Amendment ASA1-AB579

LRBs0217/1

ZDW:skw

2023 - 2024 LEGISLATURE

ASSEMBLY SUBSTITUTE AMENDMENT 1, TO ASSEMBLY BILL 579

January 9, 2024 - Offered by Representative Wittke.

AB579-ASA1,1,3 An Act to renumber 30.122; to amend 30.122 (title); and to create 30.01 (1h), 30.122 (2), 30.122 (3), 30.2034, 30.2039 and 885.335 of the statutes; relating to: use of fill in commercial waterways and Great Lakes waters.

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau

This bill provides several methods for establishing the lawful public or private use of fill placed on the bed of the Great Lakes and certain rivers and harbors.

Historic fill in commercial waterways

The bill applies, in part, to fill placed prior to 1977 that created land above the ordinary high water mark of a commercial waterway, which is a specified list of rivers. If the fill is unauthorized fill for which the Department of Natural Resources has not initiated an enforcement action or is within an authorized bulkhead line and not specifically restricted by a submerged land lease, the fill is considered land held in private fee title ownership and is not subject to a navigational servitude.

Development of Great Lakes waterfront property

The bill provides that a city or village (municipality) may create a waterfront development plan with respect to parcels that may have been part of the submerged bed of a Great Lakes water at the time of statehood. The municipality must submit required information to DNR, including a map of the parcels and a plan for development of the parcels that details any public and private uses. Following a public notice and comment period, DNR must determine whether the plan is approved. DNR may not approve a plan unless it determines that 1) the plan contains the required elements, 2) proposed private uses are not inconsistent with existing lake bed grants or submerged land leases, 3) the amount and location of proposed public use areas are appropriate to protect public interests, or 4) the plan contains sufficient provisions to ensure that the public uses proposed in the plan will be implemented and perpetually maintained.

Amendments to existing approvals

The bill provides that a municipality may apply to DNR to amend the uses allowed within an area of a Great Lakes water that was filled pursuant to a fill authorization granted by the legislature or a submerged land lease. DNR must review the proposed uses based on several criteria that generally consider whether the proposed uses are consistent with the public interest. Following a public notice and comment period, DNR must approve the plan unless DNR determines that the specified criteria were not met.

Claims relating to possession or title

The bill prohibits any claim or counterclaim in an action relating to the possession or title of any real estate if the claim or counterclaim is based on an assertion that the property includes portions of land that may have at one time been submerged beneath a Great Lakes water if 1) the property is upland and the use of the land has not materially changed, 2) the property is held in fee title ownership as determined under a Great Lakes waterfront development plan, 3) the property is held in fee title ownership based on being separated from a Great Lakes water, or 4) use of the property has been approved by DNR as an amended use.

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

AB579-ASA1,1 Section 1 . 30.01 (1h) of the statutes is created to read:

AB579-ASA1,2,3 30.01 (1h) “Commercial waterway” includes the portions of all of the following rivers that are within the Great Lakes basin and within incorporated areas:

AB579-ASA1,2,4 (a) Ahnapee River.

AB579-ASA1,2,5 (b) East River in Brown County.

AB579-ASA1,2,7 (c) Fox River, but excluding Lake Winnebago, Lake Butte des Morts, Lake Winneconne, and Lake Poygan.

AB579-ASA1,2,8 (d) Kewaunee River.

AB579-ASA1,2,9 (e) Kinnickinnic River.

AB579-ASA1,3,1 (f) Manitowoc River.

AB579-ASA1,3,2 (g) Menominee River.

AB579-ASA1,3,3 (h) Menomonee River.

AB579-ASA1,3,4 (i) Milwaukee River.

AB579-ASA1,3,5 (j) Root River.

AB579-ASA1,3,6 (k) Sheboygan River.

AB579-ASA1,3,7 (L) St. Louis River.

AB579-ASA1,3,8 (m) West Twin River.

AB579-ASA1,2 Section 2 . 30.122 (title) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB579-ASA1,3,10 30.122 (title) Unauthorized structures and fill.

AB579-ASA1,3 Section 3 . 30.122 of the statutes is renumbered 30.122 (1).

AB579-ASA1,4 Section 4 . 30.122 (2) of the statutes is created to read:

AB579-ASA1,3,17 30.122 (2) A fill or deposit placed in a commercial waterway before December 9, 1977, that created land at an elevation above the current ordinary high water mark and that has remained above the current ordinary high water mark since December 9, 1977, is considered land held in private fee title ownership and is not subject to a navigational servitude if any of the following apply:

AB579-ASA1,3,20 (a) The fill or deposit is unauthorized and the department has not initiated an enforcement action relating to the fill or deposit prior to the effective date of this paragraph .... [LRB inserts date].

AB579-ASA1,3,23 (b) The fill or deposit is within an authorized bulkhead line established as provided under s. 30.11 and use of the filled area is not specifically restricted by the terms included in a submerged land lease under s. 24.39 (4).

AB579-ASA1,5 Section 5 . 30.122 (3) of the statutes is created to read:

AB579-ASA1,4,2 30.122 (3) Nothing in this section abridges the riparian rights of riparian owners.

AB579-ASA1,6 Section 6. 30.2034 of the statutes is created to read:

AB579-ASA1,4,5 30.2034 Amendments to existing approvals. (1) Definitions. In this section:

AB579-ASA1,4,8 (a) “Fill authorization” means the authorization of fill in an area of a Great Lakes water by the legislature in specific legislation or a lake bed grant or by a submerged land lease under s. 24.39.

AB579-ASA1,4,10 (b) “Filled area” means an area in a Great Lakes water filled before August 8, 1989, pursuant to a fill authorization.

AB579-ASA1,4,11 (c) “Grantee” means a municipality that has been granted a fill authorization.

AB579-ASA1,4,13 (d) “Great Lakes water” means Lake Superior, Lake Michigan, Green Bay, or Sturgeon Bay.

AB579-ASA1,4,14 (e) Notwithstanding s. 30.01 (4), “municipality” means a city or village.

AB579-ASA1,4,16 (2) Applications by grantees. (a) A grantee may apply to the department to amend the uses allowed within filled areas of a fill authorization.

AB579-ASA1,4,17 (b) An application under par. (a) shall include all of the following information:

AB579-ASA1,4,19 1. A legal description of the fill authorization and the filled area proposed to be used.