AB499: Bill Text

LRB-2446/2

RM/MS/GM/TF/JK/Jtk:kmg:rs

2003 - 2004 LEGISLATURE

2003 Assembly BILL 499

September 8, 2003 - Introduced by Representatives Schooff, Shilling, McCormick, Suder, Richards, Berceau, Balow, Huber, J. Lehman and Plouff, cosponsored by Senators Robson, Plale, Schultz, Risser, Lassa and Hansen. Referred to Committee on Tourism.

AB499,2,3 An Act to renumber 44.02 (24), 71.10 (4) (dr) and 101.121 (4) (a); to renumber and amend 71.07 (9m) (a), 71.07 (9r) (a), 71.28 (6) (a) and 71.47 (6) (a); to amend 13.48 (7), 13.48 (15), 59.69 (4m), 60.64, 62.23 (7) (em), 71.07 (5m) (a) 4., 71.07 (9m) (c), 71.07 (9r) (b) 3. a., 71.28 (6) (c), 71.47 (6) (c), 101.121 (4) (b), 101.19 (1) (intro.), 254.61 (1) (f) 2. and 823.21; and to create 13.48 (10) (c), 41.11 (1) (bm), 44.02 (24) (b), 44.02 (24d), 71.07 (9m) (a) 2., 71.07 (9m) (cm), 71.07 (9m) (g), 71.07 (9m) (h), 71.07 (9r) (a) 2., 71.07 (9r) (b) 3. am., 71.28 (6) (a) 2., 71.28 (6) (cm), 71.28 (6) (g), 71.28 (6) (h), 71.47 (6) (a) 2., 71.47 (6) (cm), 71.47 (6) (g), 71.47 (6) (h), 84.013 (3g), 86.36, 86.37, 101.121 (3) (c), 101.121 (4) (a) 2., 101.121 (5), 101.121 (6), 101.975 (4), 560.03 (21m) and 560.083 of the statutes; relating to: the regulation, preservation, and restoration of historic buildings, the supplement to the federal historic rehabilitation tax credit and the state historic rehabilitation tax credit, requiring the certification of downtowns, promoting certain downtown areas in this state, highway projects involving business and downtown areas, the construction of major highway projects involving a bypass, granting rule-making authority, and making an appropriation.

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau

This bill makes numerous changes with regard to downtown development and historic buildings and also makes a change to current law regarding the construction of major highway projects involving a bypass. Significant provisions include the following:

Historic buildings

State Historic Building Code

Current law authorizes the Department of Commerce (department) to regulate the preservation and restoration of qualified historic buildings. A qualified historic building is a building that is listed on the national or state register of historic places, or a certified local register of historic property, or that is located in a district that is listed on the national or state register of historic places and is of historical significance to the district. Current law permits the department, in consultation with the Historic Building Code Council, to promulgate a historic building code that provides specific standards for the preservation or restoration of qualified historic buildings, while still providing for the health, safety, and welfare of occupants of and visitors to historic buildings. In addition, to permit the preservation or restoration of qualified historic buildings, the department may grant a variance from any rule promulgated under the chapters of the statutes relating to the regulation of industry, buildings, and safety or the regulation of plumbing, fire protection systems, and swimming pools.

With certain exceptions, the owner of a qualified historic building may elect to be subject to the State Historic Building Code. With limited exceptions, an owner who makes this election is exempt from any provision of any other building code, including a local building code, that concerns a matter that is dealt with in the State Historic Building Code. Although current law does not contain an administrative procedure designed specifically to determine whether an owner is entitled to this exemption, current law does contain a procedure that an owner may follow to resolve any conflicts between a local order and any order of the department that relates to the safety of places of employment or certain buildings that are open to the public (public buildings).

