66.0927 History
History: 1977 c. 29;
1983 a. 189;
1983 a. 192 s.
303 (1);
1993 a. 246;
1999 a. 150 ss.
262,
480 to
483; Stats. 1999 s. 66.0927.
PLANNING, HOUSING
AND TRANSPORTATION
66.1001
66.1001
Comprehensive planning. 66.1001(1)(b)
(b) "Local governmental unit" means a city, village, town, county or regional planning commission that may adopt, prepare or amend a comprehensive plan.
66.1001(1)(c)
(c) "Political subdivision" means a city, village, town, or county that may adopt, prepare, or amend a comprehensive plan.
66.1001(2)
(2) Contents of a comprehensive plan. A comprehensive plan shall contain all of the following elements:
66.1001(2)(a)
(a)
Issues and opportunities element. Background information on the local governmental unit and a statement of overall objectives, policies, goals and programs of the local governmental unit to guide the future development and redevelopment of the local governmental unit over a 20-year planning period. Background information shall include population, household and employment forecasts that the local governmental unit uses in developing its comprehensive plan, and demographic trends, age distribution, educational levels, income levels and employment characteristics that exist within the local governmental unit.
66.1001(2)(b)
(b)
Housing element. A compilation of objectives, policies, goals, maps and programs of the local governmental unit to provide an adequate housing supply that meets existing and forecasted housing demand in the local governmental unit. The element shall assess the age, structural, value and occupancy characteristics of the local governmental unit's housing stock. The element shall also identify specific policies and programs that promote the development of housing for residents of the local governmental unit and provide a range of housing choices that meet the needs of persons of all income levels and of all age groups and persons with special needs, policies and programs that promote the availability of land for the development or redevelopment of low-income and moderate-income housing, and policies and programs to maintain or rehabilitate the local governmental unit's existing housing stock.
66.1001(2)(c)
(c)
Transportation element. A compilation of objectives, policies, goals, maps and programs to guide the future development of the various modes of transportation, including highways, transit, transportation systems for persons with disabilities, bicycles, electric personal assistive mobility devices, walking, railroads, air transportation, trucking and water transportation. The element shall compare the local governmental unit's objectives, policies, goals and programs to state and regional transportation plans. The element shall also identify highways within the local governmental unit by function and incorporate state, regional and other applicable transportation plans, including transportation corridor plans, county highway functional and jurisdictional studies, urban area and rural area transportation plans, airport master plans and rail plans that apply in the local governmental unit.
66.1001(2)(d)
(d)
Utilities and community facilities element. A compilation of objectives, policies, goals, maps and programs to guide the future development of utilities and community facilities in the local governmental unit such as sanitary sewer service, storm water management, water supply, solid waste disposal, on-site wastewater treatment technologies, recycling facilities, parks, telecommunications facilities, power-generating plants and transmission lines, cemeteries, health care facilities, child care facilities and other public facilities, such as police, fire and rescue facilities, libraries, schools and other governmental facilities. The element shall describe the location, use and capacity of existing public utilities and community facilities that serve the local governmental unit, shall include an approximate timetable that forecasts the need in the local governmental unit to expand or rehabilitate existing utilities and facilities or to create new utilities and facilities and shall assess future needs for government services in the local governmental unit that are related to such utilities and facilities.
66.1001(2)(e)
(e)
Agricultural, natural and cultural resources element. A compilation of objectives, policies, goals, maps and programs for the conservation, and promotion of the effective management, of natural resources such as groundwater, forests, productive agricultural areas, environmentally sensitive areas, threatened and endangered species, stream corridors, surface water, floodplains, wetlands, wildlife habitat, metallic and nonmetallic mineral resources consistent with zoning limitations under
s. 295.20 (2), parks, open spaces, historical and cultural resources, community design, recreational resources and other natural resources.
66.1001(2)(f)
(f)
Economic development element. A compilation of objectives, policies, goals, maps and programs to promote the stabilization, retention or expansion, of the economic base and quality employment opportunities in the local governmental unit, including an analysis of the labor force and economic base of the local governmental unit. The element shall assess categories or particular types of new businesses and industries that are desired by the local governmental unit. The element shall assess the local governmental unit's strengths and weaknesses with respect to attracting and retaining businesses and industries, and shall designate an adequate number of sites for such businesses and industries. The element shall also evaluate and promote the use of environmentally contaminated sites for commercial or industrial uses. The element shall also identify county, regional and state economic development programs that apply to the local governmental unit.
66.1001(2)(g)
(g)
Intergovernmental cooperation element. A compilation of objectives, policies, goals, maps, and programs for joint planning and decision making with other jurisdictions, including school districts, drainage districts, and adjacent local governmental units, for siting and building public facilities and sharing public services. The element shall analyze the relationship of the local governmental unit to school districts, drainage districts, and adjacent local governmental units, and to the region, the state and other governmental units. The element shall consider, to the greatest extent possible, the maps and plans of any military base or installation, with at least 200 assigned military personnel or that contains at least 2,000 acres, with which the local governmental unit shares common territory. The element shall incorporate any plans or agreements to which the local governmental unit is a party under
s. 66.0301,
66.0307 or
66.0309. The element shall identify existing or potential conflicts between the local governmental unit and other governmental units that are specified in this paragraph and describe processes to resolve such conflicts.
66.1001(2)(h)
(h)
Land-use element. A compilation of objectives, policies, goals, maps and programs to guide the future development and redevelopment of public and private property. The element shall contain a listing of the amount, type, intensity and net density of existing uses of land in the local governmental unit, such as agricultural, residential, commercial, industrial and other public and private uses. The element shall analyze trends in the supply, demand and price of land, opportunities for redevelopment and existing and potential land-use conflicts. The element shall contain projections, based on the background information specified in
par. (a), for 20 years, in 5-year increments, of future residential, agricultural, commercial and industrial land uses including the assumptions of net densities or other spatial assumptions upon which the projections are based. The element shall also include a series of maps that shows current land uses and future land uses that indicate productive agricultural soils, natural limitations for building site development, floodplains, wetlands and other environmentally sensitive lands, the boundaries of areas to which services of public utilities and community facilities, as those terms are used in
par. (d), will be provided in the future, consistent with the timetable described in
par. (d), and the general location of future land uses by net density or other classifications.
66.1001(2)(i)
(i)
Implementation element. A compilation of programs and specific actions to be completed in a stated sequence, including proposed changes to any applicable zoning ordinances, official maps, or subdivision ordinances, to implement the objectives, policies, plans and programs contained in
pars. (a) to
(h). The element shall describe how each of the elements of the comprehensive plan will be integrated and made consistent with the other elements of the comprehensive plan, and shall include a mechanism to measure the local governmental unit's progress toward achieving all aspects of the comprehensive plan. The element shall include a process for updating the comprehensive plan. A comprehensive plan under this subsection shall be updated no less than once every 10 years.
66.1001(3)
(3) Actions, procedures that must be consistent with comprehensive plans. Beginning on January 1, 2010, if a local governmental unit engages in any of the following actions, those actions shall be consistent with that local governmental unit's comprehensive plan:
66.1001(4)
(4) Procedures for adopting comprehensive plans. A local governmental unit shall comply with all of the following before its comprehensive plan may take effect:
66.1001(4)(a)
(a) The governing body of a local governmental unit shall adopt written procedures that are designed to foster public participation, including open discussion, communication programs, information services, and public meetings for which advance notice has been provided, in every stage of the preparation of a comprehensive plan. The written procedures shall provide for wide distribution of proposed, alternative, or amended elements of a comprehensive plan and shall provide an opportunity for written comments on the plan to be submitted by members of the public to the governing body and for the governing body to respond to such written comments. The written procedures shall describe the methods the governing body of a local governmental unit will use to distribute proposed, alternative, or amended elements of a comprehensive plan to owners of property, or to persons who have a leasehold interest in property pursuant to which the persons may extract nonmetallic mineral resources in or on property, in which the allowable use or intensity of use of the property is changed by the comprehensive plan.
66.1001(4)(b)
(b) The plan commission or other body of a local governmental unit that is authorized to prepare or amend a comprehensive plan may recommend the adoption or amendment of a comprehensive plan only by adopting a resolution by a majority vote of the entire commission. The vote shall be recorded in the official minutes of the plan commission or other body. The resolution shall refer to maps and other descriptive materials that relate to one or more elements of a comprehensive plan. One copy of an adopted comprehensive plan, or of an amendment to such a plan, shall be sent to all of the following:
66.1001(4)(b)1.
1. Every governmental body that is located in whole or in part within the boundaries of the local governmental unit.
66.1001(4)(b)2.
