Chapter 703

703.11 Note NOTE: 2003 Wis. Act 283, which affected this section, contains extensive explanatory notes.

703.115 703.115 Local review of condominium instruments.

703.115(1) (1) A county may adopt an ordinance to require the review of condominium instruments before recording by persons employed by the county of recording or by a city, village or town that is located in whole or in part in the county of recording if the ordinance does all of the following:

703.115(1)(a) (a) Requires the review to be completed within 10 working days after submission of the condominium instrument and provides that, if the review is not completed within this period, the condominium instrument is approved for recording.

703.115(1)(b) (b) Provides that a condominium instrument may be rejected only if it fails to comply with the applicable requirements of ss. 703.065, 703.095, 703.11 (2) (a), (am), (c) and (d) and (3), 703.275 (1m) (b) and 703.28 (1m) or if the professional land surveyor’s certificate under s. 703.11 (4) is not attached to or included in the condominium plat.

703.115(1)(c) (c) If the person performing the review approves the condominium instrument, requires the person to certify approval in writing, accompanied by his or her signature and title.

703.115(2) (2) An ordinance adopted under this section may authorize the county to charge a fee that reflects the actual cost of performing the review.

703.115 History History: 1997 a. 333; 2013 a. 358; 2021 a. 168.

703.12 703.12 Description of units. A description in any deed or other instrument affecting title to any unit, including a conveyance, as defined in s. 706.01 (4), that makes reference to the letter, number, or other appropriate designation of the unit on the condominium plat, the name of the condominium as it appears in the declaration, the name of the county where the condominium is located, the document numbers assigned to the declaration, and if volume and page numbers are assigned to the declaration, the volume and page where the declaration is recorded, shall be a good and sufficient description for all purposes.

703.12 History History: 1977 c. 407; 2017 a. 333; 2021 a. 168.

703.12 Annotation The requirements of ch. 236 may not be used to legally describe condominium units. 75 Atty. Gen. 94.

703.13 703.13 Percentage interests.

703.13(1) (1) Undivided percentage interest in common elements. Every unit owner owns an undivided percentage interest in the common elements equal to that set forth in the declaration. Except as specifically provided in this chapter, all common elements shall remain undivided. Except as provided in this chapter, no unit owner, nor any other person, may bring a suit for partition of the common elements and any covenant or provision in any declaration, bylaws or other instrument to the contrary is void.

703.13(2) (2) Rights to common surpluses. Common surpluses shall be disbursed as provided under s. 703.16 (1).

703.13(3) (3) Liability for common expenses. Except for the specially assessed common expenses, the amount of all common expenses shall be assessed as provided under s. 703.16 (2).

703.13(4) (4) Change in percentage interest. The percentage interests shall have a permanent character and, except as specifically provided by this chapter, may not be changed without the written consent of all of the unit owners and their mortgagees. Any change shall be evidenced by an amendment and recorded among the appropriate land records. The percentage interests may not be separated from the unit to which they appertain. Any instrument, matter, circumstance, action, occurrence, or proceeding in any manner affecting a unit also shall affect, in like manner, the percentage interests appurtenant to the unit.

703.13(5) (5) Alterations within units.

703.13(5)(a) (a) A unit owner may make any improvements or alterations within his or her unit that do not impair the structural integrity or lessen the support of any portion of the condominium and that do not create a nuisance substantially affecting the use and enjoyment of other units or the common elements. A unit owner may not change the exterior appearance of a unit or of any other portion of the condominium without permission of the board of directors of the association.

703.13(5)(b) (b) Except to the extent prohibited by the condominium instruments, and subject to any restrictions and limitation specified therein, a unit owner acquiring an adjoining or adjoining part of an adjoining unit, may remove all or any part of any intervening partition or create doorways or other apertures therein, even if the partition may in whole or in part be a common element, if those acts do not impair the structural integrity or lessen the support of any portion of the condominium. The creation of doorways or other apertures is not deemed an alteration of boundaries.

703.13(5m) (5m) Improvements to limited common elements.

