703.23(1)(1)
Appointment of resident agent; change in name or address. When any property is submitted to a condominium declaration, the declarant shall appoint a resident agent for the condominium who shall be a citizen and actual resident of the state or corporation duly registered or qualified to do business in the state. The declarant shall file the name and address of the resident agent with the department of financial institutions. The name or address of the resident agent may be changed by the association or other proper authority of the condominium in the same manner and to the same extent that names and addresses of registered agents may be changed by corporations. If the association is incorporated, the registered agent for the association shall be the registered agent for the condominium.
703.23(2)
(2) Index of names and address of resident agents. The department of financial institutions shall keep an index of the names and addresses of resident agents and shall make the information available to the public on request.
703.23(3)
(3) Suits brought by service on resident agent. Suit may be brought by service on the resident agent in actions against an association, or which arise through any cause relating to the common elements.
703.23(4)
(4) Exemption of unit owners from liability for certain claims. Except in proportion to his or her percentage interest in the common elements, no unit owner personally is liable for damages as a result of injuries arising in connection with the common elements solely by virtue of his or her ownership of a percentage interest in the common elements, or for liabilities incurred by the association.
703.23 History
History: 1977 c. 407;
1995 a. 27.
703.24
703.24
Remedies for violation by unit owner. If any unit owner fails to comply with this chapter, the declaration or bylaws, the unit owner may be sued for damages caused by the failure or for injunctive relief, or both, by the association or by any other unit owner.
703.24 History
History: 1977 c. 407.
703.25
703.25
Tort and contract liability. 703.25(1)
(1) An action for tort alleging a wrong done by any agent or employee of a declarant or of an association, or in connection with the condition of any portion of a condominium which a declarant or an association has the responsibility to maintain, shall be brought against the declarant or the association, as the case may be. No unit owner shall be precluded from bringing such an action by virtue of its ownership of an undivided interest in the common elements or by reason of its membership in the association or its status as an officer.
703.25(2)
(2) An action arising from a contract made by or on behalf of an association shall be brought against the association, or against the declarant if the cause of action arose during the exercise by the declarant of control reserved under the declaration. No unit owner shall be precluded from bringing such an action by reason of its membership in the association or its status as an officer.
703.25(3)
(3) A judgment for money against an association shall be a lien against any property owned by the association, and against each of the condominium units in proportion to the liability of each unit owner for common expenses as established under the declaration in an amount not exceeding the market value of the unit, but not against any other property of any unit owner.
703.25 History
History: 1977 c. 407.
703.25 Annotation
Sections 703.25 (3) and 840.10 (1) permit the filing of a lis pendens in an action for a money judgment against a condominium association as a judgment will be a lien against each condominium unit although their owners are not defendants in the action. Interlaken Service Corporation v. Interlaken Condominium Association,
222 Wis. 2d 299,
588 N.W.2d 262 (Ct. App. 1998).
703.255
703.255
Noncompletion of units. 703.255(1)
(1) A declarant who does not complete any unit described in the declaration within 5 years after recording the declaration under
s. 703.07 shall do one of the following:
703.255(1)(a)
(a) Amend the declaration to remove the description of the uncompleted units and, notwithstanding the unit owner consent requirements of
ss. 703.09 (2) and
703.13 (4), revise the percentage interests appurtenant to each unit and the number of votes appurtenant to each unit to adjust for the units removed.
703.255(1)(b)
(b) Secure a written agreement from at least 75% of the unit owners, not including the declarant, which permits the declarant to complete the uncompleted units within 5 years after the date of the written agreement and shall either complete the units within that time period or amend the declaration as provided in
par. (a).
703.255 History
History: 1985 a. 188.
703.26
703.26
Expanding condominiums. 703.26(1)
(1)
Declarant may reserve right to expand. A declarant may reserve the right to expand a condominium by subjecting additional property to the condominium declaration in such a manner that as each additional property is subjected to the condominium declaration, the percentage of undivided interests in the common elements of the preceding and new property shall be reallocated between the unit owners on the basis of the aggregate undivided interest in the common elements appertaining to the property.
703.26(2)
(2) Conditions to which reservation subject. A reservation of the right to expand a condominium is subject to the conditions provided in this subsection.
703.26(2)(a)
(a) A declaration establishing a condominium shall describe each parcel of property which may be added to the condominium.
703.26(2)(b)
(b) A declaration establishing a condominium shall show the maximum number of units which may be added, and the percentage interests in the common elements, the liabilities for common expenses and the rights to common surpluses, and the number of votes appurtenant to each unit following the addition of property to the condominium, if added. The percentage interests in the common elements, the liabilities for common expenses and the rights to common surpluses, and the number of votes that each unit owner will have may be shown by reference to a formula or other appropriate method of determining them following each expansion of the condominium.
