2023 Wisconsin Statutes & Annotations
Chapter 66 - General municipality law.
66.0441 - Quarries extracting certain nonmetallic minerals.

66.0441 Quarries extracting certain nonmetallic minerals.

(1) Construction.

(a) Nothing in this section may be construed to affect the authority of a political subdivision to regulate land use for a purpose other than quarry operations.

(b) Subject to pars. (c) and (d), nothing in this section may be construed to exempt a quarry from a regulation of general applicability placed by a political subdivision that applies to other property in the political subdivision that is not a quarry unless the regulation is inconsistent with this section.

(c) Nothing in this section may be construed to exempt a quarry from the application, outside of a nonmetallic mining licensing permit, of a requirement imposed by a political subdivision under ch. 349, a regulation of general applicability placed by a political subdivision that regulates access to property from roads for which the political subdivision is the maintaining authority, or a restriction on the use of roads for which the political subdivision is the maintaining authority.

(d) Nothing in this section may be construed to exempt a quarry from a restriction placed by a political subdivision regulating a nonconforming use under s. 59.69 (10), 60.61 (5), or 62.23 (7).

(2) Definitions. In this section:

(a) “Active quarry” means a quarry that has operated during the preceding 12-month period.

(am) “Conditional use permit” means a form of approval, including a special exception or other special zoning permission, granted by a political subdivision pursuant to a zoning ordinance for the operation of a quarry.

(b) “Nonmetallic mining licensing ordinance” means an ordinance that is enacted by a political subdivision specifically regulating the operation of a quarry and that is not enacted pursuant to zoning authority.

(c) “Nonmetallic mining licensing permit” means a form of approval that is granted by a political subdivision pursuant to a nonmetallic mining licensing ordinance and that is specifically related to the operation of a quarry.

(d) “Permit” means a form of approval granted by a political subdivision for the operation of a quarry.

(e) “Political subdivision” means a city, village, town, or county.

(f) “Public works project” means a federal, state, county, or municipal project that involves the construction, maintenance, or repair of a public transportation facility or other public infrastructure and in which nonmetallic minerals are used.

(g) “Quarry” means the surface area from which nonmetallic minerals, including soil, clay, sand, gravel, and construction aggregate, that are used primarily for a public works project or a private construction or transportation project are extracted and processed.

(h) “Quarry operations” means the extraction and processing of minerals at a quarry and all related activities, including blasting, vehicle and equipment access to the quarry, and loading and hauling of material to and from the quarry.

(2m) Effective dates of certain ordinances. For purposes of sub. (3) (a) 3., the date on which a town or county enacts a zoning ordinance that requires a conditional use permit for a quarry operator to conduct quarry operations is the date the ordinance becomes effective, except as follows:

(a) If a town that previously did not have a general zoning ordinance enacts a general zoning ordinance requiring a conditional use permit to conduct quarry operations and the town ceases to be covered by a county general zoning ordinance that required a conditional use permit to conduct quarry operations, a conditional use permit for a quarry in effect at the time of the transition from county zoning to town zoning shall continue in effect and the conditional use permit shall be treated as if it was originally issued by the town. For purposes of a conditional use permit subject to this paragraph, the date of the adoption of the town ordinance shall be deemed to be the date the conditional use permit was issued by the county but only with respect to requirements that were included in the county ordinance on the date the conditional use permit was issued and that were adopted in the town ordinance.

(b) If a town that has a general zoning ordinance requiring a conditional use permit to conduct quarry operations repeals its zoning ordinance and becomes subject to a county general zoning ordinance under s. 59.69 (5) (c) and the county zoning ordinance requires a conditional use permit to conduct quarry operations, a conditional use permit for a quarry in effect at the time of the transition from town zoning to county zoning shall continue in effect and the conditional use permit shall be treated as if it was originally issued by the county. For purposes of a conditional use permit subject to this paragraph, the date of the adoption of the county ordinance shall be deemed to be the date the conditional use permit was issued by the town but only with respect to requirements that were included in the town ordinance on the date the conditional use permit was issued and that were adopted in the county ordinance.

(3) Limitations on local regulation.

(a) Permits.

1. In this paragraph, “substantial evidence” means facts and information, other than merely personal preference or speculation, directly pertaining to the requirements that an applicant must meet to obtain a nonmetallic mining licensing permit and that a reasonable person would accept in support of a conclusion.

