Section 66.0627. Special charges for current services and energy and water efficiency improvement loans.

 

(1)  In this section:

(a) “Energy efficiency improvement" means an improvement to a residential, commercial, or industrial premises that reduces the usage of energy, or increases the efficiency of energy usage, at the premises.

(b) “Political subdivision" means a city, village, town, or county.

(c) “Service" includes snow and ice removal, weed elimination, street sprinkling, oiling and tarring, repair of sidewalks or curb and gutter, garbage and refuse disposal, recycling, storm water management, including construction of storm water management facilities, tree care, removal and disposition of dead animals under s. 60.23 (20) , loan repayment under s. 70.57 (4) (b) , soil conservation work under s. 92.115 , and snow removal under s. 86.105 .

(d) “Water efficiency improvement" means an improvement to a residential, commercial, or industrial premises that reduces the usage of water, or increases the efficiency of water usage, at the premises.

(2)  Except as provided in sub. (5) , the governing body of a city, village or town may impose a special charge against real property for current services rendered by allocating all or part of the cost of the service to the property served. The authority under this section is in addition to any other method provided by law.

(3)  

(a) Except as provided in par. (b) , the governing body of the city, village or town may determine the manner of providing notice of a special charge.

(b) Before a special charge for street tarring or the repair of sidewalks, curbs or gutters may be imposed, a public hearing shall be held by the governing body on whether the service in question will be funded in whole or in part by a special charge. Any interested person may testify at the hearing. Notice of the hearing shall be by class 1 notice under ch. 985 , published at least 20 days before the hearing. A copy of the notice shall be mailed at least 10 days before the hearing to each interested person whose address is known or can be ascertained with reasonable diligence. The notice under this paragraph shall state the date, time and location of the hearing, the subject matter of the hearing and that any interested person may testify.

(4)  A special charge is not payable in installments. If a special charge is not paid within the time determined by the governing body, the special charge is delinquent. A delinquent special charge becomes a lien on the property against which it is imposed as of the date of delinquency. The delinquent special charge shall be included in the current or next tax roll for collection and settlement under ch. 74 .

(5)  Except with respect to storm water management, including construction of storm water management facilities, no special charge may be imposed under this section to collect arrearages owed a municipal public utility.

(6)  If a special charge imposed under this section is held invalid because this section is found unconstitutional, the governing body may reassess the special charge under any applicable law.

(7)  Notwithstanding sub. (2) , no political subdivision may enact an ordinance, or enforce an existing ordinance, that imposes a fee on the owner or occupant of property for a call for assistance that is made by the owner or occupant requesting law enforcement services that relate to any of the following:

(a) Domestic abuse, as defined in s. 813.12 (1) (am) .

(b) Sexual assault, as described under ss. 940.225 , 948.02 , and 948.025 .

(c) Stalking, as described in s. 940.32 .

(8)  

(a) A political subdivision may make a loan, or enter into an agreement regarding loan repayments to a 3rd party for owner-arranged or lessee-arranged financing, to an owner or lessee of a premises located in the political subdivision for making or installing an energy efficiency improvement, a water efficiency improvement, or a renewable resource application to the premises. If a political subdivision makes a loan or enters into an agreement under this paragraph, the political subdivision may collect the loan repayment as a special charge under this section. Notwithstanding sub. (4) , a special charge imposed under this paragraph may be collected in installments and may be included in the current or next tax roll for collection and settlement under ch. 74 even if the special charge is not delinquent.

(b) A political subdivision that imposes a special charge under par. (a) may permit special charge installments to be collected by a 3rd party that has provided financing for the improvement or application and may require that the 3rd party inform the political subdivision if a special charge installment is delinquent.

(c) An installment payment authorized under par. (a) that is delinquent becomes a lien on the property that benefits from the improvement or application as of the date of delinquency. A lien under this paragraph has the same priority as a special assessment lien.

(d) A political subdivision that, under par. (a) , makes a loan to, or enters an agreement with, an owner for making or installing an improvement or application that costs $250,000 or more shall require the owner to obtain a written guarantee from the contractor or project engineer that the improvement or application will achieve a savings-to-investment ratio of greater than 1.0 and that the contract or engineer will annually pay the owner any shortfall in savings below this level. The political subdivision may determine the method by which a guarantee under this paragraph is enforced.

(e) If the making or installing of an improvement or application under par. (a) costs less than $250,000, the political subdivision may require a 3rd-party technical review of the projected savings of the improvement or application as a condition of making a loan or entering into an agreement under par. (a) .

1999 a. 150 ; 2007 a. 4 , 184 ; 2009 a. 11 , 272 ; 2011 a. 138 . A special assessment against a church was not barred by s. 70.11 (4). Grace Episcopal v. Madison, 129 Wis. 2d 331 , 385 N.W.2d 200 (Ct. App. 1986). A city may impose special charges for delinquent electric bills due a municipal utility. Laskaris v. City of Wisconsin Dells, 131 Wis. 2d 525 , 389 N.W.2d 67 (Ct. App. 1986). The cost of service to a property under this section does not include the cost of legal services incurred by the municipality in defending against challenges to the removal of materials from a ditch under s. 88.90. Robinson v. Town of Bristol, 2003 WI App 97 , 264 Wis. 2d 318 , 667 N.W.2d 14 , 02-1247 . The examples given in sub. (1) are not meant to limit its application in any way, but merely to highlight possible uses. The special charge need only provide a service, not a benefit, to the property owner. Under s. 74.01 (4) a special charge is a charge against real property to compensate for all or part of the costs to a public body of providing services to the property. Rusk v. City of Milwaukee, 2007 WI App 7 , 298 Wis. 2d 407 , 727 N.W.2d 358 , 05-2630 . State property is not subject to assessment of special charges under former s. 66.60 (16) [now s. 66.0627]. 69 Atty. Gen. 269.