Chapter 27 — PUBLIC PARKS AND PLACES OF RECREATION
24 sections in this chapter.
Wis. Stat. § 27.01 State parks
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27.01 State parks. (1) PURPOSE. It is declared to be the policy of the legislature to acquire, improve, preserve and administer a system of areas to be known as the state parks of Wisconsin. The purpose of the state parks is to provide areas for public recreation and for public e…
Wis. Stat. § 27.011 Copper Culture Mounds State Park
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27.011 Copper Culture Mounds State Park. The department of natural resources shall accept a grant of lands in the city of Oconto, Oconto County, and shall develop and maintain it as a state park to be known as Copper Culture Mounds State Park. History: 1973 c. 333.
Wis. Stat. § 27.014 Liability of vehicle owners
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27.014 Liability of vehicle owners. (1c) DEFINITION. In May 22, 2026, are designated by NOTES. (Published 5-22-26) 27.014 PARKS this section, with respect to a vehicle that is registered, or is required to be registered, by a lessee of the vehicle under ch. 341, “owner” means the…
Wis. Stat. § 27.016 State parks and forests grant program
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27.016 State parks and forests grant program. (1) In this section: (a) “Endowment fund” means an endowment, trust or other segregated fund for the benefit of a specific state park, southern state forest or state recreation area. (b) “Friends group” means a nonstock, nonprofit cor…
Wis. Stat. § 27.019 Rural planning
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27.019 Rural planning. (2) DEFINITION. “Rural planning” as used in this section means planning for the health, general welfare, and amenity of the settler; planning for the establishment of the best possible transportation facilities; planning for the creation and development of …
Wis. Stat. § 27.02 County park commission, appointment, term, oath
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27.02 shall not create a county rural planning committee but in such county the county park board or commission shall exercise and be possessed of all the powers and duties imposed upon the county rural planning committee by this section. History: 1977 c. 29 s. 1650m (4); 1979 c.…
Wis. Stat. § 27.03 Organization
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27.03 Organization. (1) Within 30 days after their appointment and qualification the said commissioners shall convene at the courthouse and perfect an organization; and thereupon such park commission shall have the usual powers of such bodies in addition to those hereinafter enum…
Wis. Stat. § 27.04 Preliminary survey
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27.04 Preliminary survey. (1) Except as provided under sub. (1m), the commission shall make a thorough study of the county with reference to making reservations and acquisitions of lands therein for public uses, the improvement of such lands for parks, playgrounds, forest reserva…
Wis. Stat. § 27.05 Powers of commission or general manager
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27.05 Powers of commission or general manager. The county park commission, or the general manager in counties with a county executive or county administrator, shall have charge and supervision of all county parks and all lands acquired by the county for park or reservation purpos…
Wis. Stat. § 27.06 Mill-tax appropriation
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27.06 Mill-tax appropriation. The county board may annually, at the same time that other county taxes are levied, levy a tax upon the taxable property of such county for the purchase of land and the payment of expenses incurred in carrying on the work of the park commission. In e…
Wis. Stat. § 27.065 County parks and parkways
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27.065 County parks and parkways. (1) LAND ACQUISITION. (a) The county board of any county which shall have adopted a county system of parks or a county system of streets and parkways, pursuant to s. 27.04, may acquire the lands necessary for carrying out all or part of such plan…
Wis. Stat. § 27.067 Penalties for damages in county parks
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27.067 Penalties for damages in county parks. (1) No person may destroy any notices, posted by a county, or break, tear up or mar trees, vines, shrubs or flowers, dislocate stones or disfigure natural conditions within the boundaries of any county park. (2) Any person who violate…
Wis. Stat. § 27.07 First class city option
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27.07 First class city option. Any city of the 1st class may, at its option, act under ss. 27.08, 27.09, 27.10, 27.11, 27.12 and
Wis. Stat. § 27.075 County exercise of municipal park powers
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27.075 County exercise of municipal park powers. (1) The county board of any county with a population of less than 750,000 is hereby vested with all powers of a local, legislative and administrative character for the purpose of governing, managing, controlling, improving and cari…
Wis. Stat. § 27.08 City park board, powers
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27.08 City park board, powers. (1) Every city may by ordinance create a board of park commissioners subject to this section, or otherwise as provided by ordinance. Such board shall be organized as the common council shall provide. (2) The board of park commissioners is empowered …
Wis. Stat. § 27.09 City forester, duties; tree planting
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27.09 City forester, duties; tree planting. (1) The board of park commissioners of every city may employ a city forester to take charge of and direct, subject to its supervision and control, all of the work authorized to be done under this section. It may also designate a municip…
Wis. Stat. § 27.10 Taxation and finance
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27.10 Taxation and finance. (1) IN CITIES UNDER 150,000. (a) The board of park commissioners in every city under 150,000 population shall, prior to October 1 in each year, make an estimate of the expenditures by said board during the ensuing calendar year including all necessary …
Wis. Stat. § 27.11 Board of public land commissioners
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27.11 Board of public land commissioners. (1) CREATED BY ORDINANCE. Every city may create by ordinance a board of public land commissioners consisting of the commissioner of public works, the city engineer, and 3 resident citizens, with power to convert streets and highways desig…
Wis. Stat. § 27.12 Nonliability
Wis. Stat. § 27.13 Town and village parks
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27.13 Town and village parks. Every town and village may provide and maintain parks, parkways, boulevards or pleasure drives pursuant to the provisions of this chapter which are applicable to cities. 27.14 Police protection. (1) Every city may exercise police supervision over all…
Wis. Stat. § 27.14 Police protection
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27.14 or any part thereof, or under any other law applicable to any such city of the 1st class. History: 1983 a. 192.
Wis. Stat. § 27.15 Moneys for cities of the 1st class, how disbursed
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27.15 Moneys for cities of the 1st class, how disbursed. All moneys received or raised in any city of the 1st class, however incorporated, for parks and boulevards, under the control of a board of park commissioners, shall be paid over to the city treasurer and shall be disbursed…
Wis. Stat. § 27.98 General penalty provision
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27.98 General penalty provision. Any person who violates any provision of this chapter or any department rule or order promulgated under this chapter for which no other penalty is prescribed is subject to a forfeiture of not more than $100. History: 1987 a. 27.
Wis. Stat. § 27.99 Parties to a violation
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27.99 Parties to a violation. (1) Whoever is concerned in the commission of a violation of this chapter for which a forfeiture is imposed is a principal and may be charged with and convicted of the violation although he or she did not directly commit PARKS 27.99 it and although t…