SB444: Bill Text

8. The bill explicitly allows certified survey maps to be used to grant easements to the public or any person, society, or corporation.

9. Current law provides a procedure for vacation of a subdivision plat by a circuit court. The bill establishes a similar procedure for vacation of a certified survey map by a circuit court.

10. The bill provides that the following documents may be produced for recording on any material that is capable of clearly legible reproduction or other media that is acceptable to the register of deeds: a subdivision plat, a certified survey map, an assessor's plat, a cemetery plat, a condominium plat, and a time-share plat.

11. Current law provides a penalty of not more than $250 or imprisonment for not more than one year in the county jail for various violations related to the placement of monuments by a surveyor. The bill provides that each monument to which a violation applies is a separate violation and therefore subject to a separate penalty.

The bill codifies the holding of the Wisconsin Supreme Court in FAS, LLC v. Town of Bass Lake, 2007 WI 73, 301 Wis. 2d 321, 733 N.W. 2d 287, by specifying that, unless a local ordinance provides otherwise, a navigable stream running through a parcel of property does not, in and of itself, divide the parcel into two lots if the same person holds title to the property on both sides of the stream.

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:

SB444, s. 1 Section 1. 15.405 (2) (intro.), (a) and (b) of the statutes, as affected by 2011 Wisconsin Act 32, are amended to read:

SB444,7,13 15.405 (2) Examining board of architects, landscape architects, professional engineers, designers, and professional land surveyors. (intro.) There is created an examining board of architects, landscape architects, professional engineers, designers, and professional land surveyors in the department of safety and professional services. Any professional member appointed to the examining board shall be registered or licensed to practice architecture, landscape architecture, professional engineering, the design of engineering systems, or professional land surveying under ch. 443. The examining board shall consist of the following members appointed for 4-year terms: 3 architects, 3 landscape architects, 3 professional engineers, 3 designers, 3 professional land surveyors, and 10 public members.

SB444,8,2 (a) In operation, the examining board shall be divided into an architect section, a landscape architect section, an engineer section, a designer section , and a professional land surveyor section. Each section shall consist of the 3 members of the named profession appointed to the examining board and 2 public members appointed to the section. The examining board shall elect its own officers, and shall meet at least twice annually.

SB444,8,7 (b) All matters pertaining to passing upon the qualifications of applicants for and the granting or revocation of registration or licensure, and all other matters of interest to either the architect, landscape architect, engineer, designer, or professional land surveyor section shall be acted upon solely by the interested section.

SB444, s. 2 Section 2. 20.165 (2) (j) of the statutes, as affected by 2011 Wisconsin Act 32, is amended to read:

SB444,8,19 20.165 (2) (j) Safety and building operations. The amounts in the schedule for the purposes of chs. 101, 145, and 168 and ss. 167.35, 236.12 (2) (a) (ap), 236.13 (1) (d) and (2m), and 236.335, for the purpose of transferring the amounts in the schedule under par. (kg) to the appropriation account under par. (kg), and for the purpose of transferring the amounts in the schedule under par. (km) to the appropriation account under par. (km). All moneys received under ch. 145, ss. 101.177 (4) (a) 4., 101.178, 101.19, 101.63 (9), 101.654 (3), 101.73 (12), 101.82 (4), 101.955 (2), 101.973 (7), 167.35 (2) (f), and 236.12 (7) and all moneys transferred under 2005 Wisconsin Act 45, section 76 (6), shall be credited to this appropriation account.

SB444, s. 3 Section 3. 26.09 (3) (b) 1. of the statutes is amended to read:

SB444,9,2 26.09 (3) (b) 1. A court shall award damages that equal the stumpage value of the raw forest products harvested if the person harvesting the raw forest products or the person giving consent for the harvesting reasonably relied upon a recorded survey that was done by a person who is registered licensed under ch. 443 as a professional land surveyor or who is issued a permit to engage in the practice of professional land surveying under s. 443.06 even if the recorded survey is determined, after the harvesting, to be in error.

SB444, s. 4 Section 4. 30.11 (3) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB444,9,15 30.11 (3) How established. Whenever any municipality proposes to establish a bulkhead line or to reestablish an existing bulkhead line, the municipality shall indicate both the existing shore and the proposed bulkhead line upon a map and shall file with the department for its approval 6 copies of the map and 6 copies of the ordinance establishing the bulkhead line. The map shall use a scale of not less than 100 feet to an inch or any other scale required by the department. The map and a metes and bounds description of the bulkhead line shall be prepared by a professional land surveyor registered in this state licensed under ch. 443. The department may require the installation of permanent reference markers to the bulkhead line. Upon approval by the department, the municipality shall deliver the map, description, and ordinance to the office of the register of deeds of the county in which the bulkhead line lies, to be recorded by the register of deeds.

