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Municipalities Digest

Mar 22, 2011

2008AP3182 Ottman v. Town of Primrose

Municipalities Judicial review Where the language of a municipality’s ordinance appears to be unique and does not parrot a state statute but rather was drafted by the municipality in an effort to address a local concern, courts should defer to the municipality’s interpretation if it is reasonable. “A central consideration in administrative agency cases is […]

Feb 16, 2011

2010AP1162 Highway J Citizens Group U.A. v. Village of Richfield

Municipalities Annexation; standing Highway J Citizens Group (HJCG) appeals from a judgment dismissing its complaint challenging the annexation of property in the Town of Polk by the Village of Richfield. The circuit court determined that HJCG lacked standing to challenge the annexation. HJCG argues it has standing because the annexation causes its members pecuniary injury […]

Feb 16, 2011

2010AP1186 Smerz v. Delafield Town Board

Municipalities Discontinuation of alleys; standing A property owner whose property does not abut a discontinued alley has no standing to challenge the discontinuance. “Even though he does not assert that any of the objectors’ land abuts the  discontinued segments, Smerz argues that he nonetheless has standing because of  a single sentence in § 66.1003(3): ‘The […]

Feb 8, 2011

2010AP2193-FT City of Shawano v. Sense

Municipalities Liquor licenses Darlene Sense was convicted of violating a municipal ordinance that prohibits refusal to permit inspection of premises that are subject to a liquor license. Sense argues she could not be found guilty of the ordinance violation because: (1) she was cited for an action not contemplated by the ordinance; (2) there was […]

Jan 11, 2011

2010AP1987 Vitrano v. Milwaukee Police Department

Municipalities Notice of claim Thomas Vitrano, pro se, appeals the dismissal of his small claims action against the Milwaukee Police Department for return of property taken during the execution of a search warrant. Because we conclude that Vitrano failed to name a suable defendant and failed to properly file a notice of his claim, we […]

Dec 22, 2010

2010AP70 Acevedo v. City of Kenosha

Municipalities Zoning; certiorari Certiorari review of a zoning decision must be sought against the zoning board of appeals, not the municipality. “Looking first at the city planning statute, Wis. Stat. § 62.23(7)(e)10. provides: Any person or persons, jointly or severally aggrieved by any decision of the board of appeals, or any taxpayer, or any officer, […]

Nov 30, 2010

2009AP2279 Renneke v. Florence Utility Commission, et al.

Municipalities Notice of claim; governmental immunity Frederick Eldred Renneke, pro se, appeals from an order dismissing his complaint against the Florence Utility Commission (the utility). Because Renneke did not file any affidavits to counter those filed by the utility and because the utility’s affidavits show it is entitled to summary judgment, we affirm. This opinion […]

Nov 30, 2010

2009AP2681 Cross v. Milwaukee Municipal Court, et al.

Municipalities Citations; mandamus Ben Cross takes issue with parking tickets he received from the City of Milwaukee between July and October 2008. He filed a petition for writ of mandamus against the City, the Milwaukee Municipal Court, the Milwaukee Municipal Court Clerk, the Milwaukee City Attorney and the Milwaukee Department of Public Works, seeking an […]

Nov 18, 2010

2010AP325 Stachowiak v. Shawano County Zoning Board

Municipalities Judicial review; equitable estoppel Tammy Stachowiak appeals an order dismissing her appeal from a ruling by the Shawano County Board of Adjustment. The dispositive issue is whether the County is equitably estopped from asserting that Stachowiak failed to follow the required procedure to seek review. We conclude it is estopped, and we reverse. This […]

Nov 16, 2010

2009AP1871, 2009AP2181 Town of Rockland v. Green Bay Metropolitan Sewerage District, et al.

Municipalities Annexation; judicial review In appeal No. 2009AP2181, Green Bay Metropolitan Sewerage District (GBMSD) appeals a circuit court judgment that modified a GBMSD Commission decision annexing the City of De Pere to the District. The Commission decision had incorporated an “Annexation and Consolidation Agreement” between De Pere and GBMSD. The circuit court modified the Commis[...]

Nov 3, 2010

2010AP229 Kruse v. Walworth County Department of Land Use and Resource Management, et al.

Municipalities Declaratory judgment Walworth County Department of Land Use and Resource Management (LURM) and Walworth County Board of Adjustment (BOA) (collectively, the County) appeal from a declaratory judgment entered in favor of Robert W. Kruse, as trustee of the Robert W. Kruse Trust, and Carole L. Kruse, as trustee of the Carole L. Kruse Trust. […]

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