FAQs

What if I’m already registered to vote elsewhere?

Your registration cannot be transferred from another municipality unless a new registration form is completed in the City of Platteville.  You will be asked to fill out a new registration form so that your prior registration can be cancelled and your voter history can be transferred to the City of Platteville.  You will need to provide a proof of residence with your registration form. 

Category: Elections
What is a certificate of appropriateness?

A certificate of appropriateness allows modifications to be made to the exterior of buildings and properties located in the Main Street Historic District, which is located in downtown Platteville, and to individual properties that have been locally designated. 

Category: Certificate of Appropriateness
What is assessed value?

Assessed Value is the value the city assessor places on each real property parcel and on each individual’s taxable personal property. Under state law, all non-agricultural assessments must be based on the property’s market value as of January 1 of the assessment year. State law recognizes that every municipality cannot be assessed exactly at market value each year. The law requires that each municipality is within ten percent of market value once every five years. Assessed values are used to distribute the City’s taxes among the individual property owners.

Category: Assessor
Who may receive a Temporary Alcohol Beverage License?

Only the following nonprofit organizations may receive a temporary alcohol beverage license (sec. 125.26(6), Wis. Stats.):
•bona fide clubs, whether incorporated or not, which own, lease, or occupy a building or portion thereof used exclusively for club purposes, which is operated solely for a recreational, fraternal, social, patriotic, political, benevolent or athletic purpose but not for pecuniary gain and which only sells alcohol beverages incidental to its operation
•local chambers of commerce organized under ch. 181, Wis. Stats. or a similar civic or trade organization organized under ch. 181, Wis. Stats., to promote economic growth and opportunity within a local geographical area
•state, county, or local fair associations or agricultural societies
•churches, lodges or societies that have been in existence for at least 6 months before the date of application
•posts of veterans organizations

Category: Temporary Alcohol Beverage License
Who needs an alcohol beverage license?

Any individual or entity that wants to sell alcohol beverages to consumers or allow consumption in a public place must get an alcohol beverage license (sec. 125.09(1), Wis. Stats.).

Category: Temporary Alcohol Beverage License
What do tax assessors do?

City tax assessors are state certified individuals whose duties are to discover, list, and value all taxable real property in the municipality in a uniform and equitable manner. In performing these duties, assessors are required to follow state law, case law, and the Wisconsin Property Assessment Manual. The property values determined by the assessor are then used to calculate the amount of property taxes to be paid. The assessor is not involved in the collection of property taxes. 

Category: Assessor
What if I’ve moved within the City of Platteville or have changed my name how will this affect my voter registration?

You will be asked to fill out a new registration form and provide a valid Proof of Residence with your current name and address.

Category: Elections
What types of events are temporary alcohol beverage licenses used for?

Picnics and similar gatherings of limited duration are the types of events that may qualify to use a temporary alcohol beverage license (sec. 125.26(6), Wis. Stats.). Some examples of events where a temporary alcohol beverage license may be required include fundraisers, meetings of the post, picnics open to the public, fair booths, wine or beer walks, festivals, and more.

Category: Temporary Alcohol Beverage License
Who authorizes a certificate of appropriateness?

The Historic Preservation Commission reviews any proposed modifications that would alter the exterior appearance of the property to determine if the request is appropriate for the particular property and the overall character of the Main Street Historic District. 

Category: Certificate of Appropriateness
How do I become an Election Inspector?

For information on becoming a poll worker click here. If you are interested in becoming an election inspector/poll worker click here to fill out and application or contact the City Clerk at 348-9741 x6 for more information.

Category: Elections
How is assessed value determined?

The law requires that property be valued from actual view or from the best information that can be practicably obtained. This information may include the sale of the property, review of new construction, review of improvements, or physical inspection of the property.

Category: Assessor
What is the procedure for obtaining a certificate of appropriateness?

