Chapter 66

66.0404(5) (5) Applicability. If a county enacts an ordinance as described under sub. (2) the ordinance applies only in the unincorporated parts of the county, except that if a town enacts an ordinance as described under sub. (2) after a county has so acted, the county ordinance does not apply, and may not be enforced, in the town, except that if the town later repeals its ordinance, the county ordinance applies in that town.

66.0404 History History: 2013 a. 20, 173; 2019 a. 14.

66.0404 Annotation An ordinance that prohibits a mobile service support structure where the structure is not compatible with the adjacent land’s current use does not violate sub. (4) (c). Eco-Site, LLC v. Town of Cedarburg, 2019 WI App 42, 388 Wis. 2d 375, 933 N.W.2d 179, 18-0580.

66.0404 Annotation Denial of a conditional use permit on the basis of lost property values and the detrimental effect on public health and safety and general welfare does not equate to a denial based on aesthetic concerns, which is prohibited by sub. (4) (g) if it is the sole reason. Eco-Site, LLC v. Town of Cedarburg, 2019 WI App 42, 388 Wis. 2d 375, 933 N.W.2d 179, 18-0580.

66.0405 66.0405 Removal of rubbish. Cities, villages and towns may remove ashes, garbage, and rubbish from such classes of places in the city, village or town as the board or council directs. The removal may be from all of the places or from those whose owners or occupants desire the service. Districts may be created and removal provided for certain districts only, and different regulations may be applied to each removal district or class of property. The cost of removal may be funded by special assessment against the property served, by general tax upon the property of the respective districts, or by general tax upon the property of the city, village or town. If a city, village or town contracts for ash, garbage or rubbish removal service, it may contract with one or more service providers.

66.0405 History History: 1993 a. 246; 1999 a. 150 s. 119; Stats. 1999 s. 66.0405.

66.0406 66.0406 Radio broadcast service facility regulations.

66.0406(1) (1) Definitions. In this section:

66.0406(1)(a) (a) “Political subdivision” means any city, village, town, or county.

66.0406(1)(b) (b) “Radio broadcast services” means the regular provision of a commercial or noncommercial service involving the transmission, emission, or reception of radio waves for the transmission of sound or images in which the transmissions are intended for direct reception by the general public.

66.0406(1)(c) (c) “Radio broadcast service facilities” means commercial or noncommercial facilities, including antennas and antenna support structures, intended for the provision of radio broadcast services.

66.0406(2) (2) Limitations on local regulation. Beginning on May 1, 2013, if a political subdivision enacts an ordinance, adopts a resolution, or takes any other action that affects the placement, construction, or modification of radio broadcast service facilities, the ordinance, resolution, or other action may not take effect unless all of the following apply:

66.0406(2)(a) (a) The ordinance, resolution, or other action has a reasonable and clearly defined public health or safety objective, and reflects the minimum practical regulation that is necessary to accomplish that objective.

66.0406(2)(b) (b) The ordinance, resolution, or other action reasonably accommodates radio broadcast services and does not prohibit, or have the effect of prohibiting, the provision of such services in the political subdivision.

66.0406(3) (3) Continued application of existing regulations. If a political subdivision has in effect on May 1, 2013, an ordinance or resolution that is inconsistent with the requirements that are specified in sub. (2) for an ordinance, resolution, or other action to take effect, the existing ordinance or resolution does not apply, and may not be enforced, to the extent that it is inconsistent with the requirements that are specified in sub. (2).

66.0406(4) (4) Denial of placement, construction, or modification of facilities. If a political subdivision denies a request by any person to place, construct, or modify radio broadcast service facilities in the political subdivision, the denial may be based only on the political subdivision’s public health or safety concerns. The political subdivision must provide the requester with a written denial of the requester’s request, and the political subdivision must provide the requester with substantial written evidence which supports the reasons for the political subdivision’s action.

66.0406 History History: 2013 a. 20; 2013 a. 173 s. 33.

66.0407 66.0407 Noxious weeds.

