Appleton, WI Sidewalk & Pedestrian Rules: Obstruction Rules (2026)

Sec. 16-9 of the Appleton Municipal Code, in Chapter 16's general streets and sidewalks article, sets the baseline rule against blocking public ways. Subsection (a) makes it unlawful for an unauthorized person to stand, sit, lie, remain or otherwise occupy any street, sidewalk or other public way open to pedestrian or vehicle travel in a manner that annoys or molests a pedestrian, or that obstructs or unreasonably interferes with free passage of pedestrians, vehicles or other travel. The same subsection separately bars loitering at or near the entrance to any public or private building in a way that annoys people entering, leaving or passing by, and bars anyone from occupying a motor vehicle without the owner's permission.

Subsection (b) keeps the right-of-way itself clear of fixed clutter: no kiosk, bulletin board or other decorative object may go on the street right-of-way except on benches or seating the City itself provides. Subsection (c) carves out one narrow exception for commerce: sandwich-board or other temporary signs may sit in the right-of-way, but only if they conform to the City of Appleton Sandwich Board/Temporary Sign Policy, a separate administrative document rather than the ordinance text itself. 07(1)(d) and was last amended by Ord. 164-07 in December 2007 to add the sandwich-board carve-out. A cross-reference in the code ties enforcement to the citation procedure in Sec. 1-17 and the bail schedule in Sec. 1-18.