To receive a Certificate of Appropriateness from the City of Platteville Historic Preservation Commission, it is necessary for the applicant to complete an application form and return it with a copy of the plans, drawings, specifications, or other information necessary to fully describe the proposed project.  In general, documentation submitted with the application is non-returnable, with the exception of historic photographs, etchings, lithographs, original blueprints and drawings, or other special materials.  Applications for a Certificate of Appropriateness shall be made to the Zoning Coordinator on forms furnished by the City.  The following information should be provided:

  1. Name and Address of Property and Property Owner
    Provide the name given to the property when it was designated if you know it.  Give the full address of the property.  If located in a local historic district, give the name by which the district was designated.  Provide the name, address, and telephone number of the property owner.  If there are multiple owners of real interest, include all parties using a separate sheet of paper if necessary.  Provide the name, address, and telephone number of the applicant if different from the owner.
  2. Attachments
    Provide a copy of the plans, renderings, drawings, and written specifications of the requested alterations.  To supplement your application, you may also wish to submit photographs, slides, material samples, site plans, sketches, historical documentation, or anything else that will illustrate to the Commission and staff the effect of the proposed change.
  3. Description of Project
    Describe in detail the proposed work and how it will impact the existing building, building features, and property.  Provide as much information as necessary to describe the proposed work and cover all aspects of the project.  If more space is needed, continue on a separate page.

The Historic Preservation Commission shall hold a meeting to review each application, and shall make a decision to approve, disapprove, or further conditionally approve the application.  The Historic Preservation Commission meets at 5:30 p.m. on Thursdays after Council meetings, which are on the second and fourth Tuesdays of the mont. The application deadline for appearing on the meeting agenda is ten (10) working days prior to the meeting date.

Category: Certificate of Appropriateness
Am I currently registered to vote? If so, where do I vote?

Voters who want to know if they are currently registered and where, visit MyVote WI at https://myvote.wi.gov/ and follow the instructions or you can contact the City Clerk at 348-9741 x6. 

Category: Elections
Can any changes be made to a historic structure without going before the Historic Preservation Commission for approval?

The Building Inspector or Community Planning & Development Director, as designees of the Commission, may issue a Certificate of Appropriateness for the following types of work to historic structures without Commission approval.  When reviewing the projects listed below, the designees shall use the Standards for Rehabilitation & Guidelines for Rehabilitating Historic Buildings as a guide to determine appropriate methods and materials to complete the work.  Any time there is a question regarding interpretation of this policy, or interpretation of the standards and guidelines, the proposed work shall be submitted to the Commission for approval.

Exterior Masonry:

  1. Cleaning of masonry according to approved methods.
  2. Repointing mortar joints using mortar that is similar to the original in strength, composition, color, texture and hardness.  The width and profile of the mortar joints are maintained.
  3. Limited replacement of bricks or other masonry features if the same kind of material, or a compatible material, is used.
  4. Repainting of historically painted surfaces.
  5. Brick shall not be painted or coated with other materials such as stucco when such masonry has historically been unpainted or uncoated.
  6. Replacement of veneer concrete foundation coating with veneer stone.
  7. Use approved methods to prevent water damage to masonry.
  8. Concrete shall not be used as a substitute for mortar in rock foundations.

Building Exterior-Wood:

  1. Retain and preserve wood features that are important to the historic character of the building.
  2. Materials used in exterior repairs shall duplicate original wood in texture and appearance.
  3. Use approved methods to prevent water damage to wood.

Building Exterior-Metal:

  1. Retain and preserve metal features that are important to the historic character of the building.
  2. Cleaning of metal surfaces according to approved methods.
  3. Use approved methods to prevent water damage to metal.

Building Exterior-Roofs:

  1. Re-roofing that maintains or restores the historic character of the building’s roof.
  2. Re-roofing that does not change roof shape, or remove or cover any decorative features of the roof or cover any portions of the building facade.
  3. Chimneys not visible from the street or other public use area may be removed.  Metal chimneys are prohibited.
  4. Use the appropriate roofing material, such as slate, wood, clay tile or metal, according to the original historic character of the building.
  5. Re-roofing may be done with asphalt, fiberglass or other rectangular composition shingles similar in appearance to 3-in-l-tab asphalt shingles when such materials do not affect the historic character of the building.
  6. Re-roofing that does not involve the addition of features such as air conditioning, skylights, decks, terraces, dormers, solar collectors or other items readily visible.
  7. Rubberized membranes, rolled roofing, tar-and-gravel, and other similar roofing materials may be used on flat or slightly sloped roofs.

