92.07(11)
(11) Administration of projects or programs. Each land conservation committee, in the name of the county, may acquire, by purchase, lease or otherwise, and administer, any soil conservation, flood prevention, water management or nonpoint source water pollution abatement project or combinations of these projects, and participate in programs concerned with the conservation of natural resources located within the county undertaken by the United States or any of its agencies, or by this state or any of its agencies. A land conservation committee may administer, as agent of the United States or any of its agencies, or of this state or any of its agencies, any soil conservation, flood prevention, water management, water quality improvement, nonpoint source water pollution abatement, erosion control, erosion prevention project or resource conservation program within the county. A land conservation committee may act as agent for the United States, or any of its agencies, or for this state or any of its agencies, in connection with the acquisition, construction, operation or administration of any resource conservation program within the county. A land conservation committee, on behalf of the county, may accept donations, gifts and contributions in money, services, materials or otherwise from any source and use or expend these moneys, services, materials or other contributions in carrying on its operations.
92.07(12)
(12) Contracts; rules. Each land conservation committee, in the name of the county, may make and execute contracts and other instruments necessary or convenient to the exercise of its powers.
92.07(13)
(13) Contributions; agreements. As a condition to extending any benefits under this chapter to, or the performance of work upon, any lands not owned or controlled by this state or any of its agencies, a land conservation committee may require contributions in money, services, materials or otherwise to any operations conferring the benefits, and may require landowners and land users to enter into and perform agreements or covenants respecting the use of land as will lead to conservation of soil and water resources.
92.07(14)
(14) Enter upon lands. Each land conservation committee may enter upon any lands within the county to examine the land and make surveys or plans for soil and water conservation without being liable for trespass in the reasonable performance of these duties. This authorization applies to the land conservation committee members and their agents.
92.07(15)
(15) Administration and enforcement of ordinances. A land conservation committee may, if authorized by the county board, administer and enforce those provisions of an ordinance enacted under
s. 101.65 (1) (a) related to construction site erosion, a zoning ordinance enacted under
s. 59.693 or an ordinance enacted under authority granted under
s. 101.1205.
92.08
92.08
Basic workload allocation plan. 92.08(1)
(1) Every land conservation committee shall prepare annually for its county a plan which describes the soil and water resource activities to be undertaken by that county and the dollar amounts required for personnel to administer and implement activities in that county related to soil conservation activities required under
ss. 92.104 and
92.105 to claim a farmland preservation credit under
subch. IX of ch. 71, activities required under
s. 92.17 related to shoreland management or activities required under
s. 281.65 (8m) related to the development or implementation of animal waste [or construction site erosion] ordinances. The land conservation committee shall submit that plan to the county board of that county and to the department.
92.08 Note
NOTE: Sub. (1) is shown as affected by two acts of the 1995 legislature and as merged by the revisor under s. 13.93 (2) (c). The bracketed language was inadvertently omitted. Corrective legislation is pending.
92.08(2)
(2) The department shall review and approve, modify or disapprove any plan prepared under
sub. (1).
92.08 History
History: 1987 a. 27;
1991 a. 309;
1995 a. 225,
227; s. 13.93 (2) (c).
92.09
92.09
Land conservation committee staff. The land conservation committee may employ county soil and water conservation staff, subject to the approval of the county board. The county soil and water conservation staff is responsible for the administration of the county soil and water conservation program and may exercise the powers granted to the land conservation committee.
92.09 History
History: 1981 c. 346.
92.10
92.10
Erosion control planning program. 92.10(1)
(1)
Creation. There is created an erosion control planning program. The department, board and land conservation committees in identified priority counties jointly shall develop and administer this program.
92.10(2)
(2) Purposes. The purposes of the erosion control planning program are to conserve long-term soil productivity, protect the quality of related natural resources, enhance water quality and focus on severe soil erosion problems in identified priority counties.
92.10(3)
(3) Identification of priority counties. 92.10(3)(a)(a)
Identification. The department shall identify priority soil erosion control counties. Identified priority counties are required to prepare soil erosion control plans.
