236.33
236.33
Division of land into small parcels in cities of the first class prohibited; penalty. It shall be unlawful to divide or subdivide and convey by deed or otherwise any lot in any recorded plat or any parcel or tract of unplatted land in any city of the first class so as to create a lot or parcel of land which does not have street or public highway frontage of at least 4 feet or an easement to a street or public highway of a minimum width of 4 feet but this section shall not apply to conveyances by tax deed or through the exercise of eminent domain or to such reductions in size or area as are caused by the taking of property for public purposes. This section shall not prohibit the dividing or subdividing of any lot or parcel of land in any such city where the divided or subdivided parts thereof which become joined in ownership with any other lot or parcel of land comply with the requirements of this section, if the remaining portion of such lot or parcel so divided or subdivided complies. Any person who shall make such conveyance or procure such a sale or act as agent in procuring such sale or conveyance shall be fined not less than $100 or more than $500 or imprisoned not more than 6 months or both.
236.335
236.335
Prohibited subdividing; forfeit. No lot or parcel in a recorded plat may be divided, or used if so divided, for purposes of sale or building development if the resulting lots or parcels do not conform to this chapter, to any applicable ordinance of the approving authority or to the rules of the department of workforce development under
s. 236.13. Any person making or causing such a division to be made shall forfeit not less than $100 nor more than $500 to the approving authority, or to the state if there is a violation of this chapter or the rules of the department of workforce development.
236.335 Annotation
Discussion of circumstances under which lots in a recorded subdivision may be legally divided without replatting. 64 Atty. Gen. 80.
236.34
236.34
Recording of certified survey map; use in changing boundaries; use in conveyancing. 236.34(1)
(1)
Preparation. A certified survey map of not more than 4 parcels of land may be recorded in the office of the register of deeds of the county in which the land is situated. A certified survey map may be used to change the boundaries of lots and outlots within a recorded plat, recorded assessor's plat under
s. 70.27 or recorded, certified survey map if the redivision does not result in a subdivision or violate a local subdivision regulation. A certified survey map may not alter the exterior boundary of a recorded plat, a recorded assessor's plat, areas previously dedicated to the public or a restriction placed on the platted land by covenant, by grant of an easement or by any other manner. A certified survey must meet the following requirements:
236.34(1)(a)
(a) The survey shall be performed and the map prepared by a land surveyor registered in this state. The error in the latitude and departure closure of the survey may not exceed the ratio of one in 3,000.
236.34(1)(c)
(c) The map shall be prepared in accordance with
s. 236.20 (2) (a),
(b),
(c),
(e),
(f),
(g),
(i),
(j),
(k) and
(L) and
(3) (b) on a scale of not more than 500 feet to the inch. The map shall be prepared with a binding margin 1.5 inches wide and a 0.5 inch margin on all other sides on durable white paper 8 1/2 inches wide by 14 inches long with nonfading black image or reproduced with photographic silver haloid image on double matt polyester film of not less than 4 mil thickness which is 8 1/2 inches wide by 14 inches long. When more than one sheet is used for any map, each sheet shall be numbered consecutively and shall contain a notation giving the total number of sheets in the map and showing the relationship of that sheet to the other sheets. "CERTIFIED SURVEY MAP" shall be printed on the map in prominent letters with the location of the land by government lot, recorded private claim, quarter-quarter section, section, township, range and county noted. Seals or signatures reproduced on images complying with this paragraph shall be given the force and effect of original signatures and seals.
236.34(1)(d)
(d) The map shall include a certificate of the surveyor who surveyed, divided and mapped the land which has the same force and effect as an affidavit and which gives all of the following information:
236.34(1)(d)1.
1. By whose direction the surveyor made the survey, division and map of the land described on the certified survey map.
236.34(1)(d)2.
2. A clear and concise description of the land surveyed, divided and mapped by government lot, recorded private claim, quarter-quarter section, section, township, range and county; and by metes and bounds commencing with a monument at a section or quarter section corner of the quarter section or at the end of a boundary line of a recorded private claim or federal reservation in which the certified map is located; or if the land is located in a recorded subdivision or recorded addition to a recorded subdivision, then by the number or other description of the lot, block or subdivision, which has previously been tied to a corner marked and established by the U.S. public land survey.
236.34(1)(d)3.
3. A statement that the map is a correct representation of all of the exterior boundaries of the land surveyed and the division of that land.
236.34(1)(d)4.
4. A statement that the surveyor has fully complied with the provisions of this section in surveying, dividing and mapping the land.