2. The clerk of every local governmental unit that is adjacent to the local governmental unit that is the subject of the plan that is adopted or amended as described in
par. (b) (intro.).
66.1001(4)(b)4.
4. After September 1, 2005, the department of administration.
66.1001(4)(b)5.
5. The regional planning commission in which the local governmental unit is located.
66.1001(4)(b)6.
6. The public library that serves the area in which the local governmental unit is located.
66.1001(4)(c)
(c) No comprehensive plan that is recommended for adoption or amendment under
par. (b) may take effect until the political subdivision enacts an ordinance or the regional planning commission adopts a resolution that adopts the plan or amendment. The political subdivision may not enact an ordinance or the regional planning commission may not adopt a resolution under this paragraph unless the comprehensive plan contains all of the elements specified in
sub. (2). An ordinance may be enacted or a resolution may be adopted under this paragraph only by a majority vote of the members-elect, as defined in
s. 59.001 (2m), of the governing body. An ordinance that is enacted or a resolution that is adopted under this paragraph, and the plan to which it relates, shall be filed with at least all of the entities specified under
par. (b).
66.1001(4)(d)
(d) No political subdivision may enact an ordinance or no regional planning commission may adopt a resolution under
par. (c) unless the political subdivision or regional planning commission holds at least one public hearing at which the proposed ordinance or resolution is discussed. That hearing must be preceded by a class 1 notice under
ch. 985 that is published at least 30 days before the hearing is held. The political subdivision or regional planning commission may also provide notice of the hearing by any other means it considers appropriate. The class 1 notice shall contain at least the following information:
66.1001(4)(d)2.
2. A summary, which may include a map, of the proposed comprehensive plan or amendment to such a plan.
66.1001(4)(d)3.
3. The name of an individual employed by the local governmental unit who may provide additional information regarding the proposed ordinance.
66.1001(4)(d)4.
4. Information relating to where and when the proposed comprehensive plan or amendment to such a plan may be inspected before the hearing, and how a copy of the plan or amendment may be obtained.
66.1001(4)(e)
(e) At least 30 days before the hearing described in
par. (d) is held, a local governmental unit shall provide written notice to all of the following:
66.1001(4)(e)3.
3. Any other property owner or leaseholder who has an interest in property pursuant to which the person may extract nonmetallic mineral resources, if the property owner or leaseholder requests in writing that the local governmental unit provide the property owner or leaseholder notice of the hearing described in
par. (d).
66.1001(4)(f)
(f) A political subdivision shall maintain a list of persons who submit a written request to receive notice of any proposed ordinance, described under
par. (c), that affects the allowable use of the property owned by the person. At least 30 days before the hearing described in
par. (d) is held a political subdivision shall provide written notice, including a copy of the proposed ordinance, to all such persons. The notice shall be by mail or in any reasonable form that is agreed to by the person and the political subdivision. The political subdivision may charge each person on the list who receives a notice a fee that does not exceed the approximate cost of providing the notice to the person.
66.1001(5)
(5) Applicability of a regional planning commission's plan. A regional planning commission's comprehensive plan is only advisory in its applicability to a political subdivision and a political subdivision's comprehensive plan.
66.1001(6)
(6) Comprehensive plan may take effect. Notwithstanding
sub. (4), a comprehensive plan, or an amendment of a comprehensive plan, may take effect even if a local governmental unit fails to provide the notice that is required under
sub. (4) (e) or
(f), unless the local governmental unit intentionally fails to provide the notice.
66.1001 Annotation
A municipality has the authority under s. 236.45 (2) to impose a temporary town-wide prohibition on land division while developing a comprehensive plan under this section. Wisconsin Realtors Association v. Town of West Point, 2008 WI App 40, ___ Wis. 2d___,
747 N.W.2d 681,
06-2761.
66.1003
66.1003
Discontinuance of a public way. 66.1003(1)
(1) In this section, "public way" means all or any part of a road, street, slip, pier, lane or paved alley.
66.1003(2)
(2) The common council of any city, except a 1st class city, or a village or town board may discontinue all or part of a public way upon the written petition of the owners of all the frontage of the lots and lands abutting upon the public way sought to be discontinued, and of the owners of more than one-third of the frontage of the lots and lands abutting on that portion of the remainder of the public way which lies within 2,650 feet of the ends of the portion to be discontinued, or lies within so much of that 2,650 feet as is within the corporate limits of the city, village or town. The beginning and ending of an alley shall be considered to be within the block in which it is located. This subsection does not apply to a highway upon the line between 2 towns that is subject to
s. 82.21.
