Wis. Stat. § 60.61 — WI Code / Chapter 60 / Section 60.61
General zoning authority.
Status: in_force

(1) Purpose and construction.

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

(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.

(1m) Building code enforcement; appeal process.

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

(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.

(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:

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

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) .

2. The location of roads, schools, trades and industries.

3. The location, height, bulk, number of stories and size of buildings and other structures.

4. The percentage of a lot which may be occupied.

5. The size of yards, courts and other open spaces.

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

7. The location of buildings designed for specified uses.

8. The trades, industries or purposes that may be engaged in or subject to regulation.

9. The uses for which buildings may not be erected or altered.

(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.

(c) Establish building setback lines.

(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.

(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.

(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.

(g) Encourage the protection of groundwater resources.

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

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

(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:

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

(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

(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.

(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:

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

(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.

(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.

(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:

(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.

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

(3m) Migrant labor camps. The town board may not enact an ordinance or adopt a resolution that interferes with any repair or expansion of migrant labor camps, as defined in s. 103.90 (3) , that are in existence on May 12, 1992, if the repair or expansion is required by an administrative rule promulgated by the department of workforce development under ss. 103.90 to 103.97 . An ordinance or resolution of the town that is in effect on May 12, 1992, and that interferes with any repair or expansion of existing migrant labor camps that is required by such an administrative rule is void.

(3r) Zoning in shorelands.

(a) In this subsection, “shorelands” has the meaning given in s. 59.692 (1) (b) .

(b) A town may enact a zoning ordinance under this section that applies in shorelands, except as provided in par. (c) .

(c) A town zoning ordinance enacted under this section may not impose restrictions or requirements in shorelands with respect to matters regulated by a county shoreland zoning ordinance enacted under s. 59.692 affecting the same shorelands, regardless of whether the county shoreland zoning ordinance was enacted separately from, or together with, an ordinance enacted under s. 59.69 , except as provided in s. 59.692 (2) (b) .

(4) Procedure.

(a) The town board shall appoint a town zoning committee consisting of 5 members. The town zoning committee shall also include, as a nonvoting member, a representative from a military base or installation, with at least 200 assigned military personnel or that contains at least 2,000 acres, that is located in the town, if the base’s or installation’s commanding officer appoints such a representative.

(b) Before the town board may adopt an ordinance under sub. (2) , the town zoning committee shall recommend zoning district boundaries and appropriate regulations and restrictions for the districts. In carrying out its duties, the town zoning committee shall develop a preliminary report and hold a public hearing on the report before submitting a final report to the town board. The town zoning committee shall give notice of the public hearing on the preliminary report and of the time and place of the public hearing on the report by a class 2 notice under ch. 985 . The town zoning committee shall consider any comments made, or submitted, by the commanding officer, or the officer’s designee, of a military base or installation, with at least 200 assigned military personnel or that contains at least 2,000 acres, that is located in or near the town. If the town zoning committee makes a substantial change in its report following the public hearing, it shall hold another public hearing on the report. After the final report of the town zoning committee is submitted to the town board, the board may adopt an ordinance under sub. (2) following a public hearing held by the board on the proposed ordinance. The town board shall give notice of the public hearing on the proposed ordinance and of the time and place of the public hearing on the ordinance by a class 2 notice under ch. 985 . If the proposed ordinance has the effect of changing the allowable use of any property, the notice shall include either a map showing the property affected by the ordinance or a description of the property affected by the ordinance and a statement that a map may be obtained from the town board. A copy of an adopted ordinance shall be sent to the commanding officer, or the officer’s designee, of any military base or installation, with at least 200 assigned military personnel or that contains at least 2,000 acres, that is located in or near the town.

(c)

1. After the town board has adopted a town zoning ordinance, the board may alter, supplement or change the boundaries or regulations established in the ordinance if a public hearing is held on the revisions. The board shall give notice of any proposed revisions in the zoning ordinance and of the time and place of the public hearing on them by a class 2 notice under ch. 985 . If the proposed amendment would have the effect of changing the allowable use of any property, the notice shall include either a map showing the property affected by the amendment or a description of the property affected by the amendment and a statement that a map may be obtained from the town board. The board shall allow any interested person to testify at the hearing, and shall consider any comments made, or submitted, by the commanding officer, or the officer’s designee, of a military base or installation, with at least 200 assigned military personnel or that contains at least 2,000 acres, that is located in or near the town. If any proposed revision under this subdivision would make any change in an airport affected area, as defined in s. 62.23 (6) (am) 1. b. , the board shall mail a copy of such notice to the owner or operator of the airport bordered by the airport affected area.

3. A proposed amendment, supplement or change to the town zoning ordinance must be adopted by not less than a two-thirds vote of the town board if the proposed amendment, supplement or change would make any change in an airport affected area, as defined under s. 62.23 (6) (am) 1. b. and if a protest against the proposed revision is presented to the town board prior to or at the public hearing under subd. 1. by the owner or operator of the airport bordered by the airport affected area.

(d)

1. In this paragraph, “comprehensively revise” means to incorporate numerous and substantial changes in the zoning ordinance.

2. The town board may, by a single ordinance, comprehensively revise an existing town zoning ordinance. The ordinance shall be adopted under par. (b) .

(e) Neither the town board nor the town zoning committee may condition or withhold approval of a permit under this section based upon the property owner entering into a contract, or discontinuing, modifying, extending, or renewing any contract, with a 3rd party under which the 3rd party is engaging in a lawful use of the property.

(f) The town board shall maintain a list of persons who submit a written or electronic request to receive notice of any proposed ordinance or amendment that affects the allowable use of the property owned by the person. Annually, the town board shall inform residents of the town that they may add their names to the list. The town board may satisfy this requirement to provide such information by any of the following means: publishing a 1st class notice under ch. 985 ; publishing on the town’s Internet site; 1st class mail; or including the information in a mailing that is sent to all property owners. If the town zoning committee completes a final report on a proposed zoning ordinance and the town board is prepared to vote on the proposed ordinance under par. (b) or if the town board is prepared to vote on a proposed amendment under par. (c) 1. , the town board shall send a notice, which contains a copy or summary of the proposed ordinance or amendment, to each person on the list whose property, the allowable use or size or density requirements of which, may be affected by the proposed ordinance or amendment. The notice shall be by mail or in any reasonable form that is agreed to by the person and the town board, including electronic mail, voice mail, or text message. The town board may charge each person on the list who receives a notice by 1st class mail a fee that does not exceed the approximate cost of providing the notice to the person. An ordinance or amendment that is subject to this paragraph may take effect even if the town board fails to send the notice that is required by this paragraph.

(g) As part of its approval process for granting a conditional use permit under this section, a town may not impose on a permit applicant a requirement that is expressly preempted by federal or state law.

(4e) Conditional use permits.

(a) In this subsection:

1. “Conditional use” means a use allowed under a conditional use permit, special exception, or other special zoning permission issued by a town, but does not include a variance.

2. “Substantial evidence” means facts and information, other than merely personal preferences or speculation, directly pertaining to the requirements and conditions an applicant must meet to obtain a conditional use permit and that reasonable persons would accept in support of a conclusion.

(b)

1. If an applicant for a conditional use permit meets or agrees to meet all of the requirements and conditions specified in the town ordinance or those imposed by the town zoning board, the town shall grant the conditional use permit. Any condition imposed must be related to the purpose of the ordinance and be based on substantial evidence.