Feb. 28, 2026
By TIM HUNDT
VIROQUA, Wis. – The Viroqua Common Council voted unanimously Tuesday, Feb. 24, to amend the city noxious weed ordinance to make property maintenance rules easier for local police to enforce. The council also delayed an expected vote on parking fine changes to allow staff more time to draft the new rules.
The changes to the weed ordinance stem from a history of public pushback and legal challenges regarding how the city regulates lawn length and landscaping. During a council meeting in August 2025, Viroqua resident Ashley Kylie publicly urged the city to rewrite the ordinance after receiving a citation for a red amaranth plant in her yard. Kylie argued the plant was not a weed and criticized the city for enforcing subjective standards of attractiveness rather than focusing on actual hazards like overgrown vegetation blocking sidewalks.
City Administrator Nate Torres presented the new amendment to the council noting that the specific language changes were born out of conversations with Municipal Prosecutor Bruce Hart. Torres explained that Hart has encountered a number of challenges in circuit court from residents contesting their citations based on plant identification.
“It gets to court and somebody says well that is not grass that is a dandelion, or that is not grass that is this other species,” said Torres. “They are basically challenging our officers in court as to what type of plant something is and our police officers just aren’t built with that kind of knowledge.”
Torres stated that the updated ordinance simplifies the language to state that any grass or other herbaceous non-woody vegetation that exceeds the established height limits will be subject to a citation. He noted this change removes the burden of plant identification from the police department.
The council unanimously approved the motion without further debate.
Parking fine amendment delayed
The council also planned to hold a first reading on an amendment to parking ordinance fines but the item was tabled. The police department and city officials have been reviewing parking enforcement and revenues over the past year. During budget discussions in late 2025, Police Chief Rick Niedfeldt and Torres noted that while some department revenues were falling short, parking citation revenue was climbing and exceeding projections, prompting a broader look at the parking enforcement structure.
Torres informed the council Tuesday that the specific details of the proposed fine changes were still being finalized by city staff.
“We are going to need just a little bit more time,” said Torres. “We do not necessarily have the ordinance ready for you today but we will circle back at the following meeting with that draft.”
Mayor Justin Running and the council agreed to delay the discussion until the new ordinance draft is completed.
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