703.13(5m)(a) (a) If permitted by the condominium instruments and subject to par. (b) and to any restrictions or limitations specified in the condominium instruments, a unit owner may improve, including the enclosure of, the limited common elements appurtenant exclusively to that owner’s unit if all of the following conditions are met:

703.13(5m)(a)1. 1. A statement describing the improvement, including a description of the project, the materials to be used, and the project’s proposed impact on the appearance of the condominium, and identifying the project contractor is submitted to the board of directors of the association.

703.13(5m)(a)2. 2. The improvement will not interfere with the use and enjoyment of the units of other unit owners or the common elements or limited common elements of the condominium.

703.13(5m)(a)3. 3. The improvement will not impair the structural integrity of the condominium.

703.13(5m)(a)4. 4. Any change to the exterior appearance of the condominium is approved by the board of directors of the association.

703.13(5m)(b) (b) All costs and expenses of an improvement under this subsection and any increased costs of maintenance and repair of the limited common elements resulting from the improvement are the obligation of the unit owner. The unit owner shall protect the association and other unit owners from liens on property of the association or of other unit owners that otherwise might result from the improvement.

703.13(6) (6) Relocation of boundaries.

703.13(6)(a) (a) If any condominium instruments expressly permit a relocation of boundaries between adjoining units, those boundaries may be relocated in accordance with this section and any restrictions and limitations which the condominium instruments may specify.

703.13(6)(b) (b) If any unit owners of adjoining units whose mutual boundaries may be relocated desire to relocate those boundaries, the principal officer of the unit owners association, upon written application from those unit owners and after 30 days’ written notice to all other unit owners, shall prepare and execute appropriate instruments.

703.13(6)(c) (c) An amendment shall do all of the following:

703.13(6)(c)1. 1. Identify the units involved and state that the boundaries between those units are being relocated by agreement of the unit owners thereof.

703.13(6)(c)2. 2. Contain words of conveyance between the owners of the units identified in subd. 1.

703.13(6)(c)3. 3. If the adjoining unit owners have specified in their written application the reallocation between their units of the aggregate undivided interest in the common elements appertaining to those units, reflect that reallocation.

703.13(6)(cm) (cm) An amendment under par. (c) shall be adopted, at the option of the adjoining unit owners, either under s. 703.09 (2) or by the written consent of the owners of the adjoining units involved and the mortgagees of the adjoining units.

703.13(6)(d) (d) If the adjoining unit owners have specified in their written application a reasonable reallocation, as determined by the board of directors, of the number of votes in the association or liabilities for future common expenses not specially assessed, appertaining to their units, modifications to the condominium instruments shall reflect those reallocations. An amendment under this paragraph shall be adopted in the manner specified in par. (cm).

703.13(6)(e) (e) An addendum showing the altered boundaries and the dimensions thereof between adjoining units, and their identifying numbers or letters, shall be prepared. The addendum shall be certified as to its accuracy in compliance with this subsection by a professional land surveyor.

703.13(6)(f) (f) After appropriate instruments have been prepared and executed, they shall be delivered promptly to the adjoining unit owners upon payment by them of all reasonable costs for the preparation thereof. Those instruments are effective when the adjoining unit owners have executed them and they are recorded in the name of the grantor and grantee. The recordation thereof is conclusive evidence that the relocation of boundaries did not violate any restriction or limitation in the condominium instruments.

703.13(7) (7) Separation of units.

703.13(7)(ac) (ac) In this subsection, “separator” means a person proposing the separation of a unit.

703.13(7)(am) (am) If any condominium instruments expressly permit the separation of a unit into 2 or more units, a separation shall be made in accordance with this section and any restrictions and limitations which the condominium instruments may specify.

703.13(7)(b) (b) The principal officer of the association, upon written application of a separator and after 30 days’ written notice to all other unit owners, shall promptly prepare and execute appropriate instruments under this subsection.

703.13(7)(bm) (bm) An amendment to separate a unit into 2 or more units shall do all of the following:

703.13(7)(bm)1. 1. Assign a new identifying number to each new unit created by the separation of a unit.

703.13(7)(bm)2. 2. Allocate to each new unit, on a reasonable basis acceptable to the separator and the executive board, all of the undivided interest in the common element and rights to use the limited common elements and the votes in the association formerly appertaining to the separated unit.