66.1003(3)
(3) The common council of any city, except a 1st class city, or a village or town board may discontinue all or part of an unpaved alley upon the written petition of the owners of more than 50% of the frontage of the lots and lands abutting upon the portion of the unpaved alley sought to be discontinued. The beginning and ending of an unpaved alley shall be considered to be within the block in which it is located. This subsection does not apply to a highway upon the line between 2 towns that is subject to
s. 82.21.
66.1003(4)(a)(a) Notwithstanding
subs. (2) and
(3), proceedings covered by this section may be initiated by the common council or village or town board by the introduction of a resolution declaring that since the public interest requires it, a public way or an unpaved alley is vacated and discontinued. No discontinuance of a public way under this subsection may result in a landlocked parcel of property.
66.1003(4)(b)
(b) A hearing on the passage of a resolution under
par. (a) shall be set by the common council or village or town board on a date which shall not be less than 40 days after the date on which the resolution is introduced. Notice of the hearing shall be given as provided in
sub. (8) (b), except that in addition notice of the hearing shall be served on the owners of all of the frontage of the lots and lands abutting upon the public way or unpaved alley sought to be discontinued in a manner provided for the service of summons in circuit court at least 30 days before the hearing. When service cannot be made within the city, village or town, a copy of the notice shall be mailed to the owner's last-known address at least 30 days before the hearing.
66.1003(4)(c)
(c) Except as provided in this paragraph, no discontinuance of the whole or any part of a public way may be ordered under this subsection if a written objection to the proposed discontinuance is filed with the city, village or town clerk by any of the owners abutting on the public way sought to be discontinued or by the owners of more than one-third of the frontage of the lots and lands abutting on the remainder of the public way which lies within 2,650 feet from the ends of the public way proposed to be discontinued or which lies within that portion of the 2,650 feet that is within the corporate limits of the city, village or town. If a written objection is filed, the discontinuance may be ordered only by the favorable vote of two-thirds of the members of the common council or village or town board voting on the proposed discontinuance. An owner of property abutting on a discontinued public way whose property is damaged by the discontinuance may recover damages as provided in
ch. 32. The beginning and ending of an alley shall be considered to be within the block in which it is located.
66.1003(4)(d)
(d) No discontinuance of an unpaved alley shall be ordered if a written objection to a proposed discontinuance is filed with the city, village or town clerk by the owner of one parcel of land that abuts the portion of the alley to be discontinued and if the alley provides the only access to off-street parking for the parcel of land owned by the objector.
66.1003(5)
(5) For the purpose of this section, the narrowing, widening, extending or other alteration of any road, street, lane or alley does not constitute a discontinuance of any part of the former road, street, lane or alley, including any right-of-way, which is included within the right-of-way for the new road, street, lane or alley.
66.1003(6)
(6) Whenever any of the lots or lands subject to this section is owned by the state, county, city, village or town, or by a minor or incompetent person, or the title to the lots or lands is held in trust, petitions for discontinuance or objections to discontinuance may be signed by the governor, chairperson of the board of supervisors of the county, mayor of the city, president of the village, chairperson of the town board, guardian of the minor or incompetent person, or the trustee, respectively, and the signature of any private corporation may be made by its president, secretary or other principal officer or managing agent.
66.1003(7)
(7) The city council or village or town board may by resolution discontinue any alley or any portion of an alley which has been abandoned, at any time after the expiration of 5 years from the date of the recording of the plat by which it was dedicated. Failure or neglect to work or use any alley or any portion of an alley for a period of 5 years next preceding the date of notice provided for in
sub. (8) (b) shall be considered an abandonment for the purpose of this section.
66.1003(8)(a)(a) Upon receiving a petition under
sub. (2) or
(3) or upon the introduction of a resolution under
sub. (4), the city, village, town, or county shall deliver a copy of the petition or resolution to the secretary of transportation, if the public way or unpaved alley that is the subject of the petition or resolution is located within one-quarter mile of a state trunk highway or connecting highway.
66.1003(8)(b)
(b) Notice stating when and where the petition or resolution under this section will be acted upon and stating what public way or unpaved alley is proposed to be discontinued shall be published as a class 3 notice under
ch. 985.
66.1003(9)
(9) In proceedings under this section,
s. 840.11 shall be considered as a part of the proceedings.
