16.967 Land information program.

(1) Definitions. In this section:

(a) “Agency" has the meaning given in s. 16.70 (1e).

(b) “Land information" means any physical, legal, economic, or environmental information or characteristics concerning land, water, groundwater, subsurface resources, or air in this state. “Land information" includes information relating to topography, soil, soil erosion, geology, minerals, vegetation, land cover, wildlife, associated natural resources, land ownership, land use, land use controls and restrictions, jurisdictional boundaries, tax assessment, land value, land survey records and references, geodetic control networks, aerial photographs, maps, planimetric data, remote sensing data, historic and prehistoric sites, and economic projections.

(c) “Land information system" means an orderly method of organizing and managing land information and land records.

(d) “Land records" means maps, documents, computer files, and any other information storage medium in which land information is recorded.

(e) “Systems integration" means land information that is housed in one jurisdiction or jurisdictional subunit and is available to other jurisdictions, jurisdictional subunits, public utilities, and other private sector interests.

(3) Duties of department. The department shall direct and supervise the land information program and serve as the state clearinghouse for access to land information. In addition, the department shall:

(a) Provide technical assistance and advice to state agencies and local governmental units with land information responsibilities.

(b) Maintain and distribute an inventory of land information available for this state, land records available for this state, and land information systems.

(c) Prepare guidelines to coordinate the modernization of land records and land information systems.

(cm) Provide standards for the preparation of countywide plans for land records modernization under s. 59.72 (3) (b), including a list of minimum elements to be addressed in the plan.

(d) Review project applications received under sub. (7) and determine which projects are approved.

(e) Review for approval a countywide plan for land records modernization prepared under s. 59.72 (3) (b).

(f) Review reports received under s. 59.72 (2) (b) and determine whether county expenditures of funds received under sub. (7) and s. 59.72 (5) (b) have been made for authorized purposes.

(g) Post reports received under s. 59.72 (2) (b) on the Internet.

(h) Establish an implementation plan for a statewide digital parcel map.

(4) Funding report. The department shall identify and study possible program revenue sources or other revenue sources for the purpose of funding the operations of the land information program, including grants to counties under sub. (7).

(6) Reports.

(a) By March 31 of each year, the department of administration, the department of agriculture, trade and consumer protection, the department of safety and professional services, the department of health services, the department of natural resources, the department of tourism, the department of revenue, the department of transportation, the board of regents of the University of Wisconsin System, the public service commission, and the board of curators of the historical society shall each submit to the department a plan to integrate land information to enable such information to be readily translatable, retrievable, and geographically referenced for use by any state, local governmental unit, or public utility. Upon receipt of this information, the department shall integrate the information to enable the information to be used to meet land information data needs. The integrated information shall be readily translatable, retrievable, and geographically referenced to enable members of the public to use the information.

(b) No later than January 1, 2017, the department shall submit to the members of the joint committee on finance a report on the progress in developing a statewide digital parcel map.

(7) Aid to counties.

(a) A county board that has established a county land information office under s. 59.72 (3) may apply to the department on behalf of any local governmental unit, as defined in s. 59.72 (1) (c), located wholly or partially within the county for a grant for any of the following projects, except that a county shall complete the project under subd. 1. and make public records in the land information system accessible on the Internet before the county may expend any grant moneys under this paragraph for any other purpose:

1. The design, development, and implementation of a land information system that contains and integrates, at a minimum, property and ownership records with boundary information, including a parcel identifier referenced to the U.S. public land survey; tax and assessment information; soil surveys, if available; wetlands identified by the department of natural resources; a modern geodetic reference system; current zoning restrictions; and restrictive covenants.

2. The preparation of parcel property maps that refer boundaries to the public land survey system and are suitable for use by local governmental units for accurate land title boundary line or land survey line information.

2m. In coordination with the department, the creation, maintenance, or updating of a digital parcel map.

3. The preparation of maps that include a statement documenting accuracy if the maps do not refer boundaries to the public land survey system and that are suitable for use by local governmental units for planning purposes.

4. Systems integration projects.

5. To support technological developments and improvements for the purpose of providing Internet-accessible housing assessment and sales data.

(am)

1. Subject to subds. 2. and 3., the department shall award land information system base budget grants for eligible projects under par. (a) to enable a county land information office to develop, maintain, and operate a basic land information system.

2. The minimum amount of a grant under this paragraph is determined by subtracting the amount of fees that the county retained under s. 59.72 (5) (b) in the preceding fiscal year from $100,000. The department is not required to award a grant to a county that retained at least $100,000 in fees under s. 59.72 (5) (b) in the preceding fiscal year.

3. If the moneys available for grants under this paragraph in a fiscal year are insufficient to pay all amounts determined under subd. 2., the department shall establish a system to prorate the grants.

(b) In addition to any other grant received under this subsection, the department may award a grant to any county in an amount not less than $1,000 per year to be used for the training and education of county employees for the design, development, and implementation of a land information system.

(7m) Suspension of aid.

(a) If the department determines that grants under sub. (7) or retained fees under s. 59.72 (5) (b) have been used for unauthorized purposes, the department shall notify the county or local governmental unit of the determination. The notice shall include a listing of unauthorized expenditures. The county or local governmental unit shall have not less than 30 days to contest the determination or resolve the unauthorized expenditures. If the unauthorized expenditures are not resolved in a manner acceptable to the department, the department may suspend the eligibility of the county or local governmental unit that made unauthorized expenditures to receive further grants or to retain further fee revenues.

(b) If the department determines that a county has violated s. 59.72, the department shall suspend the eligibility of the county to receive grants under sub. (7) and, after June 30, 2017, the county shall be eligible to retain only $6 of the portion of each fee submitted to the department under s. 59.72 (5) (a). After not less than one year, if the department determines that the county has resolved the violation, the department may reinstate the eligibility of the county for grants under sub. (7) and for retaining $8 of the portion of each fee submitted to the department under s. 59.72 (5) (a).

(8) Advice; cooperation. In carrying out its duties under this section, the department may seek advice and assistance from the board of regents of the University of Wisconsin System and other agencies, local governmental units, and other experts involved in collecting and managing land information. Agencies shall cooperate with the department in the coordination of land information collection.

(9) Technical assistance; education. The department may provide technical assistance to counties and conduct educational seminars, courses, or conferences relating to land information. The department shall charge and collect fees sufficient to recover the costs of activities authorized under this subsection.

History: 1989 a. 31, 339; 1991 a. 39; 1993 a. 16; 1995 a. 27 ss. 403, 9116 (5), 9126 (19); 1995 a. 201; 1997 a. 27 ss. 141am to 141an, 9456 (3m); 1999 a. 9 ss. 114m, 114n, 9401 (2zu); 2001 a. 16; 2003 a. 33 ss. 2811, 2813; 2003 a. 48 ss. 10, 11; 2003 a. 206 s. 23; 2005 a. 25 ss. 92, 2493, 2495; 2007 a. 20 s. 9121 (6) (a); 2009 a. 314; 2011 a. 32; 2013 a. 20.