Chapter 88

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.

88.815(7) (7) If no hearing is scheduled under sub. (4), the district is dissolved 36 months after the filing of the notice under sub. (1). If the department of agriculture, trade and consumer protection receives a notice under sub. (4), but does not receive a notice of reinstatement under sub. (5), the district is dissolved 48 months after the filing of the notice under sub. (1).

88.815 History History: 2015 a. 55.

88.817 88.817 Leola drainage district.

88.817(1) (1) Notwithstanding s. 88.815, the Leola drainage district located in Adams, Portage, and Waushara counties is reinstated.

88.817(2) (2) The drainage board with jurisdiction of the Leola drainage district may not levy any assessment. This subsection does not apply if the owners of land representing, as calculated on December 2, 2017, 67 percent or more of the confirmed benefits in the district, excluding benefits received by land owned by this state, file with the court having jurisdiction on the matter a petition for the reinstatement of assessment authority of the district.

88.817 History History: 2017 a. 115.

88.82 88.82 Dissolution of drainage districts.

88.82(1) (1) 

88.82(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 a court having jurisdiction on this matter a petition for the dissolution of the district if the petition is signed by those owners and if the petition is filed within 2 years after the order organizing the district is issued under s. 88.34.

88.82(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 a court having jurisdiction on this matter a petition for the dissolution of the district if the petition is signed by those owners and if the petition is filed at least 2 years after the order organizing the district is issued under s. 88.34.

88.82(1)(bm) (bm) Except as provided in par. (bs), the owner of any land in a drainage district may file with the court a petition for the dissolution of the district if the petition is filed at least 20 years after the latest assessment for costs against land in the drainage district.

88.82(1)(bs) (bs) A state agency, as defined in s. 16.61 (2) (d), may not petition for the dissolution of a drainage district.

88.82(1)(c) (c) In any county in which all land has been incorporated in cities or villages, the county board of supervisors is authorized to file the petition.

88.82(1)(d) (d) Upon the filing of a petition for dissolution under this section, the court 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 (1) (b) to the persons specified under s. 88.05 (4) (b).

88.82(2) (2) No district shall be dissolved until all its debts have been paid unless:

88.82(2)(a) (a) Funds to pay such debts, including any interest thereon, have been deposited with the county treasurer; or

88.82(2)(b) (b) The lands of the district have been assessed to the full amount of the confirmed assessed benefits and such assessments either have been paid in full or tax certificates have been issued for the lands under s. 74.57.

88.82(3) (3) If the court is satisfied upon the hearing that the conditions stated in sub. (2) have been met, that the petition is signed by the required number of owners, and that the public welfare will be promoted by dissolution of the district, it shall enter an order dissolving the drainage district. If the court enters an order dissolving the drainage district, it shall order dissolution of the entire drainage district and may not order dissolution of part of the district.

88.82(4) (4) If the county treasurer has on hand any funds belonging to such dissolved district, the treasurer shall forthwith make distribution thereof among the several landowners in the district in proportion to the last confirmed assessment of benefits in the district. If there is any doubt as to the ownership of such lands, the owners claiming the right to participate in such funds shall make satisfactory proof of ownership to the court.

88.82(5) (5) If the county treasurer has funds on hand belonging to a drainage district which has been inactive for 6 or more years, he or she shall publish in the county, as a class 3 notice, under ch. 985, a notice of intent to file with the court having jurisdiction thereof a petition for dissolution of the drainage district, except that such notice is not required if funds on hand are less than $100. Ninety days after the last publication provided for in this subsection, the county treasurer shall file such petition together with objections, if any, and if dissolution is ordered, such funds held by the county treasurer shall revert and pass to the county for the benefit of the county. If the funds on hand are less than $100, such funds shall automatically revert and pass to the county general fund.

88.82(6) (6) Any drains which have been constructed by a drainage district dissolved under this section or under prior law shall remain common waterways for the use of all landowners in the dissolved district. Any such landowner may make repairs thereto at the landowner’s own expense. Any person who in any manner obstructs or injures any such drain is liable for all damages caused to any person thereby and in addition may be fined not more than $100.

88.82(7) (7) In the alternative in any county in which all land has been incorporated in cities or villages if a drainage board is abolished or if a drainage district passes out of existence, any funds being held by the county treasurer shall revert and pass to the county for the benefit of the county.

88.82 History History: 1975 c. 324, 421; 1983 a. 483; 1987 a. 378; 1991 a. 32, 316; 1993 a. 456.

88.82 Cross-reference Cross-reference: See also ch. NR 301, Wis. adm. code.

88.82 Annotation Although the “public welfare” concept escapes precise definition and necessarily involves consideration of numerous factors, it does not, in the context of this chapter, permit reference to any benefit imaginable. With no formal charge or authority, the claimed willingness of other entities to assume drainage duties has little bearing on whether elimination of the district will promote the public welfare. A district’s popularity is not an appropriate measure of whether dissolution promotes the public welfare. A circuit court’s desire to end discord cannot supply the basis for its public welfare finding. Town of Stiles v. Stiles/Lena Drainage District, 2010 WI App 87, 327 Wis. 2d 491, 787 N.W.2d 876, 09-0556.

88.83 88.83 Transfer of district to municipal jurisdiction.

88.83(1c) (1c) In this section, “municipality” means a city, village, or town.

88.83(1g) (1g) The owners of a majority of the land proposed to be transferred in a drainage district located entirely or partially within the corporate limits of a municipality may petition the drainage board having jurisdiction of the district to transfer jurisdiction of the part of the district proposed to be transferred that is located within the municipality to the municipality.

88.83(2) (2) Upon receiving a petition under this section the drainage board shall fix the time and place of the 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).

88.83(2m) (2m) If the proposed transfer of jurisdiction is of less than the entire district, jurisdiction of the part of the drainage district may not be transferred to a municipality unless the municipality to which jurisdiction will be transferred and the district have entered into an agreement that includes all of the following:

88.83(2m)(a) (a) The municipality and district agree that the goal of the agreement is to outline the duties and responsibilities of the respective parties to maintain the drain system as provided in the plans and specification for the drain system approved by the department of agriculture, trade and consumer protection.

88.83(2m)(b) (b) The agreement specifies any monetary obligations of the municipality or district under the agreement and the manner by which any monetary obligation under the agreement will be calculated.

88.83(2m)(c) (c) The municipality agrees to ensure access to, and maintenance of, any corridor established under s. 88.74 (1) that is located on land transferred under this section consistent with the requirements of s. 88.74.

88.83(2m)(d) (d) The municipality agrees, upon order by the drainage district from which jurisdiction was transferred, to maintain and repair any part of a former district drain located in land transferred under this section.

88.83(2m)(e) (e) That if the municipality fails to complete work ordered under par. (d), the district may complete the work and assess costs on the confirmed benefits to property located in the municipality, as follows: