703.26 Expanding condominiums.

(1) Declarant may reserve right to expand. A declarant may reserve the right to expand a condominium by subjecting additional property to the condominium declaration in such a manner that as each additional property is subjected to the condominium declaration, the percentage of undivided interests in the common elements of the preceding and new property shall be reallocated between the unit owners on the basis of the aggregate undivided interest in the common elements appertaining to the property.

(2) Conditions to which reservation subject. A reservation of the right to expand a condominium is subject to the conditions provided in this subsection.

(a) A declaration establishing a condominium shall describe each parcel of property which may be added to the condominium.

(b) A declaration establishing a condominium shall show the maximum number of units which may be added, and the percentage interests in the common elements, the liabilities for common expenses and the rights to common surpluses, and the number of votes appurtenant to each unit following the addition of property to the condominium, if added. The percentage interests in the common elements, the liabilities for common expenses and the rights to common surpluses, and the number of votes that each unit owner will have may be shown by reference to a formula or other appropriate method of determining them following each expansion of the condominium.

(c) A condominium plat for an original condominium shall include, in general terms, the outlines of the land, buildings, and common elements of new property that may be added to the condominium.

(d) In a declaration establishing a condominium, a right to expand the condominium may be reserved in the declaration for a period not exceeding 10 years from the date of recording of the declaration.

(3) Recordation of amendments to declaration and plat.

(a) If the conditions of sub. (2) are complied with, property may be added to a condominium if the declarant records an amendment to the declaration, showing the new percentage interests of the unit owners, and the votes which each unit owner may cast in the condominium as expanded, and records an addendum to the condominium plat that includes the detail and information concerning the new property as required in the original condominium plat.

(b) On recording of an amendment of a declaration and an addendum to a plat, each unit owner, by operation of law, has the percentage interests in the common elements, liabilities in the common expenses, rights to common surpluses, and shall have the number of votes, set forth in the amendment to the declaration. Following any expansion, the interest of any mortgagee shall attach, by operation of law, to the new percentage interests in the common elements appurtenant to the unit on which it is a lien.

History: 1977 c. 407; 1997 a. 333.

Substantial compliance with formal requirements as permitted by s. 703.30 (2) is limited to the condominium status of the property and title of the unit owners. It does not apply to a project's status as an expanding condominium under this section. Rock Lake Estates Unit Owners Association, Inc. v. Town of Lake Mills, 195 Wis. 2d 348, 536 N.W.2d 415 (Ct. App. 1995), 94-2488.