[HISTORY: Adopted by the Town Board of the Town of Lowell 4-1-2004 as Title 11, Ch. 6, of the 2004 Code of Ordinances. Amendments noted where applicable.]
No person shall erect, contrive, cause, continue, maintain or permit to exist any public nuisance within the Town of Lowell, Dodge County, Wisconsin.
As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
PUBLIC NUISANCE
A thing, act, occupation, condition or use of property which shall continue for such length of time as to:
A. 
Substantially annoy, injure or endanger the comfort, health, repose or safety of the public;
B. 
In any way render the public insecure in life or in the use of property;
C. 
Greatly offend the public morals or decency;
D. 
Unlawfully and substantially interfere with, obstruct or tend to obstruct or render dangerous for passage any street, alley, highway, navigable body of water or other public way or the use of public property.
E. 
Any condition or use of premises or of building exteriors which is detrimental to the property of others or which causes or tends to cause substantial diminution in the value of other property in the neighborhood in which such premises are located.
The following acts, omissions, places, conditions and things are hereby specifically declared to be public health nuisances, but such enumeration shall not be construed to exclude other health nuisances coming within the definition of § 210-2:
A. 
Adulterated food. All decayed, harmfully adulterated or unwholesome food or drink sold or offered for sale to the public.
B. 
Unburied carcasses. Carcasses of animals, birds or fowl not intended for human consumption or foods which are not buried or otherwise disposed of in a sanitary manner within 48 hours after death.
C. 
Breeding places for vermin, etc. Accumulations of decayed animal or vegetable matter (other than composting sites), trash, rubbish, rotting lumber, bedding, packing material, scrap metal, tires or any material whatsoever in which flies, mosquitoes, disease-carrying insects, rats or other vermin may breed.
D. 
Stagnant water. All stagnant water in which mosquitoes, flies or other insects can multiply.
E. 
Garbage cans. Garbage cans which are not flytight.
F. 
Noxious weeds. All noxious weeds and other rank growth of vegetation.
G. 
Water pollution. The pollution of any public or private well or cistern, stream, lake, canal or other body of water or groundwater by sewage, creamery or other wastes or substances.
H. 
Noxious odors, etc. Any use of property, substances or things within the Town emitting or causing any foul, offensive, noisome, nauseous, noxious or disagreeable odors, gases, effluvia or stenches extremely repulsive to the physical senses of ordinary persons which annoy, discomfort, injure or inconvenience the health of any appreciable number of persons within the Town, other than odors produced through the operation of farming practices.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: See also § 271-12B of Ch. 271, Vehicles and Traffic.
I. 
Street pollution. Any use of property which shall cause any nauseous or unwholesome liquid or substance to flow into or upon any street, gutter, alley, sidewalk or public place within the Town.
J. 
Animals at large. All animals running at large.[2]
[2]
Editor's Note: See also § 117-6A(3) and C of Ch. 117, Animals.
K. 
Accumulations of refuse. Accumulations of old cans, lumber, elm firewood and other refuse.
L. 
Air pollution. The escape of smoke, soot, cinders, noxious acids, fumes, gases, fly ash or industrial dust within the limits of the property or within one mile therefrom in such quantities as to endanger the health of persons of ordinary sensibilities or to threaten or cause substantial injury to property.[3]
[Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. II)]
[3]
Editor's Note: See also § 271-12B of Ch. 271, Vehicles and Traffic.
M. 
Foul odors. Any use of property, substances or things within the Town emitting or causing any foul, offensive, nauseous, unwholesome or disagreeable odors, gases, stenches, liquids or substances offensive to the physical senses to an ordinary person possessed of ordinary tastes and susceptibilities or which otherwise annoy, discomfort, injure or inconvenience the health of persons within the Town. This definition shall not apply to odors produced through the operation of farming practices.[4]
[4]
Editor's Note: See also § 271-12B of Ch. 271, Vehicles and Traffic.
N. 
Abandoned wells. All abandoned wells not securely covered or secured from public use.
O. 
Abandoned equipment. Abandoned, discarded or unused objects or equipment, such as furniture, stoves, refrigerators, freezers, cans, containers, lumber, trash, or debris.
P. 
Agricultural exception. Due to the unique operational circumstances associated with agriculture, Subsections C, D, G, H, I, L and M shall not apply to agricultural operations.
The following acts, omissions, places, conditions and things are hereby specifically declared to be public nuisances offending public morals and decency, but such enumeration shall not be construed to exclude other nuisances offending public morals and decency coming within the definition of § 210-2:
A. 
Disorderly houses. All disorderly houses, bawdy houses, houses of ill fame, gambling houses and buildings or structures kept or resorted to for the purpose of prostitution, promiscuous sexual intercourse or gambling.
B. 
Gambling devices. All gambling devices and slot machines, other than state-authorized programs.
C. 
Unlicensed sale of liquor and beer. All places where intoxicating liquor or fermented malt beverages are sold, possessed, stored, brewed, bottled, manufactured or rectified without a permit or license as provided for the ordinances of the Town.
D. 
Continuous violation of Town ordinances. Any place or premises within the Town where Town ordinances or state laws relating to public health, safety, peace, morals or welfare are openly, continuously, repeatedly and intentionally violated.
E. 
Illegal drinking. Any place or premises resorted to for the purpose of drinking intoxicating liquor or fermented malt beverages in violation of the laws of the State of Wisconsin or ordinances of the Town.
The following acts, omissions, places, conditions and things are hereby declared to be public nuisances affecting peace and safety, but such enumeration shall not be construed to exclude other nuisances affecting public peace or safety coming within the definition of § 210-2:
A. 
Signs, billboards, etc. All signs and billboards, awnings and other similar structures over or near streets, sidewalks, public grounds or places frequented by the public, so situated or constructed as to endanger the public safety.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: See also § 295-60C of Ch. 295, Zoning.
