Municipal Code Overview

Understanding local laws and community rules.

Village Code and Ordinance Reform

Waunakee deserves a code of ordinances that is clear, consistent, and easy for residents to understand. Instead, we have a system that often feels more like an HOA handbook than the laws of a local government. Our ordinances are scattered across multiple chapters, full of conflicting definitions, and written in a way that even attorneys struggle to interpret. Residents should not need a law degree to understand their own local government.

A village code should be written for the people who live here. It should tell you in plain language what is allowed, what is not allowed, and the reason behind each rule. Waunakee’s code does not do that. Overlapping sections, outdated language, and definitions that contradict each other have created a system that is difficult for residents to follow and difficult for the Village to enforce in a fair and consistent way.

Ending the HOA Style Rules

Many of Waunakee’s ordinances go far beyond basic safety or legitimate public purpose. They reflect lifestyle preferences, aesthetic expectations, and hyper specific limitations that do not belong in municipal code. When government starts regulating day-to-day life at this level, it stops serving residents and starts functioning like a homeowner association. That is not the mission of a local government.

Ending the HOA Style Rules

Many of Waunakee’s ordinances go far beyond basic safety or legitimate public purpose. They reflect lifestyle preferences, aesthetic expectations, and hyper specific limitations that do not belong in municipal code. When government starts regulating day-to-day life at this level, it stops serving residents and starts functioning like a homeowner association. That is not the mission of a local government.

Consistent Enforcement Starts With Clear Rules

Selective enforcement thrives when the rules themselves are unclear. When key terms like terrace have multiple definitions across the code, when the parking section conflicts with the sign section, or when enforcement relies on interpretation rather than objective standards, residents are left frustrated and unsure of their rights. This leads to uneven enforcement and a loss of trust between residents and their government.

No Department of Code Enforcement

Waunakee does not have a department of code enforcement. Instead, we outsource enforcement to a small private business that also serves many other municipalities. This creates a system where enforcement is based on complaints rather than community engagement or education. A report only model encourages neighbors to police each other rather than work together. It damages relationships and creates hostility on both sides of the property line. Residents deserve a system that is predictable, professional, and focused on solutions, not conflict.

No Department of Code Enforcement

Waunakee does not have a department of code enforcement. Instead, we outsource enforcement to a small private business that also serves many other municipalities. This creates a system where enforcement is based on complaints rather than community engagement or education. A report only model encourages neighbors to police each other rather than work together. It damages relationships and creates hostility on both sides of the property line. Residents deserve a system that is predictable, professional, and focused on solutions, not conflict.

A Full Rewrite, Not Patchwork Fixes

We are long past the point of small edits. Waunakee needs a full rewrite of its code of ordinances. There are many examples that show how outdated, contradictory, or unclear our current rules have become:

  • Waunakee still has a loitering ordinance that does not meet constitutional standards specified under Papachristou v. City of Jacksonville or City of Chicago v. Morales. Courts across the country have struck down broad loitering laws because they give unlimited discretion to determine who is allowed to stand in a public place. A law that lets someone be cited simply for being present is not compatible with basic civil liberties. The Village should not keep ordinances on the books that are unconstitutional or impossible to enforce properly. (Sec 46-71).
  • It is still technically illegal to throw a snowball in Waunakee. Our village defines this as a “missile.” This is a leftover ordinance from a different era and has no place in modern code. Any damage caused by a snowball is covered under other ordinances or state laws (Sec 46-70).
  • Our animal ordinances create strange inconsistencies by unnecessarily specifying species. For example, you can own an Asian elephant but not an African elephant. These inconsistencies do not reflect real world conditions and most residents would never expect this to be written into our code (Sec 14-8).
  • It is illegal to parallel park your car with a for sale sign in the window (Sec 70-118).
  • The code contains multiple conflicting definitions of the terrace. In some chapters it is defined as four feet from the curb, and in others it is defined as ten feet from the curb. This leads to inconsistent sign and parking enforcement. Our parking section prohibits parking on the terrace at all times, while the sign section uses a different definition of the same area. Something can be legal in one chapter and a violation in another. Simultaneously, if you do not have a sidewalk, the village does not know where the terrace is located. A large portion of our laws are centered around this concept (Sec 58-3, 78-21, 70-118).
  • The current sign ordinance is tied to state statute, but the Village still added additional restrictions in the “interest of public safety.” This causes confusion every election cycle and creates unnecessary friction with residents. This has also led to dozens of neighborhood conflicts when residents place yards signs for various high school sports (Sec 133-1038).
  • The noise, vibration, and nuisance sections use outdated standards and subjective language that can be interpreted differently depending on who is enforcing it (Sec 133-1067 & 133-1068).
  • Our weapons ordinance still bans so called ninja weapons, including throwing stars and similar items. These provisions were written during the 1980s panic over martial arts weapons and have no practical relevance today. They clutter the code, confuse residents, and add to the long list of outdated and unnecessary rules that need review (Sec 46-161).
  • Our Code of Ordinance designates an “Official Newspaper,” which is the Waunakee Tribune. As of last year, the Waunakee Tribune no longer exists (Sec 2-3). NOTE: The Village Board corrected this mistake and updated the "official newspaper" to the "Tribune Enterprise" at the February 2nd, 2026 Village Board Meeting.

These inconsistencies are not small issues. They affect daily life and they create friction between residents and the Village. A clean and modern code eliminates these problems and brings clarity to everyone involved.

A Code That Reflects Who We Are Today

Our ordinances should support a welcoming and vibrant community. They should not create confusion or push residents into unnecessary disputes. A modern code supports fairness, transparency, and public trust. It does not punish people for unclear rules or rely on guesswork.

As a trustee, I will advocate for a complete and public rewrite of our ordinances with input from residents, business owners, first responders, and village staff. Clear rules build trust. Confusing rules undermine it. Waunakee deserves a code that truly serves the people who live here.