2. Consistent with the requirements and limitations in this subsection, except as provided in subd. 3., a political subdivision may require a quarry operator to obtain a conditional use permit or nonmetallic mining licensing permit to conduct quarry operations.

3. A political subdivision may not require a quarry operator of an active quarry to obtain a conditional use permit or nonmetallic mining licensing permit to conduct quarry operations unless prior to the establishment of quarry operations the political subdivision enacts an ordinance that requires the permit. A political subdivision that requires a quarry operator to obtain a nonmetallic mining licensing permit under this subdivision may not impose a requirement in the nonmetallic mining licensing permit pertaining to any matter regulated by an applicable zoning ordinance or addressed through conditions imposed or agreed to in a previously issued and effective conditional use permit. Any requirement imposed in a nonmetallic mining licensing permit shall be related to the purpose of the ordinance requiring the nonmetallic mining licensing permit and shall be based on substantial evidence. The duration of a nonmetallic mining licensing permit may not be shorter than 5 years.

(b) Applicability of local limit. If a political subdivision enacts a nonmetallic mining licensing ordinance requirement regulating the operation of a quarry that was not in effect when quarry operations began at an active quarry, the ordinance requirement does not apply to that quarry or to land that is contiguous to the land on which the quarry is located, if the contiguous land has remained continuously under common ownership, leasehold, or control with land on which the quarry is located from the time the ordinance was enacted; can be shown to have been intended for quarry operations prior to the enactment of the ordinance; and is located in the same political subdivision.

(c) Hours of operation. A political subdivision may not limit the times, including days of the week, that quarry operations may occur if the materials produced by the quarry will be used in a public works project that requires construction work to be performed during the night or an emergency repair.

(d) Blasting.

1. In this paragraph, “ affected area” means an area within a certain radius of a blasting site that may be affected by a blasting operation, as determined using a formula established by the department of safety and professional services by rule that takes into account a scaled-distance factor and the weight of explosives to be used.

2. Except as provided under subds. 3. and 4. and s. 101.02 (7y), a political subdivision may not limit blasting at a quarry.

3. A political subdivision may require the operator of a quarry to do any of the following:

a. Before beginning a blasting operation at the quarry, provide notice of the blasting operation to each political subdivision in which any part of the quarry is located and to owners of dwellings or other structures within the affected area.

b. Before beginning a blasting operation at the quarry, cause a 3rd party to conduct a building survey of any dwellings or other structures within the affected area.

c. Before beginning a blasting operation at the quarry, cause a 3rd party to conduct a survey of and test any wells within the affected area.

d. Provide evidence of insurance to each political subdivision in which any part of the quarry is located.

e. Provide copies of blasting logs to each political subdivision in which any part of the quarry is located.

f. Provide maps of the affected area to each political subdivision in which any part of the quarry is located.

g. Provide copies of any reports submitted to the department of safety and professional services relating to blasting at the quarry.

4. A political subdivision may suspend a permit for a violation of the requirements under s. 101.15 relating to blasting and rules promulgated by the department of safety and professional services under s. 101.15 (2) (e) relating to blasting only if the department of safety and professional services determines that a violation of the requirements or rules has occurred and only for the duration of the violation as determined by the department of safety and professional services.

5. Nothing in this section exempts a quarry operator from applicable limitations on the time of day during which blasting activities may be conducted that are imposed by rules promulgated by the department of safety and professional services.

(e) Quarry permit requirements.

1. A political subdivision may not add a condition to a permit during the duration of the permit unless the permit holder consents.

2. If a political subdivision requires a quarry to comply with another political subdivision's ordinance as a condition for obtaining a permit, the political subdivision that grants the permit may not require the quarry operator to comply with a provision of the other political subdivision's ordinance that is enacted after the permit is granted and while the permit is in effect.

3.

a. A town may not require, as a condition for granting a permit to a quarry operator, that the quarry operator satisfy a condition that a county requires in order to grant a permit that is imposed by a county ordinance enacted after the county grants a permit to the quarry operator.

b. A county may not require, as a condition for granting a permit to a quarry operator, that the quarry operator satisfy a condition that a town requires in order to grant a permit that is imposed by a town ordinance enacted after the town grants a permit to the quarry operator.

History: 2023 a. 12.