Chapter 66

66.1003(2) (2) The common council of any city, except a 1st class city, or a village or town board may discontinue all or part of a public way upon the written petition of the owners of all the frontage of the lots and lands abutting upon the public way sought to be discontinued, and of the owners of more than one-third of the frontage of the lots and lands abutting on that portion of the remainder of the public way which lies within 2,650 feet of the ends of the portion to be discontinued, or lies within so much of that 2,650 feet as is within the corporate limits of the city, village or town. The beginning and ending of an alley shall be considered to be within the block in which it is located. This subsection does not apply to a highway upon the line between 2 towns that is subject to s. 82.21.

66.1003(3) (3) The common council of any city, except a 1st class city, or a village or town board may discontinue all or part of an unpaved alley upon the written petition of the owners of more than 50 percent of the frontage of the lots and lands abutting upon the portion of the unpaved alley sought to be discontinued. The beginning and ending of an unpaved alley shall be considered to be within the block in which it is located. This subsection does not apply to a highway upon the line between 2 towns that is subject to s. 82.21.

66.1003(4) (4) 

66.1003(4)(a) (a) Notwithstanding subs. (2) and (3), proceedings covered by this section may be initiated by the common council or village or town board by the introduction of a resolution declaring that since the public interest requires it, a public way or an unpaved alley is vacated and discontinued. No discontinuance of a public way under this subsection may result in a landlocked parcel of property.

66.1003(4)(b) (b) A hearing on the passage of a resolution under par. (a) shall be set by the common council or village or town board on a date which shall not be less than 40 days after the date on which the resolution is introduced. Notice of the hearing shall be given as provided in sub. (8) (b), except that in addition notice of the hearing shall be served on the owners of all of the frontage of the lots and lands abutting upon the public way or unpaved alley sought to be discontinued in a manner provided for the service of summons in circuit court at least 30 days before the hearing. When service cannot be made within the city, village or town, a copy of the notice shall be mailed to the owner’s last-known address at least 30 days before the hearing.

66.1003(4)(c) (c) Except as provided in this paragraph, no discontinuance of the whole or any part of a public way may be ordered under this subsection if a written objection to the proposed discontinuance is filed with the city, village or town clerk by any of the owners abutting on the public way sought to be discontinued or by the owners of more than one-third of the frontage of the lots and lands abutting on the remainder of the public way which lies within 2,650 feet from the ends of the public way proposed to be discontinued or which lies within that portion of the 2,650 feet that is within the corporate limits of the city, village or town. If a written objection is filed, the discontinuance may be ordered only by the favorable vote of two-thirds of the members of the common council or village or town board voting on the proposed discontinuance. An owner of property abutting on a discontinued public way whose property is damaged by the discontinuance may recover damages as provided in ch. 32. The beginning and ending of an alley shall be considered to be within the block in which it is located.

66.1003(4)(d) (d) No discontinuance of an unpaved alley shall be ordered if a written objection to a proposed discontinuance is filed with the city, village or town clerk by the owner of one parcel of land that abuts the portion of the alley to be discontinued and if the alley provides the only access to off-street parking for the parcel of land owned by the objector.

66.1003(5) (5) For the purpose of this section, the narrowing, widening, extending or other alteration of any road, street, lane or alley does not constitute a discontinuance of any part of the former road, street, lane or alley, including any right-of-way, which is included within the right-of-way for the new road, street, lane or alley.

66.1003(6) (6) Whenever any of the lots or lands subject to this section is owned by the state, county, city, village or town, or by a minor or incompetent person, or the title to the lots or lands is held in trust, petitions for discontinuance or objections to discontinuance may be signed by the governor, chairperson of the board of supervisors of the county, mayor of the city, president of the village, chairperson of the town board, guardian of the minor or incompetent person, or the trustee, respectively, and the signature of any private corporation may be made by its president, secretary or other principal officer or managing agent.

66.1003(7) (7) The city council or village or town board may by resolution discontinue any alley or any portion of an alley which has been abandoned, at any time after the expiration of 5 years from the date of the recording of the plat by which it was dedicated. Failure or neglect to work or use any alley or any portion of an alley for a period of 5 years next preceding the date of notice provided for in sub. (8) (b) shall be considered an abandonment for the purpose of this section.

