City of Darlington, WI Municipal Code
For access to the entire Municipal Code, Click Here. To browse through common ordinances, please see below.
You can report ordinance violations by calling 608-776-4981 or by emailing the Police Chief at [email protected]. Thank you.
Animals
Darlington does not have breed-specific ordinances that regulate dogs. In other words, any breed of dog may be legally owned in Darlington. However, the city does regulate the behavior of dogs.
Chickens are permitted but must be properly tended to so they do not emit odor or noise. NO ROOSTERS are allowed within the City of Darlington. Up to fives hens may be kept per household.
13.05(9) No person shall keep or harbor 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.
12.17 No person having in his possession or under his control any animal or fowl shall allow the same to run at large within the city.
19.04(12) Dogs are not allowed in city parks except upon a leash.
11.06(3) Dogs over 5 months of age must have rabies vaccination and licensing through City Hall and must display tags upon their collars.
11.065 Waste emitted by any animal must be immediately attended to and removed unless upon private property.
Burning
Burning pits in the city are legal but must adhere to 12.08(2) below.
12.08(1) No person shall kindle any grass fire within the city without first securing permission from the Fire Chief.
12.08(2) No person shall kindle any fire in or upon any street, alley, public way, park or any public or private ground within the city within 50 feet of any building or within any fire lane unless the same is confined within a wire refuse burner, basket or metal enclosure with a cover attached to prevent the escape of sparks and burning material.
Fireworks
12.10 No person shall possess or use fireworks without a user’s permit issued by the Mayor or the Mayor’s designee. State law prohibits the issuance of permits to individuals. Permits can only be issued to bona fide groups.
Generally speaking, fireworks that go airborne or emit an explosive sound require a permit. Sparklers, cone fountains, and other non-explosive and non-airborne fireworks are permitted.
Parking
7.09(3) No vehicle is allowed to be parked in one location upon a city street for more than 72 hours. This is done in an effort to keep disabled and junked autos off the streets.
7.05(10)(d) No operator of a motor truck, truck-trailer, trailer or semi-trailer or any other vehicle or combination of vehicles more than 22 feet in length shall park such vehicle upon any city street.
13.08(6) No person may store recreational vehicles, which includes any boat, canoe, trailer, mobile home, camper, all-terrain vehicle, snowmobile, or other recreational vehicle, upon any street right-of-way for a period of more than 48 hours.
7.05(4)(c) No person shall park any vehicle on Main Street for longer than one hour between the hours of 2:30 a.m and 6:00 a.m. This is done in an effort to keep Main Street clear of vehicles for street sweeping and snow removal during that time period. It also serves to deter overnight accumulation of parked cars which deprives Main Street businesses of valued parking spaces each new day.
Please note: If you are unable to remove your vehicle from Main Street before the hours listed above, please notify the Sheriff’s Dept. 776-4870
7.05(6) Alternate side street parking is in effect from November 1 until April 15 of each year. This requires every parked vehicle upon all city streets to be parked on the even numbered side of the street on even numbered dates and on the odd numbered side of the street on odd numbered dates. This ordinance is only in effect between the hours of midnight and 6:00 a.m., so motorists need to be aware of what the date will be at midnight, not necessarily what the date is when they park their vehicle at night. First offense is $10.00; Second offense is $20.00.
Lawn Care
13.03(8) All weeds and grass shall be kept cut to a height not to exceed eight inches.
13.035(3) No person shall permit grass clippings from lawn mowing and other sources to be blown into or remain upon sidewalks, street pavement, gutters of any public street or upon any public property or upon any property of another, without the express permission of the owner or occupant thereof.
Peace & Quiet
12.13 No person shall make or cause to be made any loud, disturbing or unnecessary sounds or noises such as may tend to annoy or disturb another in or about any public street, alley, or park or any private residence.
12.11 No person shall engage in violent, abusive, indecent, profane, boisterous, unreasonably loud or otherwise disorderly conduct which tends to cause or provoke an immediate disturbance of public order or tends to disturb or annoy another person or persons.
12.20 No person shall willfully injure or intentionally deface, destroy or unlawfully remove, take or meddle with any property of any kind or nature belonging to the city or its departments or to any private person without consent.
7.11 No person shall make unnecessary and annoying noises with a motor vehicle by squealing tires, excessive acceleration of engine or by emitting unnecessary and loud muffler noises. This includes “Jake braking.”
Recreation Vehicles
13.08(6) No person may store any boat, canoe, trailer, mobile home, camper, all-terrain vehicle, snowmobile, or other recreational vehicle upon any street right-of-way for more than 48 hours. You may park them in your driveway as long as the public sidewalk is not blocked.
19.06 All-terrain vehicles, snowmobiles, off-road vehicles, golf carts, and all other utility and recreational vehicles shall not be used in city parks.
