90.05 How partition made.

(1)

(a) Every partition of a fence or of the line upon which partition fences are to be built between owners of adjoining lands, after being recorded in the town clerk's office, obligates the owners, their heirs and assigns to build and maintain the fence in accordance with the partition, if any of the following conditions is met:

1. The partition is made by the owners of the adjoining lands and is in writing, signed and sealed by the owners and witnessed by 2 witnesses.

2. The partition is made by fence viewers in the manner provided under this chapter and is in writing under their hands.

(b) A partition made in accordance with par. (a) shall remain in effect so long as the adjoining land on each side respectively remains in the same ownership, and after a severance of ownership until a new partition of the fence is made.

(c) An owner, or the owner's heirs or assigns, are not obligated to build or maintain any part of a partition fence during any time when none of the adjoining lands is occupied for farming or grazing.

(2) If a fence is constructed by a subdivider under a town ordinance adopted under s. 60.23 (19) and the land adjoining the subdivision is not subdivided, the partition under sub. (1) shall require that an undivided one-half of the fence be maintained by the owner of the adjoining land not subdivided and one-half of the fence divided into equal shares be maintained by all of the owners of the adjoining subdivided land.

History: 1977 c. 229; 1983 a. 532 s. 36; 1991 a. 316; 1997 a. 253.

This chapter's plain language, when read in light of s. 990.01 (42), unambiguously authorizes a city to administer the enforcement procedures of this chapter. White v. City of Watertown, 2019 WI 9, 385 Wis. 2d 320, 922 N.W.2d 61, 16-2259.