Chapter 62 — CITIES

62.01 Saving clause. That no inconvenience may arise by reason of change of government of cities from special charter to general charter, or by reason of the revision of the general charter law, it is declared that: (1) All vested rights, pending actions and prosecutions, and exi…

62.02 Repeal of special charters. All special charters for cities of the 2nd, 3rd and 4th classes are hereby repealed and such cities are hereby incorporated under this subchapter. The city clerk shall forthwith certify the boundaries of such city to the secretary of administrati…

62.03 First class cities excepted. (1) This subchapter, except ss. 62.071, 62.08 (1), 62.09 (1) (e) and (11) (j), (k), and (m), 62.175, 62.23 (7) (em) and (he), and 62.237, does not apply to 1st class cities under special charter. (2) Any such city may adopt by ordinance this sub…

62.04 Intent and construction. It is declared to be the intention of the revision of the city charter law, to grant all the privileges, rights and powers, to cities which they heretofore had unless the contrary is patent from the revision. For the purpose of giving to cities the …

62.071 Annexations to cities of the first class. (1) Except as provided in subs. (3) and (4), no petition for annexation to a city operating its schools under ch. 119 shall be considered which will result in detachment of more than 20 percent of the equalized value of a school di…

62.075 Detachment of farm lands from cities. (1) PROCEDURE. When land used for agricultural purposes of an area of 200 acres or more contiguous to the boundary of any city, whether of one or more farms, which shall have been within the corporate limits of such city for 20 years o…

62.08 Alteration of aldermanic districts. (1) Within 60 days after the wards have been readjusted under s. 5.15 (1) and (2) the common council of every city, including every 1st class city, shall redistrict the boundaries of its aldermanic districts, by an ordinance introduced at…

62.09 Officers. (1) ENUMERATION AND CHANGE. (a) The officers shall be a mayor, treasurer, clerk, comptroller, attorney, engineer, one or more assessors unless the city is assessed by a county assessor under s. 70.99, one or more constables as determined by the common council, a l…

62.11 Common council. (1) HOW CONSTITUTED. The mayor and alderpersons shall be the common council. The mayor shall not be counted in determining whether a quorum is present at a meeting, but may vote in case of a tie. When the mayor does vote in case of a tie the mayor’s vote sha…

62.115 Defense of officers by city attorney. (1) The common council of any city, however incorporated, may by ordinance or resolution authorize the city attorney to defend actions brought against any officer or employee of such city or of any board or commission thereof, growing …

62.12 Finance. (1) FISCAL YEAR. The calendar year shall be the fiscal year. (2) BUDGET. Annually on or before October 1, each officer or department shall file with the city clerk an itemized statement of disbursements made to carry out the powers and duties of the officer or depa…

62.13 Police and fire departments. (1) COMMISSIONERS. Except as provided in subs. (2), (2g), (2s), and (8) (b) each city shall have a board of police and fire commissioners consisting of 5 citizens, 3 of whom shall constitute a quorum. The mayor shall annually, between the last M…

62.133 Ambulance service. The common council may purchase, equip, operate and maintain ambulances and contract for ambulance service with one or more providers for conveyance of the sick or injured. The common council may determine and charge a reasonable fee for ambulance servic…

62.135 Highway safety coordinator. In cities with a population of 150,000 and more, the mayor may appoint a city highway safety coordinator who shall be a member of the city agency or commission responsible for traffic accident analysis and traffic safety related matters. The com…

62.15 Public works. (1) CONTRACTS; HOW LET; EXCEPTION FOR DONATED MATERIALS AND LABOR. All public construction, the estimated cost of which exceeds $25,000, shall be let by contract to the lowest responsible bidder; all other public construction shall be let as the council may di…

62.155 Acquisition of facilities without bids. A city may contract for the acquisition of any element of the following without submitting the contract for bids as required under s. 62.15 if the city invites developers to submit proposals to provide a completed project and evaluat…

