Ashwaubenon, WI Building Safety: Childcare Center Rules (2026)

Under Ashwaubenon Municipal Code § 17-4-300(C)(1)(a), a child day care center or preschool that is not in a stand-alone building must sit on the first floor of the principal structure and be segregated, restrooms included, from the rest of the building. The indoor space itself cannot be smaller than 280 square feet, plus another 40 square feet for every additional child permitted, so capacity is tied directly to floor area rather than left to a case-by-case judgment call. Outdoor play areas carry their own floor: a minimum of 525 square feet, plus 75 square feet per child on site, and the area must be enclosed by a fence at least 4 feet high built so every child is within direct line of sight from the classrooms.

Play equipment cannot sit in a required front yard or setback of any zoning district, the play area has to be kept safely separated from parking, loading or service areas, and outdoor play cannot run after 8:00 PM. Parking and circulation must be designed to keep children from crossing vehicle travel lanes, with at least one drop-off parking space required for every 20 children. A center sited on religious institution property is allowed only as an accessory use, and only if it is compatible with neighboring uses on hours, noise, lighting and parking, and does not create a significant traffic impact.

A separate track covers in-home day care: those are capped at six children receiving care, need Site Plan Approval under Article 2, and any outdoor play area must have an opaque fence at least 4 feet high. In-home operations serving five or more children must additionally meet the Village's adopted commercial building code standards, not just the residential code. These standards sit inside Chapter 17's use-specific rules, meaning they layer on top of whatever base zoning district (R-1, B-2, and so on) otherwise allows the use.