703.26(2)(c)
(c) A condominium plat for an original condominium shall include, in general terms, the outlines of the land, buildings, and common elements of new property that may be added to the condominium.
703.26(2)(d)
(d) In a declaration establishing a condominium, a right to expand the condominium may be reserved in the declaration for a period not exceeding 10 years from the date of recording of the declaration.
703.26(3)
(3) Recordation of amendments to declaration and plat. 703.26(3)(a)(a) If the conditions of
sub. (2) are complied with, property may be added to a condominium if the declarant records an amendment to the declaration, showing the new percentage interests of the unit owners, and the votes which each unit owner may cast in the condominium as expanded, and records an addendum to the condominium plat that includes the detail and information concerning the new property as required in the original condominium plat.
703.26(3)(b)
(b) On recording of an amendment of a declaration and an addendum to a plat, each unit owner, by operation of law, has the percentage interests in the common elements, liabilities in the common expenses, rights to common surpluses, and shall have the number of votes, set forth in the amendment to the declaration. Following any expansion, the interest of any mortgagee shall attach, by operation of law, to the new percentage interests in the common elements appurtenant to the unit on which it is a lien.
703.26 History
History: 1977 c. 407;
1997 a. 333.
703.26 Annotation
Substantial compliance with formal requirements as permitted by s. 703.30 (2) is limited to the condominium status of the property and title of the unit owners. It does not apply to a project's status as an expanding condominium under this section. Rock Lake Estates Unit Owners Association v. Lake Mills,
195 Wis. 2d 348,
536 N.W.2d 415 (Ct. App. 1995).
703.27
703.27
Zoning and building regulations. 703.27(1)
(1) A zoning or other land use ordinance or regulations may not prohibit the condominium form of ownership or impose any requirements upon a condominium which it would not impose upon a physically identical development under a different form of ownership. No provision of a state or local building code may be applied differently to a building in a condominium than it would be applied to a building of similar structure or occupancy under a different form of ownership unless the different application is expressly permitted in that provision. No subdivision ordinance may apply to any condominium unless the ordinance is, by its express terms, applicable to condominiums.
703.27(2)
(2) No county, city or other jurisdiction may enact any law, ordinance or regulation which would impose a burden or restriction on a condominium that is not imposed on all other property of similar character not subjected to a condominium declaration.
703.27 History
History: 1977 c. 407.
703.275
703.275
Merger or consolidation of condominiums. 703.275(1)(1)
Agreement; legal effect. Any 2 or more condominiums, by agreement of the unit owners as provided in this section, may be merged or consolidated into a single condominium. Unless the agreement otherwise provides, the condominium resulting from a merger or consolidation is, for all purposes, the legal successor of all of the preexisting condominiums and the operations and activities of all associations of the preexisting condominiums shall be merged or consolidated into a single association which shall hold all powers, rights, obligations, assets and liabilities of the preexisting associations. The resultant condominium must bear the name of one of the preexisting condominiums.
703.275(2)
(2) Reallocation of interests. The merger or consolidation agreement shall provide for the reallocation of the allocated interests among the units of the resultant condominium. The agreement may not change the ratio that exists before the merger or consolidation between the allocated interests of any unit and the allocated interests of any other unit in the same preexisting condominium. The agreement shall state one of the following:
703.275(2)(a)
(a) The reallocations or the formulas upon which they are based.
703.275(2)(b)
(b) The percentage of the total of allocated interests of the new condominium which are allocated to all of the units comprising each of the preexisting condominiums.
703.275(3)
(3) Agreement; other provisions. The merger or consolidation agreement may contain any provisions consistent with this chapter in addition to those specified in
sub. (2).
703.275(4)
(4) Votes. The merger or consolidation agreement is effective if the agreement is approved by the unit owners of units to which at least 75% of the votes in each preexisting association are allocated. If the declaration of a preexisting association specifies that a percentage greater than 75% of the votes in that association is required to approve a merger or consolidation agreement, the greater percentage applies to the vote of that association. A declaration of a preexisting association may specify a smaller percentage and the smaller percentage applies to the vote of that association only if all of the units in the preexisting condominium are restricted exclusively to nonresidential uses.
703.275(5)
(5) Recording. Both a restatement of the declaration of the resultant condominium that includes the merger agreement and an addendum to the condominium plat of the resultant condominium shall be recorded as provided in
s. 703.07. The register of deeds shall reference the document number, volume and page of the plat of the resultant condominium on the plat of the preexisting condominium and shall note that the preexisting condominium has been merged.
