
A thing, act, occupation, condition or use of property which shall continue for such length of time as to:
A. 
Substantially annoy, injure or endanger the comfort, health, repose or safety of the public.
B. 
In any way render the public insecure in life or in the use of property.
C. 
Greatly offend the public morals or decency.
D. 
Unlawfully and substantially interfere with, obstruct or tend to obstruct or render dangerous for passage any street, alley, highway, navigable body of water or other public way or the use of public property.
E. 
Substantially depreciate the value of adjoining or neighboring property.
[Added by Ord. No. 15-94]
The following act, omissions, places, conditions and things are hereby specifically declared to be public health nuisances, but such enumeration shall not be construed to exclude other health nuisances coming within the definition of § 175-2:
A. 
All decayed, harmfully adulterated or unwholesome food or drink sold or offered for sale to the public.
B. 
Carcasses of animals, birds or fowl not intended for human consumption or food which are not buried or otherwise disposed of in a sanitary manner within 24 hours after death.
C. 
Accumulations of decayed animal or vegetable matter, garbage, trash, rubbish, rotting lumber, bedding, packing material, scrap metal or any material whatsoever in which flies, mosquitoes, disease-carrying insects, rats or other vermin may breed.
[Amended by Ord. No. 17-93]
D. 
All stagnant water in which mosquitoes, flies or other insects can multiply.
E. 
Privy vaults and garbage cans which are not flytight.
F. 
All noxious weeds and other rank growth of vegetation.
G. 
All animals running at large.[1] Any animal which damages property, plantings or structures or which deposits fecal matter on public or private property of others or any animal that at any time has attacked or bitten a person outside the owner's premises or any animal that is vicious, molests pedestrians or bicyclists or that habitually chases automobiles on the public highways or streets or any animal that is kept on the premises of the owner or person harboring said animal under such unsanitary conditions that the maintenance or keeping of said animal creates odors to the annoyance of the public in the vicinity shall contribute to a public nuisance.
[Added by Ord. No. 3-86]
[1]
Editor's Note: See also Ch. 99, Animals.
H. 
The escape of smoke, soot, cinders, noxious acids, fumes, gases, fly ash, industrial dust or other atmospheric pollutants within the City limits or within one mile therefrom in such quantities as to endanger the health of persons of ordinary sensibilities or to threaten or cause substantial injury to property in the City.
I. 
The pollution of any public well or cistern, stream, lake, canal or other body of water by sewage, creamery or industrial wastes or other substances.
J. 
Any use of property, substances or other things within the City emitting or causing any foul, offensive, noisome, nauseous, noxious or disagreeable odors, gases, effluvia or stenches extremely repulsive to the physical senses of ordinary persons which annoy, discomfort, injure or inconvenience the health of any appreciable number of persons within the City.
K. 
All abandoned wells not securely covered or secured from public use.
L. 
Any use of property which shall cause any nauseous or unwholesome liquid or substance to flow into or upon any street, gutter, alley, sidewalk or public place within the City.
M. 
The statutory provisions describing and defining regulations with respect to indoor smoking contained in § 101.123 of the Wisconsin Statutes, known as the Clean Indoor Air Act, exclusive of any provisions therein relating to the penalties to be imposed or the punishment for violation of such statutes, are hereby adopted and by reference made a part of this section as if fully set forth herein. Any act required to be performed or prohibited by Wis. Stats. § 101.123 and incorporated herein by reference is required or prohibited by this section. The penalty for violation of Wis. Stats. § 101.123(2), relating to an individual smoking in a prohibited area, shall be a forfeiture of $25 for the first violation and $50 for each violation thereafter. The penalty for violation of Wis. Stats. § 101.123(2m), relating to responsibility of persons in charge allowing smoking in violation of law, shall be a forfeiture of $50 for the first violation and $100 for each violation thereafter.
[Added 3-29-2010 by Ord. No. 4-10]
The following acts, omissions, places, conditions and things are hereby specifically declared to be public nuisances offending public morals and decency, but such enumeration shall not be construed to exclude other nuisances offending public morals and decency coming within the definition of § 175-2:
A. 
All disorderly houses, bawdy houses, houses of ill fame, gambling houses and buildings or structures kept or resorted to for the purpose of prostitution, promiscuous sexual intercourse or gambling.
B. 
All gambling devices and slot machines.
C. 
All places where intoxicating liquor or fermented malt beverages are sold, possessed, stored, brewed, bottled, manufactured or rectified without a permit or license as provided for by the ordinances of the City.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: See Ch. 145, Intoxicating Liquor and Fermented Malt Beverages.
