66.0307(11) (11) Time for bringing action. No action to contest the validity of a cooperative plan under this section or an amendment to a cooperative plan, regardless of the grounds for the action, may be commenced after 60 days from the date on which the department approves the cooperative plan under sub. (5) or the amendment under sub. (8), respectively. No action relating to compliance with a binding element of a cooperative plan may be commenced later than 180 days after the failure to comply.

66.0309(1)(a) (a) “Governing body" means the town, village or county board or the legislative body of a city.

66.0309(1)(b) (b) “Local governmental units" or “local units" means cities, villages, towns and counties.

66.0309(1)(c) (c) “Population" means the population of a local unit as shown by the last federal census or by any subsequent population estimate under s. 16.96.

66.0309(2)(a)(a) A regional planning commission may be created by the governor, or a state agency or official as the governor designates, upon petition in the form of a resolution by the governing body of a local governmental unit and the holding of a public hearing on the petition. If the petition is joined in by the governing bodies of all the local units in the proposed region, including the county board of any county, part or all of which is in the proposed region, the governor may dispense with the hearing. Notice of any public hearing shall be given by the governor by mail at least 10 days in advance to the clerk of each local unit in the proposed region.

66.0309(2)(b) (b) If the governor finds that there is a need for a regional planning commission, and if the governing bodies of local units within the proposed region which include over 50 percent of the population and equalized assessed valuation of the region as determined by the last previous equalization of assessments, consent to the formation of such regional planning commission, the governor may create the regional planning commission by order and designate the area and boundaries of the commission's jurisdiction taking into account the elements of homogeneity based upon, but not limited to, such considerations as topographic and geographic conformations, extent of urban development, the existence of special or acute agricultural, forestry, conservation or other rural problems, uniformity of social or economic interests and values, park and recreational needs, civil defense, or the existence of physical, social and economic problems of a regional character.

66.0309(2)(c) (c) Territory included within a regional planning commission that consists of one county or less in area also may be included in the creation of a multicounty regional planning commission. The creation does not require that the existing regional planning commission consisting of one county or less in area be terminated or altered, but upon creation of the multicounty commission, the existing commission shall cease to have authority to make charges upon participating local governmental units under sub. (14) and shall adopt a name other than “regional planning commission".

66.0309(2m) (2m) Limitation on territory. No regional planning commission may be created to include territory located in 3 or more uniform state districts as established by 1970 executive order 22 dated August 24, 1970. Any existing regional planning commission which includes territory located in 3 or more uniform state districts shall be dissolved no later than December 31, 1972.

66.0309(3)(a)(a) The membership composition of a regional planning commission which includes a city of the first class shall be as follows:

66.0309(3)(a)2. 2. Two members from each participating county shall be appointed by the governor. At least one appointee shall be a person, selected from a list of 2 or more persons nominated by the county board, who has experience in local government in elective or appointive offices or who is professionally engaged in advising local governmental units in the fields of land-use planning, transportation, law, finance, engineering or recreation and natural resources development. The governor in making appointments under this subdivision shall give due weight to the place of residence of the appointees within the various counties encompassed by the region.

66.0309(3)(b) (b) For any region which does not include a 1st class city, the membership composition of a regional planning commission shall be in accordance with resolutions approved by the governing bodies of a majority of the local units in the region, and these units shall have in the aggregate at least half the population of the region. For the purposes of this determination a county, part or all of which is within the region, shall be counted as a local unit, but the population of an approving county shall not be counted. In the absence of the necessary approval by the local units, the membership composition of a commission shall be determined as follows:

66.0309(3)(b)2.b. b. Three members appointed by the governing body of each city, village and town in the region having a population of 20,000 or more. If there is no city, village or town having a population of 20,000 or more, the governor shall appoint one member from each city, village or town with a population of 5,000 or more within the region. All governor appointees under this subd. 2. b. shall be persons who have experience in local government in elective or appointive offices or who are professionally engaged in advising local governmental units in the fields of land-use planning, transportation, law, finance or engineering.

66.0309(3)(b)2.c. c. Three members appointed at large by the governor. All governor appointees under this subd. 2. c. shall be persons who have experience in local government in elective or appointive offices or who are professionally engaged in advising local governmental units in the fields of land-use planning, transportation, law, finance or engineering.

66.0309(3)(c) (c) Terms of office for regional planning commission members shall be as follows:

66.0309(3)(c)2. 2. For members of all other commissions the term is 6 years after the initial term. At the first meeting of the commission it shall be determined by lot which of the initial members shall have 2, 4 and 6-year terms, respectively, and each group shall be as nearly equal as may be.

66.0309(3)(d) (d) All regional planning commission members shall be electors of the state and reside within the region.

66.0309(4) (4) Compensation; expenses. A per diem compensation may be paid members of regional planning commissions. This shall not affect in any way remuneration received by any state or local official who, in addition to serving as a state or local official, serves also as a member of the regional planning commission. All members may be reimbursed for actual expenses incurred as members of the commission in carrying out the work of the commission.

66.0309(5) (5) Chairperson; rules of procedure; records. Each regional planning commission shall elect its own chairperson and executive committee and shall establish its own rules of procedure, and may create and fill other offices as it may determine necessary. The commission may authorize the executive committee to act for it on all matters under rules adopted by it. The commission shall meet at least once each year. It shall keep a record of its resolutions, transactions, findings and determinations, which shall be a public record.

66.0309(6) (6) Director and employees. The regional planning commission shall appoint a director and such employees as it deems necessary for its work and may hire such experts and consultants for part-time or full-time service as may be necessary for the prosecution of its responsibilities.