This bill specifies that the State Historic Building Code must be liberally interpreted to facilitate the preservation and restoration of qualified historic buildings. The bill also creates a specific administrative procedure for determining the extent to which a provision in a local building code applies to a qualified historic building. The bill permits the owner of a qualified historic building who has elected to be governed by the State Historic Building Code to request that the department review any decision of a local governmental unit that requires the owner to comply with a provision in a local ordinance. The department must review the decision to determine whether the provision in the ordinance concerns a matter dealt with in the State Historic Building Code, in which case the owner would be exempt from the provision. The bill specifies that, in performing this review, the department must follow the existing procedure for resolving conflicts between local orders and orders of the department that relate to the safety of places of employment or public buildings.

This bill also expands the role of the State Historical Society relating to the State Historic Building Code. Under the bill, the owner of a qualified historic building may request that the State Historical Society review certain decisions of the department, or of a local governmental unit acting as an agent of the department, relating to the State Historic Building Code, variances under the State Historic Building Code, or the inspection of qualified historic buildings for compliance with the State Historic Building Code. The State Historical Society must review the particular decision and issue an advisory opinion as to whether the decision or an alternate decision is consistent with the State Historic Building Code. The bill permits the State Historical Society to negotiate with the department or the particular local governmental unit to achieve an alternate decision that would allow the greatest possible degree of restoration and preservation, while still providing for the health, safety, and welfare of occupants of and visitors to the qualified historic building. The bill also permits the department or the particular local governmental unit to modify a reviewed decision, based upon these negotiations. In addition, the bill requires the department, in cooperation with the State Historical Society, to develop an informational pamphlet to increase public awareness and use of the State Historic Building Code.

Historic preservation in local governmental units

This bill directs local governmental units to interpret liberally their regulations that apply to historic structures in order to facilitate the preservation and restoration of historic buildings and structures.

Historic rehabilitation tax credit

Under current law, a person who is eligible to claim a federal income tax credit equal to either 10% of qualified expenses related to rehabilitating a qualified building in this state or 20% of qualified expenses related to rehabilitating historic property in this state may also claim a supplemental state income or franchise tax credit that is equal to 5% of such qualified expenses.

Under the bill, for taxable years beginning in 2004, a person who is not eligible to claim the federal rehabilitation tax credit because the person's qualified expenses do not satisfy the adjusted-basis requirement under federal law may claim the supplemental state rehabilitation credit, if the person's qualified expenses are at least $10,000 and the rehabilitation is approved, and the expenses are certified, by the state Historical Society. In addition, a person who would otherwise be eligible to claim the federal rehabilitation tax credit, except that the rehabilitated property is not a certified historic structure as defined under the Internal Revenue Code, may claim the supplemental state rehabilitation credit in an amount equal to 20% of qualified expenses, if the rehabilitated property is located in a certified downtown or is included in a business area revitalization under the State Main Street Program and the state Historical Society approves the rehabilitation. The state Historical Society may charge and collect a fee for such certifications in an amount equal to 1% of the qualified expenses, but not less than $150 nor more than $10,000.

Under current law, a person may claim an income tax credit equal to 25% of the qualified expenses to preserve or rehabilitate historic property that is used as an owner-occupied personal residence. The state Historical Society certifies such expenses.

Under this bill, for taxable years beginning in 2004, a person who would otherwise be eligible to claim the state income tax credit for preserving or rehabilitating historic property, except that the preserved or rehabilitated property is not historic property, may claim the state income tax credit in an amount equal to 30% of qualified expenses, if the preserved or rehabilitated property is located in a certified downtown or is included in a business area revitalization under the State Main Street Program and the state Historical Society approves the preservation or rehabilitation. The state Historical Society may charge and collect a fee of $150 for certifying such expenses.

Under current law, if a person who claims the income tax credit for qualified expenses to preserve or rehabilitate an owner-occupied personal residence sells the property within five years from the date on which the preservation or rehabilitation is completed, or if the state Historical Society determines that the preservation or rehabilitation does not comply with the standards established by the society, the person who claimed the tax credit must pay to the state all, or a portion, of the amount of the credit that the person received, depending on the date on which the person sold the property or on the date on which the preservation or rehabilitation does not comply with state Historical Society standards.

