Filed Under: Appellate Law Municipal Law
Wisconsin Court of Appeals Rejects Village’s Attempt to Condemn Property for Sidewalk
To exercise the power of eminent domain, Wisconsin municipalities must comply with Chapter 32 of the Wisconsin Statutes. However, the power of eminent domain cannot be used to acquire property to create a “pedestrian way.” In a recently decided case, Sojenhomer LLC v. Village of Egg Harbor (2021AP1589 March 14, 2023) (publication recommended), the Wisconsin Court […]
Filed Under: Appellate Law Municipal Law
Court of Appeals Determines City Development Condition Is Unconstitutional Taking
This month, the Court of Appeals affirmed a circuit court decision that held that the City of Brookfield engaged in an unconstitutional taking when it conditioned the approval of a subdivision development on construction of a new public street. The Court of Appeals determined that this “exaction” was not permissible because it did not address […]
Filed Under: Appellate Law Municipal Law
Denial of Variance Request Regarding Lakefront Yard Setback Requirements
Cox v. City of Madison Zoning Board of Appeals, Appeal No. 2020AP478 (July 8, 2021) Kathleen Cox purchased property on Lake Mendota with the plan to demolish and rebuild the existing house and wet boathouse. A wet boathouse is one that is built over excavated shoreline with the lake water underneath, into which a boat […]
Filed Under: Appellate Law Municipal Law
Court of Appeals Accepts Petition for Interlocutory Appeal on Discretionary Immunity, Reverses in Favor of Stafford Rosenbaum’s Client to Dismiss Case
At the end of last week, the Court of Appeals recommended for publication an opinion resulting from a permissive interlocutory appeal sought by Stafford Rosenbaum on behalf of the City of Monroe. Stafford sought the appeal after the trial court denied the City’s motion for summary judgment asserting absolute and governmental immunity in response to […]
Filed Under: Appellate Law Municipal Law
Court of Appeals Holds that a Continuing Trespass Does Not Circumvent the Notice of Injury Requirements
The Wisconsin Court of Appeals recently found that a continuing trespass does not create a new “event” each day that it remains on the property. See Ebert v. Village of Gresham, 2020 WL 6278316, ¶¶ 2, 13. Because a new event is not created each day, a claimant must file a notice of injury within […]
Filed Under: Appellate Law Municipal Law
Court of Appeals Confirms that an Unimproved Platted Public Road May Not Be Adversely Possessed
A property owner, Timothy Casa De Calvo, sued the Town of Hudson claiming that he adversely possessed real property adjacent to his house. The property in question had been dedicated about 31 years before as a street on a subdivision plat. The circuit court granted summary judgment in favor of the Town, and the court […]
Filed Under: Appellate Law Municipal Law
Wisconsin Court of Appeals Allows Inclusion of Parking Lot Income in Milwaukee Property Tax Assessment
In Milwaukee Block 10 Properties v. City of Milwaukee, the Wisconsin Court of Appeals reaffirmed two key principles in its reversal of a circuit court decision which ordered the City of Milwaukee to revise its property tax assessment for the Aloft Hotel. First, Wisconsin affords substantial deference to property tax assessments prepared by municipalities. Property […]
Filed Under: Government Law Municipal Law
Unique COVID-19 Recovery Needs Addressed through Local Government Aid
Last week Governor Evers announced a $200 million program for local leaders entitled “Routes to Recovery: Local Government Aid Grants.” The program intends to address Wisconsin communities’ urgent and unique situations surrounding COVID-19 recovery. Funded by federal CARES Act dollars, these grants are in addition to the $1 billion in state-wide COVID-19 related aid that […]
Filed Under: Environment and Land Use Law Municipal Law
Stafford Rosenbaum Helps Pier Owner Simplify Wisconsin Law on Permit Exemptions
Recently the Court of Appeals released an opinion holding that municipal pier regulations enacted pursuant to Wis. Stat. § 30.13(2) cannot be applied to a pier that qualifies for a state permit exemption under Wis. Stat. § 30.12(1g)(f). As a result, the Court of Appeals reversed the trial court’s decision in order to rule in […]
Filed Under: Appellate Law Government Law Municipal Law
Court Reiterates that Not All Government Actions that Diminish Property Value Are Compensable
State and local governments have a variety of powers. They can take private property for public use, but they have to fairly compensate the property owner. They can also use their police power—a broad array of authority to protect public health and safety—to regulate the use of property. The Wisconsin Court of Appeals’ recent decision […]
Filed Under: Government Law Municipal Law
The CARES Act’s $500 Billion Municipal Liquidity Facility: What’s in It for Wisconsin Municipalities?
