Fitchburg, WI Code Violation Reporting: How to Report (2026)

Fitchburg channels every nuisance and code complaint through the abatement procedure in Chapter 74, Article V. A complaint can be made to any city official or employee, not just the building inspector; it goes to the department head with authority over that kind of problem, who then decides, in his or her reasonable discretion, whether to inspect the property and must file a written report of the findings with the city administrator, photographing the premises whenever practicable (§ 74-143). If the inspection confirms a public nuisance as defined in § 74-19, the department head serves written notice on whoever is causing, permitting or maintaining it and on the owner or occupant, either personally or by certified mail, and posts a copy on the premises; if the responsible party cannot be located, the city publishes a Class 2 notice under Wis.

ch. 985 instead. The notice sets a specific, reasonable deadline to abate and warns that the city will otherwise remove the nuisance and charge the cost to the owner, occupant or violator as a special charge under Wis. 0627 (§ 74-144). If the deadline passes without action, or the responsible party cannot be found, the department head has the nuisance abated at city expense and bills accordingly (§ 74-145). A property that draws complaints for the same kind of nuisance activity three or more times within any 30-day period can separately be declared a chronic nuisance premises, triggering written notice to the owner and, if unresolved, a hearing before the common council (§§ 74-52 to 74-56). Nothing in this process bars the city from also pursuing a nuisance action under Wis. ch. 823 (§ 74-146).