Legislative Call to Action!

Folks, it is time for needed fairness and to change the law! 

Senate Bill 691 (SB691) / Assembly Bill 768 (AB768) allows certain towns to designate themselves as "urban towns", a designation that would limit the effect of extraterritorial zoning and plat approval and annexation by other municipalities. The Town of Washington would qualify for this designation and the protections this bill provides.

Under the bill...
1.  An urban town is not subject to extraterriorial zoning or plat review by a neighboring city. 
As an example, the City of Eau Claire can regulate any land division of town property owner's land within 3 miles of the city limits and the City of Altoona within 1.5 miles of the city limits which is also know as a city's extraterritorial jurisdiction (ETJ). Given this, the city can placehold larger tracts of land within the ETJ for city expansion. In other words, if you have property within the ETJ, a city can deny your desired land division in the town without recourse. You are subject to city regulation without representation.   

2.  Certain developed territory of an urban town may not be annexed to a city except by the unanimous approval of every landowner wanting to be annexed; no one-half approval annexations that subjects town landowners to undesired annexation of their land or the use of government, public, or railroad lands to make connections to areas sought for annexation. As examples, one-half approval annexations have taken place in the Town on CTH KB to CTH SS, Lowes Creek Park to Mischler Rd, and USH12.  

3.  An urban town may request the extension or connection of water or sewer service from an adjacent city. 

It is expected that the Senate Committee on Transportation and Local Government will have a hearing on this bill on Wednesday, January 10.  It is anticipated that the Assembly Committee on Local Government will be holding a hearing on the matter shortly thereafter. 

~~ Write These WI Legislators Today in SUPPORT of This Important Legislation ~~

Sample Letter to local legislator, Senator Jeff Smith 

     Send letter via email to:  Sen.Smith@legis.wisconsin.gov

Sample Letter to the Chair of the Senate Committee on Transportation and Local Government, Senator Cory Tomczyk

     Send letter via email to:  Sen.Tomczyk@legis.wisconsin.gov

     and courtesy copy committee members:   
     Sen.Cowles@legis.wisconsin.gov  
     Sen.Hutton@legis.wisconsin.gov 
     Sen.Carpenter@legis.wisconsin.gov 
     Sen.Pfaff@legis.wisconsin.gov

Sample Letter to the Chair of the Assembly Committee on Local Government, Representative Todd Novak 

     Send letter via email to:  Rep.Novak@legis.wisconsin.gov  

     and courtesy copy committee members:
     Rep.Donovan@legis.wisconsin.gov
     Rep.Gundrum@legis.wisconsin.gov 
     Rep.Maxey@legis.wisconsin.gov  
     Rep.Krug@legis.wisconsin.gov   
     Rep.Michalski@legis.wisconsin.gov   
     Rep.Pronschinske@legis.wisconsin.gov    
     Rep.Johnson@legis.wisconsin.gov    
     Rep.Baldeh@legis.wisconsin.gov  
     Rep.Conley@legis.wisconsin.gov    
     Rep.CAnderson@legis.wisconsin.gov    
     Rep.Ratcliff@legis.wisconsin.gov