66.1003(8) (8) 

66.1003(8)(a) (a) Upon receiving a petition under sub. (2) or (3) or upon the introduction of a resolution under sub. (4), the city, village, town, or county shall deliver a copy of the petition or resolution to all of the following:

66.1003(8)(a)1. 1. The secretary of transportation, if the public way or unpaved alley that is the subject of the petition or resolution is located within one-quarter mile of a state trunk highway or connecting highway.

66.1003(8)(a)2. 2. The commissioner of railroads, if there is a railroad highway crossing within the portion of the public way that is the subject of the petition or resolution.

66.1003(8)(b) (b) Notice stating when and where the petition or resolution under this section will be acted upon and stating what public way or unpaved alley is proposed to be discontinued shall be published as a class 3 notice under ch. 985.

66.1003(9) (9) In proceedings under this section, s. 840.11 shall be considered as a part of the proceedings.

66.1003(10) (10) Notwithstanding ss. 82.10 and 82.21, no city council or county, village, or town board may discontinue a highway when the discontinuance would deprive a landowner or a public school of all access to a highway.

66.1003 History History: 1973 c. 189 s. 20; Sup. Ct. Order, 67 Wis. 2d 585, 774 (1975); 1975 c. 46; 1993 a. 184, 246, 491; 1995 a. 239; 1999 a. 150 ss. 265, 337 to 343; Stats. 1999 s. 66.1003; 2003 a. 214; 2009 a. 107, 223.

66.1003 Note NOTE: 2003 Wis. Act 214, which affected this section, contains extensive explanatory notes.

66.1003 Cross-reference Cross-reference: See s. 236.43 for other provisions for vacating streets.

66.1003 Annotation The enactment of s. 66.296 (2m) [now sub. (5)] did not eliminate any vested rights of abutting property owners. Miller v. City of Wauwatosa, 87 Wis. 2d 676, 275 N.W.2d 876 (1979).

66.1003 Annotation An abutting property owner under s. 66.296 (2) (c) [now sub. (4) (c)] at the very least must be somehow supporting or sustaining travel on the street. Voss v. City of Middleton, 162 Wis. 2d 737, 470 N.W.2d 625 (1991).

66.1003 Annotation The plain language of this section unambiguously shows that a town has authority to proceed under sub. (3) to vacate unpaved alley segments, even when considered in conjunction with ch. 236, which provides for county vacation of platted alleys in towns. The legislature could have exempted roads and alleys that fall under ch. 236, but it did not. That omission shows that the legislature did not intend for ch. 236 to be the exclusive means of dealing with unpaved alleys in recorded plats. Smerz v. Delafield Town Board, 2011 WI App 41, 332 Wis. 2d 189, 796 N.W.2d 852, 10-1186.

66.1005 66.1005 Reversion of title.

66.1005(1) (1) When any highway or public ground acquired or held for highway purposes is discontinued, the land where the highway or public ground is located shall belong to the owner or owners of the adjoining lands. If the highway or public ground is located between the lands of different owners, it shall be annexed to the lots to which it originally belonged if that can be ascertained. If the lots to which the land originally belonged cannot be ascertained, the land shall be equally divided between the owners of the lands on each side of the highway or public ground.

66.1005(2) (2) 

66.1005(2)(a) (a) Whenever any public highway or public ground acquired or held for public purposes has been vacated or discontinued, all easements and rights incidental to the easements that belong to any county, school district, town, village, city, utility, or person that relate to any underground or overground structures, improvements, or services and all rights of entrance, maintenance, construction, and repair of the structures, improvements, or services shall continue, unless one of the following applies:

66.1005(2)(a)1. 1. The owner of the easements and incidental rights gives written consent to the discontinuance of the easements and rights as a part of the vacation or discontinuance proceedings and the vacation or discontinuance resolution, ordinance or order refers to the owner’s written consent.

66.1005(2)(a)2. 2. The owner of the easements and incidental rights fails to use the easements and rights for a period of 4 years from the time that the public highway or public ground was vacated or discontinued.

