[Adopted 10-5-1976 by Ord. No. 1-76 as
Ch. 10 of the 1976 Code]
No person shall erect, contrive, cause, continue,
maintain or permit to exist any public nuisance within the village.
As used in this article, 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.
The following acts, 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 §
130-2:
A. Adulterated food. All decayed, adulterated or unwholesome
food or drink sold or offered for sale to the public.
B. Unburied carcasses. 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. Breeding places for vermin, etc. Accumulations of
decayed animal or vegetable matter, trash, rubbish, rotting lumber,
bedding, packing material, scrap metal or any material in which flies,
mosquitoes, disease-carrying insects, rats or other vermin may breed.
D. Stagnant water. All stagnant water in which mosquitoes,
flies or other insects can multiply.
E. Privy vaults and garbage cans. Privy vaults and garbage
cans which are not fly-tight.
F. Noxious weeds, grass, and other vegetation.
[Amended 8-16-1999 by Ord. No. 081699; 3-18-2008 by Ord. No.
03182008; 7-15-2008 by Ord. No. 07152008C; 3-15-2011 by Ord. No.
03152011A]
(1) Definitions. As used in this subsection, the following terms shall
have the meanings indicated:
DEVELOPED LOT
A lot with a finished building or building under construction.
NOXIOUS WEEDS
The weeds defined in W.S.A. s. 66.0407, which is hereby adopted
and made part of this article, and shall also include common ragweed,
giant ragweed, burdock or any other weeds or vegetation, or any combination
thereof, allowed to grow to a height of eight inches for developed
lots and 12 inches for undeveloped lots.
(2) This subsection is adopted due to the unique nature of the problems
associated with lawns, grasses, and noxious weeds being allowed to
grow to excessive lengths in the Village.
(3) Grass, weeds and/or leaves not to be deposited in streets. No person
shall cause to be deposited grass, weeds and/or leaves from his or
her premises onto any street in the Village.
(4) A public nuisance is declared when lawns, grasses, and noxious weeds
exceed eight inches on developed lots and 12 inches on undeveloped
lots. Exceeding the identified lengths adversely affects the public
health and safety in the following manner: tends to cause blight to
developed areas; permits breeding areas for obnoxious insects and
allows for the concealing of vermin; emits pollen and other discomforting
bits of plants; constitutes a fire hazard and a safety hazard in that
debris can be hidden in the grass; interferes with the public for
convenience and; adversely affects property values of other land within
the Village. For that reason, any lawn, grass or weed on a lot or
other parcel of land (to include the ditch line or from the edge of
pavement to the rear and side property lines) that exceeds the lengths
identified in this subsection is hereby declared to be a public nuisance,
except for undeveloped property not served by water and sewer, wooded
areas or tree lines where distance between trees effectively prevents
mowing, hilly areas with severe slopes that would prevent safe mowing,
property that is zoned agriculture, or property located in a designated
floodplain area and/or wetland area.
(5) Nuisances are prohibited. No person, firm or corporation of any lot or parcel shall allow such property to become overgrown with any noxious weeds, grass or other vegetation so as to constitute a public nuisance, as defined in Subsection
F(4) above.
(6) Notices.
(a)
The Director of Public Works shall serve as the Weed Commissioner
and have the powers and duties as outlined in W.S.A. s. 66.0517, except
that the Director shall receive no compensation for this service other
than his regular salary. In accordance with W.S.A. s. 66.0407, the
Weed Commissioner shall annually, on or before May 15, publish a Class
2 notice, and post at the official posting locations of the Village,
that requires every person by law to destroy all noxious weeds and
to cut all other grass or vegetation exceeding 12 inches on undeveloped
lots and eight inches on developed lots, on each parcel of land which
the person owns, occupies, or controls.
(b)
In addition to the Class 2 notice, annually, prior to May 15, the Weed Commissioner will send one notice by certified mail and regular first class mail to all undeveloped parcel owners to serve as a reminder of this article. No other notice will be delivered to undeveloped parcel owners during the cutting season. The Weed Commissioner shall inspect or cause to be inspected all premises and places within the Village to determine whether any public nuisance, as defined in Subsection
F(4), exists.
(7) Abatement of nuisance. If the Weed Commissioner shall determine with reasonable certainty that any public nuisance, as defined in Subsection
F(4), exists on developed parcels, he or she shall immediately cause written notice to be served that the Village proposes to have the parcel with weeds, grass or vegetation cut so as to conform to this subsection. If a parcel or property owner fails to control the growth of such weeds, grass or vegetation on his property, the Weed Commissioner shall serve upon him a notice as to this fact. If such owner fails to abate this nuisance within 10 calendar days from the date of the notice by certified mail and regular first class mail, the Weed Commissioner shall take action to abate such public nuisance. If the Weed Commissioner shall determine with reasonable certainty that any public nuisance, as defined in Subsection
F(4), exists on undeveloped parcels, the Weed Commissioner shall take action to abate such public nuisance without additional notice as stated in Subsection
F(6) above.
(8) Fill and debris. To aid in the destruction or control of noxious
weeds, grass, and other vegetation, no owner of any lot, place or
area within the Village shall deposit or stockpile any fill or debris
thereon and allow the same to remain without being leveled off or
removed within 30 days after deposit of the same, to include stockpiles
created during construction.
