Wis. Stat. § 44.44: Certification of historic preservation ordinances.

(1) The state historical society shall certify a historic preservation ordinance if the ordinance does all of the following:

(a) Contains criteria for the designation, on the register of a political subdivision, of historic structures and historic districts which are substantially similar to the criteria for inclusion in the national register of historic places in Wisconsin.

(b) Provides a procedure for the designation of historic structures or historic districts which includes, at a minimum, a nomination process, public notice of nominations and an opportunity for written and oral public comment on nominations.

(c) Provides for the exercise of control by a political subdivision by ordinance, to achieve the purpose of preserving and rehabilitating historic structures and historic districts.

(d) Creates a historic preservation commission in the political subdivision.

(2) The owner of a building designated as a historic building on the register of historic property of a political subdivision shall provide any information or materials regarding the ordinance which are requested by the state historical society in determining whether to certify the ordinance.