Annexation transfers territory from unincorporated towns to cities and villages.
Landowners seek to annex property to obtain sewer and water or other city or village services not available in the town, but they may annex for other reasons as well.
Wisconsin statutes authorize a number of different Annexation Methods. Two methods require department review.
Annexations are sometimes contentious, however, annexations can also be a catalyst to bring communities together to talk about disagreements, shared goals and visions for the area, and future intergovernmental cooperation such as a Boundary Agreement. The Department maintains a Roster of Trained Mediators who are trained to help communities resolve disputes and can facilitate boundary agreement discussions.
Annexation Resources
- Municipal Data System - an interactive and searchable database of municipal boundary adjustments via annexation, boundary agreement, detachment, consolidation, and incorporation
- Annexation Legal Resources – annexation statutes, caselaw, bills, acts, and law review articles
- Annexations articles, fact sheets, and publications
- Ordinance Filing Checklist