66.0407(1) (1) In this section:

66.0407(1)(a) (a) “Destroy” means the complete killing of weeds or the killing of weed plants above the surface of the ground by the use of chemicals, cutting, tillage, cropping system, pasturing livestock, or any or all of these in effective combination, at a time and in a manner as will effectually prevent the weed plants from maturing to the bloom or flower stage.

66.0407(1)(b) (b) “Noxious weed” means Canada thistle, leafy spurge, field bindweed, any weed designated as a noxious weed by the department of natural resources by rule, and any other weed the governing body of any municipality or the county board of any county by ordinance or resolution declares to be noxious within its respective boundaries.

66.0407(3) (3) A person owning, occupying or controlling land shall destroy all noxious weeds on the land. The person having immediate charge of any public lands shall destroy all noxious weeds on the lands. The highway patrolman on all federal, state or county trunk highways shall destroy all noxious weeds on that portion of the highway which that highway patrolman patrols. The town board is responsible for the destruction of all noxious weeds on the town highways.

66.0407(4) (4) The chairperson of each town, the president of each village and the mayor or manager of each city may annually on or before May 15 publish a class 2 notice, under ch. 985, that every person is required by law to destroy all noxious weeds, as defined in this section, on lands in the municipality which the person owns, occupies or controls. A town, village or city which has designated as its official newspaper or which uses for its official notices the same newspaper as any other town, village or city may publish the notice under this subsection in combination with the other town, village or city.

66.0407(5) (5) This section does not apply to Canada thistle or annual noxious weeds that are located on land that the department of natural resources owns, occupies or controls and that is maintained in whole or in part as habitat for wild birds by the department of natural resources.

66.0407 History History: 1975 c. 394 s. 12; 1975 c. 421; Stats. 1975 s. 66.96; 1983 a. 112, 189; 1989 a. 56 s. 258; 1991 a. 39, 316; 1997 a. 287; 1999 a. 150 ss. 617 to 619; Stats. 1999 s. 66.0407; 2009 a. 55.

66.0408 66.0408 Regulation of occupations.

66.0408(1) (1) Definitions. In this section, “political subdivision” means a city, village, town, or county.

66.0408(2) (2) Limitations on new regulations.

66.0408(2)(a) (a) Except as provided in sub. (3), beginning on November 13, 2015, a political subdivision may not impose any occupational fees or licensing requirements on any profession if that profession is not subject to occupational fees or licensing requirements of the political subdivision on that date, but the political subdivision may continue to so regulate any profession that is subject to its occupational fees or licensing requirements on that date.

66.0408(2)(b) (b) With regard to the areas in which the department of safety and professional services may impose requirements on a contractor under s. 101.654, a political subdivision may not impose any requirements on a contractor that are more stringent than the requirements imposed by the department of safety and professional services under s. 101.654.

66.0408(2)(c) (c) Beginning on November 13, 2015, if the department of safety and professional services or an examining board, affiliated credentialing board, or other board in the department of safety and professional services imposes any new occupational fees or licensing requirements on any profession that was previously unregulated by the state, and if a political subdivision regulates that occupation when the state regulations take effect, the political subdivision may not continue to regulate that profession on or after the day on which the state regulations take effect and the political subdivision’s regulations do not apply and may not be enforced.

66.0408(2)(d) (d) With regard to the areas in which any department of state government may impose occupational licensing requirements on any profession, a political subdivision may not impose any occupational licensing requirements on an individual who works in that profession that are more stringent than the requirements imposed by the department that regulates that profession.

66.0408(3) (3) Exception. If a political subdivision has in effect an occupational fee or licensing requirement on the profession of photographer on November 13, 2015, that regulation does not apply and may not be enforced.

66.0408 History History: 2015 a. 65; 2017 a. 327.

66.0409 66.0409 Local regulation of weapons.

66.0409(1) (1) In this section:

66.0409(1)(a) (a) “Firearm” has the meaning given in s. 167.31 (1) (c) and includes an airgun, as defined in s. 29.001 (7).

66.0409(1)(b) (b) “Political subdivision” means a city, village, town or county.

