Category: General

Notice of the City of Oconto Open Book & Board of Review

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Board of Review for the City of Oconto of Oconto County shall hold the following meetings:

Open Book: Pursuant to Sec. 70.45 of Wis. Statutes, the assessment roll for the Year 2024 assessment will be open for examination on Monday, the 14^th day of October 2024 from 10:00 AM until 6:00 PM. and Tuesday, the 15^th day of October 2024 from 9:00 AM until 4:00 PM. in the Council Chambers at the City Municipal Building, 1210 Main Street.

THIS IS BY APPOINTMENT. Please contact R & R Assessing, 307 N Chestnut Avenue, Oconto Falls, Wisconsin (920-846-4250) to schedule your appointment.

Property owners are encouraged to contact R & R Assessing, 307 N Chestnut Avenue, Oconto Falls, Wisconsin (920-846-4250) before October 14, 2024, if they have questions about the valuation of their real estate or personal property. 

Notice of Board of Review Two-Hour Meeting to convene on Thursday, the 14^th day of November 2024 starting at 9:00 AM until 11:00 AM in the Council Chambers at the City Municipal Building, 1210 Main Street to hear objections from property owners who follow the below listed requirements.

Please be advised of the following requirements to appear before the Board of Review and procedural requirements if appearing before the Board:

1. After the first meeting of the Board of Review and before the Board of Review’s final adjournment, no person who is scheduled to appear before the Board of Review may contact or provide information to a member of the Board of Review about the person’s objection, except at a session of the Board of Review. Open book shall occur no less than 7 days prior to the Board of Review.
   1. The Board of Review may not hear an objection to the amount or valuation of property unless, at least 48 hours before the Board of Review’s first scheduled meeting, the objector provides to the Board of Review Clerk written or oral notice of an intent to file an objection, except that upon a showing of good cause and the submission of a written objection, the Board of Review shall waive that requirement during the first 2 hours of the Board of Review’s first scheduled meeting, and the Board of Review may waive that requirement up to the end of the 5th day of the session, or up to the end of the final day of the session if the session is less than 5 days, with proof of extraordinary circumstances for failure to meet the 48-hour notice requirement and failure to appear before the Board of Review during the first 2 hours of the first scheduled meeting.
   1. Objections to the amount or valuation of property shall first be made in writing and filed with the Board of Review Clerk within the first 2 hours of the Board of Review’s first scheduled meeting, except that, upon evidence of extraordinary circumstances, the Board of Review may waive that requirement up to the end of the 5th day of the session, or up to the end of the final day of the session if the session is less than 5 days. The Board of Review may require objections to the amount or valuation of property to be submitted on forms approved by the Wisconsin Department of Revenue, and the Board of Review shall require that any forms include stated valuations of the property in question. Persons who own land and improvements to that land may object to the aggregate valuation of that land and improvements to that land, but no person who owns land and improvements to that land may object only to the valuation of that land or only to the valuation of improvements to that land. No person may be allowed in any action or proceedings to question the amount or valuation of property unless the written objection has been filed and that person in good faith presented evidence to the Board of Review in support of the objections and made full disclosure before the Board of Review, under oath, of all of that person’s property liable to assessment in the district and the value of that property. The requirement that objections be in writing may be waived by express action of the Board.
   1. When appearing before the Board of Review, the objecting person shall specify in writing the person’s estimate of the value of the land and of the improvements that are the subject of the person’s objection and specify the information used to arrive at that estimate.
   1. No person may appear before the Board of Review, testify to the Board of Review by telephone, or object to a valuation if that valuation was made by the assessor or the objector using the income method of valuation, unless no later than 7 days before the first meeting of the Board of Review, the person supplies the assessor with all the information about income and expenses that the assessor requests, as specified in Assessor’s  Manual  Under  Wis.  Stat.  § 73.03(2a). The City of Oconto has an ordinance for the confidentiality of information about income and expenses that is provided to the assessor under this paragraph that provides exceptions for persons using information in the discharge of duties imposed by law or the duties of their officer or by order of a court. The information that is provided in this paragraph, unless a court determines that it is inaccurate, is not subject to the right of inspection and copying under Wis. Stat. § 19.35(1).
   1. The Board of Review shall hear upon oath, by telephone, all ill or disabled persons who present to the board a letter from a physician, physician assistant, or advanced practice nurse prescriber certified under Wis. Stat. § 441.16(2) that confirms their illness or disability. No other persons may testify by telephone unless the Board of Review, in its discretion, has determined to grant a property owner’s or their representative’s request to testify under oath by telephone or written statement.
   1. No person may appear before the Board of Review, testify to the Board of Review by telephone, or contest the amount of any assessment unless, at least 48 hours before the first meeting of the Board of Review , or at least 48 hours before the objection is heard if the objection is allowed under Wis. Stat. § 70.47(3)(a), that person provides notice to the Board of Review Clerk as to whether the person will ask for the removal of a member of the Board of Review and, if so, which member, and provides a reasonable estimate of the length of time the hearing will take.
   1. No person shall be allowed to appear before the board of review, to testify to the board by telephone or to contest the amount of any assessment of real or personal property if the person has refused a reasonable written request by certified mail of the assessor to enter onto property to conduct an exterior view of the real or personal property being assessed.