92.10(3)(b)
(b)
Criteria. In identifying priority soil erosion control counties, the department shall consider the following factors:
92.10(3)(b)2.
2. The magnitude and extent of cropland erosion in the county.
92.10(3)(b)3.
3. The availability of soil survey information in the county.
92.10(3)(c)
(c)
Plan preparation. If a county is identified as a priority soil erosion control county under this subsection, the land conservation committee in that county shall prepare and submit a soil erosion control plan for that county as specified under
sub. (6).
92.10(4)
(4) Implementation; department duties. 92.10(4)(a)(a)
Data. The department shall develop a systematic method of collecting and organizing data related to soil erosion. The department shall cooperate with the land information board under
s. 16.967 in developing this methodology or any related activities related to land information collection.
92.10(4)(c)
(c)
Plan assistance. The department shall assist land conservation committees in identified priority counties in preparing soil erosion control plans. The department may allocate funds appropriated under
s. 20.115 (7) (c) to land conservation committees in identified priority counties to cover up to 50% of the cost of preparing soil erosion control plans.
92.10(4)(d)
(d)
Plan review. The department shall review and approve or disapprove soil erosion control plans submitted by the land conservation committees in identified priority counties. The department may require land conservation committees to indicate specific projects to be funded under each plan and the related cost-sharing rates.
92.10(5)
(5) Implementation; board duties. 92.10(5)(a)(a)
Plan review. The board shall review soil erosion control plans submitted by the land conservation committees and make recommendations to the department.
92.10(5)(b)
(b)
Solicit comments. The board shall solicit comments on land conservation committee plans from the agencies identified as advisers to the board under
s. 15.135 (4).
92.10(6)
(6) Implementation; committee duties. 92.10(6)(a)(a)
Plan preparation. A land conservation committee in an identified priority county shall prepare a soil erosion control plan which does all of the following:
92.10(6)(a)1.
1. Specifies maximum acceptable rates of soil erosion.
92.10(6)(a)2.
2. Identifies the parcels and locations of the parcels where soil erosion standards are not being met.
92.10(6)(a)3.
3. Identifies the land use changes or management practices which would bring each area of land into compliance with standards adopted by the land conservation committee.
92.10(6)(a)4.
4. Specifies procedures to be used to assist landowners and land users in controlling soil erosion.
92.10(6)(a)5.
5. Establishes priorities for controlling soil erosion.
92.10(6)(b)
(b)
Notification. A land conservation committee in an identified priority county shall notify landowners and land users of the results of any determinations of soil erosion rates, and provide an opportunity for landowners and land users to present information relating to the accuracy of the determinations during preparation of the soil erosion control plan.
92.10(6)(c)
(c)
Hearings. A land conservation committee in an identified priority county shall hold one or more public hearings on the soil erosion control plan.
92.10(6)(d)
(d)
Plan submission. A land conservation committee in an identified priority county shall submit the soil erosion control plan to the board and department.
92.10(6)(e)
(e)
Plan adoption. A land conservation committee in an identified priority county shall make the approved soil erosion control plan a part of the committee's long-range planning strategy to improve soil and water resource management.
92.103
92.103
Wind erosion control pilot program. 92.103(1)
(1) The department shall do all of the following:
92.103(1)(a)
(a) Select at least one county subject to severe wind erosion and designate that county as eligible for grants under this section.
92.103(1)(b)
(b) Provide grants to the county designated under
par. (a) for one or more of the following:
92.103(1)(b)1.
1. Property tax credits applied on a per-acre basis to persons owning land subject to wind erosion. The county clerk shall notify the clerk of the taxation district of any credit awarded under this subdivision and the clerk of the taxation district shall reduce the appropriate tax bill under
s. 74.09 (2m).
92.103(1)(b)2.
2. Funding for on-farm wind erosion control tillage demonstrations.
92.103(1)(b)3.
3. Funding for county personnel to administer and implement the program under this section.
92.103(1)(c)
(c) Promulgate rules to administer the program under this section.
92.103(2)
(2) This section does not apply after June 30, 1997.
