Green Bay, WI Noise Ordinances: Construction Hours (2026)
Construction hours in Green Bay, WI, sometimes called construction noise rules or contractor work-hour ordinances, set when contractors can run power tools, hammers, and heavy equipment.
Key Facts
- Presumed-reasonable window
- 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., Mon-Sat
- Covers
- Construction sites, public works, utilities
- Outside window
- Loses presumption, not automatically illegal
- Off-hours permit
- Apply to Police Dept. 30 days ahead
- Waste collection presumption
- Nighttime, Mon-Fri (opposite rule)
- Maximum forfeiture
- $200.00 per violation
Summary
Construction noise in Green Bay is presumed reasonable only during daytime hours, 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., Monday through Saturday, under Municipal Code § 24-146(d)(2). Work outside that window loses the presumption and can be judged unreasonable under the same section's decibel and time-of-day tests, with forfeitures up to $200.
(d)Presumptions. The typical noise produced by the following activities is presumed to be reasonable:(1)Required noise. Any noise-producing activity required by law.(2)Construction work. Work performed at construction sites, at public works projects, and by public utilities during daytime hours Monday through Saturday.(3)Waste collection. The collection of solid waste during nighttime hours Monday through Friday.(4)Safety response. Emergency vehicles responding to an emergency.(5)Power equipment. The use of lawn mowers, snow removal equipment, lawn and garden tools, and riding tractors during daytime hours for yard, pavement or land maintenance.(6)Air conditioning. The use of residential air conditioners.(7)Airplanes. Aircraft operations controlled specifically by federal law.(8)Time signals. The use of bells, chimes, and similar devices that signal the time of day during daytime hours.(9)Warning devices. The use of a device that requests assistance or warns against an unsafe condition.
Full Breakdown
Section 24-146(d) lists activities whose "typical noise" is presumed reasonable, meaning the city treats them as compliant unless other evidence proves otherwise. m. Because the daytime, Monday-through-Saturday window is only a presumption and not a blanket exemption, construction noise inside it can still be challenged under the general unreasonable-noise standard in § 24-146(b), including the 80 dB(A) decibel test in (b)(1). Work that falls outside the presumed window, meaning nights or Sundays, simply loses the automatic benefit of the doubt: a court applies the same (b)(1)-(4) factors (decibels, time of day, land use, duration) to decide if it's unreasonable.
By contrast, solid waste collection is presumed reasonable specifically at night, Monday through Friday, under § 24-146(d)(3), the mirror image of the construction rule. A contractor who needs to work outside the presumed daytime hours can apply for a special permit through the Police Department at least 30 days in advance under § 24-146(e)(1), with the Chief of Police approving it if the noise won't substantively harm public health, safety and welfare.
Violations & Fines
Construction noise found unreasonable under § 24-146(b), whether because it falls outside the presumed daytime hours or independently exceeds 80 dB(A) from a neighboring property, draws a forfeiture of not more than $200.00 under § 24-146(f). Each incident can be cited separately, and a special permit issued for off-hours work can be revoked immediately if its conditions are violated.
Frequently Asked Questions
What hours can construction crews work in Green Bay without ordinance trouble?
Is construction noise banned on Sundays or at night?
Can a contractor get permission to work outside the presumed hours?
What's the penalty for construction noise violations?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Green Bay
How Green Bay compares: Cities with the Strictest Construction Hours·Compare Green Bay to another location·View the Wisconsin noise ordinances overview
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Construction Hours in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Brown County handle construction hours.