Pier rule revisions

Since the summer of 2004, the Wisconsin Association of Lakes has served on the DNR's pier rule (NR 326) advisory group, recognizing that the people of Wisconsin have different interests, and that pier regulations affect all Wisconsin lakes and lakefront property owners. Throughout the process, we have worked to balance property owners' rights to access the water and the preservation of the character and health of our lakes.

When the legislature passed 2003 Act 118, Wisconsin’s pier law changed. Act 118 changed the statute to set up a pier permit process and established within the statute that piers below a certain size do not require permit. The legislature gave DNR the responsibility to develop rules for piers that are larger than outlined in the statute, and directed the Department to codify its Pier Planner, a guidance document for pier construction that has been in use 1991.

History of pier regulation in Wisconsin
(PDF 20 KB)

2005 Pier Survey
(PDF 78 KB)

2005 Effects of Pier Shading study
(PDF 171 KB)

Our position on the proposed rules (NR 326) Summer 2005
(PDF 52 KB)

Press release (November 7, 2005)

“Illegal” pier concerns all wet: don’t sink pier rules (PDF 35 KB)

Press release (December 15, 2005)

Pier bill would bypass public process for private agenda (position on 2005 AB-850 amendment)

Read the entire proposed rule
(PDF 117 KB)

Ammendments to the proposed rule
(PDF 39 KB)