Madison General Ordinances Ch. 27 (Building Code) and Ch. 7 require property owners to keep premises free of rodent harborage, and PHMDC may issue abatement orders for active infestations under Wis. Stat. ch. 254.
Madison treats rodent infestations as a public-health nuisance. Property owners must eliminate rat harborage, seal openings larger than one-quarter inch, and store garbage in rodent-resistant containers. PHMDC inspectors respond to complaints and may issue written abatement notices, typically giving 7-14 days to correct conditions. Failure to comply can trigger municipal-court citations and city-performed abatement billed back to the owner as a special charge against the property. Construction and demolition sites must implement rodent-control plans before disturbing soil to prevent dispersal into adjacent properties.
Failing to abate rat harborage after a PHMDC notice can lead to citations, daily fines, and special charges added to the property tax bill for city-performed cleanup.
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