D. 
Any place or premises within the City where City ordinances or state laws relating to public health, safety, peace, morals or welfare are openly, continuously, repeatedly and intentionally violated.
E. 
Any place or premises resorted to for the purpose of drinking intoxicating liquor or fermented malt beverages in violation of the laws of the State of Wisconsin or ordinances of the City.
F. 
Any building or structure that is used to facilitate the delivery, distribution or manufacture, as defined in § 961.01(6), (9), and (13), Wis. Stats., respectively, of a controlled substance as defined in § 961.01(4), Wis. Stats., or a controlled substance analog, as defined in § 961.01(4m), Wis. Stats., and any building or structure where those acts take place, is a public nuisance.
[Added 3-18-2002 by Ord. No. 1-02]
G. 
Any building or structure resorted to for the purpose of obtaining, possessing, ingesting, delivery, distribution, or manufacture of controlled substances, marijuana, or drug paraphernalia contrary to Chapter 118 of the Hudson City Code.
[Added 3-18-2002 by Ord. No. 1-02]
The following acts, omissions, places, conditions and things are hereby declared to be public nuisances affecting peace and safety, but such enumeration shall not be construed to exclude other nuisances affecting public peace or safety coming within the provisions of § 175-2:
A. 
All signs and billboards, awnings, junked and unusable automobiles and other similar structures over or near or on streets, sidewalks, public grounds or places frequented by the public, so situated or constructed as to endanger the public safety.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: See also Ch. 202, Signs, and Ch. 237, Vehicles, Junked.
B. 
All buildings erected, repaired or altered within the City in violation of the provisions of the ordinances of the City relating to materials and manner of construction of buildings and structures.[2]
[2]
Editor's Note: See also Ch. 106, Building Construction and Fire Prevention.
C. 
Any unauthorized sign, signal, marking or device placed or maintained upon or in view of any public highway or railway crossing which purports to be or may be mistaken as an official traffic control device, railroad sign or signal or which, because of its color, location, brilliance or manner of operation, interferes with the effectiveness of any such device, sign or signal.
D. 
All trees, hedges, billboards or other obstructions which prevent persons driving vehicles on public streets, alleys or highways from obtaining a clear view of traffic when approaching an intersection or pedestrian crosswalk.
E. 
All limbs of trees which project over and less than 14 feet above the surface of a public sidewalk or street or less than 10 feet above any other public place.
F. 
All use or display of fireworks except as provided by the laws of the State of Wisconsin and ordinances of the City.[3]
[3]
Editor's Note: See Ch. 132, Fireworks.
G. 
All buildings or structures so old, dilapidated or out of repair as to be dangerous, unsafe, insanitary or otherwise unfit for human use.
H. 
All wires over streets, alleys or public grounds which are strung less than 15 feet above the surface thereof.
I. 
All loud, discordant and unnecessary noises or vibrations of any kind.
J. 
The keeping or harboring of any animal or fowl which by howling, yelping, barking, biting, clawing, crowing or making of other noises shall annoy or disturb a neighborhood or any considerable number of persons within the City.[4]
[4]
Editor's Note: See also Ch. 99, Animals.
K. 
All obstructions of streets, alleys, sidewalks or crosswalks and all excavations in or under the same, except as permitted by the ordinances of the City, or which, although made in accordance with such ordinances, are kept or maintained for an unreasonable or illegal length of time after the purpose thereof has been accomplished.[5]
[5]
Editor's Note: See Ch. 212, Streets and Sidewalks.
L. 
All open and unguarded pits, wells, excavations or unused basements freely accessible from any public street, alley or sidewalk.
M. 
All abandoned refrigerators or iceboxes from which the doors and other covers have not been removed or which are not equipped with a device for opening from the inside.[6]
[6]
Editor's Note: See also Ch. 187, Peace and Good Order, § 187-1.
N. 
Any unauthorized or unlawful use of property abutting on a public street, alley or sidewalk or of a public street, alley or sidewalk which causes large crowds of people to gather, obstructing traffic and free use of the streets or sidewalks.
O. 
Repeated or continuous violations of the ordinances of the City or laws of the State of Wisconsin relating to the storage of flammable liquids.
P. 
Any accumulation of garbage or rubbish not placed in approved containers and not set out on scheduled garbage or rubbish pickup days, or the proceeding day, which creates an unsightly appearance or which has a negative impact upon the property values of neighboring properties.[7]
[Added by Ord. No. 15-94]
[7]
Editor's Note: See also Ch. 207, Solid Waste.
Q. 
