Chapter 88

88.74(2) (2) The board shall provide notice of any corridor established under sub. (1) to the county and the city, village, or town in which the corridor is located.

88.74(3) (3) The board shall maintain a corridor established under sub. (1) to accomplish all of the following purposes:

88.74(3)(a) (a) To provide the board with effective access to the drain or facility, including access for vehicles or equipment.

88.74(3)(b) (b) To protect water quality in the drain or facility.

88.74(3)(c) (c) To allow for the placement of dredge materials from maintaining the drain or facility.

88.74(4) (4) 

88.74(4)(a) (a) Except as provided in pars. (b) and (d), the board may, without prior notice to the landowner, enter a corridor established under sub. (1) to inspect, survey, maintain, repair, restore, or improve a drain, facility, or corridor.

88.74(4)(b) (b) Before doing any of the following in a corridor, the board shall notify the landowner of the pending action:

88.74(4)(b)1. 1. Cutting a tree that is more than 6 inches in diameter measured at breast height.

88.74(4)(b)2. 2. Excavating or depositing materials in the corridor.

88.74(4)(c) (c) Notice under par. (b) may be given at any time before performance of the work and may be given in person, by telephone, by mail, or, if the landowner is not available, by posting notice at a conspicuous location at an entrance to the land.

88.74(4)(d) (d) If a drainage board intends to perform general maintenance work in a corridor during the year, the board shall provide notice to the landowner not later than March 1. Notice under this paragraph shall be given in person, by telephone, by mail, or by electronic means, or, if notice cannot be provided in one of these manners, by posting notice at a conspicuous location at an entrance to the land. This paragraph does not apply to emergency maintenance work.

88.74(5) (5) 

88.74(5)(a) (a) No person may do any of the following in a corridor established under sub. (1) without written permission from the board:

88.74(5)(a)1. 1. Engage in row cropping in the corridor.

88.74(5)(a)2. 2. Place any obstruction in the corridor that interferes with the board’s ability to accomplish a purpose under sub. (3).

88.74(5)(b) (b) A person who violates par. (a) may not recover damages with regard to any damage to crops or obstructions caused by actions taken by the board under sub. (3).

88.74(5)(c) (c) Paragraph (a) does not require a landowner to remove any building or fixture constructed or installed in a corridor prior to September 1, 1999, or any structure that does not interfere with the board’s maintenance of a drain and that was placed in the corridor for the purpose of providing drainage.

88.74(6) (6) No city, village, town, or county may by ordinance, resolution, or any other means restrict, or impose other conditions related to, the board’s maintenance of district corridors or ditches unless specifically required by federal law.

88.74 History History: 2017 a. 115.

subch. VII of ch. 88 SUBCHAPTER VII

ENLARGEMENT, CONSOLIDATION, DIVISION
AND DISSOLUTION OF DRAINAGE DISTRICT

88.77 88.77 Annexation of lands upon petition of owners.

88.77(1) (1) If owners of lands adjacent to any drainage district want the lands to be annexed to the district, they may file with the drainage board a petition for annexation. The petition must be signed either by more than one-half of all of the owners of lands in the proposed annex, who shall represent more than one-third of the lands in the proposed annex, or by the owners of more than one-half of the lands in the proposed annex. The petition shall describe the lands sought to be annexed and shall set forth the names of the owners of all of those lands so far as the owners are known. The petition shall be accompanied by a plat showing the original district and the proposed annex.

88.77(2) (2) If the undrained portion of the area proposed to be annexed to the district exceeds 200 acres, the drainage board shall request the report described under s. 88.11 (3) from the department of agriculture, trade and consumer protection on the annexation. Within 60 days after the request, the department shall prepare and return a copy of the report and its approval or disapproval, as provided under s. 88.35 (7).

88.77(3) (3) When the drainage board receives the reports required by s. 88.11, the board shall fix a time and place of a hearing on the petition under sub. (1) and shall cause notice of the hearing to be given under s. 88.05 (2) (b) to the persons specified in s. 88.05 (4) (c).

88.77(4) (4) The drainage board shall issue an order annexing the territory to the drainage district if at the hearing the board finds all of the following facts:

88.77(4)(a) (a) That the petition has sufficient signers.

88.77(4)(b) (b) That the lands described in the petition, together with any additional lands recommended by the board for drainage, will be improved by the proposed annexation.

88.77(4)(c) (c) That the public health or public welfare will be promoted by the annexation.

88.77(4)(d) (d) That the cost of construction will not exceed 75 percent of the benefits to be derived from the proposed work.

88.77(4)(e) (e) That the proposed work will not materially injure or impair fish or wildlife habitat, scenic beauty, the conservation of natural resources or other public rights or interests.

88.77(5) (5) If the board finds the facts stated in sub. (4) (a) to (c) and (e) but finds that the cost of construction will exceed 75 percent of the benefits to be derived from the proposed work, the board nevertheless shall annex the territory to the drainage district if, within 10 days of the order being issued under sub. (4), the petitioners file with the board a bond with sufficient sureties to be approved by the board and conditioned for the payment of the excess or the petitioners deposit and leave with the board a sum of money that the board determines will cover the excess.

