Initiation of airport project; sponsorship; land acquisition
Wis. Stat. § 114.33
in effect(1) Any county, city, village or town, either singly or jointly with one or more counties, cities, villages or towns, or any owner of a public-use airport desiring to sponsor an airport development project to be constructed with federal aid and state aid or with the state aid alone as provided by this chapter, may initiate such project in the manner provided by this section. The department may initiate and sponsor an airport project in the same manner as a local governing body. If the department initiates and sponsors an airport project, it shall hold a hearing in the area affected by the project. Notice of the hearing shall be given as provided in sub. (2). The department may install, operate and maintain air navigation facilities with or without federal aid and may enter into agreements with sponsors to share the maintenance and operation costs of such facilities.
(2) Such initiation shall be by a petition filed with the secretary by the governing body or bodies of the counties, cities, villages or towns or by the governing body of a public-use airport not owned by a county, city, village or town desiring to sponsor the project, or if the project is initiated and sponsored by the department by a statement by the secretary setting forth among other things that the airport project is necessary and the reason therefor; the class of the airport that it is desired to develop, the location of the project in general, and the proposed site tentatively selected; the character, extent and kind of improvement desired under the project, evidence, in the form of a transcript, that the project has received a public hearing in the area affected before adoption by the petitioners, and any other statements that the petitioners or the department may desire to make. At least 10 days’ notice of the public hearing shall be given by publication of a class 1 notice, under ch. 985, in the area affected.
(3) If the project has been sponsored by a local governing body or bodies or by the governing body of a public-use airport not owned by a county, city, village or town, the secretary shall make a finding within a reasonable time after receipt of the petition. If such finding is generally favorable to the development petitioned for, the secretary shall submit the finding to the governor for approval and no finding favoring an airport development project shall be effective unless the governor’s approval is endorsed thereon in writing. If the finding is approved by the governor the secretary shall notify the petitioners to that effect by filing a copy of the finding, which shall include among other things the location of the approved site, the character and extent of the improvements deemed necessary, and an approximate estimate of the costs and the amount to be paid by the sponsor. The finding shall constitute approval of the airport site so specified as a portion of the state airport system. On receipt of the finding the sponsors shall take action at their next meeting toward providing their share of the cost and shall promptly notify the secretary. The sponsors may proceed in accordance with the finding to acquire the site and to make master development plans and project plans, and shall be entitled to receive credit therefor as provided by federal law and by this chapter. On completion and approval of the plans a revised estimate of the project costs shall be made for the purposes of the project application.
(3m) If the project is initiated and sponsored by the department, the secretary shall submit the statement prepared under sub. (2) to the governor for approval as provided in sub. (3). After approval by the governor, the department may proceed with the project as provided in sub. (3).
(4) All projects for the development of airports with federal aid shall be in compliance with federal laws. All plans and other arrangements for development of projects with state aid alone shall be subject to the approval of the secretary.
(5) In the case of projects to be carried out by contract, force account, or by a county highway committee in a manner similar to the applicable provisions of s. 84.06 (3), the sponsor’s share of the cost of a project shall be deposited in the state treasury promptly on the request of the secretary, to be held in trust for the purposes of the project. The secretary need not request the entire share at any one time. The secretary may suspend or discontinue proceedings or construction relative to any project at any time if any sponsor fails to pay the amount properly required of it as its contribution to the project. In the case of projects or parts of projects authorized by the secretary to be performed by force account methods, the secretary may permit the sponsor to retain the sponsor’s share of the cost of authorized project work provided the sponsor is to do the work. In such case the sponsor will be periodically reimbursed for the state or federal share, or both, on the basis of audited costs incurred by the sponsor.
(6)
(a) For the purposes of carrying out this section and ss. 114.35 and 114.37, the secretary may acquire by gift, devise, purchase or condemnation any lands for establishing, protecting, laying out, enlarging, extending, constructing, reconstructing, improving and maintaining airports, or interests in lands in and about airports. After completion of the improvements, subject to any prior action under s. 13.48 (14) (am) or 16.848 (1), the secretary may convey as provided in this subsection lands that were acquired under this subsection, but were not necessary for the airport improvements. The conveyances may be made with reservations concerning the future use and occupation of those lands so as to protect the airports and improvements and their environs and to preserve the view, appearance, light, air and usefulness of the airports.
