The purpose of this chapter is to regulate and control the division
of land within the limits of the Town in order to promote the public
health, safety, morals, prosperity, aesthetics and general welfare
of the community; to lessen congestion in the streets and highways;
to further the orderly layout and appropriate use of land; to secure
safety from fire, panic and other dangers; to provide adequate light
and air; to prevent the overcrowding of land; to avoid undue concentration
of population; to facilitate adequate provision for transportation,
water, sewerage, schools, parks, playgrounds, and other public requirements;
to facilitate the division of larger tracts into smaller parcels of
land; to ensure adequate legal description and proper survey monumentation
of subdivided land; to provide for the administration and enforcement
of this chapter; and to provide penalties for its violation.
The regulations contained in this chapter are adopted pursuant
to the authority granted to Towns in § 236.45, Wis. Stats.,
as well as the general powers delegated to towns in Chapters 60 and
66, Wis. Stats.
In their interpretation and application, the provisions of this
chapter shall be held to be minimum requirements and shall be liberally
construed in favor of the Town and shall not be deemed a limitation
or repeal of any other power granted by the Wisconsin Statutes.
The provisions of this chapter are severable. If any provision
of the chapter is invalid, or if its application to any person or
circumstance is invalid, such invalidity shall not affect other provisions
or applications which can be given effect without the invalid provision
or application. It is further provided that if any provision of this
chapter is contrary to a subdivider protection, as that term is used
in 2009 Wisconsin Act 376, set forth in Chapter 236, Wis. Stats.,
the protection afforded in Chapter 236 shall prevail.
No person, firm or corporation shall divide any land located
within the jurisdictional limits of this chapter which results in
a subdivision, certified survey map, or a replat as defined herein
unless permitted by the Town. No such division or replat shall be
entitled to record and no street shall be laid out or improvements
made to land without compliance with all requirements of this chapter,
and Provisions of Chapter 236, Wisconsin Statutes.
A. Rules of the Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services.
Regulating lot size and lot elevation if provisions for public sewer
service to the land to be subdivided have not been made.
B. Rules of the agencies that are empowered to establish rules under
Wisconsin Statutes Chapter 236.
C. Comprehensive and/or land use plans or components of such plans prepared
by the Town, county, state, regional or other agencies duly adopted
by the Town Board.
D. All applicable local and county regulations, including zoning, sanitary,
building and Official Mapping ordinances.
[Amended 9-18-2014 by Ord. No. 2014-16]
A. Authorization required. Prior to starting any of the work covered
by the plans approved above, authorization to start the work shall
be obtained from the Town Zoning Administrator upon receipt of all
necessary permits and in accordance with the construction methods
of this chapter.
B. Contract. Before any final plat or certified survey map is inscribed
by the Clerk/Treasurer, the subdivider shall enter a contract with
the Town wherein the subdivider agrees to install all required improvements
within a reasonable time frame to be determined by the Town Board
based on the size and scope of the project. The Town Engineer shall
review and approve all improvements prior to the granting of approval
by the Zoning Administrator.
C. Security required.
(1) Except as provided in Subsection
C(4) herein, at the time said contract is entered, the subdivider shall, at the discretion of the subdivider, file a performance bond, certificate of deposit, irrevocable letter of credit, or certified check, with the Town in an amount equal to the estimated cost of the required public improvements as determined by the Town's Engineer and approved by the Town Board.
(2) The security posted shall be in such form as is acceptable to the
Town Board and approved by the Town Attorney. When a certificate of
deposit or certified check is posted as security, the instrument must
be negotiable by the Town. When a letter of credit is posted as security,
the Town must be the beneficiary.
(3) The security deposit shall guarantee that all required public improvements
will be completed according to Town specifications by the subdivider
or its contractors within a reasonable time.
(4) The subdivider may construct the public improvements in such phases
as the Town Board approves, which approval may not be unreasonably
withheld. If the public improvements will be constructed in phases,
the amount of security required herein shall be limited to the phase
of the project that is currently being constructed. Security for public
improvements shall not be required sooner than is reasonably necessary
before the commencement of the installation of the public improvements.
(5) Pursuant to § 236.13(2)(am)1a, Wis. Stats., security may
not be required for more than 14 months after the date that the public
improvements for which the security is provided are substantially
completed as that term is used in § 236.13(2)(am)2., Wis.
Stats.
(6) Upon substantial completion of the public improvements, the amount
of security that the subdivider is required to provide shall be limited
to the amount determined in § 236.13(2)(am)1a, Wis. Stats.
