Noise Ordinances in Brown County, WI (2026)
7 county-level rules, plus city-specific rules for 3 cities in Brown County, Wisconsin.
Verified from official government sources
Quiet Hours
Brown County Code Chapter 39 (revised 5-1-2002) sets daytime and nighttime sound pressure limits for unincorporated areas. Nighttime amplified sound from commercial/industrial zones audible 75 feet beyond the lot line into a residential zone is prohibited.
Brown County Noise Control (Chapter 39)
Some RestrictionsBrown County Code of Ordinances, ch. 39.01(1)(b)-(c), (2)(a) (Noise Control - Daytime/Nighttime Hours and Maximum Levels)
39.01 REGULATION OF NOISE. (1) DEFINITIONS. (b) Daytime Hours. The hours between 7:00 A.M. and 10:00 P.M. (c) Nighttime Hours. The hours between 10:00 P.M. and 7:00 A.M. ... (2) LIMITATIONS. (a) Maximum Levels within Zones. No person shall operate or cause to be operated on private or public property any source of sound in such a manner as to create a sound level which exceeds the limits set fo...
Construction Hours
Brown County exempts construction sites and public-works projects from its daytime noise-level caps, but the equipment still has to be run and maintained to minimize noise, and long jobs near homes must be shielded.
Brown County Construction Noise Exemption
Some RestrictionsBrown County Code § 39.01(6)(a)
The daytime criteria, as set forth in (2), shall not apply to construction sites, public utilities, and public works projects and operations during daytime hours Monday through Saturday, however, the noise shall be minimized through proper equipment operations and maintenance. The nighttime criteria, as set forth in (2), shall not apply to municipal employees and personnel engage...
Barking Dogs
Brown County's noise ordinance exempts animal noise, including barking dogs, from its Chapter 39 decibel standards, so a dog's barking alone isn't a Chapter 39 violation.
Brown County Barking Dog Noise Exemption
Few RestrictionsBrown County Code § 39.01(6)(l)
Animals. Noises created by animals such as, but not limited to, barking dogs. (m) Motor Vehicles. Noise created by motor vehicles. (n) Exemptions. These provisions shall not apply to:
Amplified Music & Outdoor Sound
At night, Brown County bars radios, jukeboxes and other electric sound-amplification devices on commercial or industrial property from being audible 75 feet past the lot line into a residential zone.
Brown County Nighttime Amplified Sound Limit
Some RestrictionsBrown County Code § 39.01(4)
During nighttime hours, no person may operate a radio, juke box, or other electric sound amplification device emitting sound from any industrial or commercial zone or commercial premises that is audible in a residential zone under normal conditions from a distance of 75 feet or more beyond the lot line of the property which emits the sound. (5) MEASUREMENT. When required pursuan...
Aircraft Noise
Land within Brown County's District A aircraft noise contour, 65 LDN or greater near Austin Straubel International Airport, is off-limits to new residential, schools, hospitals and other noise-sensitive uses.
Brown County Airport Noise Zoning
Significant RestrictionsBrown County Code § 24.15(1), (3)
District A shall be mapped to encompass areas which, due to the operation of aircraft, have a noise rating of 65 ldn or greater and are within the aircraft Crash Hazard area...Uses which are specifically prohibited are: residential (except that directly related to a farm operation that exceeds 35 acres and includes soundproofing construction techniques that provide a minimum of twenty (20) deci...
Decibel Limits
Brown County caps how much sound an industrial or commercial source can push across the line into a residential zone, with separate decibel ceilings for daytime and nighttime hours under Chapter 39.
Brown County Industrial-to-Residential Noise Limits
Some RestrictionsBrown County Code § 39.01(2)(b)
No person shall operate or cause to be operated on private or public property any source of sound from an industrial zone into a residential zone or commercial zone, or from a commercial zone into a residential zone that exceeds the limits set forth in Tables III and IV. TABLE III Maximum Permissible Sound Pressure; Daytime Hours...
Vehicle Noise
Brown County's noise ordinance sets sound-level limits for stationary sources but expressly exempts motor vehicles: vehicle stereos, mufflers, and engine noise face no county decibel limit under Chapter 39.
Brown County, WI Vehicle Noise Rule
Few RestrictionsBrown County Code § 39.01(6)(m)
(6) EXEMPTIONS. The following activities shall be exempt from the regulations of this section, provided reasonable steps are taken to minimize the noise emitted. ... (m) Motor Vehicles. Noise created by motor vehicles.
Noise Ordinances by City in Brown County
3 cities in Brown County have their own noise ordinances rules. Each link goes to that city's dedicated page with code citations.
All Brown County ordinances
See every category we cover for Brown County: parking, noise, fences, fires, animals, pools, and more.
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