62.16 Street grades; service pipes. (1) GRADE. (a) Establishment; damage. The council shall have authority to establish the grade of all streets and alleys in the city, and to change and reestablish the same as it deems expedient. Whenever it changes or alters the permanently est…

62.17 Enforcement of building codes. For the purpose of facilitating enforcement of municipal and state building, plumbing, electrical and other such codes, ordinances or statutes established for the protection of the health and safety of the occupants of buildings referred to el…

62.175 Sewer and water extensions in 1st and 2nd class cities; sewage from other municipalities. (1) First class cities may construct and extend the sewer and water system into the adjoining towns, subject to s. 200.63. The extensions shall be made without expense to the cities. …

62.18 Sewers. (1) CITIES MAY CONSTRUCT. Cities shall have power to construct systems of sewerage, including a sewage disposal plant and all other appurtenances thereto, to make additions, alterations and repairs to such systems and plants, and when necessary abandon any existing …

62.185 Sewer district bonds. Whenever a city is divided into sewer districts, bonds may be issued against any such district for the purpose of paying the district’s portion of any sewer. Said bonds shall be issued in the manner authorized and provided by ch. 67. Such bonds shall …

62.19 Water and heat pipe extensions. The expense of laying water and heat mains which are extensions to mains of a private utility under written contract with a city to lay or extend mains on order of the council, shall be defrayed by the city at large, or by the abutting proper…

62.22 Acquiring property; opening or changing streets. (1) PURPOSES. (a) Except as provided in par. (b), the governing body of any city may by gift, purchase or condemnation acquire property, real or personal, within or outside the city, for parks, recreation, water systems, sewa…

62.225 Recycling or resource recovery facilities. A city may establish and require use of facilities for the recycling of solid waste or for the recovery of resources from solid waste as provided under s. 287.13. History: 1983 a. 27; 1989 a. 335 s. 89; 1995 a. 227.

62.23 City planning. (1) COMMISSION. (a) The council of any city may by ordinance create a “City Plan Commission,” to consist of 7 members. The commission shall also include, as a nonvoting member, a representative from a military base or installation, with at least 200 assigned …

62.231 Zoning of wetlands in shorelands. (1) DEFINITIONS. As used in this section: (a) “Shorelands” has the meaning specified under s. 59.692 (1) (b). (b) “Wetlands” has the meaning specified under s. 23.32 (1). (2) FILLED WETLANDS. Any wetlands which are filled prior to the date…

62.232 Required notice on certain approvals. (1) In this section, “wetland” has the meaning given in s. 23.32 (1). (2) (a) Except as provided in par. (b), a city that issues a building permit or other approval for construction activity, shall CITIES 62.233 give the applicant a wr…

62.233 Zoning of annexed or incorporated shorelands. (1) In this section: (a) “Principal building” means the main building or structure on a single lot or parcel of land and includes any attached garage or attached porch. (b) “Shorelands” has the meaning given in s. 59.692 (1) (b…

62.234 Construction site erosion control and storm water management zoning. (1) DEFINITION. As used in this section, “department” means the department of natural resources. (2) AUTHORITY TO ENACT ORDINANCE. To effect the purposes of s. 281.33 and to promote the public health, saf…

62.237 Municipal mortgage housing assistance. (1) DEFINITIONS. In this section: (a) “Debt service” means the amount due of principal, interest and premium for mortgage revenue bonds or revenue bonds issued under this section. (b) “Dwelling” means any structure used or intended to…

62.25 Claims and actions. (1) CLAIMS. No action may be brought or maintained against a city upon a claim or cause of action unless the claimant complies with s. 893.80. This subsection does not apply to actions commenced under s. 19.37, 19.97 or 281.99. (2) ACTIONS. (a) Damages, …

62.26 General provisions. (1) LAWS IN FORCE. The general laws for the government of cities, villages and towns, the assessment and collection of taxes, the preservation of public and private property, highways, roads and bridges, the punishment of offenders, the collection of pen…