92.104
92.104
Soil and water conservation plan. 92.104(1)
(1)
Preparation. A land conservation committee shall ensure that a soil and water conservation plan is prepared for land covered by a farmland preservation agreement.
92.104(2)
(2) Approval. A soil and water conservation plan approved by the land conservation committee is required to be included in the farmland preservation agreement.
92.104(3)
(3) Monitoring. A county land conservation committee shall ensure that a soil and water conservation plan incorporated in a farmland preservation agreement is followed except that deviations may be allowed if, in the judgment of the land conservation committee, personnel are not available to lay out the suggested practices on the land or if practices are not economical for the owner to adopt.
92.104(4)
(4) Noncompliance. If the land conservation committee determines that farming operations are not being conducted in compliance with a soil and water conservation plan and that the deviation is not permitted under
sub. (3), it shall issue a notice of noncompliance to the farmer and send a copy to the department of revenue. This notice remains in effect until canceled. If actions are taken to comply with the soil and water conservation plan in a manner satisfactory to the land conservation committee, it shall cancel the notice of noncompliance by notifying the farmer and the department of revenue.
92.104(5)
(5) Eligibility for farmland preservation credit. A farmland preservation credit may not be allowed under
subch. IX of ch. 71 if a notice of noncompliance is in effect with respect to a claimant to which this section applies at the time the claim is filed.
92.104(6)
(6) Applicability. This section and a soil and water conservation plan prepared under this section apply to a person claiming a farmland preservation credit, land related to that claim and farming operations on that land if eligibility for the credit is based on a farmland preservation agreement applied for prior to July 1, 1986.
92.104 History
History: 1985 a. 29;
1987 a. 312 s.
17.
92.105
92.105
Soil and water conservation standards. 92.105(1)(1)
Establishment. A land conservation committee shall establish soil and water conservation standards. It shall submit these standards to the board for review.
92.105(2)
(2) Guidelines; review. The board shall develop guidelines to be used for the establishment and administration of soil and water conservation standards. The board shall review and shall approve or disapprove submitted soil and water conservation standards based on the guidelines it develops. If the board approves soil and water conservation standards, it shall notify any appropriate zoning authority of its approval.
92.105(3)
(3) Approved standards required for farmland preservation credit. A farmland preservation credit may not be allowed under
subch. IX of ch. 71 for claims relating to any land to which this section applies unless the land conservation committee for the county where the property is located establishes soil and water conservation standards which are approved by the board.
92.105(4)
(4) Monitoring. The land conservation committee shall monitor compliance with soil and water conservation standards on land to which this section applies.
92.105(5)
(5) Noncompliance. If the land conservation committee determines that farming operations on land to which this section applies do not comply with soil and water conservation standards, it shall issue a notice of noncompliance to the farmer and send a copy of the notice to any appropriate zoning authority. If no appropriate zoning authority exists, it shall send a copy to the department of revenue. This notice of noncompliance remains in effect until canceled. If actions are taken to comply with the soil and water conservation standards in a manner satisfactory to the land conservation committee, it shall cancel the notice of noncompliance by notifying the farmer and by sending a copy of the cancellation to any appropriate zoning authority. If no appropriate zoning authority exists or if the original notice was sent to the department of revenue, it shall send a copy of the cancellation to the department of revenue.
92.105(6)
(6) Eligibility for farmland preservation credit. A farmland preservation credit may not be allowed under
subch. IX of ch. 71 if a notice of noncompliance is in effect with respect to a claimant to which this section applies at the time the claim is filed.
92.105(7)(a)(a)
General applicability; farmland preservation. This section and soil and water conservation standards established under this section apply only to a person claiming a farmland preservation credit under
subch. IX of ch. 71, land related to that claim and farming operations on that land and apply only as provided under
pars. (b) to
(d).
92.105(7)(b)
(b)
Participants eligible under new farmland preservation agreements. This section and soil and water conservation standards established under this section apply to a person claiming a farmland preservation credit, land related to that claim and farming operations on that land if eligibility for the credit is based upon a farmland preservation agreement applied for on or after July 1, 1986.
