2017 WISCONSIN ACT 67
An Act to renumber and amend 59.694 (7) (c) and 62.23 (7) (e) 7.; to amend 59.69 (10e) (title), 59.69 (10e) (a) 1., 59.69 (10e) (b), 60.61 (5e) (title), 60.61 (5e) (a) 1., 60.61 (5e) (b), 62.23 (7) (hb) (title), 62.23 (7) (hb) 1. a. and 62.23 (7) (hb) 2.; and to create 59.69 (5e), 59.694 (7) (c) 1., 59.694 (7) (c) 3., 60.61 (4e), 60.62 (4e), 62.23 (7) (de), 62.23 (7) (e) 7. a., 62.23 (7) (e) 7. d., 66.10015 (1) (e), 66.10015 (2) (e), 66.10015 (4), 227.10 (2p) and 710.17 of the statutes; relating to: limiting the authority of local governments to regulate development on substandard lots and require the merging of lots; requiring a political subdivision to issue a conditional use permit under certain circumstances; standards for granting certain zoning variances; local ordinances related to repair, rebuilding, and maintenance of certain nonconforming structures; and the right to display the flag of the United States.
The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows:
67,2
Section
2. 59.69 (5e) of the statutes is created to read:
59.69 (5e) Conditional use permits. (a) In this subsection:
1. “Conditional use” means a use allowed under a conditional use permit, special exception, or other special zoning permission issued by a county, but does not include a variance.
2. “Substantial evidence” means facts and information, other than merely personal preferences or speculation, directly pertaining to the requirements and conditions an applicant must meet to obtain a conditional use permit and that reasonable persons would accept in support of a conclusion.
(b) 1. If an applicant for a conditional use permit meets or agrees to meet all of the requirements and conditions specified in the county ordinance or those imposed by the county zoning board, the county shall grant the conditional use permit. Any condition imposed must be related to the purpose of the ordinance and be based on substantial evidence.
2. The requirements and conditions described under subd. 1. must be reasonable and, to the extent practicable, measurable and may include conditions such as the permit's duration, transfer, or renewal. The applicant must demonstrate that the application and all requirements and conditions established by the county relating to the conditional use are or shall be satisfied, both of which must be supported by substantial evidence. The county's decision to approve or deny the permit must be supported by substantial evidence.
(c) Upon receipt of a conditional use permit application, and following publication in the county of a class 2 notice under ch. 985, the county shall hold a public hearing on the application.
(d) Once granted, a conditional use permit shall remain in effect as long as the conditions upon which the permit was issued are followed, but the county may impose conditions such as the permit's duration, transfer, or renewal, in addition to any other conditions specified in the zoning ordinance or by the county zoning board.
(e) If a county denies a person's conditional use permit application, the person may appeal the decision to the circuit court under the procedures contained in s. 59.694 (10).
67,3
Section
3. 59.69 (10e) (title) of the statutes is amended to read:
59.69 (10e) (title) Repair, rebuilding, and maintenance of certain nonconforming structures.
67,4
Section
4. 59.69 (10e) (a) 1. of the statutes is amended to read:
59.69 (10e) (a) 1. “Development regulations" means the part of a zoning ordinance enacted under this section that applies to elements including setback, height, lot coverage, and side yard.
67,5
Section
5. 59.69 (10e) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:
59.69 (10e) (b) An ordinance enacted under this section may not prohibit, or limit based on cost,
or require a variance for the repair, maintenance, renovation, rebuilding, or remodeling of a nonconforming structure or any part of a nonconforming structure.
67,8
Section
8. 59.694 (7) (c) of the statutes is renumbered 59.694 (7) (c) 2. and amended to read:
59.694 (7) (c) 2. To authorize upon appeal in specific cases variances from the terms of the ordinance that will not be contrary to the public interest, where, owing to special conditions, a literal enforcement of the provisions of the ordinance will result in unnecessary hardship, and so that the spirit of the ordinance shall be observed and substantial justice done.
4. A county board may enact an ordinance specifying an expiration date for a variance granted under this paragraph if that date relates to a specific date by which the action authorized by the variance must be commenced or completed. If no such ordinance is in effect at the time a variance is granted, or if the board of adjustment does not specify an expiration date for the variance, a variance granted under this paragraph does not expire unless, at the time it is granted, the board of adjustment specifies in the variance a specific date by which the action authorized by the variance must be commenced or completed. An ordinance enacted after April 5, 2012, may not specify an expiration date for a variance that was granted before April 5, 2012.
5. A variance granted under this paragraph runs with the land.
67,9
Section
9. 59.694 (7) (c) 1. of the statutes is created to read:
59.694 (7) (c) 1. In this paragraph:
a. “Area variance” means a modification to a dimensional, physical, or locational requirement such as the setback, frontage, height, bulk, or density restriction for a structure that is granted by the board of adjustment under this subsection.
b. “Use variance” means an authorization by the board of adjustment under this subsection for the use of land for a purpose that is otherwise not allowed or is prohibited by the applicable zoning ordinance.
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Section
10. 59.694 (7) (c) 3. of the statutes is created to read:
59.694 (7) (c) 3. A property owner bears the burden of proving “unnecessary hardship," as that term is used in this paragraph, for an area variance, by demonstrating that strict compliance with a zoning ordinance would unreasonably prevent the property owner from using the property owner's property for a permitted purpose or would render conformity with the zoning ordinance unnecessarily burdensome or, for a use variance, by demonstrating that strict compliance with the zoning ordinance would leave the property owner with no reasonable use of the property in the absence of a variance. In all circumstances, a property owner bears the burden of proving that the unnecessary hardship is based on conditions unique to the property, rather than considerations personal to the property owner, and that the unnecessary hardship was not created by the property owner.
