Wauwatosa's Property Maintenance: The Rules That Matter

Every city handles property maintenance a little differently. In Wauwatosa, Wisconsin, there are 2 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.

Snow & Sidewalk Clearing

Wauwatosa property owners must clear snow and ice from their abutting sidewalk within twenty-four hours after snowfall or ice accumulation stops, and a violation draws at least a fifty-dollar forfeiture under Wauwatosa Municipal Code §§ 12.24.010 and 12.24.120.

Key details: Deadline: 24 hours after snow or ice stops. Continuing snow: Clear immediately after snowfall ends. Multiuse path: Full width, 5-ft min for small residential. Enforcement: Police department plus city forester citation. First forfeiture: At least $50, rising to $500.

Section 12.24.120 authorizes the city forester or a designee to issue a citation on top of the special charge for city-performed removal. A first conviction within twelve months draws a forfeiture of at least fifty dollars, a second conviction within the same twelve months draws at least two hundred dollars, and each conviction after that carries a minimum five-hundred-dollar forfeiture, in addition to the removal charge itself.

Property Blight

Wauwatosa's Property Maintenance Code, Chapter 15.32, treats an unsafe, unsanitary or fire-hazard building as a public nuisance and lets the city order the owner to fix it. If the owner ignores a correction order, the development director can have the work done and bill the cost to the property as a special charge.

Key details: Governing code: Wauwatosa Property Maintenance Code, Chapter 15.32. Correction order appeal: 15 days to appeal to board of public works. City can abate and bill: Development director may do the work, charge owner. Unpaid abatement cost: Becomes special charge under Wis. Stat. Sec. 66.0627. First-offense penalty: $100, rising $50 per repeat offense.

Violating Chapter 15.32's maintenance standards is enforceable through a municipal citation under Section 1.24.010 and Wisconsin Statute Chapter 800, plus Chapter 15.34's general penalty: $100 for a first offense, rising $50 per repeat offense, and $1,000 for a condition posing imminent danger to life or health. Uncorrected conditions can be abated by the city and billed to the owner as a special property charge.

The Bottom Line

Wauwatosa's property maintenance 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 Wauwatosa is broadly strict or permissive.

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