SB444, s. 5 Section 5. 30.13 (3) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB444,9,24 30.13 (3) (a) Any municipality authorized by s. 30.11 to establish a bulkhead line may also establish a pierhead line in the same manner as it is authorized to establish a bulkhead line, except that a metes and bounds legal description is not required nor is the map required to be prepared by a registered professional land surveyor licensed under ch. 443 and except that if the municipality has created a board of harbor commissioners the municipality must obtain the approval of the board concerning the establishment of the pierhead line in addition to obtaining the approval of the department.

SB444, s. 6 Section 6. 59.001 (3r) of the statutes is created to read:

SB444,10,2 59.001 (3r) "Professional land surveyor" means a professional land surveyor licensed under ch. 443.

SB444, s. 7 Section 7. 59.20 (2) (c) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB444,10,9 59.20 (2) (c) In counties that elect a surveyor, the surveyor shall be a registered professional land surveyor. In lieu of electing a surveyor in any county having a population of less than 500,000, the board may, by resolution, designate that the duties under ss. 59.45 (1) and 59.74 (2) be performed by any registered professional land surveyor employed by the county. Any surveyor employed by a county having a population of 500,000 or more shall be a professional land surveyor.

SB444, s. 8 Section 8. 59.43 (8) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB444,10,20 59.43 (8) Required signature and seal on survey document for filing or recording. It is unlawful for the register of deeds of any county or any proper public authority to file or record a map, plat, survey, or other document within the definition of the practice of professional land surveying under s. 443.01 (6s), which does not have impressed thereon, and affixed thereto, the personal signature and seal of a registered professional land surveyor under whose responsible charge the map, plat, survey, or other document was prepared. This subsection does not apply to any deed, contract, or other recordable document prepared by an attorney, or to a transportation project plat that conforms to s. 84.095 and that is prepared by a state agency.

SB444, s. 9 Section 9. 59.45 (1) (a) 2. of the statutes is amended to read:

SB444,11,8 59.45 (1) (a) 2. Make, personally or by a deputy, a record, in books or on drawings and plats that are kept for that purpose, of all corners that are set and the manner of fixing the corners and of all bearings and the distances of all courses run, of each survey made personally, by deputies or by other professional land surveyors and arrange or index the record so it is an easy to use easy-to-use reference and file and preserve in the office the original field notes and calculation thereof. Within 60 days after completing any survey, the county surveyor shall make a true and correct copy of the foregoing record, in record books or on reproducible papers to be furnished by the county and kept in files in the office of the county surveyor to be provided by the county. In a county with a population of 500,000 or more where there is no county surveyor, a copy of the record shall also be filed in the office of the regional planning commission which acts in the capacity of county surveyor for the county.

SB444, s. 10 Section 10. 59.45 (1) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB444,11,16 59.45 (1) (b) Surveys for individuals or corporations may be performed by any professional land surveyor who is employed by the parties requiring the services, providing that within 60 days after completing any survey the professional land surveyor files a true and correct copy of the survey in the office of the county surveyor. In counties with a population of 500,000 or more the copy shall be filed in the office of the register of deeds and in the office of the regional planning commission which acts in the capacity of county surveyor for the county.

SB444, s. 11 Section 11. 59.45 (3) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB444,11,20 59.45 (3) Surveyor; fees. In addition to the regular fees of professional land surveyors that are received from the parties employing the county surveyor, the county surveyor may receive a salary from the county.

SB444, s. 12 Section 12. 59.46 of the statutes is amended to read:

SB444,11,25 59.46 Penalty for nonfeasance. Any county surveyor, any city, village, or town engineer, or any professional land surveyor who fails or refuses to perform any duty required of that person by law shall forfeit not less than $25 nor more than $50 for each such failure or refusal.

SB444, s. 13 Section 13. 59.72 (3m) (a) 4m. of the statutes is amended to read:

SB444,12,3 59.72 (3m) (a) 4m. The county surveyor or a registered professional land surveyor employed within the county.