88.77(6) (6) Upon issuance of the order annexing the territory to the drainage district, the drainage board shall proceed as provided under ss. 88.35 and 88.36.

88.77 History History: 1993 a. 456; 2007 a. 121.

88.77 Note NOTE: 1993 Wis. Act 456, which substantially affected this section, contains extensive explanatory notes.

88.78 88.78 Annexation of benefited lands.

88.78(1) (1) Whenever any lands outside a drainage district are in fact receiving the benefits of any drain of such district but such fact was not evident or was inadvertently overlooked at the time of organization of the district, such benefited lands may be annexed under the procedure prescribed in this section.

88.78(2) (2) Any owner of land within the district may file with the board a petition to have the benefited lands annexed to the district and assessed benefits and assessed for costs as other lands in the district. The petition shall describe the benefited lands and how they are benefited. Upon the filing of the petition, the drainage district shall issue an order directing that the owners of the benefited lands be notified of the filing and the contents of the petition and requiring the owners to show cause at a fixed time and place, not less than 20 days after the petition is filed, why their lands should not be brought into the district and assessed.

88.78(3) (3) Any owner of lands sought to be annexed may object to the petition at the hearing thereon. If the drainage board is satisfied that any or all of the lands are receiving benefits from any district drain, the drainage board shall so find in writing and shall issue an order requiring that the benefited lands be made a part of the district.

88.78(4) (4) The board shall assess benefits and assess for costs and award damages to each tract of the annexed lands.

88.78 History History: 1993 a. 456.

88.785 88.785 Certain annexations prohibited.

88.785(1) (1) Notwithstanding ss. 88.34, 88.77, and 88.78, no lands that are within the corporate limits of a city, a village, or, if the town has a permit for storm water management under s. 283.33, a town may be included in a newly organized drainage district or annexed to a drainage district unless the governing body of the city, village, or town adopts a resolution approving the inclusion or annexation.

88.785(2) (2) Notwithstanding ss. 88.77 and 88.78, no lands that are located in a county in which no portion of the drainage district is located may be annexed to a drainage district.

88.785 History History: 2017 a. 115.

88.79 88.79 Consolidation of drainage districts in process of organization.

88.79(1) (1) Two or more drainage districts petitioned for or in the process of organization may, upon order of the court, be consolidated to form a single drainage district. The order of consolidation may be issued only after a public hearing as specified in this section.

88.79(2) (2) The consolidation process may be initiated either by the court on its own motion, by recommendation of the board made to the court, or by petition signed by the owners of at least 10 percent of the lands in each of the districts sought to be consolidated. If such districts are under the jurisdiction of different courts, the proceeding shall be conducted by the court having jurisdiction of the larger area.

88.79(3) (3) The court shall fix a time and place of a hearing on the proposed consolidation and shall cause notice of the hearing to be given under s. 88.05 (1) (b) to the persons specified in s. 88.05 (4) (b). If the court after the hearing is of the opinion that the drainage districts would be benefited by the proposed consolidation, it shall so order, giving a name to the consolidated district.

88.79 History History: 1993 a. 456.

88.791 88.791 Consolidation of existing drainage districts.

88.791(1) (1) Two or more existing drainage districts may, upon an order issued by the drainage board, be consolidated to form a single drainage district. An order of consolidation may be issued only after a public hearing as specified in this section.

88.791(2) (2) The consolidation process may be initiated by a petition that is signed by the owners of at least 10 percent of the lands in each of the districts sought to be consolidated.

88.791(3) (3) The drainage board shall fix a time and place of a hearing on the proposed consolidation and shall cause notice of the hearing to be given under s. 88.05 (2) (b) to the persons specified in s. 88.05 (4) (b). If after the hearing the drainage board is of the opinion that the drainage districts would be benefited by the proposed consolidation, it shall so order, giving a name to the consolidated district.

88.791(4) (4) Upon entry of the order of consolidation, the records of the districts so consolidated shall be the records of the consolidated district.

88.791(5) (5) Assessments made against lands in the several districts so consolidated shall remain in full force and the lien thereof is not affected by such consolidation.

88.791(6) (6) After such consolidation, the benefits of the consolidated district may be reassessed to render them just and equitable as a basis for future assessments for costs, subject to s. 88.02.

88.791 History History: 1993 a. 456 ss. 100, 101.

88.791 Note NOTE: 1993 Wis. Act 456, which created this section, contains extensive explanatory notes.

88.80 88.80 Withdrawal of lands from drainage district.

88.80(1) (1) Any person owning lands within a drainage district may, under an order issued by the drainage board, withdraw the lands from the district if:

88.80(1)(a) (a) All benefits assessed against such lands have been paid; and

88.80(1)(b) (b) The lands to be withdrawn will receive no benefit from the drainage district; and

88.80(1)(c) (c) The drainage district will not be materially injured by the withdrawal of such lands.

88.80(2) (2) The petition for the withdrawal shall be filed with the board. The board shall determine whether all benefits assessed against the land have been paid.