66.1005(2)(b) (b) The easements and incidental rights described in par. (a) may be discontinued in vacation or discontinuance proceedings in any case where benefits or damages are to be assessed as provided in par. (c), if one of the following applies:

66.1005(2)(b)1. 1. The interested parties fail to reach an agreement permitting discontinuance of the easements and incidental rights.

66.1005(2)(b)2. 2. The owner of the easements and incidental rights refuses to give written consent to their discontinuance.

66.1005(2)(c) (c) Damages for the discontinuance of the easements and rights described in par. (a) shall be assessed against the land benefited in the proceedings for assessment of damages or benefits upon the vacation or discontinuance of the public highway or public ground. Unless the parties agree on a different amount, the amount of the damages shall be the present value of the property to be removed or abandoned, plus the cost of removal, less the salvage value of the removed or abandoned property. The owner of the easements and incidental rights, upon application to the treasurer and upon furnishing satisfactory proof, shall be entitled to any payments of or upon the assessment of damages.

66.1005(2)(d) (d) Any person aggrieved by the assessment of damages under this subsection may appeal the assessment in the same time and manner as is provided for appeals from assessments of damages or benefits in vacation or discontinuance proceedings in the town, village or city.

66.1005 History History: 2003 a. 214 ss. 15, 86 to 91.

66.1005 Note NOTE: 2003 Wis. Act 214, which affected this section, contains extensive explanatory notes.

66.1006 66.1006 Department of natural resources approval of discontinuance. No resolution, ordinance, order, or similar action of a town board or county board, or of a committee of a town board or county board, discontinuing any highway, street, alley, or right-of-way that provides public access to any navigable lake or stream shall be effective until such resolution, ordinance, order, or similar action is approved by the department of natural resources.

66.1006 History History: 1971 c. 164; 1993 a. 490; 1997 a. 172; 2003 a. 214 s. 100; Stats. 2003 s. 66.1006.

66.1006 Note NOTE: 2003 Wis. Act 214, which affected this section, contains extensive explanatory notes.

66.1006 Cross-reference Cross-reference: See also ss. NR 1.91 and 1.92, Wis. adm. code.

66.1007 66.1007 Architectural conservancy districts.

66.1007(1) (1) In this section:

66.1007(1)(a) (a) “Architectural conservancy district” means an area within a municipality consisting of contiguous parcels subject to general real estate taxes, other than railroad rights-of-way.

66.1007(1)(b) (b) “Board” means an architectural conservancy district board appointed under sub. (3) (a).

66.1007(1)(c) (c) “Chief executive officer” means a mayor, city manager, village president or town chairperson.

66.1007(1)(cm) (cm) “Historic property” means any building or structure that is any of the following:

66.1007(1)(cm)1. 1. Listed on, or has been nominated by the state historical society for listing on, the national register of historic places in Wisconsin or the state register of historic places.

66.1007(1)(cm)2. 2. Included in a district that is listed on, or has been nominated by the state historical society for listing on, the national register of historic places in Wisconsin or the state register of historic places, and has been determined by the state historical society to contribute to the historic significance of the district.

66.1007(1)(cm)3. 3. Included on a list of properties that have been determined by the state historical society to be eligible for listing on the national register of historic places in Wisconsin or the state register of historic places.

66.1007(1)(d) (d) “Local legislative body” means a common council, village board of trustees or town board of supervisors.

66.1007(1)(e) (e) “Municipality” means a city, village or town.

66.1007(1)(f) (f) “Operating plan” means a plan that is adopted or amended under this section for the development, redevelopment, maintenance, operation and promotion of an architectural conservancy district and that includes all of the following:

66.1007(1)(f)1. 1. The special assessment method applicable to the architectural conservancy district.

66.1007(1)(f)2. 2. The kind, number and location of all proposed expenditures within the architectural conservancy district.

66.1007(1)(f)3. 3. A description of the methods of financing all estimated expenditures and the time when related costs will be incurred.

66.1007(1)(f)4. 4. A description of how the creation of the architectural conservancy district promotes the orderly development of the municipality, including its relationship to any municipal master plan.