D. Water supply system design standards. If the area to be subdivided
is served by public facilities, there shall be provided a water supply
system in conformity with the master plan of the Rome Water Utility.
The subdivider shall construct water mains in such a manner as to
make adequate water service available to each lot within the subdivision
and shall provide the Town with an easement for such mains. If municipal
water service is not available, the subdivider shall provide substantiated
information indicating the amount and quality of available groundwater
at the time of platting. The Town may require a private water system
capable of serving the entire subdivision. The Town may require the
installation of water laterals to the street lot line. The size, type
and installation of all public water mains proposed to be constructed
shall be in accordance with plans and standard specifications set
by the Town, Rome Water Utility and State of Wisconsin.
E. Stormwater drainage facilities. Pursuant to this section, the subdivider
shall provide stormwater drainage facilities which may include curb
and gutter, catch basins and inlets, storm sewers, road ditches, open
channels and detention basins as may be required. All such facilities
are to be of adequate size and grade to hydraulically accommodate
the one-hundred-year storm event. Storm drainage facilities shall
be so designed as to present no hazard to life or property, and the
size, type and installation of all stormwater drains and sewers proposed
to be constructed shall be in accordance with all State of Wisconsin
DNR requirements and the plans and specifications shall be approved
by the Town Engineer licensed in Wisconsin. The subdivider shall pay
all costs of all storm sewer work.
(1) Where appropriate, natural drainageways shall be retained to minimize
interference with potential floodwater conveyance, floodwater storage,
wetlands, and both surface and subsurface hydrology. The Zoning Administrator
may, after consulting with the Town Engineer, recommend approval of
modifications to natural channels that are consistent with the other
provisions of this chapter.
(2) Storm sewers, where required, shall be designed and built to APWA
Standards.
(3) Stormwater systems shall be designed to minimize future operational
and maintenance expenses.
(4) Stormwater systems shall be designed to reduce the exposure of streets,
utilities and other public facilities to damage from stormwater.
(5) Stormwater drainage easements shall be provided where necessary for
maintenance of the stormwater facility, as determined by the Town
Engineer.
(6) On-site stormwater detention basins shall be required where needed
to protect public or private property from increased volumes or velocity
of stormwater runoff.
(7) Erosion and sedimentation controls shall be required during and after
new construction as needed to prevent increased erosion or increased
deposits of material downstream from the development.
(8) Development design shall accommodate large floods and smaller, more
frequent floods along the major and minor waterways.
(9) Development design shall provide at least one all-weather access
to every parcel designed to remain open during the one-hundred-year
storm event.
F. Other utilities. The subdivider shall cause gas, electrical power,
CATV and telephone facilities to be installed in such a manner as
to make adequate service available to each lot in the subdivision.
No such electrical, CATV or telephone service shall be located on
overhead poles; all utilities are to be underground. Plans indicating
the proposed location of all gas, electrical power, CATV and telephone
distribution and transmission lines required to service the plat shall
be approved by the Town Board, and such map shall be filed with the
Town Zoning Administrator.
G. Governmental units to which these security provisions apply may file,
in lieu of said security, a letter from officers authorized to act
on their behalf agreeing to comply with the provisions of this section.
H. Construction and inspection.
(1) During the course of construction, Town staff shall make such inspections
as deemed necessary to ensure compliance with the plans and specifications
as approved.
(2) The subdivider shall reimburse the Town for the actual costs incurred
by the Town for review and inspection of the subdivision. Such costs
include preparation and review of plans and specifications by an engineer,
planner and attorney, as well as other costs of a similar nature.
(3) Map requirement. After completion of all public improvements and
prior to final acceptance of said improvements, the subdivider shall
make or cause to be made a map showing the actual location of all
valves, manholes, stubs, sewers, water mains, and such other facilities
as the Town Board shall require. This map shall be on suitable paper
and shall bear the signature and seal of a professional engineer registered
in Wisconsin. The presentation of the map shall be a condition of
final acceptance of the improvements and release of the security assuring
their completion.
(4) Design capacity. All improvements shall be installed to satisfy the
service requirements for the service or drainage area in which the
subdivision is located and the improvements shall be of sufficient
capacity to handle the expected development of the overall service
or drainage area involved.
I. Road signs. The subdivider shall provide and install traffic control
signs, road name signs and building numbering signs of such a type
and in such location as required by Town ordinances and as designated
by the Director of Public Works.
