Waukesha proposals would give Landmarks Commission clearer enforcement power, add chair term and update procedures

Waukesha — City staff on Wednesday presented proposed revisions to Chapter 28 of the city code that would clarify how the Landmarks Commission reviews certificates of appropriateness, let the commission impose conditions and timelines on approvals and add a standing chair with a one-year term.

The changes, presented at the Oct. 1 meeting of the Waukesha Landmarks Commission, would also update definitions and procedural language, clarify which minor repairs do not require commission review, and add a written appeals process for council review of commission decisions.

Why it matters: supporters said the rewrite would align the ordinance with current practice and give the commission the authority to require corrective work when owners or contractors act without approval. Opponents and some commissioners asked for more time to review the draft language and for a final packet before the item moves to the plan commission.

City staff said the draft responds to two practical problems: unclear text in the ordinance and a lack of explicit enforcement authority. Charlie (Community Development…