Obstruction on Public Ways.
Milwaukee Code of Ordinances § 115-32
in effect115-32. Obstruction on Public Ways.
1. No person shall build, place or maintain or cause, permit, or allow to be placed, built, or maintained, or pile, deposit, or place, or permit to be piled, deposited, or placed in, upon, or over any public way or public place in the city any obstruction, encroachment, building, structure, wares, merchandise, rubbish, garbage, wood, coal, dirt or other article or obstruction of any kind whatsoever, or so occupy or obstruct any public way or public place so as to interfere with the complete, free and convenient use of the same by the public or any member thereof, except the following obstructions specifically permitted by law:
a. Newspaper stands as provided by s. 115-33.
b. Permissible projection, obstructions, and encroachments as provided by s. 245-4.
c. Special privilege permits granted pursuant to common council resolution.
e. Ducts or conduits in the sidewalk as provided by s. 115-36.
f. Lawn sprinklers in the sidewalk area as provided by s. 115-37.
g. Facilities for the collection and distribution of mail as provided by s. 115-38.
h. Telephone booths as provided for in s. 115-39.
i. Other obstructions of a temporary nature permitted by the commissioner or the common council.
j. Poles permitted under this chapter.
k. Newspaper vending boxes as provided by s. 115-33.5.
L. Bicycle parking facilities as provided by s. 115-32.5.
m. Flower pot holders as provided in s. 115-33.6.
n. Sidewalk area dining facilities as provided by s. 115-32.6.
2. a. The location of any permitted obstruction shall not be construed or deemed to be a vested interest. A permittee shall remove or modify an obstruction at his or her own expense and restore the public way to the satisfaction of the commissioner whenever the city determines that the public convenience would be enhanced by such removal or modification. Except as otherwise provided, the owner shall remove the obstruction from the public way within 30 days, or any special privilege within 10 days, of the receipt of written notice from the commissioner. If the owner fails to carry out the required work, the commissioner may cause the removal, certify the costs thereof in the proper manner to have them levied as special charges against the property and, if the charges become delinquent, the proper city officials shall enter the charges on the tax rolls for payment, settlement and collection as provided in ch. 19 of the city charter.
b. The owner of any non-permitted obstruction shall remove, at his or her own expense, the obstruction within 5 days of receipt of written notice from the commissioner. The owner shall restore the public way to the satisfaction of the commissioner. If the owner fails to carry out the required work, the commissioner may cause such removal and certify the costs thereof in the proper manner to have them levied as special charges against the property and, if the charges become delinquent, the proper city officials shall enter the charges on the tax rolls for payment, settlement and Work On Public Ways
collection as provided in ch. 19 of the city charter.
3. The director of the department of public works infrastructure services division, or any official or employee of the division of infrastructure services that the director may designate, may issue a citation for any violation of this section pursuant to s. 50-25.
Source: City of Milwaukee Legislative Reference Bureau, Milwaukee City Charter and Code of Ordinances (city.milwaukee.gov master PDFs)URL: https://city.milwaukee.gov/ImageLibrary/Groups/ccClerk/Ordinances/Volume-1/CH115.pdf#page=15Fetched: 10/26/2026