Chapter 66

66.0423(1) (1) In this section:

66.0423(1)(a) (a) “Sale of merchandise” includes a sale in which the personal services rendered upon or in connection with the merchandise constitutes the greatest part of value for the price received, but does not include a farm auction sale conducted by or for a resident farmer of personal property used on the farm or the sale of produce or other perishable products at retail or wholesale by a resident of this state.

66.0423(1)(b) (b) “Transient merchant” means a person who engages in the sale of merchandise at any place in this state temporarily and who does not intend to become and does not become a permanent merchant of that place.

66.0423(2) (2) Cities and villages, and towns not subject to an ordinance enacted under s. 59.55 (4), may, by ordinance, regulate the retail sales, other than auction sales, made by transient merchants and provide penalties for violations of those ordinances.

66.0423 History History: 1989 a. 301, 359; 1999 a. 150 ss. 110, 250, 251; Stats. 1999 s. 66.0423.

66.0425 66.0425 Privileges in streets.

66.0425(1) (1) In this section, “privilege” means the authority to place an obstruction or excavation beyond a lot line, or within a highway in a town, village, or city, other than by general ordinance affecting the whole public.

66.0425(2) (2) A person may apply to a town or village board or the common council of a city for a privilege. A privilege may be granted if the applicant assumes primary liability for damages to person or property by reason of the granting of the privilege, is obligated to remove an obstruction or excavation upon 10 days’ notice by the state or the municipality and waives the right to contest in any manner the validity of this section or the amount of compensation charged. The grantor of the privilege may require the applicant to file a bond that does not exceed $10,000; that runs to the town, village, or city and to 3rd parties that may be injured; and that secures the performance of the conditions specified in this subsection. If there is no established lot line and the application is accompanied by a blue print, the town or village board or the common council of the city may impose any conditions on the privilege that it considers advisable.

66.0425(3) (3) Compensation for a privilege shall be paid into the general fund and shall be fixed by the governing body of a city, village or town or by the designee of the governing body.

66.0425(4) (4) The holder of a privilege is not entitled to damages for removal of an obstruction or excavation, and if the holder does not remove the obstruction or excavation upon due notice, it shall be removed at the holder’s expense.

66.0425(5) (5) Third parties whose rights are interfered with by the granting of a privilege have a right of action against the holder of the privilege only.

66.0425(6) (6) Subsections (1) to (5) do not apply to telecommunications carriers, as defined in s. 196.01 (8m), telecommunications utilities, as defined in s. 196.01 (10), alternative telecommunications utilities, as defined in s. 196.01 (1d), public service corporations, or cooperatives organized under ch. 185 to render or furnish gas, light, heat, or power, or to cooperatives organized under ch. 185 or 193 to render or furnish telecommunications service, but the carriers, utilities, corporations and associations shall secure a permit from the proper official for temporary obstructions or excavations in a highway and are liable for all injuries to person or property caused by the obstructions or excavations.

66.0425(7) (7) This section does not apply to an obstruction or excavation that is in place for less than 90 days, and for which a permit has been granted by the proper official. This section does not apply if a permit has been issued under s. 86.07 (2) with respect to a manure hose, or written consent has been given under s. 86.16 (1) with respect to a pipe or pipeline, transmitting liquid manure within or across the right-of-way of a highway.

66.0425(8) (8) This section applies to an obstruction or excavation by a city, village or town in any street, alley, or public place belonging to any other municipality.

66.0425(9) (9) Any person who violates this section may be fined not less than $25 nor more than $500 or imprisoned for not less than 10 days nor more than 6 months or both.

66.0425(10) (10) A privilege may be granted only as provided in this section.

66.0425 History History: 1985 a. 297; 1991 a. 316; 1993 a. 184, 246; 1997 a. 27; 1999 a. 150 ss. 111, 114; Stats. 1999 s. 66.0425; 2005 a. 441; 2015 a. 231.

66.0425 Annotation When the plaintiff fell due to a depression in a street enclosed as a temporary sidewalk, the city, not the indemnitor contractor, was primarily liable since the contractor did no excavation in the street and its enclosing of the street did not cause the defect. Webster v. Klug & Smith, 81 Wis. 2d 334, 260 N.W.2d 686 (1978).