88.80(3) (3) When the petition has been filed, the drainage board shall fix the time and place of a hearing on the petition and shall cause notice of the hearing to be given under s. 88.05 (2) (b) to the persons specified in s. 88.05 (4) (b). If the drainage board finds that the conditions of sub. (1) have been met, it shall issue an order detaching the lands from the district. The drainage board may require the petitioner to pay the expenses connected with the hearing.

88.80 History History: 1993 a. 456.

88.81 88.81 Proceedings to suspend operations of drainage district.

88.81(1) (1) 

88.81(1)(a) (a) The owners of land representing 90 percent or more of the confirmed benefits in a drainage district, excluding benefits received by land owned by this state, may file with the drainage board a petition requesting that the board conduct no further proceedings and incur on behalf of the district no further expense if the petition is filed within 2 years after the order organizing the district is issued under s. 88.34.

88.81(1)(b) (b) The owners of land representing 67 percent or more of the confirmed benefits in a drainage district, excluding benefits received by land owned by this state, may file with the drainage board a petition requesting that the board conduct no further proceedings and incur on behalf of the district no further expense if the petition is filed at least 2 years after the order organizing the district is issued under s. 88.34.

88.81(1)(bm) (bm) Except as provided in par. (bs), the owner of any land in a drainage district may file with the drainage board a petition requesting that the board conduct no further proceedings and incur on behalf of the district no further expense if the petition is filed at least 20 years after the latest assessment for costs against land in the drainage district.

88.81(1)(bs) (bs) A state agency, as defined in s. 16.61 (2) (d), may not petition for the suspension of operations of a drainage district.

88.81(1)(c) (c) Upon receipt of a petition, the drainage board shall fix a time and place of a hearing on the petition and shall cause notice of the hearing to be given under s. 88.05 (2) (b) to the persons specified in s. 88.05 (4) (b).

88.81(2) (2) If after the hearing the drainage board finds that the petition is signed by the required number of owners, that notice of the hearing was properly given, and that the conditions of sub. (3) have been met, it shall issue an order directing that no more work be done in or expense incurred on behalf of the district. The order does not dissolve the district or in any way affect existing contracts. The district remains liable for all its debts existing at the time of issuance of the drainage board order suspending operations, and the board shall continue to levy such additional assessments for costs as are necessary to meet existing obligations.

88.81(3) (3) As a condition of issuing the order under sub. (2), the drainage board shall require the petitioners under this section to pay the expenses of the hearing under this section and all expenses, if any, incurred in connection with specific current projects whose completion would be affected by the drainage board order.

88.81(4) (4) An order suspending operations of a drainage district remains in effect until a like application upon like notice requesting that work be continued is heard and determined in favor of petitioners.

88.81(5) (5) Subsections (1) to (3) do not apply on or after July 14, 2015.

88.81 History History: 1977 c. 449; 1983 a. 483; 1993 a. 456; 2015 a. 55.

88.815 88.815 Dissolution of suspended drainage districts.

88.815(1) (1) If the operations of a drainage district are suspended on July 14, 2015, the department of agriculture, trade and consumer protection shall file a notice with the court having jurisdiction on the matter that the district will be administratively dissolved 36 months after the filing of the notice.

88.815(2) (2) Upon the filing of a dissolution notice under sub. (1), the court shall provide notice of the dissolution notice to the drainage board. If, at the time of filing of a dissolution notice, any position on the board is vacant, the court shall appoint a successor as provided in s. 88.17 before providing notice to the board.

88.815(3) (3) Upon receiving notice under sub. (2), the board shall provide notice of the dissolution notice under sub. (1) to the persons specified under s. 88.05 (4) (c).

88.815(4) (4) Upon request by any owner of land in the district, the board shall do all of the following:

88.815(4)(a) (a) Fix a time and place of a hearing on the dissolution notice.

88.815(4)(b) (b) Cause notice of the hearing to be given under s. 88.05 (1) (b) to the persons specified under s. 88.05 (4) (c), the court having jurisdiction on the matter, and the department of agriculture, trade and consumer protection.

88.815(5) (5) Subject to s. 88.82 (2) and after any hearing held under sub. (4), if the board determines that the public welfare will not be promoted by the reinstatement of district operations, the board shall seek approval of dissolution of the district under s. 88.06. If dissolution is approved, the board shall provide notice of the dissolution to the court having jurisdiction on the matter, the department of agriculture, trade and consumer protection, the zoning administrator of each city, village, town, or county in which the district is located, the county clerk of the county in which the drainage board having jurisdiction of the drainage district is located, and the county treasurer.

88.815(6) (6) If s. 88.82 (2) is not satisfied, court approval under s. 88.06 is not received, or the board determines that public welfare will be promoted by the reinstatement of district operations, the board shall order the district reinstated. If reinstatement is ordered, the board shall provide notice of the order to the court having jurisdiction on the matter, the department of agriculture, trade and consumer protection, the zoning administrator of each city, village, town, or county in which the district is located, and the county clerk of the county in which the drainage board having jurisdiction of the drainage district is located.