Unlicensed Vehicles
13.08(3) No person shall accumulate, store or allow any disassembled, inoperable, junked or wrecked motor vehicle, truck body, tractor or trailer in the open upon any public or private property in the city for a period of time exceeding 10 days. There are some exceptions for autobody shops and mechanics. Please contact the Police for details.
13.08(2)(b) All motor vehicles, truck bodies, tractors or trailers must bear lawful current license plates or they are considered a public nuisance.
Weapons
12.02 No person shall discharge a firearm within the city.
12.03(2) No person shall possess a firearm while in any public building or on any public land within the city.
12.04 No person shall throw or shoot any object, arrow, stone, or other missile or projectile, by hand or by any other means at any person or at, in or into any building, street, sidewalk, alley, highway, park, playground, vehicle, or other public place within the city.
Junk
12.16 No person shall store junked or discarded property, including automobiles or automobile parts, trailers or trailer parts, trucks, tractors, refrigerators, furnaces, washing machines, stoves, machinery or machinery parts, wood, bricks, cement blocks or other unsightly debris which substantially depreciates property values in the neighborhood except in an enclosure which houses suck property from public view.
13.08(2)(d) Worn out or discarded material of little or no value including, but not limited to, household appliances or parts thereof, machinery and equipment or parts thereof, vehicles or parts thereof, tools, discarded building materials, or any other unsightly debris, the accumulation of which has an adverse effect upon neighborhood or city property values, health, safety or general welfare.
12.19 No person shall leave or permit to remain on any property unattended or discarded iceboxes, refrigerators, or any other container which has an airtight door or lid which cannot be released from the inside unless the door or lid is first removed or securely locked or fastened.
13.08(2)(a) Disassembled, inoperable, junked or wrecked motor vehicles, truck bodies, tractors, or trailers in such state of physical or mechanical ruin as to be incapable of propulsion or being operated upon city streets or highways.
13.08(2)(b) All motor vehicles, truck bodies, tractors or trailers must bear lawful current license plates or they are considered a public nuisance.
Property Maintenance
Municipal Ordinance 13.095
This Ordinance has the following specific objectives:
- To protect the character and stability of all areas within the City.
- To provide minimum standards of maintenance necessary to protect the health, safety and general welfare of persons occupying or using land, buildings and structures in the City.
- To provide minimum standards for the exterior maintenance of all land, buildings, and structures and to thus prohibit the spread of blight.
- To declare that land, buildings, structures and adjacent property which have become or are becoming deteriorated, dilapidated, neglected, fire hazards, a vermin or rodent harborage, or unsanitary may constitute public nuisances, fail to meet the standards of this Ordinance and are detrimental to the health, safety and general welfare of the residents of this community.
- To preserve the value of land, buildings and structures throughout the City.
Maintenance and Appearance of Exterior of Buildings and Structures:
- The exterior of buildings and structures shall be free of all nuisances, unsanitary conditions and hazards to the safety of occupants, pedestrians and other persons utilizing the premises.
- The exterior appearance of all buildings and structures shall reflect a level of maintenance in keeping with the standards of the neighborhood, and shall not constitute a blighting factor or an element leading to the progressive deterioration of the neighborhood.
- Exterior porches, landings, balconies, stairs and fire escapes shall be provided with banisters or railings properly designed and maintained to minimize the hazard of fallings, and the same shall be kept structurally sound, in good repair and free of defects.
- The exterior of every building and structure, including fences, shall be maintained in good repair and all surfaces thereof shall be kept painted as necessary for purposes of preservation and appearance. Buildings and structures shall be maintained free of broken, lose shingles, crumbling stone or brick, excessive peeling paint or other conditions reflective of deterioration or inadequate maintenance.
- Every dwelling and accessory structure, exterior walls, siding and roofs shall be kept structurally sound and in a state of good repair to avoid safety, health or fire hazards and shall be so maintained as to be weather and watertight.
- Every building and structure on the premises shall be adequately protected against rats, mice, termites, and other vermin infestation, and shall not permit the entrance of such rats, mice, termites and other vermin. Owners and operators shall be responsible for the extermination of such vermin from that part of the premises under their exclusive control.
- Every building shall have adequate refuse, garbage or rubbish storage facilities. No owner or operator shall allow occupants to accumulate rubbish, boxes, lumber, metal refuse or other materials which may provide a harborage for rodents or vermin.
Maintenance and Appearance of Land.
- The land surrounding the buildings and structures shall be kept free of hazards and clear of debris including, but not limited to, brush, weeds, broken glass, stumps, roots, obnoxious growths, filth, garbage, trash, refuse, old tires, and junk. The sole exception is where said debris has been properly placed for pick up by the City’s waste disposal contractor.
- Every yard, court, driveway or other portion of the land shall be graded or drained so as to prevent the accumulation of stagnant water on any such surface. Driveways shall be maintained in good condition and repair.