The Neighborhood Conservation Overlay Zone (NC)
The Neighborhood Conservation Overlay Zone (NC) is intended to provide a vehicle to initiate and implement programs for the revitalization or conservation of older areas or districts possessing distinctive features, identity, or character worthy of retention and enhancement.
A Neighborhood Conservation Overlay Zone takes effect through a Neighborhood Conservation Plan adopted by the Common Council. The Neighborhood Conservation Plan establishes standards and conditions for development consistent with the purposes of the plan and may include changes in land use controls and development standards. In order to receive a permit for a project in a Neighborhood Conservation Overlay Zone, projects must conform to the standards set forth in the Neighborhood Conservation Plan. An applicant may apply for a deviation from a performance standard or design standard of a Neighborhood Conservation Overlay Zone if a specific standard cannot be met. We encourage you to discuss your proposal with DCD Planning staff prior to submitting an application.
Applications and Procedures
Please email copies of your application to deviate from the overlay standards to [email protected].
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
More Information
- General information about Neighborhood Conservation Overlay Zones
- Information about establishing a Neighborhood Conservation Overlay Zone
- Limitation on permit issuance
To establish a new Neighborhood Conservation Overlay Zone, please contact Planning Administration at [email protected]


