703.10 Bylaws.
(1) Bylaws to govern administration. The administration of every condominium shall be governed by bylaws. Every unit owner shall comply strictly with the bylaws and with the rules adopted under the bylaws, as the bylaws or rules are amended from time to time, and with the covenants, conditions and restrictions set forth in the declaration or in the deed to the unit. Failure to comply with any of the bylaws, rules, covenants, conditions or restrictions is grounds for action to recover sums due, for damages or injunctive relief or both maintainable by the association or, in a proper case, by an aggrieved unit owner.
(2) Required particulars. The bylaws shall express at least the following particulars:
(a) The form of administration, indicating whether the association shall be incorporated or unincorporated, and whether, and to what extent, the duties of the association may be delegated to a board of directors, manager or otherwise, and specifying the powers, manner of selection and removal of them.
(b) The mailing address of the association.
(c) The method of calling the unit owners to assemble; the attendance necessary to constitute a quorum at any meeting of the association; the manner of notifying the unit owners of any proposed meeting; who presides at the meetings of the association, who keeps the minute book for recording the resolutions of the association and who counts votes at meetings of the association.
(d) The election by the unit owners of a board of directors of whom not more than one is a nonunit owner, the number of persons constituting the same and that the terms of at least one-third of the directors shall expire annually, the powers and duties of the board, the compensation, if any, of the directors, the method of removal from office of directors and whether or not the board may engage the services of a manager or managing agent.
(e) The manner of assessing against and collecting from unit owners their respective shares of the common expenses.
(f) The manner of borrowing money and acquiring and conveying property.
(2m) Limitation on enforcement of certain provisions. No bylaw or rule adopted under a bylaw and no covenant, condition or restriction set forth in a declaration or deed to a unit may be applied to discriminate against an individual in a manner described in s. 106.50.
(3) Permissible additional provisions. The bylaws also may contain any other provision regarding the management and operation of the condominium, including any restriction on or requirement respecting the use and maintenance of the units and the common elements.
(4) Prohibiting voting by certain unit owners. The bylaws may contain a provision prohibiting any unit owner from voting at a meeting of the association if the association has recorded a statement of condominium lien on the person’s unit and the amount necessary to release the lien has not been paid at the time of the meeting.
(5) Amendment. The bylaws may be amended by the affirmative vote of unit owners having 67 percent or more of the votes. Each particular set forth in sub. (2) shall be expressed in the bylaws as amended. Following an amendment to the bylaws, the association shall promptly deliver to each unit owner a copy of the approved amendment.
(6) Title to condominium units unaffected by bylaws. Title to a condominium unit is not rendered unmarketable or otherwise affected by any provision of the bylaws or by reason of any failure of the bylaws to comply with the provisions of this chapter.
History: 1977 c. 407; 1987 a. 262; 1991 a. 295; 1995 a. 27; 1999 a. 82; 2021 a. 168.
Because sub. (6) prohibits condominium bylaws from affecting the transfer of title to a condominium unit, a bylaw prohibiting the sale of any condominium unit to an owner who would not reside in the condominium unit could not be applied to prevent the confirmation of a foreclosure sale to the high bidder who admitted he would not occupy the premises. Bankers Trust Co. of California, N.A. v. Bregant, 2003 WI App 86, 261 Wis. 2d 855, 661 N.W.2d 498, 02-2085.
A condominium complex may prohibit the rental of condominium units through an amendment to the bylaws. Nothing in s. 703.09 (1) (g) or in any other section of this chapter requires that all restrictions on use must be identified in the declaration. Sub. (3) expressly authorizes the placement of additional use restrictions in condominium bylaws and does not contain limitations on the types of restrictions that can be implemented through bylaw amendments. As long as use restrictions do not conflict with the declaration or with state or federal law, they are valid and enforceable. Apple Valley Gardens Ass’n v. MacHutta, 2009 WI 28, 316 Wis. 2d 85, 763 N.W.2d 126, 07-0191.
Bankers Trust, 2003 WI App 86, reaffirmed that the proscription contained within sub. (6) is a protection of the title and is not a vehicle for a finding of impairment. Apple Valley Gardens Ass’n v. MacHutta, 2009 WI 28, 316 Wis. 2d 85, 763 N.W.2d 126, 07-0191.