27.11 Board of public land commissioners.

643 words·~3 min read·/wi/chapter-27/27-11-2

A research copy — for the controlling text, always check the official state or federal source. Not legal advice.

(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 designated by the common council into parkways or boulevards.

(2)Appointment and organization.

(a)Such resident commissioners shall be appointed by the mayor, subject to the approval of the common council, within 60 days after such creation of the board.

(b)The terms of the appointive members of the first board shall terminate as follows: Of one member on the next ensuing first day of January; of one member on the 2nd ensuing first day of January; and of one member on the 3rd ensuing first day of January. The commissioner of public works and the city engineer shall serve on said board during their respective terms of office. Each commissioner shall hold office until a successor is appointed and qualified. In December immediately preceding the expiration of the term of any appointive member, the mayor shall appoint the member’s successor to serve for a term of 3 years.

(3)Salaries of members. The common council may fix and provide for the payment of a salary or salaries for one or more of the members of said board, when it is satisfied that such payment is necessary in order to carry out the purposes of this section, which salaries shall be paid solely out of the fund named in sub.

(8), unless other provision shall be made in said ordinance for the payment of the same.

(4)Functions of board; employees.

(a)Said commissioners may appoint such clerks, assistants and workmen as they deem necessary and proper for the proper discharge of their duties, subject, however, to such regulations in respect to the number of such employees to be appointed and their compensation as the common council may by ordinance prescribe.

(b)Said board may acquire, in the name of the city, lands and improvements thereon, within a distance of 500 feet on either side of and abutting on any public street or highway in the city for the purpose of converting the same into a parkway or boulevard. Said lands may be acquired by purchase, gift, or condemnation, but only after such acquisition shall have been recommended to the common council by said board and ordered by resolution of said common council. Any gift of land for the purposes specified in this section shall first be accepted by the common council upon the recommendation of said board before the same shall become the property of such city.

(c)Said board may, however, either prior or subsequent to such approval obtain from any or all of the respective owners contracts or options, in the name of said city, for the acquisition of said lands, or any part thereof, or any leasehold or other interest or claim therein or thereto; and said board may in such case pay out of the public land fund created by sub.

(8)any charges or expenses by it incurred in procuring such contracts or options. But any such contract or option shall not be binding upon, nor shall it create any liability against, the city until it shall have been reported and recommended by said board to the common council and approved by resolution of the common council recorded in its minutes.

(d)Said board may manage, control, govern, improve, subdivide, resubdivide and plat, any land so acquired; and also to mortgage and sell the same, or parcels thereof, on such terms and with such restrictions and reservations as it deems necessary in order to convert such street or highway into a parkway or boulevard, and to protect the same and its environs, and preserve the view, appearance, light, air, health, and usefulness thereof.