66.1003(10)
(10) Notwithstanding
ss. 82.10 and
82.21, no city council or county, village, or town board may discontinue a highway when the discontinuance would deprive a landowner or a public school of all access to a highway.
66.1003 History
History: 1973 c. 189 s.
20; Sup. Ct. Order,
67 Wis. 2d 585, 774 (1975);
1975 c. 46;
1993 a. 184,
246,
491;
1995 a. 239;
1999 a. 150 ss.
265,
337 to
343; Stats. 1999 s. 66.1003;
2003 a. 214.
66.1003 Note
NOTE: 2003 Wis. Act 214, which affected this section, contains extensive explanatory notes.
66.1003 Cross-reference
Cross-reference: See s.
236.43 for other provisions for vacating streets.
66.1003 Annotation
The enactment of sub. (2m) [now sub. (5)] did not eliminate any vested rights of abutting property owners. Miller v. City of Wauwatosa,
87 Wis. 2d 676,
275 N.W.2d 876 (1979).
66.1003 Annotation
An abutting property owner under sub. (2) (c) [now sub. (4)( c)] at the very least must be somehow supporting or sustaining travel on the street. Voss v. City of Middleton,
162 Wis. 2d 737,
470 N.W.2d 625 (1991).
66.1005
66.1005
Reversion of title. 66.1005(1)(1) When any highway or public ground acquired or held for highway purposes is discontinued, the land where the highway or public ground is located shall belong to the owner or owners of the adjoining lands. If the highway or public ground is located between the lands of different owners, it shall be annexed to the lots to which it originally belonged if that can be ascertained. If the lots to which the land originally belonged cannot be ascertained, the land shall be equally divided between the owners of the lands on each side of the highway or public ground.
66.1005(2)(a)(a) Whenever any public highway or public ground acquired or held for public purposes has been vacated or discontinued, all easements and rights incidental to the easements that belong to any county, school district, town, village, city, utility, or person that relate to any underground or overground structures, improvements, or services and all rights of entrance, maintenance, construction, and repair of the structures, improvements, or services shall continue, unless one of the following applies:
66.1005(2)(a)1.
1. The owner of the easements and incidental rights gives written consent to the discontinuance of the easements and rights as a part of the vacation or discontinuance proceedings and the vacation or discontinuance resolution, ordinance or order refers to the owner's written consent.
66.1005(2)(a)2.
2. The owner of the easements and incidental rights fails to use the easements and rights for a period of 4 years from the time that the public highway or public ground was vacated or discontinued.
66.1005(2)(b)
(b) The easements and incidental rights described in
par. (a) may be discontinued in vacation or discontinuance proceedings in any case where benefits or damages are to be assessed as provided in
par. (c), if one of the following applies:
66.1005(2)(b)1.
1. The interested parties fail to reach an agreement permitting discontinuance of the easements and incidental rights.
66.1005(2)(b)2.
2. The owner of the easements and incidental rights refuses to give written consent to their discontinuance.
66.1005(2)(c)
(c) Damages for the discontinuance of the easements and rights described in
par. (a) shall be assessed against the land benefited in the proceedings for assessment of damages or benefits upon the vacation or discontinuance of the public highway or public ground. Unless the parties agree on a different amount, the amount of the damages shall be the present value of the property to be removed or abandoned, plus the cost of removal, less the salvage value of the removed or abandoned property. The owner of the easements and incidental rights, upon application to the treasurer and upon furnishing satisfactory proof, shall be entitled to any payments of or upon the assessment of damages.
66.1005(2)(d)
(d) Any person aggrieved by the assessment of damages under this subsection may appeal the assessment in the same time and manner as is provided for appeals from assessments of damages or benefits in vacation or discontinuance proceedings in the town, village or city.
66.1005 History
History: 2003 a. 214 ss.
15,
86 to
91.
66.1005 Note
NOTE: 2003 Wis. Act 214, which affected this section, contains extensive explanatory notes.
66.1006
66.1006
Department of natural resources approval of discontinuance. No resolution, ordinance, order, or similar action of a town board or county board, or of a committee of a town board or county board, discontinuing any highway, street, alley, or right-of-way that provides public access to any navigable lake or stream shall be effective until such resolution, ordinance, order, or similar action is approved by the department of natural resources.
66.1006 History
History: 1971 c. 164;
1993 a. 490;
1997 a. 172;
2003 a. 214 s.
100; Stats. 2003 s. 66.1006.
