Chapter 60

60.55(2)(a) (a) Appropriate money to pay for fire protection in the town.

60.55(2)(b) (b) Charge property owners a fee for the cost of fire protection provided to their property under sub. (1) (a) according to a written schedule established by the town board.

60.55(2)(c) (c) Levy taxes on the entire town to pay for fire protection.

60.55(2)(d) (d) Levy taxes on property served by a particular source of fire protection, to support the source of protection.

60.55 History History: 1983 a. 532; 1987 a. 399; 2011 a. 32.

60.55 Annotation Any fire department created under this section, whether formed under ch. 181 or 213, is a government subdivision or agency entitled to immunity under s. 893.80 (4). Mellenthin v. Berger, 2003 WI App 126, 265 Wis. 2d 575, 666 N.W.2d 120, 02-2524.

60.55 Annotation This section does not create an exception to the grant of power to the town meeting to authorize land purchases or construction by the town board. If a town board chooses to meet the requirements of this section to provide fire protection by providing housing for fire protection services and also chooses to purchase land and construct that housing, then the town board must proceed with the authorization of the town meeting under s. 60.10 (2) (e) and (f) to purchase the land and construct the building. Town of Clayton v. Cardinal Construction Co., 2009 WI App 54, 317 Wis. 2d 424, 767 N.W.2d 605, 08-1793.

60.55 Annotation The presence of a fire district standing by ready to extinguish fires constitutes a fire protection service for which a fee may be assessed. Unlike in the pre-1988 version of this statute, fire protection services for which a fee may be assessed are not limited to “fire calls made.” Here, the town demonstrated that the primary purpose of a charge was to cover the expense of providing the service of fire protection to the properties within its geographic boundaries and, therefore, the charge was a fee rather than a tax and assessable against county property. Town of Hoard v. Clark County, 2015 WI App 100, 366 Wis. 2d 239, 873 N.W.2d 241, 15-0678.

60.55 Annotation A town may assess a fire protection special charge under sub. (2) (b) for making fire protection services generally available, and not based on the incidence of fire calls at a property. The special charge is a fee, not a tax, and, therefore, may be assessed against the county. OAG 1-15.

60.553 60.553 Combined protective services.

60.553(1) (1) Any town may provide police and fire protection services by any of the following:

60.553(1)(a) (a) A combined protective services department which is neither a police department under s. 60.56 (1) (a) nor a fire department under s. 60.55 (1) (a), and in which the same person may be required to perform police protection and fire protection duties without being required to perform police protection duties for more than 8 hours in each 24 hours except in emergency situations, as described under s. 62.13 (7n).

60.553(1)(b) (b) Persons in a police department or fire department who, alone or in combination with persons designated as police officers or fire fighters, may be required to perform police protection and fire protection duties without being required to perform police protection duties for more than 8 hours in each 24 hours except in emergency situations, as described under s. 62.13 (7n).

60.553(2) (2) The governing body of a town acting under sub. (1) may designate any person required to perform police protection and fire protection duties under sub. (1) as primarily a police officer or fire fighter for purposes described in ss. 62.13 (7m), (7n), (10m), and (11), 891.45, 891.453, and 891.455.

60.553 History History: 2011 a. 32; 2013 a. 165 s. 115.

60.555 60.555 Fire safety regulations. Except as provided in s. 101.14 (4) (de), the town board, by ordinance, may adopt regulations to prevent, detect and suppress fire and related fire hazards. The regulations may include provision for the inspection, at reasonable times, of property in the town for compliance with regulations adopted under this section.

60.555 History History: 1983 a. 532; 2015 a. 240.

60.557 60.557 Reimbursement for fire calls on highways.

60.557(1) (1) If a town incurs costs for a fire call by responding to a vehicle fire on a county trunk highway, the county maintaining that portion of the highway where the vehicle was located at the time of the fire shall reimburse the town up to $200 for the costs if the town submits written proof that the town has made a reasonable effort to collect the cost from the insurer of the person to whom the fire call was provided or from the person to whom the fire call was provided, except that the town may attempt to collect the cost from the person only if the town is unsuccessful in its efforts to collect from the person’s insurer or if the person has no insurer. If the town collects the cost from an insurer or such person after the county reimburses the town, the town shall return the amount collected to the county.