66.0427 66.0427 Open excavations in populous counties. In a town, city or village in a county with a population of 750,000 or more no excavation for building purposes, whether or not completed, may be left open for more than 6 months without proceeding with the erection of a building on the excavation. If an excavation remains open for more than 6 months, the building inspector or other designated officer of the town, village or city shall order that the erection of a building on the excavation begin forthwith or that the excavation be filled to grade. The order shall be served upon the owner of the land or the owner’s agent and upon the holder of any encumbrance of record as provided in s. 66.0413 (1) (d). If the owner of the land fails to comply with the order within 15 days after service of the order upon the owner, the building inspector or other designated officer shall fill the excavation to grade and the cost shall be charged against the real estate as provided in s. 66.0413 (1) (f). Section 66.0413 (1) (h) applies to orders issued under this section. This section does not impair the authority of a city or village to enact ordinances in this field.

66.0427 History History: 1999 a. 150 s. 145; 2017 a. 207 s. 5.

66.0429 66.0429 Street barriers; neighborhood watch signs.

66.0429(1) (1) The governing body of a city, village or town may set aside streets or roads that are not a part of any federal, state or county trunk highway system for the safety of children in coasting or other play activities, and may obstruct or barricade the streets or roads to safeguard the children from accidents. The governing body of the city, village or town may erect and maintain on the streets or roads barriers or barricades, lights, or warning signs and is not liable for any damage caused by the erection or maintenance.

66.0429(2) (2) A city or village which has a neighborhood watch program authorized by the law enforcement agency of the city or village and in which the residents of the city or village participate may, in a manner approved by the city council or village board, place within the right-of-way of a street or highway within its limits a neighborhood watch sign of a uniform design approved by the department of transportation. No sign under this subsection may be placed within the right-of-way of a highway designated as part of the national system of interstate and defense highways.

66.0429(3) (3) 

66.0429(3)(a) (a) The governing body of a city may monitor or limit access to streets that are not part of any federal, state or county trunk highway system or connecting highway, as described in s. 84.02 (11), for the purposes of security or public safety. The governing body of a city may authorize gates or security stations, or both, to be erected and maintained to monitor traffic or limit access on these streets. The restriction of access to streets that is authorized under this subsection does not affect a city’s eligibility for state transportation aids.

66.0429(3)(b) (b) This subsection applies only to the city of Arcadia.

66.0429 History History: 1985 a. 194; 1987 a. 205; 1993 a. 113, 246; 1999 a. 150 s. 115; Stats. 1999 s. 66.0429.

66.0431 66.0431 Prohibiting operators from leaving keys in parked motor vehicles. The governing body of a city, village or town may by ordinance require every passenger motor vehicle to be equipped with a lock suitable to lock either the starting lever, throttle, steering apparatus, gear shift lever or ignition system; prohibit any person from permitting a motor vehicle in the person’s custody from standing or remaining unattended on any street, road, or alley or in any other public place, except an attended parking area, unless either the starting lever, throttle, steering apparatus, gear shift or ignition of the vehicle is locked and the key for that lock is removed from the vehicle; and provide forfeitures for violations of the ordinance. This section does not apply to motor vehicles operated by common carriers of passengers under ch. 194.

66.0431 History History: 1991 a. 316; 1993 a. 246; 1999 a. 150 s. 615; Stats. 1999 s. 66.0431.

66.0433 66.0433 Licenses for nonintoxicating beverages.

66.0433(1) (1) A town board, village board or common council may grant licenses to persons it considers proper for the sale of beverages containing less than 0.5 percent of alcohol by volume to be consumed on the premises where sold and to manufacturers, wholesalers, retailers and distributors of these beverages. The fee for a license shall be not less than $5 nor more than $50, to be fixed by the board or council, except that where these beverages are sold for consumption off the premises the license fee shall be $5. The license shall be issued by the town, village or city clerk, shall designate the specific premises for which granted and shall expire the next June 30 after issuance. The full license fee shall be charged for the whole or a fraction of the year. No beverages described in this paragraph may be manufactured, sold at wholesale or retail or sold for consumption on the premises, or kept for sale at wholesale or retail or for consumption on the premises where sold, without a license issued under this paragraph.

66.0433(1m) (1m) If a place of business moves from the premises designated in the license to another location in the town, village or city within the license period, the licensee shall give notice of the change of location, and the license shall be amended accordingly without payment of an additional fee. A license is not transferable from one person to another.

