Milwaukee City Plan Commission Meeting

June 29, 2026 | 1:30 PM – 8:38 PM | Hybrid Meeting

The City Plan Commission convened to review six agenda items, including zoning changes, alley vacations, a comprehensive plan update, and a highly contested proposal for a deviation from the Midtown Center Development Incentive Zone (DIZ) overlay to allow an indoor self-storage facility and a data processing/computational research facility in the former Walmart building at 5825 West Hope Avenue. After extensive public testimony and deliberation, the commission voted to hold the two related zoning files (260029 and 260030), effectively postponing a decision. All other items were approved unanimously.

Consent Calendar

• Minutes from June 8, 2026: Approved without objection (7-0).
• Item 2 (260046) – Zoning Change from IL1 to IO1: Approved 7-0. The western 50 feet of 1215 West Layton Avenue will be rezoned to facilitate expansion of an existing gas station at 1233 West Layton Avenue. Staff recommended approval; Ald. Scott Spiker was in support. Applicants Saif and Riaz Mian appeared. The Board of Zoning Appeals will address landscaping requirements per the Garden District plan.
• Item 3 (250157) – Alley Vacation (east-west alley north of West Cherry Street): Approved 7-0. The vacation accommodates the NewView mixed-use development by Neu-Life Community Development, including affordable housing for ages 18-24, a gym, and green space with a bioswale.
• Item 4 (260170) – Alley Vacation (eastern portion of 12th Lane): Approved conditionally 7-0. Condition: Lis Pendens must be recorded per Wis. Stat. §62.73 before Public Works Committee consideration. Corrects historical survey inaccuracies.
• Item 5 (260144) – Climate and Equity Plan Update: Approved 7-0. Two minor updates: updated department name to Department of Compliance and Engagement and added a footnote clarifying that all strategies are to be implemented consistent with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964; recruitment targeted to economically disadvantaged communities, not people of color.

Public Comments & Testimony (Items 6 and 7)

• Applicant (Trent Overhue, AFS Milwaukee): Presented the plan to repurpose the former Walmart into: indoor self-storage (108,000 sq ft), a data processing/computational research facility (up to 19,000 sq ft, 7-10 MW, closed-loop cooling, <5 gallons water/day), community serving uses (51,000 sq ft including future library and early voting site), and 200 affordable housing units on the parking lot. Emphasized that the facility is small (100'x200'), not an AI data center, and would hire locally.
• Department of City Development (Commissioner Lafayette Crump, Planning Director Tanya Fonseca): Presented staff recommendation for conditional approval with 12 conditions, noting the deviations would enable housing, library, and civic uses; the facility is 3% of the site; conditions would require permits for storage/data uses only after housing and community uses proceed.
• Ald. Mark Chambers Jr. (2nd District): Supported the proposal as a necessary compromise to fund housing and library; stated he had canvassed and engaged residents.
• Public Testimony in Opposition (39 speakers): Included residents, Party for Socialism and Liberation Milwaukee, Milwaukee Democratic Socialists of America, Sherman Park and Metcalfe Park groups. Key concerns:
  • Environmental: Flooding, traffic, noise (upward travel), power grid strain, higher electric bills, water use, closed-loop chemicals, heat islands.
  • Process & Equity: Lack of transparency (NDA for operator), inadequate community meetings (no chairs, no AC at first open house; wrong address), belief the proposal targets Black, Brown, and low-income neighborhoods for out-of-state profit, few local jobs (15-20 technical positions).
  • Misrepresentation: Called the facility a data center despite developer labeling it "computational research"; cited inconsistent messaging (biomedical vs. defense).
  • Requests: 24-month moratorium pending data center legislation, full environmental impact study, water and power benchmarking.
• Public Testimony in Support (6 speakers): Jeremy Moore, Gloria Gonzalez, Tina Ojeda, Shayna Howard, Janice West, Babett Jeanes. Argued the project would end blight, revitalize Midtown, and bring needed library and housing; downplayed environmental impacts as minimal.
• Ald. Peter Burgelis (11th District): Questioned enforcement of noise conditions and noted co-sponsorship of pending data center legislation. Requested clarity on timelines for enforcement (court revocation of occupancy).
• Ald. Sharlen Moore (10th District): Opposed losing Capitol Library from her district, stating she was told the library move was a done deal with no community input in District 10.

Discussion Items (Items 6 and 7 – Considered Together)

• Proposal Details: AFS Milwaukee LLC request to deviate from the DIZ overlay to allow indoor self-storage and data processing/computational research facility in the rear of the former Walmart. The front 51,000 sq ft would house community/civic uses (future MPL library, early voting site). The housing (200 units, affordable) was approved separately. Staff recommended conditional approval with 12 conditions limiting power (10 MW), noise (acoustic report), water (no evaporative cooling), and requiring housing/civic uses to proceed first.
• Commissioner Questions:
  • Commissioner Moody asked about community engagement; Ald. Chambers stated he held over 30 town halls and discussed the project.
  • Commissioner Washington asked about applicant's experience and operator NDA. Overhue said operator is under NDA but he would operate the facility; his company owns similar facilities elsewhere.
  • Commissioner Crane questioned grid stabilization; Overhue said the facility stabilizes the grid and that no energy upgrades are needed.
• Commissioner Smith: Proposed conditional approval with additional conditions (water benchmarking, public environmental reports, landscaping/parking review, independent study of similar AFS facilities – developer-funded, firm undisclosed to AFS, including solar review). Motion failed for lack of a second.
• Commissioner Smith: Then moved to hold for third-party review and solar assessment, seconded by Vice-chair Nemec. Failed 2-4-1 (yes: Nemec, Smith; no: Washington, Crane, Moody, Gonzalez; abstain: Bloomingdale).
• Commissioner Moody: Moved to hold the file, seconded by Commissioner Gonzalez. Prevailed 7-0.

Key Outcomes

• Item 6 (260029) – DIZ Deviation: HELD 7-0. Motion by Commissioner Moody, seconded by Commissioner Gonzalez. File held in committee with no set date for return.
• Item 7 (260030) – Site and Building Changes (DIZ): HELD 7-0. Motion by Commissioner Moody, seconded by Commissioner Gonzalez.
• Items 2-5: All recommended for passage/adoption and assigned to respective committees (Zoning, Neighborhoods & Development Committee or Public Works Committee) with unanimous 7-0 votes.
• Next Steps: The two held items will be reconsidered at a future City Plan Commission meeting. The WHEDA low-income housing tax credit deadline of July 31, 2026, may be jeopardized if the delay extends past that date. The commission did not set a timeline for the hold. The community requested additional independent studies and a 24-month moratorium; no formal action was taken.