(9) Village's option to abate nuisance. In any case where the owner,
occupant or person in charge of the property shall fail to cut his
or her weeds, grass or vegetation as set forth above, then in that
event the Village may elect to cut said weeds, grass and vegetation
as follows:
(a)
The written notice required in Subsection
F(6) shall inform said person that in the event of his or her failure to abate the nuisance within the prescribed time, the Village shall abate the same, and the cost thereof shall be assessed to the property owner as a special charge.
(b)
The Village shall cut or cause to be cut all weeds, grass and vegetation from the subject's property and shall charge the expenses of so doing at a rate as provided in Chapter
102, Fees and Penalties.
(c)
The Village may also enforce the general penalty as outlined in Chapter
1, General Provisions, §
1-18, Violations and penalties, cross referenced in §
130-9, Violations and penalties.
(d)
The charges for cutting shall be set forth in a statement to
the Village Clerk/Treasurer, who in turn shall mail the same to the
owner, occupant or person in charge of the subject premises. If said
statement is not paid in full within 30 days thereafter, the Village
Clerk/Treasurer shall enter the charges in the tax roll as a special
charge against said lot or parcel of land, and the same shall be collected
in all respects like other taxes upon real estate, or as provided
under W.S.A. s. 66.0627.
G. Water pollution. 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.
H. Noxious odors, etc. Any use of property, substances
or things within the village 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 village.
I. Street pollution. 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 village.
J. Air pollution. The escape of smoke, soot, cinders,
noxious acids, fumes, gases, fly ash, industrial dust or other atmospheric
pollutants within the village 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 village.
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 within the definition of §
130-2:
A. Disorderly houses. 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. Gambling devices. All gambling devices and slot machines.
C. Unlicensed sale of liquor and beer. 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 village.
D. Continuous violation of village ordinances. Any place
or premises within the village where village ordinances or state laws
relating to public health, safety, peace, morals or welfare are openly,
continuously, repeatedly and intentionally violated.
E. Illegal drinking. Any place or premises resorted to
for the purpose of drinking intoxicating liquor or fermented malt
beverages in violation of state laws.
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 definition of §
130-2:
A. Signs, billboards, etc. All signs and billboards,
awnings and other similar structures over or near streets, sidewalks,
public grounds or places frequented by the public, so situated or
constructed as to endanger the public safety.
B. Illegal buildings. All buildings erected, repaired
or altered in violation of the provisions of the ordinances of the
village relating to materials and manner of construction of buildings
and structures within the village.
C. Unauthorized traffic signs. All unauthorized signs,
signals, markings or devices placed or maintained upon or in view
of any public highway or railway crossing which purport 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. Obstruction of intersections. 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. Tree limbs. All limbs of trees which project over
and less than 10 feet above any public sidewalk, street or other public
place.
F. Dangerous trees. All trees which are a menace to public
safety or are the cause of substantial annoyance to the general public.
G. Fireworks. All use or display of fireworks except
as provided by state laws and village ordinances.
H. Dilapidated buildings. All buildings or structures
so old, dilapidated or out of repair as to be dangerous, unsafe, unsanitary
or otherwise unfit for human use.
I. Wires and cables over streets. All wires and cables
over streets, alleys or public grounds which are strung less than
15 feet above the surface thereof.
J. Noisy animals or fowl. The keeping or harboring of
any animal or fowl which by frequent or habitual howling, yelping,
barking, crowing or making of other noises shall greatly annoy or
disturb a neighborhood or any considerable number of persons within
the village.
K. Obstructions of streets; excavations. All obstructions
of streets, alleys, sidewalks or crosswalks and all excavations in
or under the same, except as permitted by the ordinances of the village
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, or do not conform to the
permit.
L. Unlawful assemblies. 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 streets or sidewalks.
In addition to any other penalty imposed by
this article for the erection, contrivance, creation, continuance
or maintenance of a public nuisance, the cost of abating a public
nuisance by the village 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 article or permit or cause a public nuisance shall be subject to a penalty as provided in Chapter
1, General Provisions, §
1-18.
[Adopted 10-5-1976 by Ord. No. 1-76 as
Secs. 11.03 through 11.09 of the 1976 Code]
[Amended 11-30-1999 by Ord. No. 113099B]
The Board of Health may abate health nuisances
in accordance with W.S.A. s. 254.59, which is adopted by reference
and made a part of this article as if fully set forth herein.
[Amended 11-30-1999 by Ord. No. 113099B]
Chapter 252 of the Wisconsin statutes and Chapter
H 45 of the Wisconsin Administrative Code are adopted by reference
and made a part of this article, and the Board of Health shall enforce
the provisions thereof.
No person shall maintain or operate a slaughterhouse
or yard for the purpose of slaughtering any animals within the village.
Any person operating a retail or wholesale meat
market business in the village shall at all times keep the business
premises in a clean and neat condition and shall not allow or permit
any foul or offensive odors to emanate from such premises. No filthy
or offensive matter shall be allowed or permitted to remain in or
upon such place of business, and the killing of any cows, swines,
sheep or other small animals upon the premises is prohibited.
Any person who shall violate any provision of this article shall be subject to a penalty as provided in Chapter
1, General Provisions, §
1-18.