Section NR 116.15 - Nonconforming uses and nonconforming buildings(1) GENERAL. Insofar as the standards in this section are not inconsistent with the provisions of ss. 59.69(10) and 62.23(7) (h), Stats., they shall apply to all uses and buildings that do not conform to the provisions contained within a floodplain zoning ordinance. These standards apply to the modification of, or addition to, any building and to the use of any building or premises which was lawful before the passage of the ordinance. The existing lawful use of a building or its accessory use which is not in conformity with the provisions of a floodplain zoning ordinance may be continued subject to the following conditions: (a) No extension of a nonconforming use, or modification or addition to any building with a nonconforming use or to any nonconforming building, may be permitted unless they are made in conformity with the provisions of this section. For the purposes of this section, the words "modification" and "addition" shall include, but not be limited to, any alteration, addition, modification, rebuilding or replacement of any existing building, accessory building or accessory use, except as provided in pars. (am) and (as).(am) For the purposes of this section, ordinary maintenance repairs are not considered an extension, modification or addition; ordinary maintenance repairs include internal and external painting, decorating, paneling, the replacement of doors, windows and other nonstructural components; and the maintenance, repair or replacement of existing private sewage systems, water supply systems or connections to public utilities;(as) For the purposes of this section, the construction of a deck that does not exceed 200 square feet and that is adjacent to the exterior wall of a principal structure is not an extension, modification or addition. The roof of the principal structure may extend over a portion of the deck in order to provide safe ingress and egress to the principal structure.(b) If a nonconforming use or the use of a nonconforming building is discontinued for 12 consecutive months, it is no longer permitted and any future use of the building shall conform with the appropriate provisions contained in ss. NR 116.12, 116.13 and 116.14.(c) No modification or addition to any nonconforming building or any building with a nonconforming use, which over the life of the building would exceed 50% of its present equalized assessed value, may be allowed unless the entire building is permanently changed to a conforming building with a conforming use in compliance with the applicable requirements of this chapter. The costs of elevating a nonconforming building or a building with a nonconforming use to the flood protection elevation are excluded from the 50% provisions of this paragraph.(d) If any nonconforming building or any building with a nonconforming use is destroyed or is so badly damaged that it cannot be practically restored, it cannot be replaced, reconstructed or rebuilt unless the provisions of ss. NR 116.12, 116.13 and are met 116.14. For the purpose of this subsection, restoration is deemed impracticable where the total cost of such restoration would exceed 50% of the present equalized assessed value of the building.(2) FLOODWAY AREAS. (a) No modifications or addition to any nonconforming building or any building with a nonconforming use in a floodway area may be allowed, unless such modification or addition has been granted by permit, special exception, conditional use or variance and meets all of the requirements of sub. (1) and the following criteria: 1. The modification or addition to a building may not increase the amount of obstruction to flood flows; and2. Any addition to a building shall be floodproofed in accordance with the requirements of s. NR 116.16, by means other than the use of fill, to the flood protection elevation.(b) No new private sewage system, or addition to an existing private sewage system, may be allowed in a floodway area. Any maintenance, repair or replacement of a private sewage system in a floodway area shall meet the applicable requirements of all municipal ordinances and ch. SPS 383.(c) No new well, or modifications to an existing well, which is used to obtain water for ultimate human consumption may be allowed in a floodway area. Any maintenance, repair or replacement of an existing well in a floodway area shall meet the applicable requirements of all municipal ordinances and chs. NR 811 and 812.(3) FLOODFRINGE AREAS. (a) Except as provided in par. (b) or (c), no modification or addition to any nonconforming building or any building with a nonconforming use in the floodfringe area may be allowed unless such modification or addition has been granted by permit, special exception, conditional use or variance and the modification or addition is placed on fill or is floodproofed in compliance with the applicable regulations contained s. NR 116.13(2).(b) If compliance with the fill or floodproofing provisions of par. (a) would result in unnecessary hardship, and only if the building will not be used for human habitation and will not be associated with a high flood damage potential, the county board of adjustment or the city or village board of appeals, using the procedures established in s. NR 116.21(4), may grant a variance for modifications or additions which are protected to elevations lower than the flood protection elevation if: 1. Human lives will not be endangered;2. Water or private sewage systems will not be installed;3. Flood depths will not exceed 2 feet;4. Flood velocities will not exceed 2 feet per second; and5. The building will not be used for storage of materials described in s. NR 116.13(6).(c) An addition to an existing room in a nonconforming building or a building with a nonconforming use may be allowed in a floodfringe area on a one time basis only if: 1. The addition has been granted by permit, special exception, conditional use or variance;2. The addition does not exceed 60 square feet in area; and3. The addition, in combination with other modifications or additions to the building, does not exceed 50% of the present equalized assessed value of the building.(d) All new private sewage systems, or additions to, maintenance, repair or replacement of a private sewage system, in a floodfringe area shall meet the applicable requirements of all municipal ordinances and ch. SPS 383.(e) All new wells, or additions to, replacement, repair or maintenance of a well, in a floodfringe area shall meet the applicable provisions of the floodplain zoning ordinance and chs. NR 811 and 812.(4) SHALLOW DEPTH FLOODING AREA. No structural repairs, modifications or additions to an existing building, the cost of which exceeds, over the life of the existing building, 50% of its present equalized assessed value, may be allowed in a shallow depth flooding area unless the entire building is permanently changed to conform with the standards prescribed in s. NR 116.14(1).(5) FLOOD STORAGE AREA. No structural repairs, modifications or additions to an existing building, the cost of which exceeds, over the life of the existing building, 50% of its present equalized assessed value, may be allowed in a flood storage area unless the entire building is permanently changed to conform with the standards prescribed in s. NR 116.14(2).(6) COASTAL FLOODPLAIN AREA. No structural repairs, modifications or additions to an existing building, the cost of which exceeds, over the life of the existing building, 50% of its present equalized assessed value, may be allowed in a coastal floodplain area unless the entire building is permanently changed to conform with the standards prescribed in s. NR 116.14(3).(7) MUNICIPAL RESPONSIBILITIES. (a) Municipal floodplain zoning ordinances shall regulate nonconforming uses and nonconforming buildings in a manner consistent with this section and the applicable state statutes. These regulations shall apply to the modification or addition of any building or to the extension of the use of any building or premises which was lawful before the passage of the floodplain zoning ordinance or any amendment thereto.(b) As permit applications are received for modifications or additions to nonconforming buildings in the floodplain, municipalities shall develop a list of those nonconforming buildings, their present equalized assessed value and a list of the costs of those activities associated with changes to those buildings enumerated in sub. (2) (a) or (3) (a), (b) and (c).Wis. Admin. Code Department of Natural Resources § NR 116.15
Cr. Register, February, 1986, No. 362, eff. 3-1-86; correction in (2) (c) and (3) (e) made under s. 13.93(2m) (b) 7, Stats., Register, September, 1995, No. 477; correction in (1) (intro.) was made under s. 13.93(2m) (b) 7, Stats., Register July 2001, No. 547; CR 03-064: am. (1) (c) Register April 2004 No. 580, eff. 5-1-04; CR 03-091: am. (1) (a), cr. (1) (am) and (as), Register August 2004 No. 584, eff. 9-1-04; corrections in (2) (b), (3) (d) made under s. 13.92(4) (b) 7, Stats., Register January 2012 No. 673.