B. 
Illegal buildings. All buildings erected, repaired or altered in violation of the provisions of the ordinances of the Town relating to materials and manner of construction of buildings and structures within the Town.
C. 
Unauthorized traffic signs. All unauthorized signs, signals, markings or devices placed or maintained upon or in view of any public highway or railway crossing which purport to be or may be mistaken as an official traffic control device, railroad sign or signal or which, because of its color, location, brilliance or manner of operation, interferes with the effectiveness of any such device, sign or signal.
D. 
Obstruction of intersections. All trees, hedges, billboards or other obstructions which prevent persons driving vehicles on public streets, alleys or highways from obtaining a clear view of traffic when approaching an intersection or pedestrian crosswalk.[2]
[2]
Editor's Note: See also § 243-6 of Ch. 243, Streets and Highways; and § 295-12E(6) and § 295-59 of Ch. 295, Zoning
E. 
Tree limbs. All limbs of trees which project over a public sidewalk or ditch area of the right-of-way less than 10 feet above the surface thereof and all limbs which project over a public street less than 14 feet above the surface thereof.
F. 
Dangerous trees. All trees which are a menace to public safety or are the cause of substantial annoyance to the general public.
G. 
Fireworks. All use or display of fireworks except as provided by the laws of the State of Wisconsin and ordinances of the Town.[3]
[3]
Editor's Note: See also Ch. 166, Fireworks.
H. 
Dilapidated buildings. All buildings or structures so old, dilapidated or out of repair as to be dangerous, unsafe, unsanitary or otherwise unfit for human use.[4]
[4]
Editor's Note: See also § 131-8, Unsafe buildings, of Ch. 131, Building Construction.
I. 
Wires over streets. All wires over streets, alleys or public grounds which are strung less than 15 feet above the surface thereof.
J. 
Noisy animals or fowl. The keeping or harboring of any animal or fowl which, by frequent or habitual howling, yelping, barking, crowing or making of other noises shall greatly annoy or disturb a neighborhood or any considerable number of persons within the Town.[5]
[5]
Editor's Note: See also § 117-11 of Ch. 117, Animals.
K. 
Obstructions of streets: excavations. All obstructions of streets, alleys, sidewalks or crosswalks and all excavations in or under the same, except as permitted by the ordinances of the Town or which, although made in accordance with such ordinances, are kept or maintained for an unreasonable or illegal length of time after the purpose thereof has been accomplished, or which do not conform to the permit.[6]
[6]
Editor's Note: See also Art. III of Ch. 243, Streets and Highways.
L. 
Open excavations. All open and unguarded pits, wells, excavations or unused basements accessible from any public street, alley or sidewalk.[7]
[7]
Editor's Note: See also § 243-5, Regulations governing excavations and openings, of Ch. 243, Streets and Highways.
M. 
Abandoned refrigerators. All abandoned refrigerators or iceboxes from which the doors and other covers have not been removed or which are not equipped with a device for opening from the inside.
N. 
Flammable liquids. Repeated or continuous violations of the ordinances of the Town or laws of the state relating to the storage of flammable liquids.
O. 
Unremoved snow. All snow and ice not removed or sprinkled with ashes, sawdust, sand or other chemical removers, as provided in this Code.
P. 
Appliances and junk. Any junk, wood, bricks, cement, concrete blocks, abandoned vehicles, or machinery or parts thereof, refrigerators, furnaces, washing machines, stoves, and other appliances or any other unsightly accumulation of items or materials such as may tend to depreciate property values in the area, or create a blighted condition, or create a hazard (except when such items are properly housed and out of public view).
Q. 
Unauthorized street use. Any unauthorized or unlawful use of property abutting on a public street, alley or sidewalk or of a public street, alley or sidewalk which causes large crowds of people to gather, obstructing traffic and free use of the streets or sidewalks.
A. 
Inspection of premises. Whenever a complaint is made to a member of the Town Board that a public nuisance exists within the Town, the Town Board shall inspect or cause to be inspected the premises complained of.
B. 
Notice to owner. If the Town Board determines that a public nuisance exists within the Town, it shall provide notice to the person causing, permitting or maintaining such nuisance or the owner or occupant of the premises where such nuisance exists. The notice shall direct the person causing, permitting or maintaining the nuisance or the owner or occupant of the premises to abate or remove such nuisance within three days. The notice shall also state that unless such nuisance is so abated, the Town shall cause the same to be abated and will charge the cost thereof to the owner, occupant or person causing, permitting or maintaining the nuisance, as the case may be.
C. 
Abatement by Town. If the nuisance is not abated within the time provided or if the owner, occupant or person causing the nuisance cannot be found, the Town shall cause the abatement or removal of such public nuisance.
D. 
Abatement by court action. If the Town shall determine that a public nuisance exists on private premises but that the nature of such nuisance is not such as to threaten immediate danger to the public health, safety, peace, morals or decency, the Town may cause an action to abate such nuisance to be commenced in the name of the Town in the Circuit Court of Dodge County.
E. 
Other methods not excluded. Nothing in this chapter shall be construed as prohibiting the abatement of public nuisances by the Town or its officials in accordance with the laws of the State of Wisconsin.
In addition to any other penalty imposed by this chapter for the erection, contrivance, creation, continuance or maintenance of a public nuisance, the cost of abating a public nuisance by the Town shall be collected as a debt from the owner, occupant or person causing, permitting or maintaining the nuisance, such cost shall be assessed against the real estate as a special charge.
[Added at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. II)]
Any person who shall violate any provision of this chapter shall, upon conviction thereof, be subject to a penalty as set forth in Chapter 1, General Provisions, § 1-3.