236.34(1)(e)
(e) A certified survey map may be used for dedication of streets and other public areas when owners' certificates and mortgagees' certificates which are in substantially the same form as required by
s. 236.21 (2) (a) have been executed and the city council or village or town board involved have approved such dedication. Approval and recording of such certified surveys shall have the force and effect provided by
s. 236.29.
236.34(2)
(2) Recording. Certified survey maps prepared in accordance with
sub. (1) shall be numbered consecutively by the register of deeds and shall be recorded in a bound volume to be kept in the register of deeds' office, known as the "Certified Survey Maps of .... County".
236.34(3)
(3) Use in conveyancing. When a certified survey map has been recorded in accordance with this section, the parcels of land in the map shall be, for all purposes, including assessment, taxation, devise, descent and conveyance, as defined in
s. 706.01 (4), described by reference to the number of the survey, lot or outlot number, the volume and page where recorded, and the name of the county.
236.34 Annotation
Sub. (2) requires that certified survey maps be numbered consecutively without dependent reference to ownership, developer or surveyor. 61 Atty. Gen. 34.
236.34 Annotation
Certified survey maps are corrected by recording corrected survey maps. 66 Atty. Gen. 90.
236.34 Annotation
Certified survey maps under s. 236.34 cannot substitute for subdivision surveys under s. 236.02 (8), 1981 stats. [now sub. (12)] Penalties under s. 236.31 apply to improper use of certified surveys. 67 Atty. Gen. 294.
SUPPLEMENTAL PROVISIONS
236.35
236.35
Sale of lands abutting on private way outside corporate limits of municipality. 236.35(1)
(1) No person shall sell any parcel of land of one acre or less in size, located outside the corporate limits of a municipality, if it abuts on a road which has not been accepted as a public road unless the seller informs the purchaser in writing of the fact that the road is not a public road and is not required to be maintained by the town or county.
236.35(2)
(2) Any person violating this section may be fined not more than $200 or imprisoned not more than 30 days or both.
VACATING AND ALTERING PLATS
236.36
236.36
Replats. Except as provided in
s. 70.27 (1), replat of all or any part of a recorded subdivision, if it alters areas dedicated to the public, may not be made or recorded except after proper court action, in the county in which the subdivision is located, has been taken to vacate the original plat or the specific part thereof.
236.36 Annotation
A recorded subdivision may be replatted under 236.36 without undertaking the court proceedings set forth in 236.40, 236.41 and 236.42, where the replat complies with the requirements of ch. 236 applicable to original plats and does not alter areas dedicated to the public. 58 Atty. Gen. 145.
236.36 Annotation
This section permits the replat of a part of a previously recorded subdivision plat, without circuit court action, where the only areas dedicated to the public in that portion of the original subdivision being replatted, were discontinued streets fully and properly vacated under 66.296. 63 Atty. Gen. 210.
236.40
236.40
Who may apply for vacation of plat. Any of the following may apply to the circuit court for the county in which a subdivision is located for the vacation or alteration of all or part of the recorded plat of that subdivision:
236.40(1)
(1) The owner of the subdivision or of any lot in the subdivision.
236.40(2)
(2) The county board if the county has acquired an interest in the subdivision or in any lot in the subdivision by tax deed.
236.41
236.41
How notice given. Notice of the application for the vacation or alteration of the plat shall be given at least 3 weeks before the application:
236.41(1)
(1) By posting a written notice thereof in at least 2 of the most public places in the county; and
236.41(2)
(2) By publication of a copy of the notice as a class 3 notice, under
ch. 985; and
236.41(3)
(3) By service of the notice in the manner required for service of a summons in the circuit court on the municipality or town in which the subdivision is located, and if it is located in a county having a population of 500,000 or over, on the county; and
236.41(4)
(4) By mailing a copy of the notice to the owners of record of all the lots in the subdivision or the part of the subdivision proposed to be vacated or altered at their last-known address.
236.41 Annotation
The provisions of s. 236.41 relating to vacation of streets are inapplicable to assessors plats under s. 70.27. Once properly filed and recorded an assessor's plat becomes the operative document of record, and only sections specified in s. 236.03 (2) apply to assessor's plats. Schaetz v. Town of Scott,
222 Wis. 2d 90,
585 N.W.2d 889 (Ct. App. 1998).
236.42
236.42
Hearing and order. 236.42(1)(1) After requiring proof that the notices required by
s. 236.41 have been given and after hearing all interested parties, the court may in its discretion grant an order vacating or altering the plat or any part thereof except:
236.42(1)(a)
(a) The court shall not vacate any alleys immediately in the rear of lots fronting on county trunk highways without the prior approval of the county board or on state trunk highways without the prior approval of the department of transportation.