703.275 History
History: 1985 a. 188;
1997 a. 333.
703.28
703.28
Removal from provisions of this chapter. 703.28(1)(1) All of the unit owners may remove all or any part of the property from the provisions of this chapter by a removal instrument, duly recorded, provided that the holders of all liens affecting any of the units consent thereto or agree, in either case by instruments duly recorded, that their liens be transferred to the percentage of the undivided interest of the unit owner in the property.
703.28(1m)(a)(a) If the merger of 2 or more condominiums under
s. 703.275 would result in the creation of a new plat for the resultant condominium, the property of the preexisting condominiums shall first be removed from the provisions of this chapter by recording a removal instrument.
703.28(1m)(b)
(b) Before a certified survey map, condominium plat, subdivision plat or other plat may be recorded and filed for the same property, the condominium shall first be removed from the provisions of this chapter by recording a removal instrument.
703.28(2)
(2) Upon removal of any property from this chapter, the property shall be deemed to be owned in common by the unit owners. The undivided interest in the property owned in common which appertains to each unit owner shall be the percentage of undivided interest previously owned by the owner in the common elements.
703.29
703.29
Removal no bar to subsequent resubmission. The removal provided for in
s. 703.28 shall in no way bar the subsequent resubmission of the property to this chapter.
703.29 History
History: 1977 c. 407.
703.30
703.30
Rules of construction. 703.30(1)
(1)
Certain rules of law not applicable. Neither the rule of law known as the rule against perpetuities nor the rule of law known as the rule restricting unreasonable restraints on alienation may be applied to defeat or invalidate any provision of this chapter or of any condominium instruments, bylaws or other instrument made pursuant to this chapter.
703.30(2)
(2) Substantial conformity of condominium instruments and bylaws sufficient. The provisions of any condominium instruments and bylaws filed under this chapter shall be liberally construed to facilitate the creation and operation of the condominium. So long as the condominium instruments and bylaws substantially conform with the requirements of this chapter, no variance from the requirements shall affect the condominium status of the property in question nor the title of any unit owner to his or her unit, votes and percentage interests in the common elements and in common expenses and common surpluses.
703.30(3)
(3) Provisions of condominium instruments and bylaws severable. All provisions of condominium instruments and bylaws are severable and the invalidity of one provision does not affect the validity of any other provision.
703.30(4)
(4) Conflicts in provisions. If there is any conflict between any provisions of a declaration and provisions of a condominium plat or any provisions of the bylaws, the provisions of the declaration shall control. If there is any conflict between any provisions of any condominium instruments and any provisions of any bylaws, the provisions of the condominium instruments shall control. If there is any conflict between any provisions of any condominium instruments or any provisions of any bylaws and any provisions of this chapter, the provisions of this chapter shall control.
703.30(5)
(5) Instruments construed together. Condominium instruments shall be construed together and are determined to incorporate one another to the extent that any requirement of this chapter applying to one instrument is satisfied if the deficiency can be corrected by reference to any of the others.
703.30 History
History: 1977 c. 407.
703.30 Annotation
The application of this section is limited to the condominium status of the property and title of the unit owners. It does not apply to a project's status as an expanding condominium under s. 703.26. Rock Lake Estates Unit Owners Association v. Lake Mills,
195 Wis. 2d 348,
536 N.W.2d 415 (Ct. App. 1995).
703.31
703.31
Personal application. 703.31(1)
(1) All unit owners, tenants of the owners, employees of owners and tenants or any other persons that in any manner use property or any part thereof subject to this chapter shall be subject to this chapter and to the declaration and bylaws of the association adopted under this chapter.
703.31(2)
(2) All agreements, decisions and determinations lawfully made by an association in accordance with the voting percentages established in this chapter, declaration or bylaws, shall be deemed to be binding on all unit owners.
703.31 History
History: 1977 c. 407.
703.32
703.32
Easements and encroachments. 703.32(1)
(1)
Presumption as to existing physical boundaries. Any existing physical boundaries of any unit or common elements constructed or reconstructed in substantial conformity with the condominium plat shall be conclusively presumed to be its boundaries, regardless of the shifting, settlement or lateral movement of any building and regardless of minor variations between the physical boundaries as described in the declaration or shown on the condominium plat and the existing physical boundaries of any such unit or common element. This presumption applies only to encroachments within the condominium.
703.32(2)
(2) Encroachment as result of authorized construction, reconstruction or repair. If any portion of any common element encroaches on any unit or if any portion of a unit encroaches on any common element, as a result of the duly authorized construction, reconstruction or repair of a building, a valid easement for the encroachment and for the maintenance of the same shall exist so long as the building stands.
