Joel Van Haren of WUWM's Lake Effect produced this interview with Milwaukee 3rd district Alderman Nik Kovac on East Newberry Boulevard. The boulevard between Lake and Riverside parks was named one of the “10 Great Streets for 2009” by the American Planning Association.

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Proposed Alternatives for a New Mixed-Use East Library Facility

Public Works Offers Text Messaging for Snow Emergencies
The City of Milwaukee is offering a text message system, Snow Mobile - Winter Text Alert to residents and businesses that want to be informed when the City declares a snow emergency or when the 4 inch rule is in effect.  The message would state the date and time the emergency is in effect and would provide the same when it is lifted. The primary purpose of declaring a snow emergency is to make sure the streets are cleared to keep the City open for business.

• Sign up for Snow Mobile Winter Text Alert

 Milwaukee Residents Can Now Keep Chickens
City of Milwaukee residents can now keep chickens - hens only - for egg production. A July 28, 2011 ordinance outlines the rules for this practice, including proper care of the chickens, approval from all adjacent neighbors, and obtaining a permit, which once revoked cannot be reinstated. View Common Council files 110088 and 101416 for more information.

Beekeeping in the City of Milwaukee brochure

East Side Business Improvement District Proposal for Design and Development Guidelines (DDG)
View the following link for more information: www.theeastside.org/categories/14-design-and-development-guidelines-project

East Greenwich Park Apartments

You may remember this proposal from this past spring, when Mercy Housing, a national nonprofit developer of workforce housing, requested a zoning change for the US Bank and City owned parking lots on the triangle between Murray, Thomas, and Farwell Avenues. Back then they were asking for 9 stories and 85 units and were leaving the 6-lane drive through as is. Responding to community feedback, Mercy Housing has since modified this original design, bringing the building height down to 5 stories, reducing the density to 54 units, creating a more pedestrian friendly streetscape, and engaging the massing with nearby properties.

View renderings or read more about this proposal on Legistar.

Cambridge Commons UWM dorm

If you want proof that a thorough and flexible public process can produce a better building, look no further than this 700 bed dormitory, which engages the North Avenue streetscape to its south while respecting and embracing the unique river valley to the west. The entire pose of the $50 million structure was designed to be consistent with the height and setback guidelines of the Greenway Overlay. The landscaped lawn for student recreation is tended with gray water from underground cisterns which collect all of the roof rainwater. More parking spaces – and a stoplight – were gained on Cambridge, as well as a coffee shop and bookstore, both open to the public. The new traffic signal and an ADA compliant path down to the river valley and arboretum will be installed later this fall.

Milwaukee River Overlay Zone

 After years of community outreach and negotiations with property owners and the Department of City Development, the Common Council passed legislation to convert the temporary study overlay into permanent zoning and design guidelines on May 25, 2010. This zoning would help to preserve the aesthetic and function of our river and can provide for continued use of and greening of the area.

 The Milwaukee River Greenway Master Plan was created shortly after the river zoning change and provides a long-term vision for how the river greenway will attract even more recreational visitors, while still protecting and restoring the unique and native ecological habitats along it, and ensuring that mountain bikers, dog walkers, and bird watchers can crisscross the valley without bumping into each other.

The accomplishments have also helped attract a major private investment. The Rotary Club of Milwaukee is creating an arboretum in honor of its centennial, which will stretch from North Avenue to Riverside Park.