Building Exterior-Windows:

  1. Use methods acceptable for rehabilitation of existing historic windows.
  2. Repairs to existing historic window frames, sashes and surrounding trim, such as caulking, weatherstripping, patching and splicing, reglazing, and replacement of broken glass.
  3. Replacement windows that fill the masonry or rough-framed opening and the features of the new window match those originally installed in the building. Replacement windows of aluminum-clad wood or vinyl-clad wood are allowed.  Vinyl windows shall be approved by the Commission.
  4. If the window is being proposed as a replacement for a non-original window, then the appropriate style for the window shall be based on the style on other original windows on the building, or on historic photos of the building, if available.  When neither of these options are available for comparison, the replacement window should be based on the style of original windows used in other similar buildings in Platteville.
  5. The addition of storm windows where none existed originally is allowed as part of a replacement window unit.  Storm windows must be painted or stained. Raw aluminum shall be approved by the Commission.

Building Exterior-Entrances and Porches:

  1. Rehabilitation of entrances and porches using acceptable methods that maintain or restore original features.
  2. Storm door designs of wood and glass to match the original design on the building are encouraged.  Storm doors of simple design with no stylistic reference may also be used.  Storm doors with metal grills may be approved if they blend with the style of the building.
  3. Storm doors must be painted or stained.  Raw aluminum shall be approved by the Commission. 

Building Site:

  1. Use approved methods to prevent water damage to rock foundation walls.  Examples are the maintenance or addition of gutters and downspouts, installation of drain tile along the building foundation and providing adequate site drainage.
  2. Rehabilitation of features that are not missing such as walks, paths, roads, driveways and parking areas.

Re-siding:

Re-siding that replaces or covers clapboards or non-original siding on historic buildings originally sided with clapboards is allowed provided that the new siding imitates the width of the original clapboard siding to within one (1) inch and that all architectural details including, but not limited to, window trim, wood cornices, and ornament either remain uncovered or are duplicated exactly in appearance.  If more than one layer of siding exists on the building, all layers except the first must be removed before the new siding is applied.  If insulation is applied under the new siding, all trim must be built up so that it projects from the new siding to the same extent it did with the original siding.

Painting:

Painting a building or a building component does not require approval or the issuance of a Certificate of Appropriateness, unless the request is to paint a building or portion of a building that has never previously been painted.  For example, a request to paint a brick building that has never previously been painted requires approval of the Commission and the issuance of a Certificate of Appropriateness.

General Repair and Replacement:

Repairs to, or limited replacement of, building materials and building components if the work uses the same materials, or compatible substitute materials, and provided that the work does not substantially change the exterior appearance of the structure or site.

Category: Certificate of Appropriateness
How will I know the amount of my assessment?

Whenever an assessor changes the total assessment of any real property the owner must be notified. (Failure to receive a notice does not affect the validity of the changed assessment.) The notice must be in writing and mailed at least 15 days (30 days in revaluation years) prior to the Board of Review meeting. 

You can also review your assessed value by visiting the assessor website here: http://accurateassessor.com/municipalities/

Select "Platteville, CIty of" from the list and enter your parcel number or street number and street name.

Category: Assessor
What activities are authorized under a temporary alcohol beverage license?