SB444, s. 14 Section 14. 59.73 (2) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB444,12,12 59.73 (2) Subdividing sections. Whenever a county surveyor or professional land surveyor is required to subdivide a section or smaller subdivision of land established by the United States survey, the county surveyor or professional land surveyor shall proceed according to the statutes of the United States and the rules and regulations made by the secretary of the interior in conformity to the federal statutes. While so engaged a professional land surveyor and the professional land surveyor's assistants shall not be liable as a trespasser and shall be liable only for any actual damage done to land or property.

SB444, s. 15 Section 15. 59.74 (2) (b) 1. of the statutes is amended to read:

SB444,13,5 59.74 (2) (b) 1. Whenever it becomes necessary to destroy, remove, or cover up in such a way that will make it inaccessible for use, any landmark, monument of survey, or corner post within the meaning of this subsection, the person including employees of governmental agencies who intend to commit such act shall serve written notice at least 30 days prior to the act upon the county surveyor of the county within which the landmark is located. Notice shall also be served upon the municipality's engineer if the landmark is located within the corporate limits of a municipality. The notice shall include a description of the landmark, monument of survey, or corner post and the reason for removing or covering it. In this paragraph, removal of a landmark includes the removal of railroad track by the owner of the track. In a county having a population of less than 500,000 where there is no county surveyor, notice shall be served upon the clerk. In a county with a population of 500,000 or more where there is no county surveyor, notice shall be served upon the executive director of the regional planning commission which acts in the capacity of county surveyor for the county. Notwithstanding par. (c), upon receipt of the notice the clerk shall appoint a registered professional land surveyor to perform the duties of a county surveyor under subd. 2.

SB444, s. 16 Section 16. 59.74 (2) (c) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB444,13,13 59.74 (2) (c) In those counties where there are no county surveyors a petition can be made to the board by any resident of this state requesting the board to appoint a professional land surveyor to act in the capacity of the county surveyor. The board, upon receipt of this petition, shall appoint a professional land surveyor to act in the capacity of the county surveyor. In counties with a population of 500,000 or more, the board may appoint a governmental agency to act in the capacity of county surveyor.

SB444, s. 17 Section 17. 59.74 (2) (g) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB444,13,17 59.74 (2) (g) Every professional land surveyor and every officer of the department of natural resources and the district attorney shall enforce this subsection.

SB444, s. 18 Section 18. 59.74 (2) (h) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB444,14,8 59.74 (2) (h) Any registered professional land surveyor employed by the department of transportation or by a county highway department, may, incident to employment as such, assume and perform the duties and act in the capacity of the county surveyor under this subsection with respect to preservation and perpetuation of landmarks, witness monuments, and corner posts upon and along state trunk, county trunk, and town highways. Upon completing a survey and perpetuating landmarks and witness monuments under par. (b) 2., a professional land surveyor employed by the state shall file the field notes and records in the district office or main office of the department of transportation, and a professional land surveyor employed by a county shall file the field notes and records in the office of the county highway commissioner, open to inspection by the public, and in either case a true and correct copy of the field notes and records shall be filed with the county surveyor. In a county with a population of 500,000 or more where there is no county surveyor, a copy of the field notes and records shall also be filed in the office of the regional planning commission which acts in the capacity of county surveyor for the county.

SB444, s. 19 Section 19. 59.74 (2) (j) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB444,14,12 59.74 (2) (j) The county surveyor may employ other professional land surveyors to assist in this work and may accept reference checks for these corners from any professional land surveyor.

SB444, s. 20 Section 20. 59.75 of the statutes is amended to read:

SB444,14,21 59.75 Certificates and records as evidence. The certificate and also the official record of the county surveyor when produced by the legal custodian thereof, or any of the county surveyor's deputies, when duly signed by the county surveyor in his or her official capacity, shall be admitted as evidence in any court within the state, but the same may be explained or rebutted by other evidence. If any county surveyor or any of his or her deputies are interested in any tract of land a survey of which becomes necessary, such survey may be executed by any professional land surveyor appointed by the board.

SB444, s. 21 Section 21. 60.84 (1) of the statutes is renumbered 60.84 (1r) and amended to read:

SB444,15,2 60.84 (1r) Survey, contract for. The town board may contract with the county surveyor or any registered professional land surveyor to survey all or some of the sections in the town and to erect monuments under this section as directed by the board.

SB444, s. 22 Section 22. 60.84 (1g) of the statutes is created to read:

SB444,15,5 60.84 (1g) Definition. In this section, "professional land surveyor" means a professional land surveyor licensed under ch. 443.

SB444, s. 23 Section 23. 60.84 (2) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB444,15,9 60.84 (2) Bond. Before the town board executes a contract under sub. (1), the county surveyor or professional land surveyor shall execute and file with the town board a surety bond or other financial security approved by the town board.