66.0409(1)(c) (c) “Sport shooting range” means an area designed and operated for the practice of weapons used in hunting, skeet shooting and similar sport shooting.

66.0409(2) (2) Except as provided in subs. (3) and (4), no political subdivision may enact or enforce an ordinance or adopt a resolution that regulates the sale, purchase, purchase delay, transfer, ownership, use, keeping, possession, bearing, transportation, licensing, permitting, registration, or taxation of any knife or any firearm or part of a firearm, including ammunition and reloader components, unless the ordinance or resolution is the same as or similar to, and no more stringent than, a state statute.

66.0409(3) (3) 

66.0409(3)(a) (a) Nothing in this section prohibits a county from imposing a sales tax or use tax under subch. V of ch. 77 on any knife or any firearm or part of a firearm, including ammunition and reloader components, sold in the county.

66.0409(3)(b) (b)

66.0409(3)(b)1. 1. Nothing in this section prohibits a city, village or town that is authorized to exercise village powers under s. 60.22 (3) from enacting an ordinance or adopting a resolution that restricts the discharge of a firearm.

66.0409(3)(b)2. 2. Notwithstanding subd. 1., any ordinance or resolution that restricts the discharge of a firearm does not apply and may not be enforced if the actor’s conduct is justified or, had it been subject to a criminal penalty, would have been subject to a defense described in s. 939.45.

66.0409(3)(b)3. 3. Notwithstanding subd. 1., any ordinance or resolution that restricts the honorary discharge of a firearm that involves the use of only blanks and that is part of any of the following does not apply and may not be enforced:

66.0409(3)(b)3.a. a. An event, including a funeral, honoring a current or former member of the military, law enforcement officer, or professional fire fighter.

66.0409(3)(b)3.b. b. Military honors provided at a cemetery on Memorial Day or Veterans Day.

66.0409(3)(b)3.c. c. Military honors provided at a veterans memorial site.

66.0409(3)(c) (c) Nothing in this section prohibits a political subdivision from enacting or enforcing an ordinance or adopting a resolution that prohibits the possession of a knife in a building, or part of a building, that is owned, occupied, or controlled by the political subdivision.

66.0409(4) (4) 

66.0409(4)(a) (a) Nothing in this section prohibits a political subdivision from continuing to enforce an ordinance or resolution that is in effect on November 18, 1995, and that regulates the sale, purchase, transfer, ownership, use, keeping, possession, bearing, transportation, licensing, permitting, registration or taxation of any firearm or part of a firearm, including ammunition and reloader components, if the ordinance or resolution is the same as or similar to, and no more stringent than, a state statute.

66.0409(4)(am) (am) Nothing in this section prohibits a political subdivision from continuing to enforce until November 30, 1998, an ordinance or resolution that is in effect on November 18, 1995, and that requires a waiting period of not more than 7 days for the purchase of a handgun.

66.0409(4)(b) (b) If a political subdivision has in effect on November 17, 1995, an ordinance or resolution that regulates the sale, purchase, transfer, ownership, use, keeping, possession, bearing, transportation, licensing, permitting, registration or taxation of any firearm or part of a firearm, including ammunition and reloader components, and the ordinance or resolution is not the same as or similar to a state statute, the ordinance or resolution shall have no legal effect and the political subdivision may not enforce the ordinance or resolution on or after November 18, 1995.

66.0409(4)(c) (c) Nothing in this section prohibits a political subdivision from enacting and enforcing a zoning ordinance that regulates the new construction of a sport shooting range or when the expansion of an existing sport shooting range would impact public health and safety.

66.0409(5) (5) A county ordinance that is enacted or a county resolution that is adopted by a county under sub. (2) or a county ordinance or resolution that remains in effect under sub. (4) (a) or (am) applies only in those towns in the county that have not enacted an ordinance or adopted a resolution under sub. (2) or that continue to enforce an ordinance or resolution under sub. (4) (a) or (am), except that this subsection does not apply to a sales or use tax that is imposed under subch. V of ch. 77.