703.32(3)
(3) Easements included in grant of unit. A grant or other disposition of a condominium unit shall include and grant and be subject to any easement arising under the provisions of this section without specific or particular reference to the easement.
703.32(4)
(4) Association's right of entry to make repairs. An association shall have an irrevocable right and an easement to enter units to make repairs to common elements when the repairs reasonably appear necessary for public safety or to prevent damage to other portions of the condominium. Except in cases involving manifest danger to public safety or property, an association shall make a reasonable effort to give notice to the owner of any unit to be entered for the purpose of such repairs. No entry by an association for the purposes specified in this subsection may be considered a trespass.
703.32 History
History: 1977 c. 407.
703.33
703.33
Disclosure requirements. 703.33(1)
(1)
Material to be furnished by seller to purchaser before closing. Not later than 15 days prior to the closing of the sale of a unit to a member of the public, the seller shall furnish to the purchaser the following:
703.33(1)(a)
(a) A copy of the proposed or existing declaration, bylaws and any rules or regulations, together with an index of the contents.
703.33(1)(b)
(b) A copy of the proposed or existing articles of incorporation of the association, if it is or is to be incorporated.
703.33(1)(c)
(c) A copy of any proposed or existing management contract, employment contract or other contract affecting the use, maintenance or access of all or part of the condominium to which it is anticipated the unit owners or the association will be a party following closing.
703.33(1)(d)
(d) A copy of the projected annual operating budget for the condominium including reasonable details concerning the estimated monthly payments by the purchaser for assessments, and monthly charges for the use, rental or lease of any facilities not part of the condominium.
703.33(1)(e)
(e) A copy of any lease to which it is anticipated the unit owners or the association will be a party following closing.
703.33(1)(f)
(f) A description of any contemplated expansion of the condominium with a general description of each stage of expansion and the maximum number of units that can be added to the condominium.
703.33(1)(g)
(g) A copy of the floor plan of the unit together with the information that is necessary to show the location of the common elements and other facilities to be used by the unit owners and indicating which facilities will be part of the condominium and which facilities will be owned by others.
703.33(2)
(2) Disclosure form. The materials required in
sub. (1) shall be delivered to a prospective purchaser with cover sheet, index and tables of contents as prescribed in this section. A cover sheet and index shall precede all other materials required in
sub. (1). A table of contents shall precede the section to which it applies.
703.33(2)(a)
(a)
Cover sheet. A cover sheet shall be of the same approximate size and shape as the majority of the disclosure materials required in
sub. (1) and shall bear the title "Disclosure Materials" and shall contain the name and location of the condominium, the name and business address of the declarant, and the name and business address of the declarant's agent or, if the seller is not the declarant, the name and address of the seller. Following this information, but separate from it, there shall appear on the front of the cover sheet 3 statements in boldface type, or capital letters no smaller than the largest type on the page, in the following wording:
703.33(2)(a)1.
1. THESE ARE THE LEGAL DOCUMENTS COVERING YOUR RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES AS A CONDOMINIUM OWNER. IF YOU DO NOT UNDERSTAND ANY PROVISIONS CONTAINED IN THEM, YOU SHOULD OBTAIN PROFESSIONAL ADVICE.
703.33(2)(a)2.
2. THESE DISCLOSURE MATERIALS GIVEN TO YOU AS REQUIRED BY LAW MAY BE RELIED UPON AS CORRECT AND BINDING. ORAL STATEMENTS MAY NOT BE LEGALLY BINDING.
703.33(2)(a)3.
3. YOU MAY AT ANY TIME WITHIN 5 BUSINESS DAYS FOLLOWING RECEIPT OF THESE DOCUMENTS, OR FOLLOWING NOTICE OF ANY MATERIAL CHANGES IN THESE DOCUMENTS, CANCEL IN WRITING THE CONTRACT OF SALE AND RECEIVE A FULL REFUND OF ANY DEPOSITS MADE.
703.33(2)(b)
(b)
Index. Following the material required in
par. (a), there shall appear an index of the disclosure materials. An index may begin on the cover sheet, if space permits, and be continued on the first and subsequent pages immediately following the cover sheet or may begin on the first page immediately following the cover sheet and continue on subsequent pages. An index shall be in substantially the following form:
The disclosure materials the seller is required by law to provide to each prospective condominium purchaser contains the following documents and exhibits:
1. Declaration. The declaration establishes and describes the condominium, the units and the common areas. The declaration begins on page ......