703.13(7)(bm)3. 3. Reflect a proportionate allocation to the new units of the liability for common expenses and rights to common surpluses formerly appertaining to the subdivided unit.

703.13(7)(c) (c) An addendum showing the boundaries and dimensions separating the new units together with their other boundaries and their new identifying numbers or letters shall be prepared. The addendum shall be certified as to its accuracy and compliance with this subsection by a professional land surveyor.

703.13(7)(d) (d) After appropriate instruments have been prepared and executed, they shall be delivered promptly to the separator upon payment by him or her of all reasonable cost for their preparation. Those instruments are effective when the separator has executed them and they are recorded in the name of the separator. The recording of the instruments is conclusive evidence that the separation did not violate any restrictions or limitation specified by the condominium instruments and that any reallocations made under this subsection were reasonable.

703.13(8) (8) Merger of units.

703.13(8)(a) (a) If any condominium instruments expressly permit the merger of 2 or more adjoining units into one unit, a merger shall be made in accordance with this subsection and any restrictions and limitations specified in the condominium instruments.

703.13(8)(b) (b) If the unit owners of adjoining units that may be merged desire to merge the units, the unit owners, after 30 days’ written notice to all other unit owners, shall prepare and execute appropriate instruments under this subsection.

703.13(8)(bm) (bm) An amendment to the condominium instruments shall do all of the following:

703.13(8)(bm)1. 1. Assign a new identifying number to the new unit created by the merger of the units.

703.13(8)(bm)2. 2. Allocate to the new unit all of the undivided interest in the common elements and rights to use the limited common elements and the votes in the association formerly appertaining to the separate units.

703.13(8)(bm)3. 3. Reflect an allocation to the new unit of the liability for common expenses and rights to common surpluses formerly appertaining to the separate units.

703.13(8)(bp) (bp) An amendment under par. (bm) shall be adopted either under s. 703.09 (2) or by the written consent of the owners of the units to be merged, the mortgagees of those units, if any, and the board of directors of the association.

703.13(8)(c) (c) An addendum showing the boundaries and dimensions of the new unit together with the new identifying number or letter shall be prepared. The addendum shall be certified as to its accuracy and compliance with this subsection by a professional land surveyor.

703.13(8)(d) (d) After appropriate instruments have been prepared and executed, they shall be delivered promptly to the owner or owners of the merged unit upon payment by the owner or owners of all reasonable costs for their preparation. Those instruments are effective when executed by the owner or owners of the merged unit and recorded in the office of the register of deeds of the county where the property is located. The recording of the instruments is conclusive evidence that the merger did not violate any restriction or limitation specified by the condominium instruments and that any reallocations made under this subsection were reasonable.

703.13 History History: 1977 c. 407; 1985 a. 332; 1987 a. 403; 2003 a. 283; 2013 a. 358; 2017 a. 333; 2021 a. 168.

703.13 Note NOTE: 2003 Wis. Act 283, which affected this section, contains extensive explanatory notes.

703.13 Annotation An amendment of a condominium declaration that changed a common area to a limited common area but did not change the owners’ percentage interests in the common areas did not require unanimous approval of all owners and was valid. Any reduction in value due to the change from common area was recoverable under s. 703.09 (3) (a) by the owners whose condominium value decreased due to the change. Newport Condominium Ass’n v. Concord-Wisconsin, 205 Wis. 2d 577, 556 N.W.2d 775 (Ct. App. 1996), 95-0869.

703.14 703.14 Use of common elements.

703.14(1) (1) The common elements may be used only for the purposes for which they were intended and, except as provided in the condominium instruments or bylaws, the common elements are subject to mutual rights of support, access, use and enjoyment by all unit owners. However, any portion of the common elements designated as limited common elements may be used only by the unit owner of the unit to which their use is limited in the condominium instruments and bylaws.

703.14(2) (2) The declaration or bylaws may allow any unit owner of a unit to which the use of any limited common element is restricted to grant by deed, subject to the rights of any existing mortgagee, the use of the limited common element to any other unit owner. Thereafter, the grantor has no further right to use the limited common element.