Under this bill, if a person who claims the supplemental state income or franchise tax credit for qualified expenses related to preserving or rehabilitating historic property in this state sells the property within five years from the date on which the preservation or rehabilitation is completed, or if the state Historical Society determines that the preservation or rehabilitation does not comply with the standards established by the society, the person who claimed the tax credit must pay to the state all, or a portion, of the amount of the credit that the person received, depending on the date on which the person sold the property or the date on which the preservation or rehabilitation does not comply with state Historical Society standards.

Downtown development

Certification and promotion of downtowns

This bill requires the department to develop and publish guidelines to aid communities in reconstructing central business districts that are destroyed or severely damaged in major disasters. The bill also requires the department to promulgate rules pursuant to which the department will certify downtowns. In addition, under the bill, the Department of Tourism must promote travel to these certified downtowns and to business areas that are or have been the subject of revitalization efforts under the State Main Street Program (a program that promotes revitalization efforts in certain business areas).

Currently, the Building Commission submits biennial recommendations to the legislature for revisions to the long-range state building program. No state agency or authority may engage any person to undertake construction of a building for the agency costing more than $100,000 without prior approval of the commission. In addition, the commission has authority to lease land and buildings to be used for state purposes unless that authority is granted by law to another state agency.

This bill provides that the commission shall not authorize construction of any state office building to be located outside of a downtown area certified by the Department of Commerce as required under the bill, unless the cost of locating the building inside such a downtown area is more than 10% greater than the average cost of locating the building in that portion of the geographic area that is served by the functions to be performed in the building on the date of initial occupancy outside of such a downtown area, as determined by the Department of Administration (DOA). The bill also provides that the commission, in preparing its recommendations for the long-range building program, shall not recommend construction of a state office building to be located outside of such a downtown area, unless the commission would be authorized to permit construction of that building in the recommended location. In addition, the bill prohibits the commission from approving the lease of any building for state office facilities to be located outside of such a downtown area unless the cost of locating the facilities inside such a downtown area is more than 10% greater than the average cost of locating the facilities in that portion of the geographic area that is served by the functions to be performed in the facilities on the date of initial occupancy under the lease outside of such a downtown area, as determined by DOA.

This bill imposes additional requirements relating to highway projects that are funded by the Department of Transportation (DOT) and that involve a highway in a business area included in the State Main Street Program or in a downtown certified by the Department of Commerce. First, DOT must consult, during preliminary stages of a proposed highway project, on issues concerning the proposed project and its effect on the business or certified downtown area with the Department of Commerce and, unless none exists, with a local board or downtown planning organization of that municipality. Second, DOT must give priority to retaining any on-street parking with respect to a highway-widening project in a business or certified downtown area.

This bill specifies that DOT, in providing any matching funds for local highway projects, is required to fund the construction of any highway lane without regard to whether it is a travel lane or a parking lane. This requirement applies only to local highway projects that are in business areas under the State Main Street Program or in downtowns certified by the Department of Commerce.

Major highway projects

Under current law, DOT administers a major highway projects program. A major highway project is a project having a total cost of more than $5,000,000 and involving construction of a new highway 2.5 miles or more in length; reconstruction or reconditioning of an existing highway that relocates at least 2.5 miles of the highway or adds one or more lanes at least five miles in length to the highway; or improvement of an existing multilane divided highway to freeway standards. Any major highway project, unlike other highway construction projects undertaken by DOT, requires the approval of the Transportation Projects Commission and the legislature before the project may be constructed. The current list of major highway projects that are approved for construction includes six projects that involve bypasses.

