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Department of City Development
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The City's zoning map assigns a zoning district designation for all property in the City of Milwaukee. The zoning district includes a use list that identifies which uses are allowed on the property, and sets design standards for building on it. A property owner may apply to change the zoning designation of their property to a different district if the current zoning designation does not align with the plans for the site. We encourage you to reach out to DCD Planning staff prior to submitting an application to discuss your proposal. Staff considers, among other things, whether the proposed zoning change is consistent with the Comprehensive Plan and contextually appropriate for the area. The zoning change process entails public hearings before the City Plan Commission as well as the Zoning, Neighborhoods and Development Committee before going to the full Common Council for consideration. This process takes approximately 3 – 3.5 months. Zoning verification letter requests should be directed to the Dept. of Neighborhood Services.
Please email copies of your application and affidavit to PlanAdmin@milwaukee.gov. We will invoice the application fee and provide you with instructions on how to pay the application fee online. You may mail the original documents to:
Dept. of City Development - Planning Administration 809 N. Broadway, 2nd Floor Milwaukee, WI 53202
Processing Schedule
In some cases, a zoning change to another base zoning district might not be possible and instead, a custom, site-specific Planned Development zoning might be more appropriate. We encourage you to discuss your plans with DCD Planning staff, who will assist you in determining whether this is a more appropriate zoning option. Information regarding that process is available on this page.
The City of Milwaukee's current zoning ordinance was codified in 2001. The zoning code text is updated regularly based on recommendations from the Comprehensive Plan and other Plans and Studies. Members of the Common Council as well as staff from the Department of City Development often initiate zoning code text changes in a continuous effort to simplify and clarify the code while maintaining high standards for all development and further promoting the health safety and welfare of the city.
planadmin@milwaukee.gov 414-286-5714
For information on permits and zoning letters please contact the Department of Neighborhood Services.
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