66.1007(1)(f)5. 5. A legal opinion that subds. 1. to 4. have been complied with.

66.1007(1)(g) (g) “Planning commission” means a plan commission under s. 62.23 or, if one does not exist, a board of public land commissioners or, if neither exists, a planning committee of the local legislative body.

66.1007(2) (2) A municipality may create an architectural conservancy district and adopt its operating plan if all of the following are met:

66.1007(2)(a) (a) An owner of real property located in the proposed architectural conservancy district designated under par. (b) petitions the municipality for creation of an architectural conservancy district.

66.1007(2)(am) (am) At least 50 percent of the properties included within the proposed architectural conservancy district are historic properties.

66.1007(2)(b) (b) The planning commission designates a proposed architectural conservancy district and adopts its proposed initial operating plan.

66.1007(2)(c) (c) At least 30 days before the creation of the architectural conservancy district and adoption of its initial operating plan by the municipality, the planning commission holds a public hearing on the proposed architectural conservancy district and initial operating plan. Notice of the hearing shall be published as a class 2 notice under ch. 985. Before publication of the notice, a copy of that notice, a copy of the proposed initial operating plan and a copy of a detail map showing the boundaries of the proposed architectural conservancy district shall be sent by certified mail to all owners of real property within the proposed architectural conservancy district. The notice shall state the boundaries of the proposed architectural conservancy district and shall indicate that copies of the proposed initial operating plan are available on request from the planning commission.

66.1007(2)(d) (d) Within 30 days after the hearing under par. (c), the owners of property to be assessed under the proposed initial operating plan having a valuation equal to more than 40 percent of the valuation of all property to be assessed under the proposed initial operating plan, using the method of valuation specified in the proposed initial operating plan, or the owners of property to be assessed under the proposed initial operating plan having an assessed valuation equal to more than 40 percent of the assessed valuation of all property to be assessed under the proposed initial operating plan, have not filed a petition with the planning commission protesting the proposed architectural conservancy district or its proposed initial operating plan.

66.1007(2)(e) (e) The local legislative body votes to adopt the proposed initial operating plan for the municipality.

66.1007(3) (3) 

66.1007(3)(a) (a) The chief executive officer shall appoint members to an architectural conservancy district board to implement the operating plan. Board members shall be confirmed by the local legislative body and shall serve staggered terms designated by the local legislative body. The board shall have at least 5 members. A majority of board members shall own or occupy real property in the architectural conservancy district.

66.1007(3)(b) (b) The board shall annually consider and may make changes to the operating plan, which may include termination of the plan, for its architectural conservancy district. The board shall then submit the operating plan to the local legislative body for its approval. If the local legislative body disapproves the operating plan, the board shall consider and may make changes to the operating plan and may continue to resubmit the operating plan until local legislative body approval is obtained. Any change to the special assessment method applicable to the architectural conservancy district shall be approved by the local legislative body.

66.1007(3)(c) (c) The board shall prepare and make available to the public annual reports describing the current status of the architectural conservancy district, including expenditures and revenues. The report shall include an independent certified audit of the implementation of the operating plan that shall be obtained by the municipality. The municipality shall obtain an additional independent certified audit upon termination of the architectural conservancy district.

66.1007(3)(d) (d) Either the board or the municipality, as specified in the operating plan as adopted, or as amended and approved under par. (b), shall have all powers necessary or convenient to implement the operating plan, including the power to contract.

66.1007(4) (4) All special assessments received from an architectural conservancy district, all other appropriations by the municipality and all other moneys received for the benefit of the architectural conservancy district shall be placed in a segregated account in the municipal treasury. No disbursements from the account may be made except to reimburse the municipality for appropriations other than special assessments, to pay the costs of audits required under sub. (3) (c) or on order of the board for the purpose of implementing the operating plan. On termination of the architectural conservancy district by the municipality, all moneys collected by special assessment that remain in the account shall be disbursed to the owners of specially assessed property in the architectural conservancy district in the same proportion as the last collected special assessment.

