WisDOT MAPSS - Accountability - Surplus Property Management - The continuous effort to use public dollars in the most efficient and cost-effective way.
Surplus Property Management - The continuous effort to use public dollars in the most efficient and cost-effective way.The department purchases property for transportation improvement projects. Upon project completion, land that is no longer needed is sold to local communities and private developers. Our goal is to generate $2.75 million in revenue from surplus land sales toward the Transportation Fund.
Surplus lands sales are important because they return unused property to the tax rolls. The department purchases property for transportation improvement projects. Once the project design and construction is complete, land that is no longer needed can be made available for private development. The revenue generated by surplus land sales is deposited into the Transportation Fund to be available for other transportation improvements. Surplus land that is sold spurs local economic development since the parcels often have good roadway access and visibility. When land is returned to the tax rolls, local governments benefit because they can generate new property tax revenue from the property.
Availability of surplus lands and interest from potential buyers are the most significant factors. Over the previous 13 fiscal years (2011–2023) the department sold 1,295 parcels, returning the parcels back to the local tax rolls. The sales have generated more than $47 million in parcel sales. In the past 12 years, WisDOT also generated $12 million in lease income from WisDOT-owned property and parcels held for future transportation projects.
The current surplus land inventory is 985 parcels. 82 parcels (8.3%) are available land with independent access from the roadways and are considered general marketable properties for the public. The department classifies 633 parcels (64.3%) as having limited marketability, as they lack access and can only be sold to one of the abutting property owners. Also, 270 parcels (27.4%) of the overall inventory are considered non-marketable with no access and can only be sold to the single abutting property owner.
The department has implemented a new strategy to improve statutory compliance and ensure that all limited and general marketable properties are now offered at their appraised value. As a part of this effort, the department also replaced the past marketing plan with a working inventory list that is more user friendly for buyers. This revised approach not only improves statutory compliance, but also expedites the sale process. Wis. Stats. 84.09 (5)(b), requires parcels identified as surplus after May 25, 2006, to be offered for sale at appraised value for one year if the property is no longer needed for transportation purposes.