62.50 Police and fire departments in 1st class cities. (1e) DEFINITION. In this section, “offense” means any felony or Class A or Class B misdemeanor violation of any of the following: (a) Chapters 940 and 941. May 22, 2026, are designated by NOTES. (Published 5-22-26) 62.50 CITI…

62.51 Mayoral appointments in 1st class cities. (1) In this section: (a) “Public office” means the following positions or their equivalent: city engineer; city purchasing agent; commissioner of building inspection, of city development, of health or of public works; director of ad…

62.53 Real property used for school purposes; 1st class cities. Beginning on July 14, 2015, the lessor of any lease entered into between a 1st class city and a school district operating under subch. I of ch. 119 and involving the use of cityowned real property for school purposes…

62.55 Requirements for surety bonds of officers and employees in 1st class cities. If an office or position in the service of a 1st class city involves fiduciary responsibility or the handling of money, the appointing officer may require the appointee to furnish a bond or other s…

62.57 Uniform salaries in 1st class cities. The common council of a 1st class city may at any regular or special meeting adopt a uniform and comprehensive salary or wage ordinance, or both, based on a classification of officers, employments and positions in the city service, whet…

62.59 Police authority to alderpersons in 1st class cities repealed. No common council in a 1st class city by ordinance may give alderpersons the powers of city police officers. History: 1983 a. 210; 1993 a. 184; 1999 a. 150 s. 308; Stats. 1999 s. 62.59.

62.61 Health insurance; 1st class cities. The common council of a 1st class city may, by ordinance or resolution, provide for, including the payment of premiums of, general hospital, surgical and group insurance for both active and retired city officers and city employees and the…

62.62 Appropriation bonds for payment of employee retirement system liability in 1st class cities. (1) DEFINITIONS. In this section: (a) “Appropriation bond” means a bond issued by a city to evidence its obligation to repay a certain amount of borrowed money that is payable from …

62.621 Agreements and ancillary arrangements for certain notes and appropriation bonds. At the time of issuance or in anticipation of the issuance of appropriation bonds under s. 62.62, or general obligation promissory notes under s. 67.12 (12), to pay unfunded prior service liab…

62.622 Employee retirement system liability financing in 1st class cities; additional powers. (1) DEFINITIONS. In this section: (a) “City” means a 1st class city. (b) “Common council” means the common council of a city. (c) “Pension funding plan” means a strategic and financial C…

62.623 Payment of contributions in an employee retirement system of a 1st class city. (1) Beginning on July 1, 2011, in any employee retirement system of a 1st class city, except as otherwise provided in a collective bargaining agreement entered into under subch. IV of ch. 111 an…

62.624 Employee retirement system of a 1st class city; duty disability benefits for a mental injury. (1) If an employee retirement system of a 1st class city offers a duty disability benefit, the employee retirement system may only provide the duty disability benefit for a mental…

62.625 Amortization period for employer contributions. Notwithstanding any provision of law or actuarial rule, beginning in the calendar quarter of the year that a tax is first imposed under s. 77.701 (1), in any retirement system of a 1st class city, the required annual employer…

62.63 Benefit funds for officers and employees of 1st class cities. (1) ESTABLISHMENT OF FUNDS. By a majority vote of the members-elect, the common council of a 1st class city may create, establish, maintain and administer annuity and benefit funds for city officers and employees…

62.65 Death benefit payments to foreign beneficiaries. The common council of a 1st class city may provide that under the city’s retirement system no beneficiary may be designated for the payment of any retirement allowance, pension or proceeds of a member of the retirement system…

62.67 Uninsured motorist coverage; 1st class cities. A 1st class city shall provide uninsured motorist motor vehicle liability insurance coverage for motor vehicles owned by the city and operated by city employees in the course of employment. The coverage required by this section…