Municipality to regulate utilities; appeal
Wis. Stat. § 196.58
in effect(1g) In this section, “municipal regulation” has the meaning given in s. 182.017 (1g) (bm).
(1r) The governing body of every municipality may:
(a) Determine by municipal regulation the quality and character of each kind of product or service to be furnished or rendered by any public utility within the municipality and all other terms and conditions, consistent with this chapter and ch. 197, upon which the public utility may be permitted to occupy the streets, highways or other public places within the municipality. The municipal regulation shall be in force and on its face reasonable.
(b) Require of any public utility any addition or extension to its physical plant within the municipality as shall be reasonable and necessary in the interest of the public, and designate the location and nature of the addition or extension, the time within which it must be completed, and any condition under which it must be constructed, subject to review by the commission under sub. (4).
(c) Provide a penalty for noncompliance with the provisions of any municipal regulation adopted under this subsection.
(4)
(a) Upon complaint made by a public utility or by any qualified complainant under s. 196.26, the commission shall set a hearing and if it finds a municipal regulation under sub. (1r) to be unreasonable, the municipal regulation shall be void.
(b) Notwithstanding any provision of this chapter, upon complaint by a telecommunications provider, including an alternative telecommunications utility, or a video service provider, the commission shall set a hearing and, if it finds to be unreasonable any municipal regulation relating to any product or service rendered by any such provider within a municipality or relating to the terms and conditions upon which such provider occupies the streets, highways, or other public places within the municipality, the municipal regulation shall be void.
(c) Notwithstanding s. 182.017 (2), a municipal regulation is unreasonable under par. (a) or (b) if it requires a public utility, telecommunications provider, or video service provider to pay any part of the cost to modify or relocate the public utility’s, telecommunications provider’s, or video service provider’s facilities to accommodate an urban rail transit system, as defined in s. 182.017 (1g) (ct).
(5) The commission shall have original and concurrent jurisdiction with municipalities to require extensions of service and to regulate service of public utilities. Nothing in this section shall limit the power of the commission to act on its own motion to require extensions of service and to regulate the service of public utilities.
(6) No public utility furnishing and selling gaseous fuel or undertaking to furnish or sell gaseous fuel in a municipality where the fuel has not been sold previously to the public shall change the character or kind of fuel by substituting for manufactured gas any natural gas or any mixture of natural and manufactured gas for distribution and sale in any municipality, or undertake the sale of natural gas in any municipality where no gaseous fuel was previously sold, unless the governing body of the municipality, by authorization, passage or adoption of appropriate municipal regulation, approves and authorizes the change in fuel or commencement of sale. No municipal regulation enacted under this subsection may be inconsistent or in conflict with any certificate granted under s. 196.49.
(7)
(a) If a municipality operating a water system seeks to serve consumers of an area which is part of the municipality and in the same county, but in order to serve such consumers it is necessary or economically prudent for the municipality to install mains, transmission lines, pipes or service connections through, upon or under a public street, highway, road, public thoroughfare or alley located within the boundaries of any adjacent municipality, the municipality seeking the installation may file a petition with the clerk of the legislative body of the adjacent municipality requesting approval for the installation of the mains, transmission lines, pipes or service connections. The governing body of the adjacent municipality shall act on the petition within 15 days after the petition is filed. If the governing body of the adjacent municipality fails to act within the 15-day period, the petition shall be deemed approved and the municipality may proceed with the installations required for service to its consumers. If, however, the governing body of the adjacent municipality rejects the petition, the municipality may make application to the commission for authority to install within the boundaries of the adjacent municipality the installations necessary to provide service to its consumers. The commission shall hold a hearing upon the application of the municipality. If the commission determines that it is necessary or economically prudent that the municipality seeking to serve its consumers make the installations within the boundaries of the adjacent municipality, the commission shall promptly issue an order authorizing the municipality to proceed to make the installation. In the order, the commission may establish the manner of making the installation.
(b) A municipality making an installation under this section shall restore the land on or in which such installation has been made to the same condition as it existed prior to the installation. Failure to make the restoration shall subject the municipality to an action for damages by the adjacent municipality. The adjacent municipality may require a performance bond from the municipality seeking to make the installation. If no agreement can be effected between the municipalities as to the amount of the performance bond, the commission shall determine the amount of the bond. If the commission issues an order authorizing an installation under this subsection, the commission shall determine the amount of the performance bond which shall be required of the applicant municipality.
Source: WI Statutes (Official Site)URL: https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/document/statutes/196.58Fetched: 10/7/2026