66.0433(2) (2) No license or permit may be granted to any person, unless to a domestic corporation or domestic limited liability company, not a resident of this state and of the town, village or city in which the license is applied for, nor, subject to ss. 111.321, 111.322 and 111.335, to any person who has been convicted of a felony, unless the person has been restored to civil rights.

66.0433(3) (3) A town board, village board or common council may by resolution or ordinance adopt reasonable and necessary regulations regarding the location of licensed premises, the conduct of the licensed premises, the sale of beverages containing less than 0.5 percent of alcohol by volume and the revocation of any license.

66.0433 History History: 1977 c. 125; 1981 c. 334 s. 25 (1); 1981 c. 380, 391; 1993 a. 112; 1999 a. 150 s. 156; Stats. 1999 s. 66.0433; 2017 a. 59.

66.0435 66.0435 Manufactured and mobile home communities.

66.0435(1) (1) Definitions. In this section:

66.0435(1)(am) (am) “Community” means a manufactured and mobile home community.

66.0435(1)(b) (b) “Licensee” means any person licensed to operate and maintain a manufactured and mobile home community under this section.

66.0435(1)(c) (c) “Licensing authority” means the city, town or village wherein a manufactured and mobile home community is located.

66.0435(1)(cg) (cg) “Manufactured and mobile home community” means any plot or plots of ground upon which 3 or more manufactured homes or mobile homes, occupied for dwelling or sleeping purposes, are located, regardless of whether a charge is made for the accommodation.

66.0435(1)(cm) (cm) “Manufactured home” has the meaning given in s. 101.91 (2) and includes any additions, attachments, annexes, foundations, and appurtenances.

66.0435(1)(d) (d) “Mobile home” has the meaning given in s. 101.91 (10) and includes any additions, attachments, annexes, foundations and appurtenances.

66.0435(1)(h) (h) “Person” means any natural individual, firm, trust, partnership, association, corporation or limited liability company.

66.0435(1)(hm) (hm) “Recreational mobile home” means a prefabricated structure that is no larger than 400 square feet, or that is certified by the manufacturer as complying with the code promulgated by the American National Standards Institute as ANSI A119.5, and that is designed to be towed and used primarily as temporary living quarters for recreational, camping, travel, or seasonal purposes.

66.0435(1)(i) (i) “Space” means a plot of ground within a manufactured and mobile home community, designed for the accommodation of one manufactured or mobile home.

66.0435(1)(j) (j) “Unit” means a single manufactured or mobile home.

66.0435(2) (2) Granting, revoking or suspending license.

66.0435(2)(a) (a) It is unlawful for any person to maintain or operate a community within the limits of a city, town or village, unless the person has received a license from the city, town or village.

66.0435(2)(b) (b) In order to protect and promote the public health, morals and welfare and to equitably defray the cost of municipal and educational services required by persons and families using communities for living, dwelling or sleeping purposes, a city council, village board and town board may do any of the following:

66.0435(2)(b)1. 1. Establish and enforce by ordinance reasonable standards and regulations for every community.

66.0435(2)(b)2. 2. Require an annual license fee to operate a community and levy and collect special assessments to defray the cost of municipal and educational services furnished to a community.

66.0435(2)(b)3. 3. Limit the number of units that may be located in any one community.

66.0435(2)(b)4. 4. Limit the number of licenses for communities in any common school district, if the development of a community would cause the school costs to increase above the state average or if an exceedingly difficult or impossible situation exists with regard to providing adequate and proper sewage disposal in the particular area.

66.0435(2)(c) (c) In a town in which the town board enacts an ordinance regulating manufactured and mobile homes under this section and has also enacted and approved a county zoning ordinance under the provisions of s. 59.69, the provisions of the ordinance which is most restrictive apply with respect to the establishment and operation of a community in the town.

66.0435(2)(d) (d) A license granted under this section is subject to revocation or suspension for cause by the licensing authority that issued the license upon complaint filed with the clerk of the licensing authority, if the complaint is signed by a law enforcement officer, local health officer, as defined in s. 250.01 (5), or building inspector, after a public hearing upon the complaint. The holder of the license shall be given 10 days’ written notice of the hearing, and is entitled to appear and be heard as to why the license should not be revoked. A holder of a license that is revoked or suspended by the licensing authority may within 20 days of the date of the revocation or suspension appeal the decision to the circuit court of the county in which the community is located by filing a written notice of appeal with the clerk of the licensing authority, together with a bond executed to the licensing authority, in the sum of $500 with 2 sureties or a bonding company approved by the clerk, conditioned for the faithful prosecution of the appeal and the payment of costs adjudged against the license holder.

