Realtors association ‘disappointed’ by Supreme Court zoning decision

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The Wisconsin Realtors Association said it’s “disappointed” by a recent Wisconsin Supreme Court decision preventing a northern Wisconsin resident from subdividing his shoreland property.

The majority ruled that the town of Newbold’s shoreland ordinance does not restrict how the resident used his land, meaning the ordinance in question technically wasn’t a zoning ordinance. The resident had argued that the shoreland ordinance created a statutory conflict because the same restriction would be unlawful if it had been enacted as a zoning ordinance.

In a statement released on Friday, the WRA said the court’s decision is a loss for the environment and “50 years of legislature-led precedence.”

Tom Larson, WRA executive vice president, said the ruling “opens the floodgates” to allow towns to set their own lot-size requirements, rather than follow state shoreland-zoning standards set by the Legislature.

The WRA said the change could lead to a decrease in development densities in shoreland areas and reductions in the value of vacant waterfront property and the amount of available waterfront inventory.

As one of Wisconsin’s largest trade associations, the WRA represents more than 16,400 professionals working in real estate.