Milwaukee City Council Meeting - December 3, 2025

The City Council convened its 438th meeting at City Hall to address community concerns regarding affordable housing and tree preservation, approve a catalytic redevelopment project in the downtown Historic District, and conclude the Milwaukee Redevelopment Commission (MRC) session. The meeting featured extended public testimony supporting an originating ordinance for the Moderate Income Revolving Loan (MIRL) program and significant deliberation on updates to the city's tree code, including new fees for significant and rare tree removals.

Consent Calendar

• Unanimous Approval: The Consent Calendar, consisting solely of the minutes from the October 14, 2025, Council Retreat, was approved.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Support for Affordable Housing: Multiple community members, including resident Brianna Diamond, expressed full support for the MIRL ordinance, citing personal struggles with housing insecurity and the inability of young families to afford homes in Milwaukee.
• Developer Testimony Positions:
  • Bruce Bruns (Pastor of Milwaukee Covenant Church) expressed support for the MIRL program and the proposed Linwood property project, arguing the city faces low risk and should not delay to secure funding for 44 families.
  • Tyler King (Local Realtor) expressed full support for adopting the originating ordinance to leverage state funding and meet affordability goals, noting the current median home price of $517,000 exceeds what families can afford.
  • Austin Turner (Developer) requested clarification on the city's staffing capacity required for program oversight, specifically questioning the estimated need for two full-time staff.
  • Charmin Martin and Michael Straits expressed strong support for the MIRL program, lamenting the inability for their children to live in Milwaukee.
  • Andy Fisher (Developer) expressed support for the program and opposed the council's hesitation, stating that misinformation regarding staff requirements and process timelines was shared by OHCS.
• Opposition and Concerns to Developer's Statements: Councilor Maddie Massey expressed strong opposition to the misinformation she alleged was disseminated by the developer and testifiers, stating that claims regarding OHCS confirming no need for city staff and immediate fund access were untrue. She emphasized the need for due diligence and rejected the narrative that the council is obstructing affordability.
• Tree Preservation Support: Robert Ha (identified as a community member, previously associated with Lee Garnett) expressed strong support for the tree code updates, urging the council to set a "pain point" fee that prevents the replacement of the city's urban forest with grassland.

Discussion Items

• Tree Code Review (Development and Residential): Public Works and Climate/Natural Resources staff proposed five recommendations to strengthen tree protection:
  • Significant Tree Removal Fee: A new fee for trees 30 inches DBH or greater ($150 per inch for 30-35.99 inches; $200 per inch for 36+ inches) to be paid in addition to standard canopy mitigation.
  • Canopy Mitigation Fee Increase: The fee structure shifts to trigger at 40% canopy loss (previously 30%) with increased cumulative penalties ($2,000 per 8% reduction) to reach a maximum of $40,000 for clear-cutting, up from $16,000.
  • Rare and Threatened Species: Adoption of a new list of rare and threatened species (e.g., Oregon White Oak, Coast Redwood) with a specific removal fee of $350 per inch DBH.
  • Unpermitted Removal Fee: A $350 per inch fee for unpermitted removal of rare/threatened species during development.
  • Residential Code Updates: Staff proposed allowing removal of trees within 10 feet of a dwelling causing infrastructure damage without requiring expensive "reasonable alternative construction techniques," and establishing cost thresholds for reasonableness for trees outside that zone (20% for small repairs, 3x cost for infrastructure, 5x cost for significant trees).
• Milwaukee Park / NCPRD Negotiations: The City Manager provided an update on negotiations with the North Clackamas Parks and Recreation District (NCPRD) regarding the Milwaukee Bay Park project. The city expressed strong preference for receiving the full $2.5 million Metro Local Share grant without strings, while the county appears to seek a loan or clawback arrangement. A formal response from the county is expected in early January, with staff estimating a year-end agreement is unlikely.
• Budget and Data Center Issues: Council received a budget update showing the council line items are on track. Councilor Massey proposed a letter to the Public Utility Commission (PUC) objecting to ratepayers funding data center infrastructure costs, which the council agreed to draft and co-sign.
• MRC Grant Program: The Milwaukee Redevelopment Commission discussed a consolidated grant application ($400,000) for the redevelopment of the Rexville/Ward/Collector's Mall building at Main and Monroe streets into eight commercial suites.

Key Outcomes

• Tree Code Updates: The Council gave thumbs up for the proposed significant tree removal fees, increased canopy mitigation fees, and the adoption of a rare and threatened species list for the development code. Staff will refine the residential code flexibility and reasonableness thresholds before final code adoption.
• MRC Grant Approval: The MRC approved the consolidated grant application for the Main and Monroe building redevelopment ($400,000 requested). The applicant confirmed they are actively coordinating with tenants regarding grant eligibility restrictions and are providing additional in-kind construction services to lower barriers for new small businesses.
• Milwaukee Park Update: No immediate vote; staff will return with the county's formal response in January to negotiate the structure of the Metro Local Share funding (preferably a full grant).
• Adjournment: The City Council meeting adjourned, followed immediately by the adjournment of the Milwaukee Redevelopment Commission meeting.