92.105(7)(c)
(c)
Existing participants under exclusive agricultural zoning. This section and soil and water conservation standards established under this section apply beginning on January 1, 1988, to a person claiming a farmland preservation credit, land related to that claim and farming operations on that land if eligibility for the credit is based on exclusive agricultural zoning and if a farmland preservation credit was received by that person for property taxes on the same land accruing in 1984 or any prior year.
92.105(7)(d)
(d)
New participants under exclusive agricultural zoning. This section and soil and water conservation standards established under this section apply beginning on July 1, 1986, to a person claiming a farmland preservation credit, land related to that claim and farming operations on that land if eligibility for the credit is based on exclusive agricultural zoning and if a farmland preservation credit was not received by that person for property taxes on the same land in 1984 or any prior year.
92.105 History
History: 1985 a. 29,
332;
1987 a. 312 s.
17.
92.106
92.106
Department review. The department shall review all soil and water conservation standards under
s. 92.105 at least once every 5 years to determine whether the standards are consistent with the purposes of the soil and water resource management program under
s. 92.14 (2).
92.106 History
History: 1991 a. 309.
92.11
92.11
Regulation of local soil and water resource management practices. 92.11(1)(1)
Proposed ordinances. To promote soil and water conservation or nonpoint source water pollution abatement, a county, city, village or town may enact ordinances for the regulation of land use, land management and pollutant management practices.
92.11(2)(a)(a) An ordinance enacted under this section may be applicable throughout the county or to any part of the county, including both incorporated and unincorporated areas.
92.11(2)(b)
(b) An ordinance enacted under this section may prohibit land uses and land management practices which cause excessive soil erosion, sedimentation, nonpoint source water pollution or storm water runoff.
92.11(3)
(3) Presentation; notice; hearing; county board adoption. Any ordinance proposed by the land conservation committee under this section shall be presented to the county board together with a report on the need for the ordinance and its expected economic and environmental impact. Within 2 weeks after its receipt, the county board shall publish the proposed ordinance as a class 2 notice, under
ch. 985, in a newspaper having general circulation throughout the county and make the report available for public inspection. The county board shall hold one or more public hearings on the proposed ordinance before taking final action. The county board shall adopt, adopt with revisions or disapprove the ordinance.
92.11(4)
(4) Referendum; local approval required. 92.11(4)(a)(a)
Definition. As used in this subsection, "affected area" means the entire town, all of a village within the county or all of a city within a county if an ordinance adopted under this section or a revision to an ordinance adopted under this section is applicable to any part of the town, village or city.
92.11(4)(b)
(b)
Referendum required. No ordinance adopted under this section and no revision to an ordinance adopted under this section may take effect in any affected area in that county unless the ordinance or revision is approved by referendum.
92.11(4)(c)
(c)
Wording of ballot question; procedure. The county board shall include the wording of the question to be placed before the electors in the referendum as a part of the ordinance adopted under this section or the revision to an ordinance adopted under this section. Upon the adoption of the ordinance or revision the county board shall forward a copy of the ordinance or revision to the county clerk who shall cause the question to be placed before the voters of the affected area in the next spring or general election occurring not less than 45 days after the adoption of the ordinance or revision. The form of the ballot shall correspond substantially with form "D" annexed to
s. 5.64 (2).
92.11(4)(d)
(d)
Approval; disapproval. If the question placed before the electors in the referendum is approved by a majority of all votes cast on that subject in an affected area in that county, the ordinance adopted under this section or the revision to an ordinance adopted under this section takes effect in that affected area. Otherwise, the ordinance or revision does not take effect in that affected area.
92.11(5)(a)(a) The county board shall by ordinance prescribe administrative procedures and provide personnel necessary for the enforcement of any ordinance enacted under this section. Ordinances enacted under this section may be enforced through civil forfeiture or through issuance of an injunction by the circuit court in an action initiated by the county or land conservation committee. The court may award reasonable attorney fees to any plaintiff in a successful action for enforcement through injunction.
