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Record of Proceedings

City Plan Commission Meeting - July 20, 2026: Zoning Corrections, Bader Philanthropies, and Midtown Center Redevelopment

Common Council — Monday, July 20, 2026
BodyMilwaukee, Wisconsin
SessionCommon Council
DateMonday, July 20, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 1:16:37

Original source
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0:00

It is Monday, July 20th, 2026, and welcome to the City Plan Commission meeting.

0:06

I'd like to start by taking the roll.

0:09

If you're here, please let me know that you're here.

0:12

Uh Commissioner Alison Nemek.

0:15

Here.

0:15

Commissioner Katrina Crane.

0:17

Here.

0:18

Commissioner Willie Smith.

0:20

Commissioner Runell Washington.

0:22

Present.

0:23

Commissioner Tariq Moody.

0:26

Commissioner Jesus Gonzalez.

0:28

Present.

0:29

Okay, thank you very much.

0:32

And uh Ms.

0:33

Vonseca, would you like to go through the virtual options and any other instructions that we're gonna need for the meeting, please?

0:39

Of course.

0:40

Thank you, madam 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 City Hall and online in GoToWebinar.

0:51

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

0:56

If you would like to provide testimony during any of the public hearings, please click the raise hand function, and you can see that on the screen now.

1:04

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.

1:12

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

1:20

And you can do this by going to the website at city.milwalkie.gov slash CPC.

1:26

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

1:33

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

1:40

Thank you for your participation.

1:43

Okay, thank you very much.

1:44

Okay, item number one.

1:47

Um commissioners, have you had the opportunity to review the minutes from the previous meeting?

1:52

And if so, I'll entertain a motion.

1:59

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

2:04

Thank you.

2:05

A second.

2:06

There's been a motion and a second.

2:08

Any discussion?

2:10

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

2:14

Aye.

2:18

All those opposed, please say no.

2:24

All those abstaining.

2:29

Okay, did you all take a vote on this?

2:31

Yes.

2:32

Oh, you did?

2:34

Okay.

2:35

I didn't hear you.

2:36

Hi.

2:37

Okay.

2:38

Now we did.

2:39

Okay.

2:40

All right, very good.

2:41

Very good.

2:42

Uh motion is approved.

2:43

All right.

2:44

Item number two, public hearing.

2:46

And um Ms.

2:48

Fonseca, would you like to introduce the file, please?

2:50

Yes.

2:51

Uh uh item number two is file number 260183, a substitute ordinance correcting the mixed zoning of a parcel located at 1993 South Muskego Avenue on the west side of South Muskego Avenue, north of West Rogers Street in the 8th Aldermanic District, and assigning the zoning of local business LB2 to the property.

3:13

And Kristen Connolly will present that item today.

3:15

Did you mind advancing this right?

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Land Use Planning█████████████████████████████████████████████46%
Community Engagement█████████████████17%
Procedural█████████9%
Public Housing████████8%
Affordable Housing██████6%
Public Works███3%
Transportation Safety███3%
Engineering and Infrastructure███3%
Water And Wastewater Management███3%
Summary of Proceedings

City Plan Commission Meeting - July 20, 2026: Zoning Corrections, Bader Philanthropies, and Midtown Center Redevelopment

The City Plan Commission met on Monday, July 20, 2026, at 1:32 p.m. in a hybrid format. Commissioners present: Nemec, Gonzalez, Washington, Bloomingdale, Smith, Crane (6). Commissioner Moody was excused. The meeting adjourned at 2:49 p.m. The commission approved minutes from June 29, 2026, recommended passage of two zoning ordinances, and conditionally approved a deviation request for a self-storage facility as part of a larger redevelopment of the former Walmart at Midtown Center.

Consent Calendar

  • Item 1: Approval of Meeting Minutes (June 29, 2026) – Approved without objection.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Items 2 & 3: No public testimony was offered.
  • Items 4 & 5: Chair Bloomingdale stated that because a full public hearing was held at the June 29, 2026 meeting, no new testimony would be taken. The substantial testimony from that prior meeting, including extensive community comments, remains part of the record. The applicant’s revised proposal (removing the data center use) was considered based on that prior record.

Discussion Items

  • Item 2 – File 260183: Zoning Correction at 1993 South Muskego Avenue (8th Aldermanic District, sponsored by Ald. Zamarripa)

    • Staff (Kristin Connelly, DCD Planning) explained that the site had inadvertently received mixed zoning (RT4 and LB2) after a 2018 land sale and parcel combination. The proposed correction assigns Local Business (LB2) zoning, consistent with the existing bar and commercial kitchen use and the Near South Side Area Plan. Staff recommended approval; Ald. Zamarripa was supportive.
    • Position: Staff supported the correction; no opposition.

