Outdoor Lighting in Ashwaubenon, WI

If you live in Ashwaubenon or are thinking about moving there, outdoor lighting are one of those things you probably won't think about until they affect you directly. Ashwaubenon has 3 specific rules on the books covering different aspects of outdoor lighting, and some of them might surprise you.

Billboard Lighting

Billboards are banned everywhere in Ashwaubenon except a narrow permitted zone along I-41 and Highway 172, and even there flashing, intermittent or moving lights are barred outright. Illumination has to be shielded so no light source is visible or glaring toward nearby residential property, with no direct light hitting the roadway at all.

Key details: Default rule: Billboards prohibited village-wide. Permitted zones: I-1, I-2, I-P, B-2, B-3 near I-41/STH 172. Lighting ban: No flashing, intermittent, or moving lights. Shielding rule: No exposed or glaring source toward residential. Digital buffer: 400 ft from residential zone boundary.

A billboard lit with flashing, intermittent or moving lights, or with an exposed, glaring light source facing a residential zone, violates § 17-6-200(N)(3) and can have its permit denied or revoked by the Zoning Administrator. Direct illumination spilling onto a roadway or a digital billboard sited within 400 feet of a residential boundary are cited the same way, in addition to any penalty the chapter sets for operating an unpermitted billboard at all.

This is one of the stricter rules in Ashwaubenon's municipal code. If you are unsure whether your situation complies, it is worth checking with the city before proceeding.

Light Trespass & Shielding

Ashwaubenon caps how much light can spill onto a neighbor's land: no more than 0.2 horizontal footcandles at a residential property and 0.5 at any other property, measured four feet above the ground at the building wall or at least ten feet from the lot line. Ambient, natural light does not count toward that limit.

Key details: Residential cap: 0.2 horizontal footcandles. Other property cap: 0.5 horizontal footcandles. Measurement height: 4 feet above ground. Measurement point: Building wall or 10+ ft from lot line. Excluded: Ambient/natural light not counted.

A fixture reading above 0.2 horizontal footcandles at a residential property line, or above 0.5 footcandles at any other property, measured four feet above grade, exceeds the § 17-6-300(C)(1)(a) light-trespass ceiling and can be cited by the building inspector/zoning administrator, who can require re-aiming, shielding or removal of the offending fixture until the reading complies.

Dark Sky Rules

Ashwaubenon's outdoor lighting ordinance requires fixtures on commercial, industrial and multi-car residential sites to be full cutoff or shielded so the light source stays hidden from view and no glare crosses onto neighboring property or the street. A fixture counts as shielded only if it uses flat, non-refracting lenses mounted so the source is concealed below 15 degrees above horizontal.

Key details: Shielded fixture test: Source concealed below 15° above horizontal. Line-of-sight rule: No direct sight to source above 5 ft on neighbor's land. Uniformity ratio: No worse than 4:1 average-to-minimum. Applies to: Residential and commercial sites in the Village. Retrofit trigger: 50%+ of fixtures modified requires full compliance.

Installing or maintaining a nonshielded fixture that allows a direct line of sight to the light source above five feet of height on neighboring property, or that causes glare, discomfort or annoyance under § 17-6-300(C)(1)(b), is a lighting-code violation the building inspector or zoning administrator can require to be corrected or removed, in addition to any light-trespass violation the same fixture may separately trigger.

The Bottom Line

Ashwaubenon's outdoor lighting 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.

All of the above reflects Ashwaubenon's municipal code as of our last review. If you need specifics on fines, exemptions, or filing requirements, the detailed ordinance pages linked above have the full breakdown.