SB444, s. 24 Section 24. 60.84 (3) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB444,15,19 60.84 (3) (a) Monuments shall be set on section and quarter-section corners established by the United States survey. If there is a clerical error or omission in the government field notes or if the bearing trees, mounds, or other location identifier specified in the notes is destroyed or lost, and if there is no other reliable evidence by which a section or quarter-section corner can be identified, the county surveyor or professional land surveyor shall reestablish the corner under the rules adopted by the federal government in the survey of public lands. The county surveyor or professional land surveyor shall set forth his or her actions under this paragraph in the certificate U.S. public land survey monument record under sub. (4).

SB444, s. 25 Section 25. 60.84 (3) (c) (intro.) and 1. of the statutes are amended to read:

SB444,15,23 60.84 (3) (c) (intro.) To establish, relocate or perpetuate a corner, the county surveyor or professional land surveyor shall set in the proper place a monument, as determined by the town board, consisting of any of the following:

SB444,16,3 1. A stone or other equally durable material, not less than 3 feet long and 6 inches square, with perpendicular, dressed sides and a square, flat top. As prescribed by the town board, the top shall be engraved with either of the following:

SB444,16,4 a. A cross formed by lines connecting the corners of the top; or.

SB444,16,6 b. If the monument is set at a section corner, the number of the section or, if set at a quarter-section corner, "1/4S"; or.

SB444, s. 26 Section 26. 60.84 (3) (c) 3. of the statutes is created to read:

SB444,16,9 60.84 (3) (c) 3. An equivalent monument agreed upon by all parties of the contract.

SB444, s. 27 Section 27. 60.84 (4) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB444,16,19 60.84 (4) Certificate U.S. public land survey monument record. The county surveyor or professional land surveyor shall prepare a certificate U.S. public land survey monument record setting forth a complete and accurate record of any survey monument erected on section and quarter section corners under this section, including the exact bearings and distances of each monument from each other monument nearest it on any line in the town. The certificate U.S. public land survey monument record and a map of any additional monuments set shall be recorded in the office of the register of deeds of the county or filed in the office of the county surveyor in which the surveyed land is located.

SB444, s. 28 Section 28. 66.0309 (11) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB444,17,11 66.0309 (11) Matters referred to regional planning commission. The officer or public body of a local governmental unit within the region having final authority may refer to the regional planning commission, for its consideration and report, the location or acquisition of land for any of the items or facilities which that are included in the adopted regional master plan. Within 20 days after the matter is referred to the regional planning commission or a longer period as may be stipulated by the referring officer or public body, the commission shall report its recommendations to the referring officer or public body. The report and recommendations of the commission shall be advisory only. A state agency may authorize the regional planning commission with the consent of the commission to act for the agency in approving, examining, or reviewing plats, under s. 236.12 (2) (a) (ap). A regional planning commission authorized by a local unit on November 1, 1980 , to act for the local unit in approving plats may continue to so act until the commission withdraws its consent or the local unit its approval. A local unit may authorize a regional planning commission, with the consent of the commission, to conduct an advisory review of plats.

SB444, s. 29 Section 29. 70.27 (2) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB444,17,18 70.27 (2) Certification, approval, recording. Such plat, when completed and certified as provided by this section, and when approved by the governing body, shall be acknowledged by the clerk thereof and recorded in the office of the register of deeds. No plat may be recorded in the office of the register of deeds unless it is produced on material that is capable of clearly legible reproduction or other media that is acceptable to the register of deeds.

SB444, s. 30 Section 30. 70.27 (5) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB444,18,21 70.27 (5) Surveys, reconciliations. The surveyor making the plat shall be a professional land surveyor licensed under ch. 443 and shall survey and lay out the boundaries of each parcel, street, alley, lane, roadway, or dedication to public or private use, according to the records of the register of deeds, and whatever evidence that may be available to show the intent of the buyer and seller, in the chronological order of their conveyance or dedication, and set temporary monuments to show the results of such survey which shall be made permanent upon recording of the plat as provided for in this section. The map shall be at a scale of not more than 100 feet per inch, unless waived in writing by the department of administration under s. 236.20 (2) (L). The owners of record of lands in the plat shall be notified by certified letter mailed to their last-known address, in order that they shall have opportunity to examine the map, view the temporary monuments, and make known any disagreement with the boundaries as shown by the temporary monuments. It is the duty of the professional land surveyor making the plat to reconcile any discrepancies that may be revealed, so that the plat as certified to the governing body is in conformity with the records of the register of deeds as nearly as is practicable. When boundary lines between adjacent parcels, as evidenced on the ground, are mutually agreed to in writing by the owners of record, such lines shall be the true boundaries for all purposes thereafter, even though they may vary from the metes and bounds descriptions previously of record. Such written agreements shall be recorded in the office of the register of deeds. On every assessor's plat, as certified to the governing body, shall appear the volume, page, and document number of the metes and bounds description of each parcel, as recorded in the office of the register of deeds, which shall be identified with the number by which such parcel is designated on the plat, except that lots which have been conveyed or otherwise acquired but upon which no deed is recorded in the office of register of deeds may be shown on an assessor's plat and when so shown shall contain a full metes and bounds description.