66.1007(5) (5) A municipality shall terminate an architectural conservancy district if the owners of property assessed under the operating plan having a valuation equal to more than 50 percent of the valuation of all property assessed under the operating plan, using the method of valuation specified in the operating plan, or the owners of property assessed under the operating plan having an assessed valuation equal to more than 50 percent of the assessed valuation of all property assessed under the operating plan, file a petition with the planning commission requesting termination of the architectural conservancy district, subject to all of the following conditions:

66.1007(5)(a) (a) A petition may not be filed under this subsection earlier than one year after the date on which the municipality first adopts the operating plan for the architectural conservancy district.

66.1007(5)(b) (b) On and after the date on which a petition is filed under this subsection, neither the board nor the municipality may enter into any new obligations by contract or otherwise to implement the operating plan until 30 days after the date of hearing under par. (c) and unless the architectural conservancy district is not terminated under par. (e).

66.1007(5)(c) (c) Within 30 days after the filing of a petition under this subsection, the planning commission shall hold a public hearing on the proposed termination. Notice of the hearing shall be published as a class 2 notice under ch. 985. Before publication of the notice, a copy of that notice, a copy of the operating plan and a copy of a detail map showing the boundaries of the architectural conservancy district shall be sent by certified mail to all owners of real property within the architectural conservancy district. The notice shall state the boundaries of the architectural conservancy district and shall indicate that copies of the operating plan are available on request from the planning commission.

66.1007(5)(d) (d) Within 30 days after the hearing held under par. (c), every owner of property assessed under the operating plan may send written notice to the planning commission indicating, if the owner signed a petition under this subsection, that the owner retracts the owner’s request to terminate the architectural conservancy district or, if the owner did not sign the petition, that the owner requests termination of the architectural conservancy district.

66.1007(5)(e) (e) If on the 31st day after the hearing held under par. (c), the owners of property assessed under the operating plan having a valuation equal to more than 50 percent of the valuation of all property assessed under the operating plan, using the method of valuation specified in the operating plan, or the owners of property assessed under the operating plan having an assessed valuation equal to more than 50 percent of the assessed valuation of all property assessed under the operating plan, after adding subsequent notifications under par. (d) and after subtracting any retractions under par. (d), have requested the termination of the architectural conservancy district, the municipality shall terminate the architectural conservancy district on the date that the obligation with the latest completion date entered into to implement the operating plan expires.

66.1007(6) (6) 

66.1007(6)(a) (a) A municipality may terminate an architectural conservancy district at any time.

66.1007(6)(b) (b) This section does not limit the authorities of a municipality to regulate the use of or specially assess real property.

66.1007 History History: 1991 a. 269; 1999 a. 150 s. 540; Stats. 1999 s. 66.1007.

66.1009 66.1009 Agreement to establish an airport affected area. Any county, town, city or village may establish by written agreement with an airport, as defined in s. 62.23 (6) (am) 1. a.:

66.1009(1) (1) The area which will be subject to ss. 59.69 (4g) and (5) (e) 2. and 5m., 60.61 (2) (e) and (4) (c) 1. and 3. and 62.23 (7) (d) 2. and 2m. respectively, except that no part of the area may be more than 3 miles from the boundaries of the airport.

66.1009(2) (2) Any requirement related to permitting land use in an airport affected area, as defined in s. 62.23 (6) (am) 1. b., which does not conform to the zoning plan or map under s. 59.69 (4g), 60.61 (2) (e) or 62.23 (6) (am) 2. A city, village, town or county may enact such requirement by ordinance.

66.1009 History History: 1985 a. 136; 1995 a. 201; 1999 a. 150 s. 365; Stats. 1999 s. 66.1009; 2017 a. 243.

66.1009 Note NOTE: Section 1 of 85 Wis. Act 136 is entitled “Findings and purpose.”

66.1010 66.1010 Moratorium on evictions.

66.1010(1) (1) In this section, “political subdivision” has the meaning given in s. 66.1011 (1m) (e).

66.1010(2) (2) A political subdivision may not enact or enforce an ordinance that imposes a moratorium on a landlord from pursuing an eviction action under ch. 799 against a tenant of the landlord’s residential or commercial property.