  • Item 3 – File 252189: Bader Philanthropies DPD Amendment (6th Aldermanic District, sponsored by Ald. Coggs)

    • Staff (Kristin Connelly) presented a proposal to rezone three newly acquired parcels (410 W. Concordia Ave., 3301 & 3307 N. Vel R. Phillips Ave.) from RT4 and LB2 to Detailed Planned Development (DPD) and amend the existing DPD to allow an accessory parking lot (10 spaces) and open space. The parking lot would serve staff and vendors, freeing up space for guests. Plans include permeable pavers, high-quality landscaping, and shared parking with adjacent tenants. Frank Cumberbatch (Bader Philanthropies) emphasized the need for parking due to hosting over 5,000 visitors annually, respect for neighboring residential privacy (only 10 spaces), and the organization’s commitment to environmental stewardship. Discussion covered ingress/egress, lighting, landscaping, and the use of permeable paving.
    • Positions: Staff recommended approval; applicant expressed full support. Commissioners praised the inclusion of permeable pavers and the greening efforts. No opposition.

  • Items 4 & 5 – Files 260029 & 260030: Midtown Center Redevelopment – Deviation for Self-Storage and Site/Building Modifications (2nd Aldermanic District, sponsored by THE CHAIR)

    • These items were considered together. The applicant (Trent Overhue, AFS) and DCD Commissioner Lafayette Crump presented a revised proposal that removed the previously controversial data processing/computer services/computational research facility use. The remaining deviation request is for a 108,000-square-foot indoor self-service storage facility in the rear of the former Walmart building. The overall redevelopment includes 200 units of affordable housing (previously approved), a public park/play area, and ~51,000 square feet of community-serving space in the front of the building (including a planned Milwaukee Public Library branch and a permanent early voting site). DCD staff (Tanya Fonseca) detailed conditions: permits for the storage facility cannot be issued until (a) the housing site is conveyed to Gorman & Company and construction permits are applied for, and (b) a binding lease or lease option exists for the 51,000 sq ft of community space (or, if community entities lose interest, retail uses aligned with Midtown Center performance standards). Ald. Mark Chambers Jr. spoke strongly in support, addressing misinformation and stressing the project’s benefits after a decade of vacancy. Discussion covered traffic impact (DPW reviewed; no study required), stormwater management (permeable pavers in parking areas; separate sewer improvements underway in the Sherman Park area), and future review of facade and site plan details. Commissioners inquired about preventing expansion of the storage use; staff clarified that any changes would require future commission approval. The storage facility includes an office, new entrance, interior loading, and security cameras.
    • Positions: Applicant and DCD commissioner expressed full support; Ald. Chambers advocated for the project as transformative for the neighborhood. Staff recommended conditional approval. No public opponents spoke (previous testimony considered).

Key Outcomes

  • Item 1: Minutes approved (unanimous).
  • Item 2 (File 260183): Motion by Commissioner Crane, seconded by Vice-Chair Nemec, to recommend passage and assign to the Zoning, Neighborhoods & Development Committee. Prevailed 5-0 (Moody and Smith excused).
  • Item 3 (File 252189): Motion by Vice-Chair Nemec, seconded by Commissioner Smith, to recommend passage and assign to the Zoning, Neighborhoods & Development Committee. Prevailed 6-0 (Moody excused).
  • Items 4 & 5 (Files 260029 & 260030): Motion by Commissioner Gonzalez, seconded by Commissioner Smith, to approve File 260029 (Proposed Substitute A) conditionally and File 260030 as submitted. Prevailed 6-0 (Moody excused). Conditions for File 260029: (1) Commercial alteration and occupancy permits for the self-storage facility will not be issued until (a) the housing site is conveyed to Gorman & Company and construction permits are applied for, and (b) there is a binding lease or lease option for ~51,000 sq ft of community-serving space facing W. Hope Ave. (or, in the event community entities are no longer interested, with retail functions aligning with Midtown Center performance standards). File 260030 was approved without additional conditions, subject to future review of public-facing improvements.
  • The meeting adjourned at 2:49 p.m.

Meeting Transcript

It is Monday, July 20th, 2026, and welcome to the City Plan Commission meeting. I'd like to start by taking the roll. If you're here, please let me know that you're here. Uh Commissioner Alison Nemek. Here. Commissioner Katrina Crane. Here. Commissioner Willie Smith. Commissioner Runell Washington. Present. Commissioner Tariq Moody. Commissioner Jesus Gonzalez. Present. Okay, thank you very much. And uh Ms. Vonseca, would you like to go through the virtual options and any other instructions that we're gonna need for the meeting, please? Of course. Thank you, madam 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 City Hall and online in GoToWebinar. If you're joining via GoToWebinar, please keep yourself on mute until you are called. If you would like to provide testimony during any of the public hearings, please click the raise hand function, and you can see that on the screen 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 the hearing, you will need to log into the go to webinar platform to do so. And you can do this by going to the website at city.milwalkie.gov slash CPC. From this web page, you can log into GoToWebinar and provide testimony during any of the public comment items. Whether you are providing testimony in person or remotely, please state your name, address, and affiliation with the item for your testimony. Thank you for your participation. Okay, thank you very much. Okay, item number one. Um commissioners, have you had the opportunity to review the minutes from the previous meeting? And if so, I'll entertain a motion. I'll make a motion to approve the previous meeting uh meeting minutes. Thank you. A second. There's been a motion and a second. Any discussion? Seeing none, all those in favor, please say aye. Aye. All those opposed, please say no. All those abstaining. Okay, did you all take a vote on this? Yes. Oh, you did? Okay. I didn't hear you. Hi. Okay. Now we did. Okay. All right, very good.

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