Permits and waivers; board procedures
Wis. Stat. § 30.44
in effect(1) Structures; mobile homes.
(a) For purposes of this subsection, notwithstanding s. 30.40 (18), “structure” excludes boat shelters, boathouses, bridges, dams, fishing rafts, fixed houseboats, piers, public access sites, stairways, swimming rafts, high-voltage transmission lines, utility facilities, walkways, wharves and any other structures that the board excludes by rule if the structures excluded by rule are of a minimal size or are of a type that is not visible from the river.
(b) A person shall apply for and receive a permit before starting any of the following activities on land in the riverway:
1. Construction of a structure, including clearing or grading the land for the structure.
2. Placement or replacement of a mobile home.
3. Modification of a structure or a mobile home.
4. Repair of a damaged structure or reconstruction of a destroyed structure unless exempt under par. (g).
5. Repair of a mobile home unless exempt under par. (g).
(c) A person may not be issued a permit for an activity in par. (b) on land that is visible from the river and that is in the riverway unless all of the following performance standards are met:
1. Sufficient vegetation exists on the land to allow the structure or mobile home to be visually inconspicuous.
2. The structure or mobile home shall not be higher than the surrounding vegetation during the time when the leaves are on the deciduous trees.
3. Visual impact shall be minimized by the use of exterior colors that harmonize with the natural surroundings during the time when the leaves are on the deciduous trees and by the limited use of glass or other reflective materials, except that a structure that is for agricultural use may be painted in a traditional manner in red or white.
4. The natural slope of the land shall be 20 percent or less.
4m. The person being issued the permit will comply with any applicable standards that the board imposes under s. 30.443 (2).
(d) A person may not be issued a permit for an activity in par. (b) on land that is not visible from the river and that is in the riverway unless the performance standard in par. (e) is met.
(e) The height of the structure or mobile home shall not result in its being visible from the river.
(f) For land in the riverway that is not visible from the river, the board may issue a general permit for an activity in par. (b) that is applicable to a designated area of the riverway instead of requiring applications for individual permits for the activity under par. (b). A person engaging in an activity in par. (b) in an area for which a general permit has been issued for the activity shall comply with the performance standard in par. (e).
(g) Paragraphs (b) to (f) do not apply to the repair of a damaged structure or mobile home or to the reconstruction of a destroyed structure if all of the following apply:
1. No municipal ordinance or other municipal regulation prohibits the repair or reconstruction.
2. The repaired mobile home or the repaired or reconstructed structure will not be larger in size or more visible from the river than it was immediately before it was damaged or destroyed.
(2) Walkways; stairways.
(a) A person shall apply for and receive a permit before starting any of the following activities on land in the riverway:
1. Construction of a stairway or walkway.
2. Modification of a stairway or walkway.
3. Repair of a damaged stairway or walkway or reconstruction of a destroyed stairway or walkway unless exempt under par. (c).
(b) A person may not be issued a permit for an activity in par. (a) unless the following performance standards are met:
1. The walkway or stairway shall be visually inconspicuous.
2. The walkway or stairway shall have sufficient safeguards to minimize erosion.
3. The walkway or stairway shall be for pedestrians only.
(c) Paragraphs (a) and (b) do not apply to the repair of a damaged stairway or walkway or to the reconstruction of a destroyed stairway or walkway if all of the following apply:
1. No municipal ordinance or other municipal regulation prohibits the repair or reconstruction.
2. The repaired or reconstructed stairway or walkway will not be larger in size or more visible from the river than it was immediately before it was damaged or destroyed.
4. The repaired or reconstructed stairway or walkway shall be for pedestrians only.
(3) Forestry.
(a) A person shall apply for and receive a permit before cutting or harvesting timber on land in the riverway.
(b) A person may not be issued a permit for an activity in par. (a) unless the performance standard in par. (bn) is met.
(bn) The cutting and harvesting of timber shall comply with the rules regulating timber cutting and harvesting promulgated by the department under s. 30.42 (1) (d) or by the board under s. 30.43 (3).
(c) This subsection does not apply to the following:
1. Timber subject to a contract under subch. I of ch. 77 that is in effect on October 31, 1989, except as provided in s. 77.17.
2. Timber subject to an order designating managed forest land under subch. VI of ch. 77 that is in effect on October 31, 1989, except as provided in s. 77.82 (11m).
2m. The cutting of timber that is necessary for maintenance of an easement or a right-of-way for a highway, a railroad, a high-voltage transmission line or a utility facility.
2n. The cutting of timber that is necessary for the construction, reconstruction, modification, repair or maintenance of a recreational trail.
2p. The cutting of timber that is necessary for maintenance of the right-of-way for a private drive or a private road if the width of the area subject to cutting does not exceed the minimum width necessary for safe travel, but not to exceed 20 feet for a private drive or 30 feet for a private road.
2r. Diseased timber if a forester has issued a written determination that the timber is subject to an actual, potential or incipient infestation or infection by an insect or disease that is harmful to the timber.
3. Timber damaged by natural causes.
4. Timber cut on land that is more than 75 feet beyond the high-water mark of the river and that is owned or occupied by a person if the cut timber is used as firewood, fence posts or Christmas trees for agricultural or household use and if the cut timber is not sold or bartered to another person.