Notice is hereby given published as a Class 1 Notice this 9^th day of October, 2024 by: Brittney M. Burruel, City Clerk

October 15, 2024

Notice of Public Hearing on Zoning Ordinance Text Revisions in the City of Oconto, Oconto, Wisconsin

October 15, 2024

6:00 P.M. PUBLIC NOTICE is hereby given to all persons in the City of Oconto that there will be a PUBLIC HEARING before the Oconto City Council in the Council Chambers, at City Hall, 1210 Main Street, Oconto, WI  54153, to solicit comments on proposed multiple zoning ordinances text revisions. A copy of the proposed ordinance text revisions is available at Oconto City Hall, Monday through Friday between the hours of 7:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. or at www.cityofoconto.com.

– Prohibiting Shipping Container Accessory Buildings in R1 Residential, R2 Residential, R3 Multifamily Residential, RMH Mobile Home Park District, and REC Recreational District (An Ordinance (An Ordinance Regarding Prohibited Uses – Shipping Container Accessory Buildings)

– Allowing one (1) Accessory Building on a Vacant Property (An Ordinance Regarding Allowing One Accessory Building on Vacant Property)

– Increasing Accessory Buildings Allowed (An Ordinance Regarding Allowing Two Accessory Buildings Excluding One Detached Garage)

– Temporary Tents (An Ordinance Regarding Temporary Tents & Storage Tents)

– Adding the Definition of Banner in the Sign Ordinance (An Ordinance Regarding Addition of Banner Definition)

All persons interested are invited to attend this hearing and be heard. Written comments may be submitted to: City of Oconto, Attn: Brittney Burruel, 1210 Main St, Oconto, WI 54153

Every town, village, city, and county has ordinances. An ordinance is a written law adopted by a municipal governing authority, i.e., a town board, a village board, a city council, or a county board. Ordinances address things like public health and safety, land use and zoning, and government administration.

A municipal code of ordinances provides an organized location for all current rules and regulations affecting the municipality. It provides citizens, municipal staff, and third parties with one basic source for knowing the current rules and regulations of the municipality. 

Ordinances are put into place to protect the safety and well-being of their municipality as a whole. They ensure the municipality will be fair and consistent with all businesses, property owners, and residents within the municipality.

Ordinance on Spotlight is designed to bring awareness to current City Ordinances. Knowledge and transparency are keys to happiness and success!

TITLE 13. – ZONING

CHAPTER 1. – ZONING CODE

ARTICLE H. – SIGNS

Sec. 13-1-148. Signs Not Requiring a Permit.

Signs not requiring a permit are as follows:

(11)   Political and Campaign Signs. Political and campaign signs on behalf of candidates for public office or measures on election ballots, provided that such signs are subject to the following regulations:

a.   Such signs may be erected only upon private property.

b.  The person or organization responsible for the erection or distribution of any such sign, or the owner, or his agent, of the property upon which the signs may be located, shall be responsible for removal and disposal of such signs pursuant to the provisions of this Section.

c.   Such signs may not be erected more than ninety (90) days prior to the primary, special, or general election to which they are pertinent.

d.  Such signs shall be removed within thirty (30) days after the primary, special or general election to which they are pertinent.

e.  Each sign, except billboards, shall not exceed thirty-two (32) square feet in nonresidential zoning districts and sixteen (16) square feet in residential zoning districts.

f.   No sign shall be placed upon a building or a zoning lot that will create a traffic or safety hazard. The City Police Department shall be primarily responsible for determining safety and traffic factors of such sign. If determined that any signage is a traffic and/or safety factor, the City Police Department shall have the authority to remove such signage.