[Amended 4-16-2020 by Ord. No. 20-05]
J. Easements.
(1) Adequate easements shall be provided and dedicated on each side of
all rear lot lines and on side lot lines where necessary, for the
installation of storm and sanitary sewers, gas, water, electric lines,
and communication lines. Such easements as required by the Town or
other private utility lines shall be noted as "Utility Easements"
on the final plat or certified survey map. Prior to approval of the
final plat or certified survey map, the concurrence of the electric
and communications companies serving the area as to the location and
width of the utility easements shall be noted on the final plat or
certified survey map. All easements for storm and sanitary sewers,
water and pedestrian walks, and other public purposes shall be noted
thereon as "Public Easement for" followed by reference to the use
or uses for which they are intended.
(2) The utility easements shall be graded to within six inches of final
grade by the subdivider, prior to the installation of such facilities,
and earth fill, piles or mound or mounds of dirt shall not be stored
on such easement areas. Utility facilities when installed on utility
easements shall not disturb any monumentation in the plat.
(3) A plat restriction shall be recorded with the final plat or certified
survey map stating that the final grade established by the subdivider
on the utility easements shall not be altered by more than six inches
by the subdivider, his agent, or by subsequent owners of the lots
on which such utility easements are located, except with written consent
of the utility or utilities involved. The purpose of this restriction
shall be to notify initial and future lot owners of the underground
facilities at the time of purchase and to establish responsibility
in the event of damage to such facilities or to the need to alter
such facilities. When the utility company uses a service application,
said application should also notify the initial and subsequent lot
owners of their responsibility regarding such underground facilities.
(4) Drainage easements. Where a subdivision is traversed by a watercourse,
drainageway, channel or stream, an adequate drainage way or easement
shall be provided as required by the Town Board. The location, width,
alignment and improvement of such drainage way or easement shall be
subject to the approval of the Plan Commission and shall comply with
the requirements of this section. Parallel streets or parkways may
be required in connection therewith.
Before final approval of any plat or certified survey map within
the limits of the Town, the subdivider shall install survey monuments
placed in accordance with the requirements of § 236.15 of
the Wisconsin Statutes and as may be required by the Town. The Town
Board may waive the placing of monuments required under § 236.15(1)(b),
(c) and (d), subject to Wisconsin Department of Administration approval
for a reasonable time on condition that the subdivider executes a
surety bond to insure the placing of such monuments within the time
required.
A replat or alteration of all or a part of any recorded subdivision
shall be governed by the provisions of § 236.36 through
276.445, Wis. Stats.
The vacation of plats and dedicated areas shall be governed
by the provisions of Chapter 236, Wis. Stats.
A fee shall be required for all applications for consideration and approval of certified survey maps and subdivisions. In addition, a fee shall be imposed for the review of the site plan pursuant to §
326-14A herein. All fees shall be imposed pursuant to a fee schedule established by the Town Board and subject to revision from time to time.
It shall be unlawful to build upon, divide, convey, record or
monument any land in violation of this chapter or of the Wisconsin
Statutes; and no person, partnership, firm, corporation, or entity
of any sort shall be issued a building permit by the Town authorizing
the building on, or improvement of, any land division, subdivision,
or replat within the jurisdiction of this chapter not of record as
of the effective date of this chapter until the provisions and requirements
of this chapter have been fully met. The Town may institute appropriate
action or proceedings to enjoin violations of this chapter or the
applicable Wisconsin Statutes.
Any person, firm or corporation who fails to comply with the
provisions of this chapter shall, upon conviction thereof, forfeit
not less than $100 nor more than $1,000. Each day a violation exists
or continues shall constitute a separate offense.
The following words and phrases shall have the designated meaning
unless a different meaning is expressly provided or the context clearly
indicates a different meaning:
ABUTTING
Have a common property line or district line.
ALLEY
A public right-of-way, which normally affords a secondary
means of vehicular access to abutting property.
APARTMENT
A room or suite of rooms in a multiple-family structure,
which is arranged, designed, used or intended to be used as a single
housekeeping unit. Complete kitchen facilities, permanently installed,
must always be included for each apartment.
ASSESSOR
The Assessor for the Town of Rome.
BOARD
The Rome Town Board.
BUILDING PERMIT
Permit issued by the Building Inspector allowing commencement
of project construction.
BUILDING SETBACK LINE
A line parallel with the lot line at a distance perpendicular
to it, regulated by the yard requirements set up in this Code.