60.557(2) (2) If a town incurs costs for a fire call on a state trunk highway or any highway that is a part of the national system of interstate highways and maintained by the department of transportation, the department of transportation shall reimburse the town up to $500 for the costs, even if the fire equipment is not actually used, if the town submits written proof that the town has made a reasonable effort to collect the cost from the insurer of the person to whom the fire call was provided or from the person to whom the fire call was provided, except that the town may attempt to collect the cost from the person only if the town is unsuccessful in its efforts to collect from the person’s insurer or if the person has no insurer. If the town collects the cost from an insurer or such person after the department reimburses the town, the town shall return the amount collected to the department.

60.557 History History: 1983 a. 532, 538; 1993 a. 16; 1999 a. 131; 2003 a. 205.

60.56 60.56 Law enforcement.

60.56(1) (1) General authority.

60.56(1)(a) (a) The town board may provide for law enforcement in the town or any portion of the town in any manner, including:

60.56(1)(a)1. 1. Establishing a town police department.

60.56(1)(a)2. 2. Joining with another town, village or city to create a joint police department. If the town board establishes a joint police department with a village under s. 61.65 (1) (a) 3., the town board shall create a joint board of police commissioners with the village under s. 61.65 (1) (b) 1. b.

60.56(1)(a)3. 3. Contracting with any person.

60.56(1)(a)4. 4. Creating a combined protective services department under s. 60.553.

60.56(1)(am) (am) If a town board establishes a town police department under par. (a) 1. or 2. and does not create a board of police commissioners singly or in combination with another town, village or city, or if a town board establishes a combined protective services department under s. 60.553 and does not create a board of police and fire commissioners, the town may not suspend, reduce, suspend and reduce, or remove any police chief, chief of a combined protective services department, or other law enforcement officer who is not probationary, and for whom there is no valid and enforceable contract of employment or collective bargaining agreement which provides for a fair review prior to that suspension, reduction, suspension and reduction or removal, unless the town board does one of the following:

60.56(1)(am)1. 1. Establishes a committee of not less than 3 members, none of whom may be an elected or appointed official of the town or be employed by the town. The committee shall act under s. 62.13 (5) in place of a board of police and fire commissioners. The town board may provide for some payment to each member for the member’s cost of serving on the committee at a rate established by the town board.

60.56(1)(am)2. 2. Appoint a person who is not an elected or appointed official of the town and who is not employed by the town. The person shall act under s. 62.13 (5) in place of a board of police and fire commissioners. The town board may provide for some payment to that person for serving under this subdivision at a rate established by the town board.

60.56(1)(b) (b) The town board may provide for the equipping, staffing, housing and maintenance of law enforcement services.

60.56(2) (2) Funding. The town board may appropriate money to fund law enforcement services.

60.56 History History: 1983 a. 532; 1985 a. 166 ss. 1, 8; 1987 a. 27; 2011 a. 32.

60.56 Annotation A town cannot “establish” a police department without official action. Christian v. Town of Emmett, 163 Wis. 2d 277, 471 N.W.2d 252 (Ct. App. 1991).

60.56 Annotation That a police chief served on a volunteer basis without compensation did not render the police chief a probationary officer under sub. (1) (am). “At-will” employment has no relevance to whether the procedures outlined in this section must be followed. Town of La Grange v. Auchinleck, 216 Wis. 2d 84, 573 N.W.2d 232 (Ct. App. 1997), 96-3313.

60.56 Annotation A sheriff may not unilaterally withdraw investigative services provided to one urbanized town within the county because the town maintains its own police department. 81 Atty. Gen. 98.

60.563 60.563 Rewards for crime information. When any heinous offense or crime has been committed against life or property within a town, the town board chairperson, with the consent of a majority of the members of the town board, may offer a reward for the apprehension of the criminal or perpetrator of such offense.