Note:

• Link to the full “ARTICLE H. – SIGNS” ordinance: https://library.municode.com/wi/oconto/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=TIT13ZO_CH1ZOCO_ARTHSI

09/18/2024

Hello, City of Oconto Voters!

Ballots are officially in and ready to be mailed out tomorrow to voters with absentee requests on file!

In preparation for the November 5^th Election, here are some absentee voting FAQs:

What is absentee voting? Absentee voting refers to a process where eligible voters submit their ballots prior to Election Day. This method is typically used by individuals who cannot vote in person on Election Day due to reasons such as being away from home, illness, disability, or simply to avoid election lines. A ballot is usually mailed to the voter, who completes it and returns it by mail or in person to their clerk’s office.

Do I need a qualifying reason to absentee vote? NOPE! You don’t need a reason to be an absentee voter. Every registered Wisconsin voter has the ability to request an absentee ballot.

How do I request a mailed absentee ballot? Visit MyVote: https://myvote.wi.gov/en-us/Vote-Absentee-By-Mail . Or stop into Oconto City Hall to fill out a paper application. Either method will require a copy of your driver’s license.

Can I vote absentee in person? Yes! In-person absentee voting takes place at Oconto City Hall starting on Tuesday, October 22^nd and ending on Friday, November 1^st. City Hall is open Monday – Friday from 7:30 am until 4:00 pm. Photo ID is required.

Where can I find more election FAQs? Visit the Wisconsin Elections Commission website: https://elections.wi.gov/faq

Tuesday, September 17, 2024

Happy #NationalVoterRegistrationDay!

Get ready for November 5th by visting MyVote ( https://myvote.wi.gov/en-us/ ) where you can check your registration status and register to vote online.

If you recently moved, changed your name, or haven’t registered to vote before, take a few minutes to get registered!

Oconto Bird City would like to share and provide the information that was gathered from our 2024 Purple Martin houses & Bluebird Trails monitoring.

Birds raised:

Purple Martin Houses

96 – Purple Martins @ Oconto City Park

114 – Purple Martins @ Oconto City Docks

210 – Total Purple Martins (New Record)

Bluebird Trails

147 – Bluebirds (New Record)

4 – Black-Capped Chickadees

137 – Tree Swallows

5– wrens

For more information on where the Bluebird Trails are located, please check the City of Oconto website. You can look under icons of recreation, outdoor and then Bird City. If you would like to help out as a volunteer monitor, please contact the City of Oconto Parks & Recreation department @ 920-834-7706 or by e-mail ocontoparks@cityofocontowi.gov.

Oconto Bird City, City of Oconto & the City of Oconto Parks & Recreation Department would like to extend out a huge “Thank you” to all of our volunteer monitors. Without your commitment & dedication this project wouldn’t be possible! Please share this information with others.

08/27/2024

CITY OF OCONTO

The City of Oconto Public Works Department will be doing a city-wide inspection of all trees, shrubs and bushes that do not meet City of Oconto Ordinance Sec. 6-4-7.

The ordinance states that all trees, bushes, and shrubs shall have a clearance of 8’ over any public sidewalk and 14’ over any public street. Any tree in the public right of way will be trimmed by Public Works crews including trees that are under 14’ over any street or alley.

Trees on private property that are less than 8’ of clearance shall be the responsibility of the property owner and the City of Oconto will send you a letter if you have a tree in violation of the ordinance.

Thank you,

City of Oconto

Every town, village, city, and county has ordinances. An ordinance is a written law adopted by a municipal governing authority, i.e., a town board, a village board, a city council, or a county board. Ordinances address things like public health and safety, land use and zoning, and government administration.