SB444, s. 31 Section 31. 70.27 (6) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB444,19,4 70.27 (6) Monuments, plat requirements. The provisions of s. 236.15 as to monuments, and the provisions of s. 236.20 as to form and procedure, insofar as they are applicable to the purposes of assessors' plats, shall apply. Any stake or monument found and accepted as correct by a professional land surveyor laying out an assessor's plat shall be indicated as "stake found" or "monument found" when mapping the plat and such stake or monument shall not be removed or replaced even though it is inconsistent with the standards of s. 236.15.

SB444, s. 32 Section 32. 70.27 (7) (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB444,19,9 70.27 (7) Certificate. (intro.) When completed, the assessor's plat shall be filed with the clerk of the governing body that ordered the plat. On its title page shall appear the sworn certificate of the professional land surveyor who made the plat, which shall state and contain:

SB444, s. 33 Section 33. 70.27 (7) (d) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB444,19,12 70.27 (7) (d) A statement that the professional land surveyor has fully complied with the provisions of this section in filing the same.

SB444, s. 34 Section 34. 84.095 (5) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB444,19,19 84.095 (5) Surveyor's Professional land surveyor's certificate. A plat prepared for filing or recording under this section shall include a certificate of a professional land surveyor registered licensed under s. 443.06 that the plat is a correct representation of the project described and that the identification and location of each parcel can be determined from the plat. This subsection does not apply to plats prepared by the department.

SB444, s. 35 Section 35. 157.061 (13m) of the statutes is created to read:

SB444,19,22 157.061 (13m) "Professional land surveyor" means a professional land surveyor licensed under ch. 443.

SB444, s. 36 Section 36. 157.07 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB444,20,5 157.07 (1) A cemetery authority shall cause to be surveyed and platted by a professional land surveyor registered in this state those portions of the lands that are from time to time required for burial, into cemetery lots, drives, and walks, and record a plat or map of the land in the office of the register of deeds. The plat or map may not be recorded unless laid out and platted to the satisfaction of the county board of the county, and the town board of the town in which the land is situated, or, if the land is situated within a 1st class city, then only by the common council of that city.

SB444, s. 37 Section 37. 157.07 (2) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB444,20,19 157.07 (2) The plat or map location of the lands shall show the exact location of the tract being subdivided with reference to a corner or corners established in the United States public land survey by bearings and distances be indicated on the plat or map by bearing and distance from a boundary line of a government lot, quarter section, recorded private claim, or federal reservation in which the subdivision is located. The monumentation at the ends of the boundary line shall be described and the bearing and distance between them shown, and the plat or map shall show a small scale drawing of the section or government subdivision of the section in which the cemetery plat is situated, with the cemetery plat indicated. The plat or map shall include the certificate of the professional land surveyor containing the name of the cemetery authority, the date of the survey, the professional land surveyor's stamp or seal and signature, and the professional land surveyor's statement that the survey is true and correct to the professional land surveyor's best knowledge and belief.

SB444, s. 38 Section 38. 157.07 (3) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB444,21,6 157.07 (3) The plat or map shall be made on a durable white media that is 22 inches wide by 30 inches long, or on any material that is capable of clearly legible reproduction or other media that is acceptable to the register of deeds, with a permanent nonfading black image. Seals or signatures that are reproduced on images that comply with this subsection have the force and effect of original seals and signatures. When more than one sheet is used for any one plat or map, they shall be numbered consecutively and each sheet shall contain a notation showing the whole number of sheets in the plat, and its relation to the other sheets. The sheets may be provided by the county through the register of deeds on terms determined by the county board. The professional land surveyor shall leave a binding margin of 1.5 inches on the left side of the 30-inch length and a one-inch margin on all other sides.