157.064 Cemetery associations and religious associations; holding property; change of ownership.

(1) A cemetery or religious association authorized to hold lands for cemetery purposes may take and hold not more than 80 acres of land, to be used exclusively for burial of the dead, and personal property not exceeding $250,000 in value, to promote the objects of the association; and if the cemetery is near to or within a 3rd class city the association may so take and hold not more than 160 acres of land; and if near to or within a 1st or 2nd class city, not more than 240 acres.

(2) A cemetery or religious association incorporated in this state and having a cemetery in or near a 1st or 2nd class city and any cemetery described under s. 157.065 (3m) (d) may acquire by gift or purchase up to 30 acres of adjoining lands for cemetery purposes, and may pay for it wholly or partly from its cemetery lot sales.

(3) When it is necessary to enlarge a cemetery owned by a cemetery or religious association, and adjoining lands cannot be acquired or can be acquired only at an exorbitant price, application may be made in writing to the circuit judge by 12 or more resident freeholders of the municipality in which the cemetery is located describing the land and setting forth the facts and the price asked, whereupon the judge shall appoint 3 resident freeholders of the county, but not of the municipality, to appraise the damages of each owner, not to exceed the price asked, but, except in cities or incorporated villages, no lands may be taken within 330 feet of a residence owned by the occupant without the occupant's written consent. The appraisers shall hear all parties upon 10 days' notice and file a report in writing with the judge within 10 days after determination. Upon payment into court of the amount appraised, the lands shall be taken. Either party may appeal as provided in s. 32.06 (10). The commissioners shall be paid, by the party seeking to take the land, $3 for each day actually employed and 6 cents for each mile necessarily traveled.

(5) Whenever a cemetery association votes to convey cemetery property and all trust funds pertaining to the cemetery property to a city, village or town, the trustees of the association shall have the power to transfer the property upon the acceptance of the transfer by resolution of the governing body of the city, village or town. A conveyance under this subsection is subject to s. 157.08 (2).

(6) Whenever the majority of the members of a cemetery association, or of a religious association authorized to hold lands for cemetery purposes, present at an annual meeting or special meeting called for such purpose vote to convey all of the cemetery association's or religious association's cemetery property, trust funds and other property used for cemetery purposes to another cemetery association or religious association, the trustees of the association shall transfer the property upon the acceptance of the transfer by the other association by affirmative vote of a majority of its members present at an annual meeting or special meeting called for that purpose. Upon such acceptance, the title to the cemetery property, trust funds and other property of the transferring association vests in the accepting association under the control of the trustees of the accepting association. A conveyance under this subsection is subject to s. 157.08 (2).

(7) Not more than 30 days after a transfer under sub. (6), the transferring association shall notify the cemetery board in writing of the transfer, including the name and address of the accepting association or its treasurer. The cemetery board may prescribe and furnish forms for providing the information required under this subsection.

History: 1977 c. 449 s. 497; 1985 a. 316 s. 18; Stats. 1985 s. 157.064; 1987 a. 190; 1989 a. 307 ss. 19, 21 to 24; 1995 a. 27; 2015 a. 237.