(b) Whenever the secretary considers it necessary to acquire any lands or interests in lands for any of the purposes described in par. (a), the secretary shall so order and in the order, or on a map or plat, show the lands and interests required. The secretary shall file a copy of the order and map with the county clerk of each county in which the lands or interests are required or, in lieu of filing a copy of the order and map, may file or record a plat in accordance with s. 84.095. For the purposes of this section the secretary may acquire private or public lands or interests therein. When so provided in the secretary’s order, the land shall be acquired in fee simple. Unless the secretary elects to proceed under sub. (3), the secretary shall attempt to obtain easements or title in fee simple by conveyance of the lands or interests required at a price, including any damages, considered reasonable by the secretary. The instrument of conveyance shall name the state as grantee and shall be recorded in the office of the register of deeds. The purchase or acquisition of lands or interests in lands under this section is excepted and exempt from s. 20.914 (1).
(c) The secretary may purchase or accept donations of remnants of tracts or parcels of land existing at the time or after the secretary has acquired portions of tracts or parcels, by purchase or condemnation for airport purposes, where in the judgment of the secretary the acquisition of the tracts or parcels would assist in making whole the landowner, a part of whose lands have been taken for airport purposes and would serve to minimize the overall cost of the taking by the public.
(7) If any of the needed lands or interests in lands cannot be purchased expeditiously for a price deemed reasonable by the secretary, the secretary may acquire those lands or interests as provided in s. 32.05.
(8)
(a) The secretary, upon the petition of a sponsoring municipality, may provide that all or certain parts of the required land or interests in land may be acquired by the municipality named by the secretary. When so provided, the municipality and the secretary shall appraise and set the maximum price, including damages, considered reasonable for the lands or interests to be so acquired. The municipality shall endeavor to obtain easements or title in fee simple by conveyance of the lands or interests required, as directed in the secretary’s order. The instrument of conveyance shall name the municipality or municipalities as grantee and shall be subject to approval by the secretary, and shall be recorded in the office of the register of deeds and filed with the secretary. If the needed lands or interests in lands cannot be purchased expeditiously within the appraised price, the municipality may acquire them by condemnation, as provided in s. 32.05.
(b) Any property of whatever nature acquired in the name of a city, village or town pursuant to this section or any predecessor shall be conveyed to the state without charge by the city, village or town when so ordered by the secretary.
(c) The municipality when so ordered by the secretary shall sell at public or private sale, subject to the conditions and terms authorized by the secretary, any and all buildings, structures, or parts thereof, and any other fixtures or personalty acquired in the name of the municipality under this section or any predecessor. The proceeds from the sale shall be deposited with the state in the appropriate airport fund and the expense incurred in connection with the sale shall be paid from that fund.
(9) The cost of the lands and interests acquired and damages allowed pursuant to this section, incidental expenses and the customary per diem and expenses of the municipality incurred in performing duties pursuant to this section, shall be paid out of the available airport improvement funds.
(10) Subject to the approval of the governor under this subsection and subject to any prior action under s. 13.48 (14) (am) or 16.848 (1), the secretary may sell at public or private sale property of whatever nature owned by the state and under the jurisdiction of the secretary when the secretary determines that the property is no longer necessary for the state’s use for airport purposes and, if real property, the real property is not the subject of a petition under s. 16.310. The secretary shall present to the governor a full and complete report of the property to be sold, the reason for the sale, and the minimum price for which the property should be sold, together with an application for the governor’s approval of the sale. The governor shall investigate the proposed sale as he or she deems necessary and approve or disapprove the application. Upon approval and receipt of the full purchase price, the secretary shall by appropriate deed or other instrument transfer the property to the purchaser. The funds derived from the sale shall be deposited in the appropriate airport fund, and the expense incurred by the secretary in connection with the sale shall be paid from that fund.
(11) Subject to the approval of the governor, the secretary may convey lands or interests in lands acquired under this section and improvements installed on those lands to municipalities named in the secretary’s order. The conveyance of the lands or interests in lands and improvements shall restrict the use of the premises by the municipality to the uses for which they were acquired, except that the lands or interests in lands declared by the secretary to be excess may be conveyed without restrictions as to use.
(12) Lands held by any department, board, commission, other agency of the state, or the Wisconsin Aerospace Authority may, with the approval of the governor, be conveyed to the secretary in the manner prescribed by statute and, if none is prescribed, then by a conveyance authorized by appropriate resolution of the controlling department, board or commission of the agency concerned or by the Wisconsin Aerospace Authority.
(13) Subsections (6) to (12) do not apply to lands or interests in lands associated with projects for public-use airports which are not owned by a county, city, village or town.
Source: WI Statutes (Official Site)URL: https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/document/statutes/114.33Fetched: 10/7/2026