60.563 History History: 1993 a. 246.

60.565 60.565 Ambulance service. The town board shall contract for or operate and maintain ambulance services unless such services are provided by another person. If the town board contracts for ambulance services, it may contract with one or more providers. The town board may determine and charge a reasonable fee for ambulance service provided under this section. The town board may purchase equipment for medical and other emergency calls.

60.565 History History: 1983 a. 532; 1991 a. 39.

60.565 Annotation County home rule under s. 59.03 (1) allows every county to “exercise any organizational or administrative power, subject only to the constitution and to any enactment of the legislature.” The language of this section acknowledges that another person can provide the ambulance service instead of a town and withdraws the mandate when another person provides ambulance services. The absence of a command from the legislature that towns provide an ambulance service in all situations causes the argument that county home rule prevents counties from providing ambulance service to miss the mark. Town of Grant v. Portage County, 2017 WI App 69, 378 Wis. 2d 289, 903 N.W.2d 152, 16-2435.

60.57 60.57 Police and fire commission.

60.57(1) (1) The town board may:

60.57(1)(a) (a) If the town has a police department, establish a board of police commissioners.

60.57(1)(b) (b) If the town has a fire department, establish a board of fire commissioners.

60.57(1)(c) (c) If the town has both a police and fire department, or a combined protective services department, establish a board of police and fire commissioners.

60.57(2) (2) A board created under this section shall be organized in the same manner as boards of police and fire commissioners under s. 62.13 (1).

60.57(3) (3) A board created under this section is subject to the provisions of s. 62.13 (2) to (5) and (7) to (12) to the extent that the provisions apply to 2nd and 3rd class cities. In applying s. 62.13 under this section, the town board chairperson has the powers and duties specified for a mayor, the town board has the powers and duties specified for a common council and the town has the powers and duties specified for a city.

60.57 History History: 1983 a. 532; 2011 a. 32.

subch. VIII of ch. 60 SUBCHAPTER VIII

LAND USE AND PLANNING

60.61 60.61 General zoning authority.

60.61(1) (1) Purpose and construction.

60.61(1)(a) (a) Ordinances adopted under this section shall be designed to promote the public health, safety and general welfare.

60.61(1)(b) (b) Authority granted under this section shall be liberally construed in favor of the town exercising the powers. This section may not be construed to limit or repeal any powers possessed by any town.

60.61(1m) (1m) Building code enforcement; appeal process.

60.61(1m)(a) (a) A town board may enact and enforce building code ordinances under ss. 62.17, 101.65, 101.76 and 101.86.

60.61(1m)(b) (b) If an applicant is denied a temporary use permit or an extension of a temporary use permit and the individual denying the permit or extension is the chief of a fire district, or an authorized individual acting on the chief’s behalf, and if the basis of the denial is a discretionary determination by the chief or authorized individual, the permit or extension applicant may appeal the denial to the town board of the town to which the application relates. Following a hearing on the fire district chief’s or authorized individual’s denial, the town board may approve the applicant’s temporary use permit or extension application.

60.61(2) (2) Extent of authority. Subject to subs. (3) and (3m), if a town is located in a county which has not enacted a county zoning ordinance under s. 59.69, the town board, by ordinance, may:

60.61(2)(a) (a) Regulate, restrict and determine all of the following:

60.61(2)(a)1. 1. The areas within which agriculture, forestry, mining and recreation may be conducted, except that no ordinance enacted under this subsection may prohibit forestry operations that are in accordance with generally accepted forestry management practices, as defined under s. 823.075 (1) (d).

60.61(2)(a)2. 2. The location of roads, schools, trades and industries.

60.61(2)(a)3. 3. The location, height, bulk, number of stories and size of buildings and other structures.

60.61(2)(a)4. 4. The percentage of a lot which may be occupied.

60.61(2)(a)5. 5. The size of yards, courts and other open spaces.

60.61(2)(a)6. 6. Subject to s. 66.10015 (3), the density and distribution of population.

