ZND Committee Meeting: May 27, 2026 – Property Sales, TID Amendments, Housing Policy
ZND Committee Meeting: May 27, 2026 – Property Sales, TID Amendments, Housing Policy
The Zoning, Neighborhoods & Development Committee met on May 27, 2026, at 9:02 AM in Room 301-B of City Hall, Milwaukee. All five members (Bauman, Stamper, Coggs, Jackson, Spiker) were present. The committee recommended approval of seven property transactions, two tax incremental district (TID) amendments, and placed various items on file. A lengthy discussion on the Residents Preference Program annual report and a debate over the Revive Milwaukee program's role in the King Park TID led to the committee holding companion files temporarily before ultimately recommending adoption with caveats. The meeting adjourned at 10:09 AM.
Consent Calendar
- Item 1 (260053): Recommended adoption of a resolution authorizing the acceptance of an unsolicited offer from Maxon Industries, Inc. to purchase a 1.6-acre portion (about 69,696 sq ft) of the city-owned tax deed property at 6600 North Teutonia Avenue for a phased expansion. Maxon Industries, a family-held heavy construction equipment manufacturer (founded 1972, employs ~30, plans to grow to 45-50), will add 12,000-15,000 sq ft to its existing 30,000 sq ft facility. The buyer will install a new curb cut on Teutonia Avenue. Unanimous 5-0 vote.
- Item 2 (260054): Recommended adoption of a resolution authorizing the sale-back to former owners of the city-owned tax-deeded property at 1318 West Ring Street (6th District). Unanimous 5-0 vote.
- Item 3 (260056): Recommended adoption of a resolution authorizing the sale-back to former owners of the city-owned tax-deeded property at 3769 North 2nd Street (6th District). Unanimous 5-0 vote.
- Item 4 (260052): Recommended adoption of a resolution authorizing the sale of the city-owned tax deed property at 420 East North Avenue to Ryan Champagne, owner of the abutting commercial building at 416 East North Avenue, for $1,500 (assessed value). Champagne intends to add an outdoor patio and green space for a doggy daycare business. Unanimous 5-0 vote.
- Item 5 (252196): Recommended adoption of a resolution declaring the DPW parking lot at 1335 North 12th Street as surplus and accepting an unsolicited offer from Vliet Street Lofts, LLC (Gorman & Company / Lutheran Social Services) for $21,000. The lot will be used for ancillary surface parking for a ~$30 million redevelopment at 1220 West Vliet Street, with over $50,000 in improvements (new street lighting, pavement). Unanimous 5-0 vote.
- Item 6 (252247): Recommended adoption of a substitute resolution allowing a minor modification to the Riverwest Apartments Detailed Planned Development to permit an additional Type A wall sign on the mixed-use building at 1132 East North Avenue. The sign is for FoodRight Inc., a nonprofit that operates the Riverwest Food Accelerator and runs youth culinary education programs. Alderman Brower expressed support. Unanimous 5-0 vote.
- Item 7 (252192): Recommended adoption of a resolution approving a Project Plan and Development Agreement, authorizing expenditures, and creating Tax Incremental District No. 133 (2711 West Wells, 4th District). This item had been returned to committee for a technical timing requirement; a full presentation was given at the prior meeting. Unanimous 5-0 vote.
Discussion Items
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Items 8 & 9 (260049 & 260050): TID No. 67 Amendment No. 2 and King Park Land Conveyance. The Department of City Development (DCD) presented Amendment No. 2 to Tax Incremental District No. 67 (Pabst Brewery/The Brewery Project). The amendment would provide up to $22,450,000: $16,700,000 for public infrastructure, $500,000 for commercial corridor programs, $1,500,000 for property acquisition and site work, $1,500,000 for housing programs, $1,500,000 for contingency, and $750,000 in administrative costs. The district, created in 2006 with $29 million, has generated over $240 million in incremental value.
- The amendment focuses on the King Park neighborhood west of I-43, which was decimated by urban renewal and highway construction. Key features: $13 million for street repaving/reconstruction, $2 million for improvements to King Park (athletic fields, partial berm removal, path/lighting upgrades), and acquisition of 19 privately owned lots from a single owner (Fountain Sierra LLC) for under $200,000 (within the $1.5 million acquisition budget). The companion resolution (260050) authorizes conveyance of 13 RACM-owned vacant lots to the city, consolidating ownership of approximately 38 vacant lots for future development.
- A significant debate emerged over the potential use of these lots for the Revive Milwaukee program (which aims to build housing on demolition sites using $2.8 million in funds). Alderman Bauman and Alderwoman Coggs strongly objected to linking this project with Revive, arguing the King Park site should be a standalone, comprehensively master-planned development (like a subdivision) given its size and location. Ald. Coggs stressed that Revive should be reserved for recent demolition sites, not lots vacant for 50 years. DCD staff clarified that no land sales to Revive developers have occurred and any such sales would require future council approval. After clarification, the committee recommended adoption of both resolutions (unanimous 5-0), with Ald. Bauman stating he did not want to hear the word "revive" used in connection with this project again.
