Grant County, WI Homelessness & Encampment Rules: Encampment Sanitation (2026)

Grant County regulates public camping through its parks chapter, Chapter 200, adopted by the Board of Supervisors. Section 200-12 states that no person shall sleep, or camp, or lodge in any park, except in such places as designated for such purposes as overnight or tourist or trailer camps, and then only subject to the rules and regulations of the Park Commission governing the use of such areas. The verbs are broad: sleeping alone, without a tent, is covered the same as camping or lodging.

The word "park" is defined in § 200-2 to include the grounds, building and equipment, waters within, wayside rest areas, boat launch and landing access points, beach areas and other property under the control or jurisdiction of the Grant County Park Commission. The Commission can adopt additional rules for the conduct and administration of the parks under § 200-14, so camping areas are run on Commission rules.

Sanitation is handled through companion park rules. Section 200-11A bars leaving paper, cans, bottles, garbage or other rubbish in any portion of a park except in the receptacles provided, and § 200-11B bars dumping refuse, manure or any substance in or upon the waters, grounds or roadways of a park without written permission of the Park Commission. Section 200-8 bars defiling or injuring trees, turf, benches, tables, buildings and other property in a park.

Enforcement is by citation. Any Grant County law enforcement officer can issue a citation under § 200-15A, and § 200-16 gives officers the right to enter any building, structure or enclosure in a park at any time to enforce the chapter. The District Attorney's office is authorized to prosecute. The rule is a county park rule, so city parks in Platteville, Lancaster, Boscobel and other municipalities follow their own codes.