66.0409(6) (6) Unless other facts and circumstances that indicate a criminal or malicious intent on the part of the person apply, no person may be in violation of, or be charged with a violation of, an ordinance of a political subdivision relating to disorderly conduct or other inappropriate behavior for loading a firearm, or for carrying or going armed with a firearm or a knife, without regard to whether the firearm is loaded or the firearm or the knife is concealed or openly carried. Any ordinance in violation of this subsection does not apply and may not be enforced.

66.0409 History History: 1995 a. 72; 1999 a. 150 s. 260; Stats. 1999 s. 66.0409; 2011 a. 35; 2015 a. 149; 2019 a. 124; 2023 a. 115.

66.0409 Annotation This section does not prohibit municipalities from enacting and enforcing zoning ordinances that apply to sport shooting ranges. Town of Avon v. Oliver, 2002 WI App 97, 253 Wis. 2d 647, 644 N.W.2d 260, 01-1851.

66.0409 Annotation The scope of legislative activity covered by “ordinances” and “resolutions” extends to formal and informal enactments that address matters both general and specific in a manner meant to be either temporary or permanent and that can be characterized as administrative or otherwise, regardless of how they may be denominated. There is no legislative action a municipality could take that would not come within the ambit of ordinance or resolution. If a statute removes the authority of a municipality’s governing body to adopt an ordinance or resolution on a particular subject, the governing body loses all legislative authority on that subject. Wisconsin Carry, Inc. v. City of Madison, 2017 WI 19, 373 Wis. 2d 543, 892 N.W.2d 233, 15-0146.

66.0409 Annotation Under sub. (2), the legislature has withdrawn from municipalities all authority to legislate on the possession, bearing, or transportation of any knife or any firearm unless the legislation is the same as or similar to, and no more stringent than, a state statute. Because a municipality cannot delegate what it does not have, a municipality is entirely powerless to authorize any of its subunits to legislate on this subject. Wisconsin Carry, Inc. v. City of Madison, 2017 WI 19, 373 Wis. 2d 543, 892 N.W.2d 233, 15-0146.

66.0409 Annotation This section forbids a municipality from forbidding weapons on its buses when otherwise carried in conformance with the law. To the extent that a municipality previously had a property-based right to exclude riders in possession of weapons, that right ceased with the advent of this section. Wisconsin Carry, Inc. v. City of Madison, 2017 WI 19, 373 Wis. 2d 543, 892 N.W.2d 233, 15-0146.

66.0410 66.0410 Local regulation of ticket reselling.

66.0410(1) (1) Definitions. In this section:

66.0410(1)(a) (a) “Political subdivision” means a city, village, town, or county.

66.0410(1)(b) (b) “Ticket” means a ticket that is sold to an entertainment or sporting event.

66.0410(2) (2) Reselling of tickets.

66.0410(2)(a) (a) A political subdivision may not enact an ordinance or adopt a resolution and the Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System may not promulgate a rule or adopt a resolution prohibiting the resale of any ticket for an amount that is equal to or less than the ticket’s face value.

66.0410(2)(b) (b) If a political subdivision or the Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System has in effect on April 22, 2004 an ordinance, rule, or resolution that is inconsistent with par. (a), the ordinance, rule, or resolution does not apply and may not be enforced.

66.0410 History History: 2003 a. 191.

66.0411 66.0411 Sound-producing devices; impoundment; seizure and forfeiture.

66.0411(1) (1) In this section, “sound-producing device” does not include a piece of equipment or machinery that is designed for agricultural purposes and that is being used in the conduct of agricultural operations.