The piling, storing or keeping of old machinery, wrecked tires, junked or inoperative vehicles, inoperative appliances and other junk and debris for a period greater than one week.[8]
[Added by Ord. No. 15-94]
[8]
Editor's Note: See also Ch. 237, Vehicles, Junked.
[Added 3-18-2002 by Ord. No. 1-02]
A. 
Following receipt of written notice from the City of Hudson that there has been conduct or activity occurring upon any premises, which conduct or activity is defined as a public nuisance or is prohibited by the Hudson City Code or Wisconsin Statutes, the owner, tenant or person in charge of such premises shall, within a reasonable time following notice from the City, notify in writing the occupants of the premises where the conduct or activity occurred that such illegal or public nuisance conduct must cease. Whether the conduct or activity actually ceases shall not determine whether the owner has complied with this section.
B. 
Said written notification by the owner, tenant, or person in charge of the premises to the occupant shall not relieve the owner, tenant or person in charge of said premises of any other responsibility under Wisconsin law or the Hudson City Code for continuing, maintaining or permitting the public nuisance or illegal conduct or activity on said premises and shall not limit the City's rights under Wisconsin law or the Hudson City Code to proceed against the owner, lessee, tenant, or occupant to abate and enjoin the public nuisance or illegal activity.
C. 
Any person violating the provisions of this section shall, upon conviction, forfeit not more than $500 for each offense.
A. 
Duties of officers. The Fire Inspector, Chief of Police, Animal Control Warden, Fire Chief, Building Inspector and Planner/Zoning Administrator shall enforce those provisions of this chapter that come within the jurisdiction of their offices, and they shall make periodic inspections and inspections upon complaint to ensure that such provisions are not violated. No action shall be taken under this section to abate a public nuisance unless the officer shall have inspected or caused to be inspected the premises where the nuisance is alleged to exist and has satisfied himself that a nuisance does in fact exist. Whenever practicable, the inspecting officer shall take photographs of the nuisance condition and shall file them with the City Clerk.
[Amended by Ord. No. 3-86; Ord. No. 2-94; Ord. No. 3-98]
B. 
Summary abatement.
(1) 
Notice to owner. If the inspecting officer shall determine that a public nuisance exists within the City and that there is great and immediate danger to the public health, safety, peace, morals or decency, the Mayor may direct the Chief of Police to serve notice on the person causing, permitting or maintaining such nuisance or upon the owner or occupant of the premises where such nuisance is caused, permitted or maintained and to post a copy of said notice on the premises. Such notice shall direct the person causing, permitting or maintaining such nuisance or the owner or occupant of the premises to abate or remove such nuisance within 24 hours and shall state that, unless such nuisance is so abated, the City will cause the same to be abated and will charge the cost thereof to the owner, occupant or person causing, permitting or maintaining the nuisance, as the case may be.
(2) 
Abatement by City. If the nuisance is not abated within the time provided or if the owner, occupant or person causing the nuisance cannot be found, the Fire Inspector, in case of health nuisances, and the Chief of Police, in other cases, shall cause the abatement or removal of such public nuisance.
[Amended 5-1-2000 by Ord. No. 9-00]
C. 
Abatement by court action. If the inspecting officer shall determine that a public nuisance exists on private premises but that the nature of such nuisance is not such as to threaten great and immediate danger to the public health, safety, peace, morals and/or decency, he shall file a written report of his findings with the Mayor, who shall cause an action to abate such nuisance to be commenced in the name of the City in the Circuit Court in accordance with the provisions of W.S.A. ch. 823.
[Amended 5-1-2000 by Ord. No. 9-00]
D. 
Other methods not excluded. Nothing in this section shall be construed as prohibiting the abatement of public nuisances by the City or its officials in accordance with the laws of the state.
E. 
Court order. Except when necessary under Subsection B, an officer hereunder shall not use force to obtain access to private property to abate a public nuisance but shall request permission to enter upon private property, if such premises are occupied, and, if such permission is denied, shall apply to any court having jurisdiction for an order assisting the abatement of the public nuisance.
In addition to any other penalty imposed by this chapter for the erection, creation, continuance or maintenance of a public nuisance, the cost of abating a public nuisance by the City shall be collected as a debt from the owner, occupant or person causing, permitting or maintaining the nuisance, and, if notice to abate the nuisance has been given to the owner, such cost shall be assessed against the real estate as a special charge.
Any person who shall violate any provision of this chapter or who shall cause or maintain or permit to be maintained a public nuisance shall be subject to a penalty as provided in Chapter 1, § 1-18 of this Code.