66.0435(3) (3) License and monthly municipal permit fee.

66.0435(3)(a) (a) The licensing authority shall collect from the licensee an annual license fee of not less than $25 nor more than $100 for each 50 spaces or fraction of 50 spaces within each community within its limits. If the community lies in more than one municipality the amount of the license fee shall be determined by multiplying the gross fee by a fraction the numerator of which is the number of spaces in the community in a municipality and the denominator of which is the entire number of spaces in the community.

66.0435(3)(b) (b) The licensing authority may collect a fee of $10 for each transfer of a license.

66.0435(3)(c) (c)

66.0435(3)(c)1. 1. In addition to the license fee provided in pars. (a) and (b), each licensing authority shall collect from each unit occupying space or lots in a community in the licensing authority, except from recreational mobile homes as provided under par. (cm), from manufactured and mobile homes that constitute improvements to real property, from recreational vehicles as defined in s. 340.01 (48r), and from camping trailers as defined in s. 340.01 (6m), a monthly municipal permit fee computed as follows:

66.0435(3)(c)1.a. a. On January 1, the assessor shall determine the total fair market value of each unit in the taxation district subject to the monthly municipal permit fee.

66.0435(3)(c)1.b. b. The fair market value, determined under subd. 1. a., minus the tax-exempt household furnishings thus established, shall be equated to the general level of assessment for the prior year on other real and personal property in the district.

66.0435(3)(c)1.c. c. The value of each unit, determined under subd. 1. b., shall be multiplied by the general property gross tax rate, less any credit rate for the property tax relief credit, established on the preceding year’s assessment of general property.

66.0435(3)(c)1.d. d. The total annual permit fee, computed under subd. 1. c., shall be divided by 12 and shall represent the monthly municipal permit fee.

66.0435(3)(c)2. 2. The monthly municipal permit fee is applicable to units moving into the tax district any time during the year. The community operator shall furnish information to the tax district clerk and the assessor on units added to the community within 5 days after their arrival, on forms prescribed by the department of revenue. As soon as the assessor receives the notice of an addition of a unit to a community, the assessor shall determine its fair market value and notify the clerk of that determination. The clerk shall equate the fair market value established by the assessor and shall apply the appropriate tax rate, divide the annual permit fee thus determined by 12 and notify the unit owner of the monthly fee to be collected from the unit owner. Liability for payment of the fee begins on the first day of the next succeeding month and continues for the months in which the unit remains in the tax district.

66.0435(3)(c)3. 3. A new monthly municipal permit fee and a new valuation shall be established each January and shall continue for that calendar year.

66.0435(3)(c)4. 4. The valuation established is subject to review as are other values established under ch. 70. If the board of review reduces a valuation on which previous monthly payments have been made the tax district shall refund past excess fee payments.

66.0435(3)(c)5. 5. The monthly municipal permit fee shall be paid by the unit owner to the local taxing authority on or before the 10th of the month following the month for which the monthly municipal permit fee is due.

66.0435(3)(c)6. 6. The licensee of a community is liable for the monthly municipal permit fee for any unit occupying space in the community as well as the owner and occupant of each such unit, except that the licensee is not liable until the licensing authority has failed, in an action under ch. 799, to collect the fee from the owner and occupant of the unit. A municipality, by ordinance, may require the community operator to collect the monthly municipal permit fee from the unit owner.

66.0435(3)(c)8. 8. The credit under s. 79.10 (9) (bm), as it applies to the principal dwelling on a parcel of taxable property, applies to the estimated fair market value of a unit that is the principal dwelling of the owner. The owner of the unit shall file a claim for the credit with the treasurer of the municipality in which the property is located. To obtain the credit under s. 79.10 (9) (bm), the owner shall attest on the claim that the unit is the owner’s principal dwelling. The treasurer shall reduce the owner’s monthly municipal permit fee by the amount of any allowable credit. The treasurer shall furnish notice of all claims for credits filed under this subdivision to the department of revenue as provided under s. 79.10 (1m).

