Before You Build in Ashwaubenon, WI: Permit & Rule Checklist (2026)

The Village of Ashwaubenon regulates fence height through its Zoning Ordinance (Chapter 17 of the Municipal Code), adopted under Wis. Stat. Sec. 61.35 (village zoning) and consistent with the general fence statute at Wis. Stat. Sec. 90.03. The Building Inspection Department's residential fence guidance, published at ashwaubenon.gov/government/departments/building-inspection/decks-fences-pools, sets a maximum fence height of 6 feet on the rear lot line and on the side lot line from the rear of the lot to the front building setback line, and a maximum height of 3 feet for any fence located within the front setback area. Pickets must have a 1/2-inch minimum flat top, the decorative side of the fence must face the neighbor or the street, and a fence permit is required from the Community Development Department before installation.

WI Stat. §90.02 to 90.14 provides line fence cost-sharing for rural/agricultural land. Urban residential fences: each owner responsible for their own.

Ashwaubenon requires building permits for pools, spas, and hot tubs. WI Uniform Dwelling Code governs. Inspections required.

Ashwaubenon requires pool barriers to prevent unsupervised child access. Minimum 48-inch height. Self-closing, self-latching gates. WI Stat. §145.17.

Ashwaubenon enforces pool safety requirements including anti-entrapment drain covers (VGB Act), barriers, and depth markers. WI Stat. §145.17 governs.

The Village of Ashwaubenon defines an Accessory Dwelling Unit in Sec. 17-3-200 of the Zoning Code (Chapter 17) as 'a secondary dwelling unit established in conjunction with and clearly subordinate to a principal dwelling unit, whether part of the same structure as the principal dwelling unit, or as a detached structure on the same lot.' The Zoning Code is adopted under Wis. Stat. Sec. 61.35 (village zoning) and Sec. 62.23. ADUs are not listed as a Use Type in the Sec. 17-4-200 Household Living category (which lists single-family detached, single-family attached, two-family, townhouses, and multifamily). The Sec. 17-5-100 Table of Dimensional Standards in Residential Districts notes that the residential floor-area minimums 'do not apply to accessory dwelling units.' Residential districts are R-1 (One-Family), RE (Rural Estate), R-2 (Two-Family), and R-3 (Multiple-Family).

Sheds in the Village of Ashwaubenon are regulated as accessory buildings under Sec. 17-4-400 of the Zoning Ordinance (Chapter 17), adopted under Wis. Stat. Sec. 61.35 and Sec. 62.23. The Village Building Inspection Division administers an Accessory Building Permit. In R-1 (One-Family) and R-2 (Two-Family) districts, total accessory-building floor area is capped at 576 sq ft on lots under 15,000 sq ft, 768 sq ft on lots 15,000-25,000 sq ft, and 936 sq ft on lots over 25,000 sq ft, with a 15-foot maximum height, 6-foot rear and side setbacks (4-foot side without a 2-car attached garage), and a prohibition on construction in any utility easement. In the RE (Rural Estate) district, accessory buildings may not exceed 25 feet or the height of the main building, side walls and doors are limited to 10 feet, side and rear setbacks are 10 feet, and accessory buildings may not occupy more than 35 percent of the rear yard.

Outdoor burning regulated by WI DNR and local ordinance. Ashwaubenon may prohibit most open burning. Garbage burning always illegal. DNR permits required in protection areas.