Section 4003(a) in Title IV of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (the “CARES Act”) provides the much discussed $500 billion “bailout” that will be used under Section 4003(b) to finance (1) finance airlines, (2) cargo air carriers, (3) “national security” businesses, and, (4) Federal Reserve programs to lend to, or otherwise support […]
Filed Under: Government Law Municipal Law
The Coronavirus Relief Fund: Show Wisconsin Municipalities the Money
Direct Grants to States for Coronavirus Expenses Title V of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (the “CARES Act” or the “Act”), Section 5001, provides for the distribution of $139 billion to the States, excluding the District of Columbia, from the Coronavirus Relief Fund (a new Title VI to the Social Security Act). […]
Filed Under: Appellate Law Government Relations Municipal Law
Seventh Circuit Reaffirms Stringent Standards for Municipal Liability in Civil Rights Actions
Since the United States Supreme Court’s seminal decision in Monell v. New York Department of Social Services, a municipality can be only found liable for civil rights claims brought under 42 U.S.C § 1983 if a plaintiff can show that a policy or custom of the municipality caused the violation of his or her constitutional […]
Filed Under: Municipal Law
Public Records Requests: Form Matters
Wisconsin’s Public Records Law requires officials to provide “the greatest possible information” in response to public records requests. Wis. Stat. § 19.31. In Lueders v. Krug, the Wisconsin Court of Appeals, District II, clarified that this mandate requires officials to provide electronic copies of materials if electronic copies are requested. In June 2016, Bill Lueders emailed […]
Filed Under: Municipal Law
Scabby the Rat is Deflated
Daphne Webb, an attorney with Stafford Rosenbaum LLP, has again been named the Best Lawyers Lawyer of the Year for Family Law Mediation in Madison and a Top 25 Women Wisconsin Super Lawyer. In addition, National Trial Lawyers named her as a Top 100 Wisconsin Trial Lawyer. Ms. Webb appears on the front cover of the Wisconsin 2011 edition of Super Lawyers magazine and in a featured article in the magazine.
Filed Under: Municipal Law
U.S. Supreme Court Holds That Federal Age Discrimination Law Applies to All Public Employers
Stafford’s Barb Neider co-authored the recently published article, “Not Authorized! Employees and Computer Fraud” with Joseph Diedrich. This article appears in the June issue of the Wisconsin Lawyer, the official monthly publication of the State Bar of Wisconsin.
Filed Under: Appellate Law Municipal Law
Court of Appeals Suggests Possible Path To Waiver of PFC Review
Court of Appeals Suggests Possible Path To Waiver of PFC Review Can a municipality and a public safety employee agree to waive the disciplinary process before a police and fire commission under Wis. Stat. § 62.13(5). Yes, at least in some circumstances, according to the Wisconsin Court of Appeals. City of Janesville v. WERC, 193 […]
Filed Under: Appellate Law Municipal Law
Condemnor’s Duty to Negotiate in Good Faith is Limited to Compensation
Condemnor’s Duty to Negotiate in Good Faith is Limited to Compensation In Zastrow v. American Transmission Company LLC, Case No. 17-AP-1848 (July 3, 2018) (unpublished) the Wisconsin Court of Appeals confirmed that a condemnor’s duty to negotiate in good faith relates only to the issue of compensation. American Transmission Company (ATC) held a pre-existing transmission […]
Filed Under: Municipal Law
Wis. Supreme Court Finds TID Findings are Legislative Determinations, Subject to Certiorari Review
Wis. Supreme Court Finds TID Findings are Legislative Determinations, Subject to Certiorari Review In a recent 5-2 decision, the Wisconsin Supreme Court held, inter alia, that findings of blight and a corresponding need for Tax Incremental Districts (TIDs) were “legislative determinations” and therefore not susceptible to full declaratory judgment review. Voters with Facts v. City […]