66.0435(3)(c)9. 9. No monthly municipal permit fee may be imposed on a financial institution, as defined in s. 69.30 (1) (b), that relates to a vacant unit that has been repossessed by the financial institution.

66.0435(3)(cm) (cm) Recreational mobile homes and recreational vehicles, as defined in s. 340.01 (48r), are exempt from the monthly municipal permit fee under par. (c). The exemption under this paragraph also applies to steps and a platform, not exceeding 50 square feet, that lead to a recreational mobile home or recreational vehicle, but does not apply to any other addition, attachment, patio, or deck.

66.0435(3)(d) (d) This section does not apply to a community that is owned and operated by any county under the provisions of s. 59.52 (16) (b).

66.0435(3)(e) (e) If a unit is permitted by local ordinance to be located outside of a licensed community, the monthly municipal permit fee shall be paid by the owner of the land on which it stands, and the owner of the land shall comply with the reporting requirements of par. (c). The owner of the land may collect the fee from the owner of the unit and, on or before January 10 and on or before July 10, shall transmit to the taxation district all fees owed for the 6 months ending on the last day of the month preceding the month when the transmission is required.

66.0435(3)(f) (f) Nothing in this subsection prohibits the regulation by local ordinance of a community.

66.0435(3)(g) (g) Failure to timely pay the tax prescribed in this subsection shall be treated as a default in payment of property tax and is subject to all procedures and penalties applicable under chs. 70 and 74.

66.0435(3)(h) (h) Each local governing body may enact an ordinance providing a forfeiture of up to $25 for failure to comply with the reporting requirements of par. (c) or (e). Each failure to report is a separate offense.

66.0435(3m) (3m) Community operator reimbursement. A community operator who collects a monthly municipal permit fee from a unit owner may deduct, for administrative expenses, 2 percent of the monthly fees collected.

66.0435(4) (4) Application for license. Original application for a community license shall be filed with the clerk of the licensing authority. Applications shall be in writing, signed by the applicant and shall contain the following:

66.0435(4)(a) (a) The name and address of the applicant.

66.0435(4)(b) (b) The location and legal description of the community.

66.0435(4)(c) (c) The complete plan of the community.

66.0435(6) (6) Renewal of license. Upon application by any licensee, after approval by the licensing authority and upon payment of the annual license fee, the clerk of the licensing authority shall issue a certificate renewing the license for another year, unless sooner revoked. The application for renewal shall be in writing, signed by the applicant on forms furnished by the licensing authority.

66.0435(7) (7) Transfer of license; fee. Upon application for a transfer of license the clerk of the licensing authority, after approval of the application by the licensing authority, shall issue a transfer upon payment of the required $10 fee.

66.0435(8) (8) Distribution of fees. The licensing authority may retain 10 percent of the monthly municipal permit fees collected in each month, without reduction for any amounts deducted under sub. (3m), to cover the cost of administration. The licensing authority shall pay to the school district in which the community is located, within 20 days after the end of each month, such proportion of the remainder of the fees collected in the preceding month as the ratio of the most recent property tax levy for school purposes bears to the total tax levy for all purposes in the licensing authority. If the community is located in more than one school district, each district shall receive a share in the proportion that its property tax levy for school purposes bears to the total school tax levy.

66.0435(9) (9) Municipalities; monthly municipal permit fees on recreational mobile homes and recreational vehicles. A licensing authority may assess monthly municipal permit fees at the rates under this section on recreational mobile homes and recreational vehicles, as defined in s. 340.01 (48r), except recreational mobile homes and recreational vehicles that are located in campgrounds licensed under s. 97.67, recreational mobile homes that constitute improvements to real property, and recreational mobile homes or recreational vehicles that are located on land where the principal residence of the owner of the recreational mobile home or recreational vehicle is located, regardless of whether the recreational mobile home or recreational vehicle is occupied during all or part of any calendar year.

66.0435(10) (10) Powers of municipalities. The powers conferred on licensing authorities by this section are in addition to all other grants of authority and are limited only by the express language of this section.

66.0435 History History: 1999 a. 5; 1999 a. 150 ss. 112, 158 to 161; Stats. 1999 s. 66.0435; 2005 a. 298; 2007 a. 11; 2015 a. 55; 2017 a. 365; 2023 a. 12.