Town of Shelby - La Crosse County Wisconsin

Boundary Agreement with the City of La Crosse:

The Town of Shelby adopted a resolution in 2016 to begin negotiations with the City of La Crosse to establish a Boundary Agreement.  In December of 2016, the Town and City hosted a joint public information meeting to review preliminary options for the agreement.   An Executive Summary of the proposed terms was shared with the public in October of 2017 and updated in January of 2018.  The progress then slowed due to staff changes at the Town, COVID-19, and leadership changes at the City.   The last meeting with the City was in March 2020, just prior to the COVID-19 Pandemic.  City of La Crosse Mayor Mitch Reynolds took office in April 2021 and has indicated the agreement is a very high priority.   The Town looks forward to meeting with the City prior to the end of 2021 and reviewing the City’s latest draft.   

October 19, 2017 Executive Summary *note:  the terms in this summary may not be the most up to date.

The process and requirements for Boundary Agreements (Cooperative Plans) are defined in Wis Statute 66.0307.  https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/statutes/statutes/66/iii/0307

The cooperative plan shall be made with the general purpose of guiding and accomplishing a coordinated, adjusted and harmonious development of the territory covered by the plan consistent with the comprehensive plan of each participating municipality.

The cooperative plan shall:

  • Identify any boundary change and any existing boundary that may not be changed during the planning period.
  • Identify any conditions that must be met before a boundary change may occur.
  • Include a schedule of the period during which a boundary change shall or may occur.
  • Include a statement explaining how any part of the plan related to the location of boundaries meets the approval criteria under 66.0307 sub. (5) (c) 5.
  • Identify all highways within the territory covered by the plan of which each participating municipality has jurisdiction.
  • Describe the services to be provided to the territory covered by the plan, identify the providers of those services and indicate whether the provision of any service has received preliminary approval of any relevant governmental regulatory authority.
  • Include a schedule for delivery of the services described under 66.0307 subd. 5.
  • Include a statement explaining how provision under the plan for the delivery of necessary municipal services to the territory covered by the plan meets the approval criterion under 66.0307 sub. (5) (c) 3.
  • Designate the municipalities that are participating in the cooperative plan and that are required to ratify any boundary changes by enacting an ordinance under 66.0307 sub. (10).

Boundary Agreements and Extraterritorial Plat Jurisdiction:

Almost the entire Town of Shelby is within the Extraterritorial Plat Jurisdiction of the City of La Crosse.   WI Statue Chapter 236.10(b) requires that Subdivision Plats within this jurisdiction be approved by the City.  In 2014, the City of La Crosse adopted ORDINANCE NO.4830 which created more limitations on new residential developments in the Extraterritorial Area.  It is typical for a boundary agreement to include a waiver of extraterritorial jurisdiction for some areas of a Town.   The Town of Shelby expects the Boundary Agreement with the City of La Crosse will include a waiver of jurisdiction for a portion of the town. 

See:  Sec. 113-39. - Plats within the extraterritorial plat approval jurisdiction:
https://library.municode.com/wi/la_crosse/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=PTIILADEOR_CH113SU_ARTIIPL_DIV1GE_S113-39PLWIEXPLAPJU