Ashwaubenon's Parking Rules: The Rules That Matter

Every city handles parking rules a little differently. In Ashwaubenon, Wisconsin, there are 6 distinct rules that residents and property owners should be aware of. Some are stricter than what neighboring cities enforce, and others are more relaxed. Here is what you need to know.

Driveway Rules

In the Village of Ashwaubenon's Industrial Park (IP) zoning district, every driveway must be paved with asphaltic concrete or concrete pavement from the street to the building face. Employee cars cannot park anywhere in the 35-foot front setback, and visitor parking there needs site plan review committee sign-off plus a 17-foot buffer from the curb.

Key details: Governing section: Ashwaubenon Code § 17-6-600(D)(1). District covered: Industrial Park (IP) only. Front setback: 35 feet. Required driveway surface: Asphaltic concrete or concrete pavement. Visitor parking curb buffer: 17 feet minimum.

Chapter 17, Article 9 (Section 17-9-200) makes any violation of the zoning chapter, including this driveway-surfacing and setback requirement, subject to the penalty set out in Section 1-1-13 and to forfeiture amounts drawn from the Village Municipal Court's bond schedule. A driveway or parking area built or used contrary to this section is also declared a violation the Village Attorney must act on: the code directs the attorney to pursue injunction, mandamus, abatement or removal of the noncompliant construction or use once it is brought to his attention, and a specially damaged property owner may bring that action too.

Loading Zones

Warehouses, manufacturing plants and other high-volume shippers in the Village of Ashwaubenon must provide off-street loading berths at least 55 feet long with 15 feet of vertical clearance, paved in asphalt or concrete, and kept out of the front yard, under Municipal Code Section 17-2-200(J).

Key details: Min. berth length: 55 feet, excluding maneuvering space. Min. vertical clearance: 15 feet. Required surface: Bituminous asphalt or concrete. Front yard: Loading berths prohibited there. Parking overlap: Loading space cannot count as parking.

Loading facilities built without site plan approval, undersized berths, or unpaved or unscreened loading areas are Chapter 17 violations under Section 17-9-200(B), carrying the Code's general forfeiture penalty at Section 1-1-13(A)(1): not less than $1.00 nor more than $5,000.00 per offense plus prosecution costs, with the Village Attorney authorized to seek an injunction or removal order under Section 17-9-200(C) for a noncompliant loading area.

Abandoned Vehicles

Ashwaubenon bans dismantled, non-operating, wrecked or junked vehicles from any street or highway outright, and gives property owners only 48 hours to remove such a vehicle from private land before it counts as a violation. The Chief of Public Safety or the building inspector may impound any vehicle that appears abandoned, lost, stolen or unclaimed under Municipal Code Section 7-4-104 and Article 10.

Key details: Street/highway rule: junked or wrecked vehicles prohibited outright. Private property grace period: 48 continuous hours maximum. Enforcing officials: Chief of Public Safety or building inspector. Disposal authority: Wis. Stat. § 66.0139. Exceptions: enclosed building, active business use, Village depository.

Violations of Chapter 7's vehicle provisions, including the storage and abandonment rules in Section 7-4-104, carry a forfeiture, assessments and costs set under the Uniform State Traffic Deposit Schedule plus applicable Wis. Stat. Chapter 814 fees, per the chapter's general penalty section, Section 7-2-28(A). A vehicle impounded under Section 7-10-368 stays impounded until the owner reclaims it or it is disposed of under Wis. Stat. Section 66.0139, which can add towing and storage costs on top of any forfeiture.

Overnight Parking

From November 1 through March 31 each year, Village Code § 7-4-103 bars parking any vehicle on any Ashwaubenon street or road between 2:00 a.m. and 6:00 a.m., a seasonal overnight ban separate from the year-round 48-hour storage limit in § 7-4-104.

Key details: Restricted hours: 2:00 a.m. to 6:00 a.m.. Restricted season: November 1 through March 31. First-offense fine: $25.00 if paid within 15 days. Escalated fine: $65.00 after second notice. Applies to: Any street or road villagewide.

A vehicle ticketed under the overnight parking ban is a 'No Parking' violation billed under § 7-4-154(A): $25.00 if paid within fifteen days, $40.00 after a first notice, and $65.00 after a second notice, with court costs added if the citation goes to municipal court.

Commercial & Oversized Vehicles

Village Code § 7-4-109 bars stopping, leaving standing or storing heavy trucks, semitrailers, wreckers and off-road construction equipment in any platted residential district, on nonheavy traffic routes, or in posted 'No Truck Parking' areas, with a narrow exception for vehicles actively loading, unloading or working an active construction site.

Key details: Banned in: Platted residential districts, nonheavy routes, posted zones. Weight threshold: Over 10,000 lb licensed vehicles. Also banned: Semitrailers, semitractors, wreckers, off-road equipment. Base fine: $100.00 flat parking ticket. Escalated fine: $140.00 after second notice.

A violation of § 7-4-109 is a $100.00 parking ticket per § 7-4-109(B). Under the escalation schedule at § 7-4-154(D), an unpaid ticket rises to $115.00 after a first notice and $140.00 after a second notice, with court costs added if the matter proceeds to municipal court.

This is not one of those rules that cities tend to ignore. Ashwaubenon actively enforces its commercial & oversized vehicles requirements.

RV & Boat Parking

Village Code defines a 'trailer' at § 7-4-148 to include any recreational vehicle, mobile home, coach or cabin capable of dwelling, then bans parking one anywhere on a street, alley, road or other public place, or even on private land within the village, except as later sections allow.

Key details: Definition covers: RVs, mobile homes, coaches, cabins. Public street/road parking: Prohibited without exception. Private property storage: Allowed if not used for dwelling. Construction dwelling exception: Capped at 90 days. Base fine: $100.00, rising to $140.00.

Illegally parked trailers, RVs and boat trailers are cited under § 7-4-149 and billed per § 7-4-154(D): $100.00 within fifteen days, $115.00 after a first notice, $140.00 after a second notice, with court costs added if the citation proceeds to municipal court.

This is not one of those rules that cities tend to ignore. Ashwaubenon actively enforces its rv & boat parking requirements.

The Bottom Line

Ashwaubenon is tougher than many cities when it comes to parking rules. Out of the 6 rules covered here, 2 are rated strict. If you are a homeowner, renter, or business owner in Ashwaubenon, take the time to understand these requirements before they become a problem. Most violations come with fines, and some repeat violations can escalate.

Keep in mind that Ashwaubenon can amend these rules at any council meeting. For the most current version of any rule mentioned here, check the specific ordinance page, where we track updates as they happen.