Outagamie County, WI Outdoor Lighting: Light Trespass & Shielding (2026)
Key Facts
- Citation
- § 54-548(2), industrial performance standards
- Applies to
- industrial zoning districts only
- Enforced by
- county zoning administrator
- Coverage
- towns that adopted county zoning
- Not covered
- incorporated cities like Appleton
Summary
Outagamie County's industrial zoning districts bar any operation from producing glare or lighting visible beyond the district boundary: a performance standard enforced by the county zoning administrator, not a general residential light-trespass ordinance.
External lighting. No operation or activity shall produce any intense glare or lighting with the source directly visible beyond the industrial district boundaries.(3)Odor. No operation or activity shall emit any substance or combination of substances in such quantities that create an objectionable odor as defined in Wis. Admin. Code ch. NR 429.(4)Particulate emissions. No operation or activity shall emit any particulate matter into the ambient air which exceeds the limitations as established in Wis. Admin. Code ch. NR 415.(5)Visible emissions. No operation or activity shall emit into the ambient air from any direct or portable source any matter that will affect visibility in excess of the limitations established in Wis. Admin. Code ch. NR 431.(6)Hazardous pollutants. No operation or activity shall emit any hazardous substances in such a quantity, concentration or duration as to be injurious to human health or property and all emissions of hazardous substances shall not exceed the limitations established in Wis. Admin. Code ch. NR 445. (Code 1992, § 17.50(12))
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 26).
Full Breakdown
Section 54-548(2) of the Outagamie County Code prohibits any operation or activity within an industrial zoning district from producing intense glare or lighting with the source directly visible beyond the district's boundary. The rule sits inside the industrial performance standards adopted under the county's zoning chapter, which reaches only unincorporated towns that have approved the county zoning ordinance under Wis. Stat. § 59.69: it does not apply inside Appleton, Kaukauna or any other incorporated city or village, and it does not create a general residential light-trespass rule. The zoning administrator investigates complaints and issues certified-mail notice of violation under section 54-549.
Violations & Fines
The zoning administrator sends certified-mail notice describing the violation; the owner has 30 days to correct it or face legal action or referral to the Wisconsin DNR under section 54-549.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does this rule cover residential yard lights in Outagamie County?
Does the county light-trespass rule apply inside Appleton?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Outagamie County
Compare Outagamie County to another location·View the Wisconsin outdoor lighting overview
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