A municipal code of ordinances provides an organized location for all current rules and regulations affecting the municipality. It provides citizens, municipal staff, and third parties with one basic source for knowing the current rules and regulations of the municipality. 

Ordinances are put into place to protect the safety and well-being of their municipality as a whole. They ensure the municipality will be fair and consistent with all businesses, property owners, and residents within the municipality.

Ordinance on Spotlight is designed to bring awareness to current City Ordinances. Knowledge and transparency are keys to happiness and success!

CHAPTER 4. TREES AND SHRUBS

Sec. 6-4-7. Trimming.

(a)    Trees standing in or upon any terrace, public area or upon any private premises adjacent to any public right-of-way or public areas shall be kept trimmed so that the lowest branches projecting over the public street or alley provide a clearance of not less than fourteen (14) feet. The Director of Public Services, or his designee, may waive the provisions of this Section for newly planted trees if he determines that they do not interfere with public travel, obstruct the light of any streetlight or endanger public safety.

(b)    The necessity of the pruning may be determined by the Director of Public Services or his designee.

(c)    Clearance from sidewalk to lower branches shall not be less than eight (8) feet. All trees standing upon private property in the City, the branches of which extend over the line of the street, shall be trimmed so that no branch shall grow or hang over the line of the sidewalk lower than eight (8) feet above the level of the sidewalk. No tree shall be permitted to grow in such a manner as to obstruct the proper diffusion of light from any public lamp.

(d)    Trimming or pruning of more than two-thirds (⅔) of the crown of a public area tree shall be considered to be a major alteration and shall require a permit from the Director of Public Services or his designee.

(Ord. No. 977, § 1, 7-13-99)

Sec. 6-4-9. Removal of Trees and Stumps.

(a)    Dangerous, Obstructive and Infected Trees. Any tree or part thereof, whether alive or dead, which the Director of Public Services, or his designee, shall find to be infected, hazardous or a nuisance so as to endanger the general public or other trees or plants growing within the City, or to be injurious to sewers, sidewalks or other public improvements whether growing upon public or private premises, or trees damaged or felled by forces of nature, shall be removed, trimmed or treated by the owner of the property upon or adjacent to which such tree or part thereof is located. The Director of Public Services or his designee shall give written notice to said owner to remedy the situation which shall be served personally or posted upon the affected tree. Such notice shall specifically state the period of time within which the action must be taken, which shall be within not less than twenty-four (24) hours nor more than fourteen (14) days as determined by the Director of Public Services or his designee on the basis of the seriousness of the condition of the tree or danger to the public. If the owner shall fail to remove, treat or trim said tree within the time limited, the Director of Public Services or his designee shall cause the tree to be removed, treated or trimmed and shall report the full cost thereof to the City Clerk/Treasurer, who shall thereupon enter such cost as a special charge against the property.

(b)    Removal Standards. In cutting down trees located in public and terrace areas, the tree must be removed with the root stump grubbed out or ground out to a depth of at least twelve (12) inches below grade measured in a straight line with the normal grade of sidewalk to top of curb. All wood and debris must be removed from the street prior to the end of each working day and all holes shall be filled to normal grade level with topsoil as soon as practicable. The abutting property owner shall have a right of first refusal to keep the wood, provided such wood is not diseased.

(c)    Private Removal. No person, firm, organization or corporation shall plant, injure, trim, remove or destroy any tree or shrub located in or upon any public place, until a permit shall have been issued by the City Forester or his designee. Such permit shall be issued only when the removal, trimming or cutting of the tree or shrub is necessary, as determined by the City Forester or his designee, because of disease, damage, hazardous condition, and/or location, or its location is such that substantial detriment is done to the property upon which the tree stands, or property abutting the same. Such permit shall expressly state the premises upon which the tree stands and the location of the tree thereon.

(Ord. No. 2022-17, § I, 11-22-22)

Note:

• Link to the full ordinance: https://library.municode.com/wi/oconto/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=TIT6PUWO_CH4TRSH
• Our City Forester is the Parks & Recreation Director.

DID YOU KNOW you can sign up for emailed utility bills and/or set your account up for automatic payments?

Added convenience with no fees or additional cost!

Paperwork can be picked up at City Hall or email Megan @ utilities@cityofocontowi.gov.