CERTIFIED SURVEY MAP
A drawing meeting all of the requirements of § 236.34,
Wis. Stats., which is the map or plan of record for a land division.
DEVELOPMENT
Any artificial change to improved or unimproved real estate,
including, but not limited to, the construction of buildings, structures
or accessory structures; the construction of additions or substantial
improvements to buildings, structures or accessory structures; the
placement of building or structures; mining, dredging, filling, grading,
paving, excavation or drilling operations; and the storage, deposition
or extraction of materials, public or private sewerage disposal systems
or water supply facilities.
DISPOSAL
Disposal includes, but is not limited to, unloading, throwing
away, discarding, emptying, abandoning, discharging, burning, spreading
onto open fields, land spreading or burying waste, garbage, refuse,
or sludge on, into, or under any property or lands whether publicly
or privately owned within the Town of Rome.
EROSION
The detachment and movement of soil, sediment or rock fragments
by water, wind, ice or gravity.
EROSION CONTROL
A practice or a combination of practices implemented to prevent
or reduce erosion and the resulting deposition of soil, sediment or
rock fragments into waters of the state, public sewers or off the
owner's land. These procedures include, but are not limited to, silt
or filter fences, straw or hay bales, tarps or riprap, berms, sediment
basins or vegetative strips.
FLAG LOT
A lot which is without street frontage for much of its width
and which has access to a public road only by virtue of a narrow strip
of land where the driveway is usually located. Flag lots resemble
the shape of a flag and flagstaff. Flag lots are not generally considered
to conform to sound planning principles and the creation of flag lots
is prohibited, with limited exceptions.
[Added 2-18-2021 by Ord.
No. 21-03]
FLOODPLAIN
Land which is subject to flooding which is at or below base
flood elevation. The floodplain includes the flood way and flood fringe
areas.
FRONTAGE
The smallest dimension of a lot abutting a public street
measured along the street right-of-way line. For lots abutting a lake
or stream, the smallest dimension measured along the shoreline.
GRADE
The average level of the finished surface of the ground adjacent
to the exterior walls of the building or structure.
IMPROVEMENT, PUBLIC
Any sanitary sewer, storm sewer, open channel, water main,
roadway, park, parkway, public access, sidewalk, pedestrianway, planting
strip or other facility for which the Town may ultimately assume the
responsibility for maintenance and operation.
IRREVOCABLE LETTER OF CREDIT
An agreement entered into by a bank, credit union, savings
and loan or other financial institution which is insured by the FDIC
and which is authorized to do business in the State of Wisconsin and
which has a financial standing acceptable to the Town of Rome and
which is approved, as to form, by the Town Attorney.
LAND DIVISION
The creation of one or more lots, parcels or building sites
with an area of 15 acres each or less.
LOT
A parcel of land. A lot may be a parcel designated in a plat
or described in a conveyance recorded in the Office of the Register
of Deeds, or any part of a large parcel when such part complies with
the requirements of this Code as to width and area for the district
in which it is located.
LOT LINE
A property boundary line of any lot held in single or separate
ownership, except that where any portion of the lot extends into the
abutting street or alley, the lot line shall be deemed to be the abutting
street or alley right-of-way line.
MASTER PLAN
Any master, development, or regional plan adopted pursuant
to § 62.23, 59, 236, or 66.0309, Wis. Stats., which is applicable
to the Town of Rome.
[Amended 4-16-2020 by Ord. No. 20-03]
OCCUPANT
Any person occupying or having use of a building, structure,
premises of any part thereof.
OFFICIAL MAP
A map indicating the location, width, and extent of existing
and proposed streets, highways, parkways, parks and playground as
adopted and amended by the Town Board pursuant to § 62.23(6),
Wis. Stats.
OUTLOT
A parcel of land, other than a lot, building site, or block,
so designated on the plat or certified survey map.
OWNER
Includes the plural as well as the singular and may mean
either a natural person, firm, association, partnership, private corporation,
public or quasi-public corporation, or combination of these who shall
hold title to a building, structure or property, or who shall be in
actual possession of, or have charge, or control of building, structure,
or property as agent of the title holder, or who shall be trustee
or guardian of the estate or person of the title holder.
PARCEL
Contiguous land under the control of a subdivider, whether
or not separated by streets, highways, railroad rights-of-way, bodies
of water or waterways.
PARK
All grounds, structures and watercourses which are or may
be located within any area dedicated to the public use as a park,
parkway, public boat landing, public lake access, recreation facility
or conservancy district in the Town.
