OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Milwaukee City Plan Commission Meeting - April 27, 2026

City Plan CommissionMonday, April 27, 2026
BodyMilwaukee, Wisconsin
SessionCity Plan Commission
DateMonday, April 27, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 1:42:09

Transcript — Verbatim
0:00

I will begin by calling the role.

0:04

Commissioner Allison.

0:06

Here.

0:06

Commissioner Katrina Cray.

0:08

Present.

0:10

Commissioner Willie Smith.

0:17

Commissioner Rennell Washington.

0:20

Commissioner Tariq Moody.

0:22

Present.

0:23

Commissioner Jesus Gonzalez.

0:25

Present.

0:26

Okay, thank you very much.

0:28

The first item of business is to review.

0:31

Well, actually, first of all, Ms.

0:34

Vonsecca, would you like to review the rules and directions for the meeting?

0:40

Thank you, Chair.

0:41

Today's City Plan Commission meeting will be carried out in a hybrid format, which means we are accepting public testimony both in person at 809 North Broadway and online in GoToWebinar.

0:53

If you're joining via GoToWebinar, please keep yourself on moot mute until you are called.

0:59

If you would like to provide testimony during any of the public hearings, please click the raise hand function.

1:04

You can see that on the screen right now.

1:06

During your agenda item of interest, click the raise hand function, and our staff assistant Chris Lee will call on you during the public testimony portion of the item.

1:15

If anyone is watching on channel 25 and would like to participate in a hearing, you will need to log in to the go to webinar platform to do so.

1:23

You can do this by going to the website at city.mwaukee.gov slash cpc.

1:28

Again, that's city.mwaukee.gov slash cpc.

1:32

From this web page, you can download and log into go to webinar and provide testimony during any of the public comment items.

1:40

Whether you are providing testimony in person or remotely today, please state your name, address, and affiliation with the item for your testimony.

1:49

Thank you for your participation.

1:52

Okay, thank you very much.

1:53

All right.

1:54

Um the first item business is to review the minutes.

1:57

Commissioners, have you had an opportunity to look at those minutes?

2:07

And if so, I will accept a motion on the minutes.

2:14

I'll make a motion to approve the previous meeting minutes.

2:17

Okay, there's been a motion.

2:18

Is there a second?

2:21

Commissioner would be seconds.

2:23

A second, any discussion.

2:26

Seeing none, all those in favor, please say aye.

2:29

Aye.

2:30

Aye.

2:30

Opposed.

2:31

Abstentions, motion carries.

2:34

Okay.

2:34

Item number two.

2:36

Kristen, would you like to introduce or whoever would like to introduce the file?

2:40

Sure.

2:41

The next item is file number 252012, a resolution relating to a minor modification to the detailed plan development known as St.

2:49

Rita Square to allow additional building signage on the existing building located at 728 East Pleasant Street on the north side of East Pleasant Street, east of North Van Buren Street in the third Aldermanic district.

3:04

Kristen Connolly, DCD planning.

3:06

Um the subject site before you was rezoned to a detailed plan development back in 2018, and it allowed the construction of a senior living facility as well as new church for the St.

3:15

Rita congregation.

3:16

The senior living facility entails a six-story building with independent living, assisted living, high acuity, assisted living, and memory care.

3:25

This particular minor modification relates to allowable signage for the senior living facility.

3:30

See if I can advance.

3:31

There's the building.

3:32

Currently, the DPD zoning allows signage near the main entrance and drop-off area along Pleasant Street and at the corner of Van Buren and Pleasant.

3:40

And so this minor modification will approve one new sign.

3:43

It'll be a projecting sign along the Van Buren frontage.

3:47

And the purpose of the sign is to allow additional visibility and awareness that this is a senior living community.

3:54

The sign will follow the provisions of the Milwaukee Code of Ordinances with respect to not projecting more than four feet into the public right-of-way and being not less than 10 feet above the adjacent sidewalk grade.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Affordable Housing████████████████████████████████████████████44%
Land Use Planning█████████████████████████████████33%
Procedural████████8%
Community Engagement█████5%
Economic Development██2%
Parks and Recreation██2%
Youth Programs██2%
Public Housing1%
Engineering and Infrastructure1%
Summary of Proceedings

Milwaukee City Plan Commission Meeting - April 27, 2026

The City Plan Commission met on April 27, 2026, at 1:30 PM in a hybrid format to consider five items, including zoning changes, a signage modification, and a major affordable housing development. All items were approved unanimously (6-0 or 5-0). The meeting adjourned at 3:13 PM.

Consent Calendar

  • Item 1: Approval of the March 9, 2026 meeting minutes was approved without objection.