67,11
Section
11. 60.61 (4e) of the statutes is created to read:
60.61 (4e) Conditional use permits. (a) In this subsection:
1. “Conditional use” means a use allowed under a conditional use permit, special exception, or other special zoning permission issued by a town, but does not include a variance.
2. “Substantial evidence” means facts and information, other than merely personal preferences or speculation, directly pertaining to the requirements and conditions an applicant must meet to obtain a conditional use permit and that reasonable persons would accept in support of a conclusion.
(b) 1. If an applicant for a conditional use permit meets or agrees to meet all of the requirements and conditions specified in the town ordinance or those imposed by the town zoning board, the town shall grant the conditional use permit. Any condition imposed must be related to the purpose of the ordinance and be based on substantial evidence.
2. The requirements and conditions described under subd. 1. must be reasonable and, to the extent practicable, measurable and may include conditions such as the permit's duration, transfer, or renewal. The applicant must demonstrate that the application and all requirements and conditions established by the town relating to the conditional use are or shall be satisfied, both of which must be supported by substantial evidence. The town's decision to approve or deny the permit must be supported by substantial evidence.
(c) Upon receipt of a conditional use permit application, and following publication in the town of a class 2 notice under ch. 985, the town shall hold a public hearing on the application.
(d) Once granted, a conditional use permit shall remain in effect as long as the conditions upon which the permit was issued are followed, but the town may impose conditions such as the permit's duration, transfer, or renewal, in addition to any other conditions specified in the zoning ordinance or by the town zoning board.
(e) If a town denies a person's conditional use permit application, the person may appeal the decision to the circuit court under the procedures described in s. 59.694 (10).
67,12
Section
12. 60.61 (5e) (title) of the statutes is amended to read:
60.61 (5e) (title) Repair, rebuilding, and maintenance of certain nonconforming structures.
67,13
Section
13. 60.61 (5e) (a) 1. of the statutes is amended to read:
60.61 (5e) (a) 1. “Development regulations" means the part of a zoning ordinance enacted under this section that applies to elements including setback, height, lot coverage, and side yard.
67,14
Section
14. 60.61 (5e) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:
60.61 (5e) (b) An ordinance enacted under this section may not prohibit, or limit based on cost,
or require a variance for the repair, maintenance, renovation, rebuilding, or remodeling of a nonconforming structure or any part of a nonconforming structure.
67,15
Section
15. 60.62 (4e) of the statutes is created to read:
60.62 (4e) (a) In this subsection:
1. “Conditional use” means a use allowed under a conditional use permit, special exception, or other special zoning permission issued by a town, but does not include a variance.
2. “Substantial evidence” means facts and information, other than merely personal preferences or speculation, directly pertaining to the requirements and conditions an applicant must meet to obtain a conditional use permit and that reasonable persons would accept in support of a conclusion.
(b) 1. If an applicant for a conditional use permit meets or agrees to meet all of the requirements and conditions specified in the town ordinance or those imposed by the town zoning board, the town shall grant the conditional use permit. Any condition imposed must be related to the purpose of the ordinance and be based on substantial evidence.
2. The requirements and conditions described under subd. 1. must be reasonable and, to the extent practicable, measurable and may include conditions such as the permit's duration, transfer, or renewal. The applicant must demonstrate that the application and all requirements and conditions established by the town relating to the conditional use are or shall be satisfied, both of which must be supported by substantial evidence. The town's decision to approve or deny the permit must be supported by substantial evidence.
(c) Upon receipt of a conditional use permit application, and following publication in the town of a class 2 notice under ch. 985, the town shall hold a public hearing on the application.
(d) Once granted, a conditional use permit shall remain in effect as long as the conditions upon which the permit was issued are followed, but the town may impose conditions such as the permit's duration, transfer, or renewal, in addition to any other conditions specified in the zoning ordinance or by the town zoning board.
(e) If a town denies a person's conditional use permit application, the person may appeal the decision to the circuit court under the procedures described in s. 61.35.
67,16
Section
16. 62.23 (7) (de) of the statutes is created to read:
62.23 (7) (de) Conditional use permits. 1. In this paragraph:
a. “Conditional use” means a use allowed under a conditional use permit, special exception, or other special zoning permission issued by a city, but does not include a variance.
b. “Substantial evidence” means facts and information, other than merely personal preferences or speculation, directly pertaining to the requirements and conditions an applicant must meet to obtain a conditional use permit and that reasonable persons would accept in support of a conclusion.
2. a. If an applicant for a conditional use permit meets or agrees to meet all of the requirements and conditions specified in the city ordinance or those imposed by the city zoning board, the city shall grant the conditional use permit. Any condition imposed must be related to the purpose of the ordinance and be based on substantial evidence.
b. The requirements and conditions described under subd. 2. a. must be reasonable and, to the extent practicable, measurable and may include conditions such as the permit's duration, transfer, or renewal. The applicant must demonstrate that the application and all requirements and conditions established by the city relating to the conditional use are or shall be satisfied, both of which must be supported by substantial evidence. The city's decision to approve or deny the permit must be supported by substantial evidence.
3. Upon receipt of a conditional use permit application, and following publication in the city of a class 2 notice under ch. 985, the city shall hold a public hearing on the application.
4. Once granted, a conditional use permit shall remain in effect as long as the conditions upon which the permit was issued are followed, but the city may impose conditions such as the permit's duration, transfer, or renewal, in addition to any other conditions specified in the zoning ordinance or by the city zoning board.