236.42(1)(b)
(b) The court shall not vacate any parts of the plat which have been dedicated to and accepted by the public for public use except as provided in
s. 236.43.
236.42(2)
(2) The vacation or alteration of a plat shall not affect:
236.42(2)(a)
(a) Any restriction under
s. 236.293, unless the public body having the right to enforce the restriction has in writing released or waived such restriction.
236.42(2)(b)
(b) Any restrictive covenant applying to any of the platted land.
236.42 History
History: 1977 c. 29 s.
1654 (8) (c).
236.43
236.43
Vacation or alteration of areas dedicated to the public. Parts of a plat dedicated to and accepted by the public for public use may be vacated or altered as follows:
236.43(1)
(1) The court may vacate streets, roads or other public ways on a plat if:
236.43(1)(a)
(a) The plat was recorded more than 40 years previous to the filing of the application for vacation or alteration; and
236.43(1)(b)
(b) During all that period the areas dedicated for streets, roads or other public ways were not improved as streets, roads or other public ways; and
236.43(1)(c)
(c) Those areas are not necessary to reach other platted property; and
236.43(1)(d)
(d) All the owners of all the land in the plat or part thereof sought to be vacated and the governing body of the city, village or town in which the street, road or other public way is located have joined in the application for vacation.
236.43(2)
(2) The court may vacate land platted as a public square upon the application of the municipality or town in which the dedicated land is located if:
236.43(2)(a)
(a) The plat was recorded more than 40 years previous to the filing of the application for vacation or alteration; and
236.43(2)(b)
(b) The land was never in fact developed or utilized by the municipality or town as a public square.
236.43(3)
(3) The court may vacate land, in a city, village or town, platted as a public park or playground upon the application of the local legislative body of such city, village or town where the land has never been developed or used by said city, village or town as a public park or playground.
236.43(4)
(4) When the plat is being vacated or altered in any 2nd, 3rd or 4th class city or in any village or town which includes a street, road, alley or public walkway, said street, road, alley or public walkway may be vacated or altered by the circuit court proceeding under
ss. 236.41 and
236.42 upon the following conditions:
236.43(4)(a)
(a) A resolution is passed by the governing body requesting such vacation or alteration.
236.43(4)(b)
(b) The owners of all frontage of the lots and lands abutting on the portion sought to be vacated or altered request in writing that such action be taken.
236.43 History
History: 1993 a. 246;
1997 a. 172.
236.43 Cross-reference
Cross-reference: See s.
66.296 for other provisions for vacating streets.
236.43 Annotation
Though dedicated as a street, improvement of land as another public way meets the requirements of sub. (1) (b). A walkway cleared and improved to be conducive to pedestrian traffic is a public way improved in accordance with sub. (1) (b). Application of K.G.R. Partnership,
187 Wis. 2d 375,
523 N.W.2d 120 (Ct. App. 1994).
236.43 Annotation
Isolated improvements to provide for a scenic outlook were not improvements as a street, road or public way under sub. (1). Closser v. Town of Harding,
212 Wis. 2d 561,
569 N.W.2d 338 (Ct. App. 1997).
236.44
236.44
Recording order. The applicant for the vacation or alteration shall record in the office of the register of deeds the order vacating or altering the plat together with the plat showing the part vacated if only part of the plat is vacated or the altered plat if the plat is altered.
236.445
236.445
Discontinuance of streets by county board. Any county board may alter or discontinue any street, slip or alley in any recorded plat in any town in such county, not within any city or village, in the same manner and with like effect as provided in
s. 66.1003.
236.445 History
History: 1999 a. 150 s.
672.
SUBDIVISION REGULATION AND REGIONAL PLANS
236.45
236.45
Local subdivision regulation. 236.45(1)
(1)
Declaration of legislative intent. The purpose of this section is to promote the public health, safety and general welfare of the community and the regulations authorized to be made are designed to lessen congestion in the streets and highways; to further the orderly layout and use of land; to secure safety from fire, panic and other dangers; to provide adequate light and air, including access to sunlight for solar collectors and to wind for wind energy systems; to prevent the overcrowding of land; to avoid undue concentration of population; to facilitate adequate provision for transportation, water, sewerage, schools, parks, playgrounds and other public requirements; to facilitate the further resubdivision of larger tracts into smaller parcels of land. The regulations provided for by this section shall be made with reasonable consideration, among other things, of the character of the municipality, town or county with a view of conserving the value of the buildings placed upon land, providing the best possible environment for human habitation, and for encouraging the most appropriate use of land throughout the municipality, town or county.