This bill provides that, prior to constructing a major highway project involving a bypass, DOT must notify the governing body of the city, village, or town primarily to be affected by the bypass of DOT's proposed construction of the bypass. If the governing body of the city, village, or town adopts a resolution, within 90 days of being notified by DOT, stating that an active bypass is in the best public interest of the city, village, or town and sends a copy of the resolution to DOT within seven days of its adoption, DOT is required to design and construct an active bypass. The bill defines "active bypass" as a bypass of an existing highway that is designed and constructed in such a way that access to the bypass requires motorists to exit the existing highway in order to travel on the bypass.

For further information see the state and local fiscal estimate, which will be printed as an appendix to this bill.

The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows:

AB499, s. 1 Section 1. 13.48 (7) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB499,7,5 13.48 (7) Biennial recommendations. The building commission shall prepare and formally adopt recommendations for the long-range state building program on a biennial basis. The building commission shall include in its report any projects proposed by the state fair park board involving a cost of not more than $250,000, together with the method of financing those projects proposed by the board, without recommendation. Unless a later date is requested by the building commission and approved by the joint committee on finance, the building commission shall, no later than the first Tuesday in April of each odd-numbered year, transmit the report prepared by the department of administration under s. 16.40 (20) and the commission's recommendations for the succeeding fiscal biennium that require legislative approval to the joint committee on finance in the form of proposed legislation prepared in proper form. If the building commission includes any recommendation for construction of a state office building, the commission shall ensure that the recommended location of the building is consistent with construction requirements under sub. (10) (c).

AB499, s. 2 Section 2. 13.48 (10) (c) of the statutes is created to read:

AB499,7,14 13.48 (10) (c) Unless otherwise required by law, the building commission shall not authorize the construction of any state office building, whether for utilization by a single agency or otherwise, to be located outside of a downtown area, as certified under s. 560.03 (21m), unless the cost of locating the building inside a downtown area is more than 10% greater than the average cost of locating the building in that portion of the geographic area that is served by the functions to be performed in the building on the date of initial occupancy outside of any downtown area, as determined by the department of administration.

AB499, s. 3 Section 3. 13.48 (15) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB499,8,2 13.48 (15) Acquisition of leasehold interests. Subject to the requirements of s. 20.924 (1) (i), the building commission shall have the authority to acquire leasehold interests in land and buildings where such authority is not otherwise provided to an agency by law. The building commission shall not approve any lease for state office facilities, whether for utilization by a single agency or otherwise, to be located outside of a downtown area, as certified under s. 560.03 (21m), unless the cost of locating the facilities inside a downtown area is more than 10% greater than the average cost of locating the facilities in that portion of the geographic area that is served by the functions to be performed in the facilities on the date of initial occupancy under the lease outside of any downtown area, as determined by the department of administration.

AB499, s. 4 Section 4. 41.11 (1) (bm) of the statutes is created to read:

AB499,8,6 41.11 (1) (bm) Promote travel to business areas that are or have been the subject of revitalization efforts under the State Main Street Program under s. 560.081 or that are certified downtowns under s. 560.03 (21m).

AB499, s. 5 Section 5. 44.02 (24) of the statutes is renumbered 44.02 (24) (a).

AB499, s. 6 Section 6. 44.02 (24) (b) of the statutes is created to read:

AB499,8,11 44.02 (24) (b) Charge a fee of $150 for a certification under par. (a). The historical society shall collect the fee under this paragraph when an applicant applies for certification under par. (a).

AB499, s. 7 Section 7. 44.02 (24d) of the statutes is created to read:

AB499,8,17 44.02 (24d) (a) Promulgate by rule procedures, standards, and forms necessary to certify, and shall certify, expenditures for preservation or rehabilitation of historic property for the purposes of ss. 71.07 (9m) (a) and (cm), 71.28 (6) (a) and (cm), and 71.47 (6) (a) and (cm). Such standards shall be substantially similar to the standards used by the secretary of the interior to certify rehabilitations under 26 USC 47 (c) (2).