PERSON
Includes a corporation, firm partnership, association, organization
and any other group acting as a unit as well as individuals, including
a personal representative, receiver or other representative appointed
according to law. Whenever the term "person" is used in any section
of this chapter prescribing a penalty or fine, as to partnerships
or associations, the work shall include the partners or members thereof,
and as to corporations, shall include the officers, agents or members
thereof who are responsible for any violation of such section.
PLAT
The map, drawing or chart on which the subdivider's plat
of subdivision is presented to the Town for approval.
PRELIMINARY PLAT
A map showing the salient features of a proposed subdivision
or land division, as they are defined in this section, submitted to
the Town for purpose of preliminary consideration prior to all final
plats and, when required, prior to all land divisions.
[Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General
Provisions, Art. II)]
PUBLIC ACCESS
Any access to navigable water by means of public property.
PUBLIC WAY
Any public road, street, highway, walkway, drainageway, or
part thereof.
REPLAT
Process of changing, or the map or plat which changes, the
boundaries of a recorded subdivision plat or a part thereof. The division
of a block, lot or outlot within a recorded subdivision plat without
changing the exterior boundaries of said block, lot or outlot is not
a replat but is a land division.
RESIDENTIAL DWELLING UNIT
A single-family dwelling or that part of a duplex, apartment,
or other multiple-family dwelling occupied by one family or one distinct
set of inhabitants.
SCREENING
A structure or planting which conceals from view of public
ways and neighboring properties the area behind such structure or
planting.
SETBACK
The minimum allowable distance from a given point or line
of reference, such as a thoroughfare right-of-way, waterline, or prospective
line to the furthest projection element of a building or structure.
SIGN
Any medium, including its structure, words, letters, figures,
numerals, phrases, sentences, emblems, devices, designs, trade names
or trademarks by which anything is made known and which are used to
advertise or promote an individual, firm, association, corporation,
profession, business, commodity or product and which is visible from
any public street or highway.
SINGLE- OR TWO-FAMILY DWELLING
A building structure which contains one, two or separate
households intended to be used as a home, residence or sleeping place.
SITE PLAN
A plan prepared to scale, showing accurately and with complete
dimensioning the boundaries of a site and the location of all buildings,
structures, uses, and principal site design features proposed for
a specific parcel of land.
STREET
A public way for pedestrian and vehicular traffic whether
designated as a street, highway, thoroughfare, parkway, throughway,
road, avenue, boulevard, lane, place, or however otherwise designated.
STRUCTURE
Anything which has the capacity to contain, used for the
occupation or shelter of man or animal or for the storage, receiving,
retaining or confining of personal property, the use of which requires
permanent location on the ground or attachment to something having
permanent location on the ground. The term does not include the facilities
and appurtenances of public utilities other than buildings.
SUBDIVIDER
Any person, firm, corporation, partnership, or entity of
any sort, which divides or proposes to divide land in any manner which
results in a land division or subdivision.
SUBDIVISION
The division of a lot, parcel or tract of land where the
act of division:
A.
Creates five or more lots, parcels or building sites of 15 acres
each or less in area; or
B.
Creates five or more parcels or building sites of 15 acres each
or less in area by successive divisions within a period of five years.
TOWN
The Town of Rome situated in Adams County, Wisconsin.
TOWN ATTORNEY
Any attorney engaged by the Town to perform legal work relating
to this chapter.
TOWN BOARD or BOARD
The present governing body of the Town or any successors
to the legislative power of said body, or any duly appointed designate
thereof.
TOWN ENGINEER
Any engineer engaged by the Town to perform engineering services
relating to this chapter.
TOWN STAFF
Zoning Administrator, Police Chief, Fire Chief, Highway Commissioner
and any other professional engaged by the Town on a temporary, part-time
or full-time basis.
USE
The purpose or activity, for which the land or building thereof
is designed, arranged or intended, or for which it is occupied or
maintained.
UTILITIES
Public and private facilities, such as water wells, water
and sewage pumping stations, water storage tanks, electrical power
substations, static transformer stations, telephone and telegraph
exchanges, microwave radio relays and gas regulation stations, inclusive
of associated transmission facilities but not including sewage disposal
plants, municipal incinerators, warehouses, shops, storage yards and
power plants.
YARD
An open space on a lot which is unoccupied and unobstructed
by buildings from its lowest level to the sky.
YARD, FRONT
A yard extending along the full length of the front lot line
between the side lot lines.
YARD, REAR
A yard extending along the full length of the rear lot line
between the side lot lines.