Noise Ordinances in Ashwaubenon, WI

If you live in Ashwaubenon or are thinking about moving there, noise ordinances are one of those things you probably won't think about until they affect you directly. Ashwaubenon has 4 specific rules on the books covering different aspects of noise ordinances, and some of them might surprise you.

Quiet Hours

Ashwaubenon bans loud or disturbing sounds village-wide and adds a hard curfew between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m.: no noise audible from 100 feet away or beyond the property line, whichever distance is shorter. Outside those hours, any unreasonable or unnecessary noise causing a disturbance is still prohibited.

Key details: Nighttime curfew: 10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m.. Nighttime audibility standard: audible at 100 ft or property line. Daytime standard: no unreasonable or unnecessary noise. Quiet zone: FRA-approved rail corridor, Ashwaubenon Creek to Lombardi Ave. Enforcing agency: Ashwaubenon Dept. of Public Safety.

The Ashwaubenon Department of Public Safety enforces Section 9-1-6 as a Village ordinance violation. The section itself does not set a distinct forfeiture, so a citation falls under the Municipal Code's general penalty in Section 1-1-13: a forfeiture of $1 to $5,000 for a first offense plus costs, up to $5,000 for a repeat offense within a year, with each day a violation continues counted as a separate offense.

Barking Dogs

Keeping or harboring a dog whose frequent or habitual barking, howling or yelping greatly annoys or disturbs a neighborhood is a public nuisance under Village Code Section 11-1-23(J), enforceable the same way as any other Chapter 11 nuisance: inspection, notice, abatement and a possible citation.

Key details: Governing section: Sec. 11-1-23(J). Standard: Frequent or habitual noise, no decibel limit. Covers: Any animal or fowl, not just dogs. Notice period: 10 days to abate (non-emergency). First-offense penalty: $1 to $5,000 forfeiture.

A confirmed violation of Section 11-1-23(J) is punishable under Chapter 1's general penalty, Section 1-1-13: a first offense forfeits not less than $1.00 nor more than $5,000.00, plus court costs, with up to 90 days in the county jail if the forfeiture goes unpaid; a second violation of the same provision within a year raises the jail exposure to six months. Each day the noise nuisance continues counts as a separate offense.

Decibel Limits

Ashwaubenon's zoning code sets one of its only numeric noise limits for car washes and auto-detailing businesses: outdoor vacuums and air compressors can't exceed sixty decibels at or beyond the property line. The standard applies as a condition attached to that specific use classification under Village Code § 17-4-300(E)(10)(g), not as a citywide decibel cap.

Key details: Decibel limit: 60 decibels at or beyond property line. Applies to: Outdoor vacuums and air compressors only. Use covered: Car wash and auto-detailing establishments. Residential setback: 250 feet, waivable if 4 conditions met. Governing section: Ashwaubenon Municipal Code § 17-4-300(E)(10)(g).

A car wash or auto-detailing facility whose outdoor vacuums or air compressors exceed sixty decibels at the property line, or that skips the attendant, indoor-washing, or fencing conditions needed to operate within 250 feet of a residential district, violates § 17-4-300(E)(10)(g). Chapter 17 use-standard violations run through § 17-9-200(B) and the Municipal Code's general penalty at § 1-1-13: a forfeiture of $1 to $5,000 per offense plus costs, with each day counted separately.

Vehicle Noise

Ashwaubenon requires every registered motor vehicle, including motor bicycles and motorcycles, to run an adequate, properly maintained muffler under Village Code § 7-2-25(B)(5), and separately bans compression, or 'Jake brake,' braking on any state, county or local street under § 7-2-29, except in a genuine emergency.

Key details: Muffler rule scope: Public-use parking premises, not streets. Jake brake ban scope: All state, county and local streets. Emergency exception: Immediate danger to life or property only. Minimum forfeiture: $25 under § 7-2-28(C). Jake brake ordinance added: Ord. No. O11-2-09, 11-10-2009.

Violating § 7-2-25's muffler or amplified-sound rules on premises held out for public vehicle use, or § 7-2-29's compression-brake ban on any street or highway, carries the general chapter forfeiture, assessments and costs set by the Uniform State Traffic Deposit Schedule under § 7-2-28(A); citations built on §§ 7-2-19 through 7-2-25 carry a minimum forfeiture of $25 under § 7-2-28(C), plus Wis. Stat. Ch. 814 court fees.

The Bottom Line

Ashwaubenon's noise ordinances rules are a mixed bag. Some areas are strict, others are relaxed, and the details matter. The best approach is to check the specific rule that applies to your situation rather than assuming Ashwaubenon is broadly strict or permissive.

This guide is based on Ashwaubenon's current municipal code. Local rules can and do change, so check the individual ordinance pages for the latest details, penalties, and FAQs.