60.61(2)(a)7. 7. The location of buildings designed for specified uses.

60.61(2)(a)8. 8. The trades, industries or purposes that may be engaged in or subject to regulation.

60.61(2)(a)9. 9. The uses for which buildings may not be erected or altered.

60.61(2)(b) (b) Establish districts of such number, shape and area necessary to carry out the purposes under par. (a). The town board may establish mixed-use districts that contain any combination of uses, such as industrial, commercial, public, or residential uses, in a compact urban form.

60.61(2)(c) (c) Establish building setback lines.

60.61(2)(d) (d) Regulate, restrict and determine the areas in or along natural watercourses, channels, streams and creeks in which trades and industries, filling or dumping, erection of structures and the location of buildings may be prohibited or restricted.

60.61(2)(e) (e) Adopt an official map showing areas, outside the limits of villages and cities, suited to carry out the purposes of this section. Any map adopted under this paragraph shall show the location of any part of an airport, as defined in s. 62.23 (6) (am) 1. a., located in the town and of any part of an airport affected area, as defined in s. 62.23 (6) (am) 1. b., located in the town.

60.61(2)(f) (f) Regulate, restrict and determine the location, height, bulk, number of stories and size of buildings and other structures and objects of natural growth in any area of the town in the vicinity of an airport owned by the town or privately owned, divide the territory into several areas and impose different restrictions for each area. In exercising its power under this paragraph, the town board may, by eminent domain, remove or alter any buildings, structures or objects of natural growth which are contrary to the restrictions imposed in the area in which they are located, except railroad buildings, bridges or facilities other than telegraph, telephone and overhead signal system poles and wires.

60.61(2)(g) (g) Encourage the protection of groundwater resources.

60.61(2)(h) (h) Provide for the preservation of burial sites, as defined in s. 157.70 (1) (b).

60.61(2)(i) (i) Provide adequate access to sunlight for solar collectors and to wind for wind energy systems.

60.61(3) (3) Exercise of authority. Before exercising authority under sub. (2), the town board shall petition the county board to initiate, at any regular or special meeting, action to enact a county zoning ordinance under s. 59.69. The town board may proceed under sub. (2) if:

60.61(3)(a) (a) The county board fails or refuses, at the meeting, to direct the county zoning agency to proceed under s. 59.69;

60.61(3)(b) (b) The county zoning agency’s report and the recommended county zoning ordinance prepared pursuant to the report are not presented to the county board within one year; or

60.61(3)(c) (c) The county zoning agency report and recommended county zoning ordinance are presented to the county board within one year and the county board at its next meeting following receipt of the report fails to adopt the ordinance.

60.61(3c) (3c) Antenna facilities. The town board may not enact an ordinance or adopt a resolution on or after May 6, 1994, or continue to enforce an ordinance or resolution on or after May 6, 1994, that affects satellite antennas with a diameter of 2 feet or less unless one of the following applies:

60.61(3c)(a) (a) The ordinance or resolution has a reasonable and clearly defined aesthetic or public health or safety objective.

60.61(3c)(b) (b) The ordinance or resolution does not impose an unreasonable limitation on, or prevent, the reception of satellite-delivered signals by a satellite antenna with a diameter of 2 feet or less.

60.61(3c)(c) (c) The ordinance or resolution does not impose costs on a user of a satellite antenna with a diameter of 2 feet or less that exceed 10 percent of the purchase price and installation fee of the antenna and associated equipment.

60.61(3d) (3d) Amateur radio antennas. The town board may not enact an ordinance or adopt a resolution on or after April 17, 2002, or continue to enforce an ordinance or resolution on or after April 17, 2002, that affects the placement, screening, or height of antennas, or antenna support structures, that are used for amateur radio communications unless all of the following apply:

60.61(3d)(a) (a) The ordinance or resolution has a reasonable and clearly defined aesthetic, public health, or safety objective, and represents the minimum practical regulation that is necessary to accomplish the objectives.

60.61(3d)(b) (b) The ordinance or resolution reasonably accommodates amateur radio communications.