Winnebago County, WI Business Licensing & Operations: Adult Entertainment (2026)
Key Facts
- Spacing
- 600 ft. from similar business
- Also 600 ft. from
- Schools, parks, churches, day cares
- Measurement
- Straight-line distance, § 23.8-312(h)
- Citation
- Winnebago County Code § 23.8-312(e)-(g)
- Scope
- Town-adopted unincorporated areas only
Summary
Winnebago County zoning bars adult-oriented establishments from locating within 600 feet of another such business, a residential district, or specified uses like schools, parks, churches, libraries, and day cares.
(e) Proximity to another establishment of the same kind. An adult-oriented establishment shall not be located within 600 feet of another adult-oriented establishment. (f) Proximity to specified zoning districts. An adult-oriented establishment shall not be located within 600 feet of a parcel of land in a residential zoning district or a planned development district that allows residential uses. (g) Proximity to other specified land uses. An adult-oriented establishment shall not be located within 600 feet of any of the following: (1) public library; ... (5) worship facility.
Full Breakdown
Winnebago County Code § 23.8-312 regulates adult-oriented establishments as a distinct land use. Under § 23.8-312(e) and (f), such a business may not locate within 600 feet of another adult-oriented establishment, or of a parcel in a residential zoning district or planned-development district allowing residential uses. Section 23.8-312(g) extends the same 600-foot buffer to libraries, parks and trails, K-12 and post-secondary schools, licensed day cares, houses of worship, youth-oriented establishments, taverns, liquor-licensed businesses, and farm dwellings. Distances are measured in a straight line, and a protected use that moves in later does not force the existing adult business to relocate. It applies only in towns that adopted the ordinance under Wis. Stat. § 59.69.
Violations & Fines
Operating without meeting the 600-foot spacing rules is a zoning violation under § 23.14-9: forfeiture plus prosecution costs, up to 6 months in jail for nonpayment, and each day of continued violation is a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
How far must an adult-oriented business be from a school in Winnebago County?
Can two adult-oriented businesses operate near each other?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Winnebago County
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