66.0411(1m) (1m) 

66.0411(1m)(a) (a) Any city, village, town or county may, by ordinance, authorize a law enforcement officer, at the time of issuing a citation for a violation of s. 346.94 (16) or a local ordinance in strict conformity with s. 346.94 (16) or any other local ordinance prohibiting excessive noise, to impound any radio, electric sound amplification device or other sound-producing device used in the commission of the violation if the person charged with such violation is the owner of the radio, electric sound amplification device or other sound-producing device and has 2 or more prior convictions within a 3-year period of s. 346.94 (16) or a local ordinance in strict conformity with s. 346.94 (16) or any other local ordinance prohibiting excessive noise. The ordinance may provide for impoundment of a vehicle for not more than 5 working days to permit the city, village, town or county or its authorized agent to remove the radio, electric sound amplification device or other sound-producing device if the vehicle is owned by the person charged with the violation and the sound-producing device may not be easily removed from the vehicle. Upon removal of the sound-producing device, an impounded vehicle shall be returned to its rightful owner.

66.0411(1m)(b) (b) The ordinance under par. (a) may provide for recovery by the city, village, town or county of the cost of impounding the sound-producing device and, if a vehicle is impounded, the cost of impounding the vehicle and removing the sound-producing device. The ordinance under par. (a) shall provide that, upon disposition of the forfeiture action for the violation of s. 346.94 (16) or a local ordinance in strict conformity with s. 346.94 (16) or any other local ordinance prohibiting excessive noise and payment of any forfeiture imposed, the sound-producing device shall be returned to its rightful owner.

66.0411(1m)(c) (c) The city, village, town or county may dispose of any impounded sound-producing device or, following the procedure for an abandoned vehicle under s. 342.40, any impounded vehicle which has remained unclaimed for a period of 90 days after disposition of the forfeiture action.

66.0411(1m)(d) (d) This subsection does not apply to a radio, electric sound amplification device or other sound-producing device on a motorcycle.

66.0411(2) (2) 

66.0411(2)(a) (a) Notwithstanding sub. (1m), any city, village, town or county may, by ordinance, authorize a law enforcement officer, at the time of issuing a citation for a violation of s. 346.94 (16) or a local ordinance in strict conformity with s. 346.94 (16) or any other local ordinance prohibiting excessive noise, to seize any radio, electric sound amplification device or other sound-producing device used in the commission of the violation if the person charged with such violation is the owner of the radio, electric sound amplification device or other sound-producing device and has 3 or more prior convictions within a 3-year period of s. 346.94 (16) or a local ordinance in strict conformity with s. 346.94 (16) or any other local ordinance prohibiting excessive noise.

66.0411(2)(b) (b) The ordinance under par. (a) may provide for impoundment of a vehicle for not more than 5 working days to permit the city, village, town or county or its authorized agent to remove the radio, electric sound amplification device or other sound-producing device if the vehicle is owned by the person charged with the violation and the sound-producing device may not be easily removed from the vehicle. Upon removal of the sound-producing device, an impounded vehicle shall be returned to its rightful owner upon payment of the reasonable costs of impounding the vehicle and removing the sound-producing device.

66.0411(2)(c) (c) The ordinance under par. (a) shall include provisions that treat any seized sound-producing device in substantially the manner provided in ss. 973.075 (3), 973.076 and 973.077 for property realized through the commission of any crime, except that the sound-producing device shall remain in the custody of the applicable law enforcement agency; a district attorney or city, village or town attorney, whichever is applicable, shall institute the forfeiture proceedings; and, if the sound-producing device is sold by the law enforcement agency, all proceeds of the sale shall be retained by the applicable city, village, town or county.

66.0411(2)(d) (d) The city, village, town or county may, following the procedure for an abandoned vehicle under s. 342.40, dispose of any impounded vehicle which has remained unclaimed for a period of 90 days after disposition of the forfeiture action.

66.0411(2)(e) (e) This subsection does not apply to a radio, electric sound amplification device or other sound-producing device on a motorcycle.

66.0411 History History: 1995 a. 373; 1999 a. 150 s. 613; Stats. 1999 s. 66.0411.

66.0412 66.0412 Local regulation of real estate brokers, brokerage services.

66.0412(1) (1) Definitions. In this section:

66.0412(1)(a) (a) “Broker” means a real estate broker licensed under ch. 452.

66.0412(1)(b) (b) “Local governmental unit” has the meaning given in s. 66.0131 (1) (a).

66.0412(1)(c) (c) “Political subdivision” means any city, village, town, or county.