236.45(2)(a)(a) To accomplish the purposes listed in
sub. (1), any municipality, town or county which has established a planning agency may adopt ordinances governing the subdivision or other division of land which are more restrictive than the provisions of this chapter. Such ordinances may include provisions regulating divisions of land into parcels larger than 1 1/2 acres or divisions of land into less than 5 parcels, and may prohibit the division of land in areas where such prohibition will carry out the purposes of this section. Such ordinances may make applicable to such divisions any of the provisions of this chapter, or may provide other surveying, monumenting, mapping and approving requirements for such division. The governing body of the municipality, town or county may require that a map, plat or sketch of such division be recorded with the register of deeds and kept in a book provided for that purpose. When so recorded, the lots included in the map, plat or sketch may be described by reference to it by lot number and by volume and page of the book provided for that use, for all purposes, including those of assessment, taxation, devise, descent and conveyance as defined in
s. 706.01 (4). Such ordinance, insofar as it may apply to divisions of less than 5 parcels, shall not apply to:
236.45(2)(a)1.
1. Transfers of interests in land by will or pursuant to court order;
236.45(2)(a)2.
2. Leases for a term not to exceed 10 years, mortgages or easements;
236.45(2)(a)3.
3. The sale or exchange of parcels of land between owners of adjoining property if additional lots are not thereby created and the lots resulting are not reduced below the minimum sizes required by this chapter or other applicable laws or ordinances;
236.45(2)(b)
(b) This section and any ordinance adopted pursuant thereto shall be liberally construed in favor of the municipality, town or county and shall not be deemed a limitation or repeal of any requirement or power granted or appearing in this chapter or elsewhere, relating to the subdivision of lands.
236.45(3)
(3) Areas in which subdivision ordinances apply. An ordinance adopted hereunder by a municipality may regulate the division or subdivision of land within the extraterritorial plat approval jurisdiction of the municipality as well as land within the corporate limits of the municipality if it has the right to approve or object to plats within that area under
s. 236.10 (1) (b) 2. and
(2).
236.45(4)
(4) Procedure. Before adoption of a subdivision ordinance or any amendments thereto the governing body shall receive the recommendation of its planning agency and shall hold a public hearing thereon. Notice of the hearing shall be given by publication of a class 2 notice, under
ch. 985. Any ordinance adopted shall be published in form suitable for public distribution.
236.45(5)
(5) Regulation of federal surplus land. With respect to any surplus lands in excess of 500 acres in area, except the Bong air base in Kenosha County, sold in this state by the federal government for private development, the department, in accordance with the procedure specified in
ch. 227, may regulate the subdivision or other division of such federal surplus land in any of the ways and with the same powers authorized hereunder for municipalities, towns or counties. Before promulgating such rules, the department shall first receive the recommendations of any committee appointed for that purpose by the governor.
236.45 Annotation
This section authorizes towns to regulate minimum lot size. Town of Sun Prairie v. Storms,
110 Wis. 2d 58,
327 N.W.2d 642 (1983).
236.45 Annotation
Assessment of school and park land dedication fees as condition for rezoning and issuance of building permit was authorized. Black v. City of Waukesha,
125 Wis. 2d 254,
371 N.W.2d 389 (Ct. App. 1985).
236.45 Annotation
Authority under this section relates to the quality of land division and not to the use to which the lots in the subdivision may be put; use may only be controlled through zoning. Boucher Lincoln-Mercury v. Madison Plan Commission,
178 Wis. 2d 74,
503 N.W.2d 265 (Ct. App. 1993).
236.45 Annotation
This section does not prevent municipalities from adopting and enforcing more than one ordinance that relates to subdivisions. Manthe v. Town of Windsor,
204 Wis. 2d 546,
555 N.W.2d 156 (Ct. App. 1996).
236.45 Annotation
A city may not condition extraterritorial plat approval on annexation. Hoepker v. City of Madison Plan Commission,
209 Wis. 2d 633,
563 N.W.2d 145 (1997).
236.45 Annotation
A subdivision plat prepared in compliance with a local ordinance enacted under authority of 236.45, Stats. 1969, is not required by statutes to be submitted for state level review unless such land division results in a "subdivision" as defined in 236.02 (8). 59 Atty. Gen. 262.
236.45 Annotation
Where subdivision regulations, adopted under 236.45, conflict, a plat must comply with the most restrictive requirement. 61 Atty. Gen. 289.
236.45 Annotation
Application of municipal and county subdivision control ordinances within the municipality's extraterritorial plat approval jurisdiction discussed. 66 Atty. Gen. 103.