5. Timber cut pursuant to a written contract between private parties that is entered into before October 31, 1989, if a copy of the contract has been filed with the board before the next cutting that occurs after December 6, 1991, together with an affidavit on a form supplied by the board. The affidavit shall state that the contract was entered before October 31, 1989, and shall inform the person filing the contract and affidavit of the penalty for false swearing under s. 946.32.
(3e) Nonmetallic mining.
(a) A person shall apply for and receive a permit before beginning or expanding nonmetallic mining on land in the riverway that is not visible from the river when the leaves are on the deciduous trees.
(b) A person may not be issued a permit for an activity in par. (a) unless the following performance standards are met:
1. Any structure and any stockpiled minerals or soil associated with the nonmetallic mining activity may not be visible from the river when the leaves are on the deciduous trees.
2. The excavation for the nonmetallic mining activity may not be visible from the river when the leaves are on the deciduous trees.
(3m) Utility facilities; high-voltage transmission lines.
(a) A person shall apply to and receive a permit from the board before constructing, modifying or relocating a utility facility or high-voltage transmission line that is in the riverway.
(b) A person may not be issued a permit for an activity in par. (a) unless the performance standard in par. (c) is met and, for a high-voltage transmission line, the board finds that the activity will not impair, to the extent practicable, the scenic beauty or natural value of the riverway.
(c) All reasonable efforts, as determined by the board, shall be taken to minimize the visual impact of the utility facility.
(d) The use of an aboveground utility facility shall not be a basis for the board to determine that all reasonable efforts will not be taken to minimize the visual impact. The board may not require a high-voltage transmission line to be placed underground in order to make the finding specified in par. (b).
(4) Public access sites.
(a) A person shall apply for and receive a permit before starting any of the following activities on land in the riverway:
1. Construction or modification of a public access site.
2. Repair of a damaged public access site or reconstruction of a destroyed public access site unless exempt under par. (d).
(b) A person may not be issued a permit for an activity in par. (a) unless the performance standard in par. (c) is met.
(c) All reasonable efforts, as determined by the board, shall be taken to minimize the visual impact of the public access site, including the use of exterior colors that harmonize with the surroundings and the limited use of glass or other reflective materials.
(d) Paragraphs (a) to (c) do not apply to the repair of a damaged public access site or to the reconstruction of a destroyed public access site if all of the following apply:
1. No municipal ordinance or other municipal regulation prohibits the repair or reconstruction.
2. The repaired or reconstructed public access site will not be larger in size or more visible from the river than it was immediately before it was damaged or destroyed.
(5) Bridges.
(a) A person shall apply for and receive a permit before starting any of the following activities on land in the riverway:
1. Construction, modification or reconstruction of a bridge.
2. Repair of a bridge unless exempt under par. (d).
(b) A person may not be issued a permit for an activity in par. (a) unless the performance standard in par. (c) is met.
(c) Visual impact shall be minimized by the use of exterior colors that harmonize with the surroundings and by the limited use of glass or other reflective materials.
(d) Paragraphs (a) and (b) do not apply to the repair of a bridge in the riverway if all of the following are applicable:
1. No municipal ordinance or other municipal regulation prohibits the repair.
2. The repaired bridge will not be larger in size or more visible from the river than it was immediately before it was damaged.
(7) Conditions on permits. The board may impose on a permit a condition that is necessary to assure compliance with the performance standards in subs. (1) to (5) or to assure that the activity is completed within a reasonable time.
(8) Board procedure.
(a) Except as provided under sub. (1) (f), a person shall apply for and be issued by the board a permit for an activity in subs. (1) to (5) for land in the riverway.
(b) The board may not issue a permit under par. (a) if the performance standards for the activity are not met.
(c) The board may grant a waiver of a performance standard for an activity in sub. (1) (b) and issue a permit under par. (a) or may grant a waiver authorizing an activity prohibited under s. 30.45 (3) or (3m) for land in the riverway if one of the following applies:
1. A municipality requests the waiver that is necessary for municipal purposes.
2. An individual requests the waiver, enforcement of the performance standard or prohibition will cause unnecessary hardship to the individual and the visual impact of the activity will be minimized to the greatest degree possible.
(d) For purposes of par. (c) 2., unnecessary hardship must be:
1. Compelling personal needs of the individual that are not self-imposed or self-created and that are not solely based on the financial hardship of the individual; or
2. Natural causes beyond the control of the individual.
(e) The board may not grant a waiver under par. (c) 2. for unnecessary hardship due to natural causes beyond the control of the individual if the reason for granting the waiver is based solely on the financial hardship of the individual.
(f)
1. The board may grant a waiver to modify a limitation for a wharf in the riverway, as specified under s. 30.45 (9) (a), if an individual requests the waiver, if enforcement of the limitation will cause unnecessary hardship to the individual and if the visual impact of the wharf will be minimized to the greatest degree possible.
2. For purposes of subd. 1., unnecessary hardship must be compelling personal needs of the individual that are not self-imposed or self-created and that are not solely based on the financial hardship of the individual.
(10) Revocation of permit.
(a) The board shall revoke a permit issued under sub. (8) or s. 30.44 (9), 1993 stats., if a person fails to comply with the performance standards for the permit that are not waived under sub. (8) (c) or s. 30.44 (9) (c), 1993 stats.
(b) The board shall revoke a general permit issued under sub. (1) (f) if it finds the performance standard under sub. (1) (e) is not being met in the designated area.
Source: WI Statutes (Official Site)URL: https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/document/statutes/30.44Fetched: 10/7/2026