Green Bay · issues
Civic issues
Topics getting the most attention in Green Bay public meetings, ranked by how frequently they come up.
Vacant property registration and fee ordinance
The city wants to create a new registration and fee system for vacant commercial buildings, with penalties that follow properties through ownership transfers. Property owners and realtors showed up to oppose it, and the council couldn't reach agreement — it's heading back to committee for rework.
University Avenue commercial rezone
Seven properties on University Avenue were rezoned from General Commercial to Highway Commercial, opening up more intensive commercial uses along the corridor.
Resurrection Lutheran Church accessory building at 1004 Shawano Avenue
The pantry serving families every two minutes wanted a garage-style building for freezer space and weather-protected distribution, but the board couldn't legally justify a 5-foot setback next to a home. The project can't proceed as designed; staff suggested working on alternatives.
Resurrection Lutheran food pantry expansion denied
The pantry serving families every two minutes wanted a garage-style building for freezer space and weather-protected distribution, but the board couldn't legally justify a 5-foot setback next to a home. The project can't proceed as designed; staff suggested working on alternatives.
Irvington Street land-use change to residential
A stretch of Irvington Street properties was changed from future Regional Commercial to Mixed Residential in the city's comprehensive plan — shaping what can be built there.
Irvington Street homes made conforming uses
Fourteen parcels on Irvington Street move from commercial to residential land use, rezoned to Office-Residential rather than the low-density residential originally proposed, with 901 Irvington left out.
1835 Ridge Road PUD amendment near Lambeau Field
The original plan paired two parcels across a land swap; that deal fell through, so the PUD was redrawn around existing parcels. The fight was over parking count versus protecting the home at 1820 Frank Street with buffers and fencing.
JBS Redevelopment Site PUD amendment
The old JBS property on Guns Road got a reworked planned unit development, clearing the way for redevelopment of a large industrial site. The Council tweaked the development-area language before adopting it.
315 S. Jefferson Street conditional use permit
Neighbors packed the floor to weigh in on this CUP before the Council approved it 10-2 with extra conditions, including a six-month check-in and mandatory PD cooperation on drug confiscation.
Congregate living concentration on the near-east side
A 20-bed sober-living rooming house at 828 Cherry Street exposed a bigger question: 13 of the city's 16 mapped congregate living facilities sit in downtown aldermanic districts 7 and 9, and the zoning code has no concentration limits for most of them. Neighbors and Commissioner Daniels want that looked at.
Lime Kiln Road commercial upzoning
Two parcels at 801 and 821 Lime Kiln Road move from neighborhood commercial to regional commercial, opening the door for bigger highway-commercial development. Most alders backed it; two fought it.
Short-term rental rules tightened
Council tweaked short-term rental rules to require occupancy info and clarify the owner's primary residence standard — aimed at keeping STRs owner-operated.
Lime Kiln Road dealership expansion and land-use intensity
801 and 821 Lime Kiln Road are upgraded to Regional/Highway Commercial, opening the door to larger-scale commercial development on the city's edge. Passed 10-2.