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Items 10 & 11 (251773 & 252240): NS Enforcement and Penalties for Multi-Unit Residential Properties. These two substitute ordinances, relating to Department of Neighborhood Services enforcement of code violations and penalties for nuisance properties, were heard at the prior meeting. The committee voted unanimously (5-0) to refer them to the Steering & Rules Committee for future consideration.
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Item 12 (260086): 2025 Residents Preference Program (RPP) Annual Report. Mary Reed from the Department of Compliance and Engagement presented the full report. Key data: In 2025, six private development construction projects closed with total project costs of $138.97 million, including $7.2 million in city-funded TIF dollars. All projects fell short of the 40% RPP participation requirement. The three projects with best-effort agreements (Corcoran Street, 1887 Riverwalk, 103 West Clybourne) are not subject to enforcement. The three projects that required compliance (Bronzeville Estates, Five Points, MLK Library and Apartments) were issued letters of non-compliance; no RPP adjustment plans were entered into voluntarily, and no enforcement remedies (e.g., withholding TIF funds) were used. The committee discussed enforcement, the lack of connection with the ACRE program, and the need for targeted outreach to underrepresented zip codes (particularly 53206, 53208, 53210, 53216). The report was received and placed on file unanimously (5-0). The committee also requested a breakdown of participation numbers by trade and zip code.
Key Outcomes
- Property Sales Approved: Unanimous recommendations to adopt resolutions for seven property transactions (Items 1-7).
- TID No. 67 Amendment and King Park Land Conveyance: Unanimous recommendations to adopt both resolutions (Items 8 & 9), with the understanding that Revive Milwaukee program funds will not be used for the King Park lots and that all future land sales and development plans will require separate council approval.
- Code Enforcement Ordinances Referred: Items 10 and 11 referred to the Steering & Rules Committee for further consideration.
- RPP Report Received: 2025 annual report placed on file; DCE directed to provide a breakdown of participation by trade and zip code, and to collaborate with DCD on future presentations and enforcement strategies.
- Old Business Placed on File: Items 13-16 (2024 RPP report, TID close-out reporting ordinance, plan commission appeal ordinance, and a tax deed property sale) were placed on file as no longer necessary.
Meeting Transcript
May 27, 2026 at 9 02 a.m. I'm Alderman Bauman chair of the committee. We're also joined to my far left, Alderman Spiker. To his right, Alderman DeAndre Jackson. Uh Chris Lee is our staff assistant. We'll be joined by Alderman Stamper and Alderwoman Cogs shortly. First item is file two six zero zero five three. Resolution authorizing the acceptance of unsolicited offer to purchase from the Max and Industries for the portion of the city owned Taxi property of sixty-six hundred North Titania Avenue in the first Aldermanic District, sponsored by Alderman and Pratt. Morning. Good morning. Good morning. Matt Hazley, Department of City Development. This resolution supports the sale of a portion of the property at 6600 North Tetonia Avenue to Maxon Industries. The City of Milwaukee acquired the property through property tax foreclosure. Max and Industries reached out to DCD and expressed interest to acquire 1.6 of the six-acre parcel. Max Industries was incorporated in 1972 and purchased its one-acre parcel at 3204 Westmill Road. It's highlighted in red in your land disposition report. In 1989, the company acquired an additional 1.5 acres for expansion purposes. Pursuing a certified survey map and working with DPW and plans to install a new ingress and egress off of Tetonia Avenue. The new curb cut will entail modifying the Tetonia Avenue median to accommodate a turning radius for large equipment. Same name, different company. They're out of California. Oh, I say it's good advertising. I see those on a lot of trucks, isn't it? Yeah. Oldwoman Pratt. Um I'm just here to say I'm uh excited to for this sale. They've been there since 72. I'm happy they call the first district home and that they're expanding in the first district, adding jobs at our uh family sustaining wage with benefits. Um, just a great development and great uh growth in the first district. So I'm excited and happy to still have you. Thank you. We appreciate it. Why don't you tell us what you do manufacture and what your employment is? So um I'm third generation Max and was my grandfather before me, then my father. Uh we actually have fourth generation on staff now. Uh we're a small family-held company. We employ about 30 people right now. We have envisioned growth to around 45 to 50 people. We specialize in manufacturing heavy construction equipment. So, as an example, when I-43 was being built uh through from downtown Milwaukee going northbound. Most of the contractors on that job were using our equipment to transport in place concrete. Um we've been in the core business of supplying construction equipment to some of the world's largest contractors. About 60% of our business is overseas. We chase after large civil projects. A typical project for us would be something like Panama Canal, where we supplied about 140 pieces of equipment over a five-year period of time and had not the original construction of the Panama. Yeah, I can't claim it in the original one, uh, but the expansion that they put in place, and that would be a typical project that we would chase after. Um we've found ourselves manufacturing some relatively large equipment. Uh we bring in as an example, large caterpillar excavators, and then we modify them by putting special equipment on it. And those loads tend to come in at uh 80,000 pounds, tend to have long trailer setups, and we're kind of um, it's difficult to navigate that turn on Bill Road where we're located right now.
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