Fitchburg, WI Sidewalk & Pedestrian Rules: Encroachment Permits (2026)

Section 26-60 of the Fitchburg, Wisconsin sign ordinance sets the baseline rule for private encroachment onto the public right-of-way: in zoning districts where building setbacks apply, no part of a sign may extend over the property line, and any sign projecting over a sidewalk must keep at least eight feet of clearance above the walking surface. The section then draws a hard line for anything reaching further, into or over a public street right-of-way itself. No sign may be located within or over that right-of-way unless a street encroachment permit approved by the common council has been issued.

Unlike the routine sign permits the zoning administrator issues under Section 26-31, or the temporary occupancy and obstruction permits the public works department issues under Section 27-255 for other right-of-way uses, this encroachment approval must come from the common council, the city's elected legislative body, giving it a higher, more discretionary bar than an administrative sign permit. The height limit in Section 26-61, capping any sign at 25 feet above the nearest established street grade, applies on top of the encroachment rule, and the general sign permit application requirements in Section 26-32, including a scale drawing and the property owner's information, still apply to any sign seeking council approval to encroach on the right-of-way.