An organization that holds a temporary alcohol beverage license may sell, serve, and allow consumption of wine and/or beer at an event hosted by the organization on the premises approved by the municipal governing body. Organizations may host gatherings requiring an entrance fee to the event that includes service of alcohol beverages or may charge for the beer or wine by the glass. A chamber of commerce or similar trade organization may hold up to 20 temporary alcohol beverage licenses for purposes of organizing a wine or beer walk. Temporary alcohol beverage licenses do not authorize consumption or sale of distilled spirits. See Publication 309, Retail Alcohol Beverage Licensing Guide for Municipalities, and Publication 302, Information for Wisconsin Alcohol Beverage and Tobacco Retailers, for more details.

Any profit from the sale of alcohol should substantially benefit the applicant organization.

Beer or Wine must be purchased from a Wisconsin permitted wholesaler (list of these can be found on this page or on the DOR website)

Category: Temporary Alcohol Beverage License
What if I don't agree with my assessment?

You can call Accurate Appraisal at 800-770-3977 to speak directly with the assessor about your assessment.

In order to provide property owners with more flexibility in being able to speak with the assessor, Accurate Appraisal will offer an extended period of Open Book via phone. The assessor will be available or calls to discuss property values from the time assessment notices are received until 48 hours before the Board of Review convenes.  For those property owners who prefer to have an appointment, there will be a daily schedule available on the Accurate Appraisal website to sign up for a scheduled time to call. 

The assessor will explain how your assessment was prepared, review the property record for your property and explain what factors were considered in determining a value for your property. 

 

Category: Assessor
What is my district voting information & polling locations?

All polling locations open at 7 AM and close at 8 PM on Election Day.  If you have any questions about your polling location, you can click here, to see your district or contact the City Clerk at 348-9741 x6.

MyVote WI also has information at https://MyVote.WI.gov.

Aldermaniac Districts Wards Polling Locations
District 1 1 & 2

Broske Center
1155 N Second Street
Platteville, WI 53818

District 2 3 & 4 Broske Center
1155 N Second Street
Platteville, WI 53818
District 3 5 & 6 Ullsvik Hall - UW Platteville
30 South Hickory Street
Platteville, WI 53818
District 4 7, 8, & 9 Ullsvik Hall - UW Platteville
30 South Hickory Street
Platteville, WI 53818

 

Category: Elections
What if, after the informal Open Book process, I still disagree with the assessment?

You must file an Objection Form with the municipal clerk at least 48 hours prior to the meeting of the Board of Review. You will then appear before the Board of Review for a hearing where you will present your case regarding the assessed value of your property.

Category: Assessor
What evidence do I need to present to the Board of Review?

The best evidence of value is the recent sales price of your property. The next best evidence is the arm's-length sales of reasonably comparable properties.  These are properties similar to yours in location, age, style, condition, and other features that affect market value, such as the number of bathrooms, bedrooms, and size of the garage. More information can be found in the 2022 Guide for Property Owners located at the bottom of this page.

Category: Assessor
When will the new property assessment go into effect?

The new assessments are effective January 1 of the following year and will appear on the tax bill you receive in December of the current year.

Category: Assessor
What is a property assessment revaluation?

A revaluation is performed by the city assessor when the property records are outdated or inaccurate, assessment uniformity is poor, a full revaluation hasn’t been performed for ten years, or reassessment is required under state law (sec. 70.75, Wis. Stats.).

Revaluation types:

•  Full revaluation –  implies that present records are outdated or confidence in their accuracy is lost. It will entail on-site interior and exterior inspections, measuring, listing and photographing of all buildings.

•  Exterior revaluation –   is sometimes sought when there is not total confidence in the property record cards, but questions can be verified without interior inspection

•  Interim market update –  implies that there is confidence in the property record system and all that is needed is professionally performed valuation updating

The City is required by the State to undergo a revaluation whenever the equalized value of a class of property (residential or commercial) falls below 90% for several consecutive years. The City of Platteville underwent a Full Revaluation in 2018 and an Interim Market Update in 2022. Due to the significant changes in property values regionally and state-wide, the City Assessor will need to undertake an Interim Market Update in 2024. When the City undergoes a revaluation, it does not mean the City will collect more taxes because of the revaluation, but the distribution of those taxes may change based on the valuation of individual properties. 

Category: Assessor

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