Discussion Items

Item 2: Minor Modification to St. Rita Square for Additional Signage

  • File 252012: A resolution to allow a projecting sign on the Van Buren Street frontage of the senior living facility at 728 E. Pleasant St. The sign is non-illuminated, blue, and branded with Capri Communities colors. Staff recommended approval, and Ald. Brower supported. Amy Schoenemann of Capri Communities testified that the sign would increase visibility for the senior living community, which is currently full. The commission approved 6-0.

Item 3: Zoning Change from IH to IM at 2156-2166 S. 4th St.

  • File 251867: A substitute ordinance to rezone two properties from Industrial Heavy to Industrial Mixed to allow a wider mix of uses. The building currently houses a daycare (Ebenezer) on the first two floors. Bill Sinsky of the Druml Company stated that heavy industrial use is no longer feasible. The site is within the Harbor District, and the Riverwalk extension is anticipated. Staff recommended approval; President Perez had no objections. Approved 6-0.

Item 4: Zoning Change from RS2 to RM3 at 11919 W. Bradley Rd.

  • File 251606: A substitute ordinance to rezone a 15-acre church site to allow a 100-unit senior housing development (townhouse-style flats) with future phases including a memory care facility and a new school. The applicant, Scott Crawford, Inc., presented concept plans. Dr. Robert Randolph of Kingdom Faith Fellowship Church co-sponsored. Ald. Taylor testified in support, noting the need for memory care. The community engagement included a meeting in February 2026 with support from an adjacent resident. Construction for phase 1 is targeted for Q3 2026. Approved 6-0.

Item 5: Midtown Commons Affordable Housing Development

  • File 252155: A resolution approving plans for a 200-unit affordable multifamily development (Midtown Commons) on the former Walmart parking lot at 5825 W. Hope Ave., part of the Midtown Center redevelopment. The development will be built in two phases of 100 units each, with a mix of 1-, 2-, and 3-bedroom apartments. The unit mix is 35 three-bedroom, 40 two-bedroom, and 25 one-bedroom units per phase. Parking totals 205 spaces. The play area and landscaping are included. Staff recommended approval. Ald. Chambers testified in support, emphasizing the project's potential to catalyze the corridor. Ted Matkom of Gorman & Company and Mark Larson of Korb Architects presented. Discussion included traffic calming, lighting, landscaping, and community engagement. The commission approved 5-0 (Chair Bloomingdale left at 2:55 PM).

Key Outcomes

  • All items were approved unanimously.
  • Item 2: Resolution recommended for adoption to Zoning, Neighborhoods & Development Committee.
  • Items 3 and 4: Ordinances recommended for passage to Zoning, Neighborhoods & Development Committee.
  • Item 5: Plan Commission Resolution approved.
  • Meeting adjourned at 3:13 PM.

Meeting Transcript

I will begin by calling the role. Commissioner Allison. Here. Commissioner Katrina Cray. Present. Commissioner Willie Smith. Commissioner Rennell Washington. Commissioner Tariq Moody. Present. Commissioner Jesus Gonzalez. Present. Okay, thank you very much. The first item of business is to review. Well, actually, first of all, Ms. Vonsecca, would you like to review the rules and directions for the meeting? Thank you, Chair. Today's City Plan Commission meeting will be carried out in a hybrid format, which means we are accepting public testimony both in person at 809 North Broadway and online in GoToWebinar. If you're joining via GoToWebinar, please keep yourself on moot mute until you are called. If you would like to provide testimony during any of the public hearings, please click the raise hand function. You can see that on the screen right now. During your agenda item of interest, click the raise hand function, and our staff assistant Chris Lee will call on you during the public testimony portion of the item. If anyone is watching on channel 25 and would like to participate in a hearing, you will need to log in to the go to webinar platform to do so. You can do this by going to the website at city.mwaukee.gov slash cpc. Again, that's city.mwaukee.gov slash cpc. From this web page, you can download and log into go to webinar and provide testimony during any of the public comment items. Whether you are providing testimony in person or remotely today, please state your name, address, and affiliation with the item for your testimony. Thank you for your participation. Okay, thank you very much. All right. Um the first item business is to review the minutes. Commissioners, have you had an opportunity to look at those minutes? And if so, I will accept a motion on the minutes. I'll make a motion to approve the previous meeting minutes. Okay, there's been a motion. Is there a second? Commissioner would be seconds. A second, any discussion. Seeing none, all those in favor, please say aye. Aye. Aye. Opposed. Abstentions, motion carries. Okay. Item number two. Kristen, would you like to introduce or whoever would like to introduce the file? Sure. The next item is file number 252012, a resolution relating to a minor modification to the detailed plan development known as St. Rita Square to allow additional building signage on the existing building located at 728 East Pleasant Street on the north side of East Pleasant Street, east of North Van Buren Street in the third Aldermanic district. Kristen Connolly, DCD planning. Um the subject site before you was rezoned to a detailed plan development back in 2018, and it allowed the construction of a senior living facility as well as new church for the St.

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