703.14 History History: 1977 c. 407.

703.15 703.15 Association of unit owners.

703.15(1) (1) Legal entity. The affairs of every condominium shall be governed by an association that, even if unincorporated, is constituted a legal entity for all purposes. Except for matters reserved to the association members or unit owners by this chapter, the declaration, or the bylaws, all policy and operational decisions of the association, including interpretation of the condominium instruments, bylaws, rules, and other documents relating to the condominium or the association, shall be made by its board of directors. This subsection does not affect the deference accorded to, or the standard of review of, an action of the board of directors by a court.

703.15(2) (2) Organization of association.

703.15(2)(a) (a) Establishment; organization.

703.15(2)(a)1. 1. Every declarant shall establish an association to govern the condominium not later than the date of the first conveyance of a unit to a purchaser. Except as provided in subd. 2., the declarant may organize the association only as a for-profit corporation; nonstock, nonprofit corporation; or unincorporated association. After the association is organized, the membership of the association shall at all times consist exclusively of all of the unit owners.

703.15(2)(a)2. 2. Beginning on March 13, 2022, a declarant may not organize an association as a for-profit corporation.

703.15(2)(a)3. 3. An association that exists on March 13, 2022, may not reorganize as a for-profit corporation.

703.15(2)(b) (b) Power and responsibility prior to establishment. Until an association is established, a declarant has the power and responsibility to act in all instances where this chapter, any other provision of the law, or the declaration require action by the association or its officers.

703.15(2)(c) (c) Declarant control.

703.15(2)(c)1. 1. Except as provided in par. (d), a declarant may authorize the declarant or persons designated by him or her to appoint and remove the officers of the association or to exercise the powers and responsibilities otherwise assigned by the declaration or this chapter to the association or its officers. A declaration may not authorize any declarant control of the association for a period exceeding the earlier of any of the following:

703.15(2)(c)1.a. a. Ten years in the case of an expandable condominium.

703.15(2)(c)1.b. b. Three years in the case of any other condominium.

703.15(2)(c)1.c. c. Thirty days after the conveyance of 75 percent of the common element interest to purchasers.

703.15(2)(c)2. 2. The period of declarant control begins on the date that the first condominium unit is conveyed by a declarant to any person other than the declarant. If there is any other unit owner other than a declarant, a declaration may not be amended to increase the scope or the period of the declarant control.

703.15(2)(d) (d) Meeting to elect directors. Prior to the conveyance of 25 percent of the common element interest to purchasers, an association shall hold a meeting and the unit owners other than the declarant shall elect at least 25 percent of the directors of the executive board. Prior to the conveyance of 50 percent of the common element interest to purchasers, an association shall hold a meeting and the unit owners other than the declarant shall elect at least 33 1/3 percent of the directors of the executive board.

703.15(2)(e) (e) Calculation of percentage. The calculation of the percentage of common element interest conveyed to purchasers under pars. (c) and (d) shall be based on the percentage of undivided interest appertaining to each unit which has been conveyed assuming that all the units to be completed are included in the condominium.

703.15(2)(f) (f) Elections after expiration of declarant control. Not later than 45 days after the expiration of any period of declarant control, an association shall hold a meeting and the unit owners shall elect an executive board of at least 3 directors and officers of the association. The directors and officers shall take office upon election.

703.15(3) (3) Powers of the association.

703.15(3)(a) (a) Powers. An association has the power to:

703.15(3)(a)1. 1. Adopt budgets for revenues, expenditures and reserves and levy and collect assessments for common expenses from unit owners;

703.15(3)(a)2. 2. Employ and dismiss employees and agents;

703.15(3)(a)3. 3. Sue on behalf of all unit owners; and

703.15(3)(a)4. 4. Exercise any other power conferred by the condominium instruments or bylaws.

703.15(3)(b) (b) Conditional powers. Subject to any restrictions and limitations specified by the declaration, an association may:

703.15(3)(b)1. 1. Make contracts and incur liabilities, including borrowing funds in the name of the association in the manner specified in the bylaws under s. 703.10 (2) (f).