Green Bay adopts Go Big Green Bay 2050 plan with bike, housing and design amendments; zoning code rewrite held for more review

The Green Bay Common Council on Oct. 21 adopted the Go Big Green Bay 2050 comprehensive plan, approving a package of amendments to emphasize bike connectivity, review housing infrastructure incentives and add a design-review process for public projects. The council approved the plan by voice vote after amendments were adopted; the separate zoning-code rewrite tied to the plan was held for further review by council members.

The plan, submitted by the Green Bay Department of Community and Economic Development, drew public comments and specific amendment requests during a public hearing. Noel Halverson, president and CEO of NeighborWorks Green Bay, told the council: "I just think it's a great plan. Really appreciate the work that everybody's put into this, and I think it'll be an excellent tool to guide future growth in the city." Greg Kersling, Green Bay's representative on the Brown County Planning Commission, urged the council to make explicit connections outside city limits, saying, "Green Bay should be a biking destination like Madison." Jennifer Sundstrom, speaking for the Northeast Realtors Association, urged the council to approve changes to increase housing supply: "We have to make up for the significant underbuilding in the last decade and try to do it in a way that creates much larger diversity of housing options and at lower price points."

Why it mattered: Council members said the plan and its amendments aim to address housing affordability, link the city's bike network to neighboring municipalities and improve design outcomes for public infrastructure projects. Planning staff and council members noted the document will guide growth and that many implementation steps (zoning changes, developer incentives, capital projects) will return to the council for separate approvals.

Major amendments adopted

- Bike connectivity and maps: Council adopted language and map edits (identified in the plan as pages 45, 46 and 67) to explicitly show and encourage active-transportation connections to neighboring municipalities, including the Packerland Drive corridor, as requested by public commenters and council members. Planning staff indicated the Packerland connection could be added to the active-transportation map and text.

- Housing incentives and funding: Alderman Eric Presley (Alder Presley) successfully proposed adding language to "review language regarding incentives and possible city funding sources for infrastructure for new housing projects," directing staff to consider how the city might use financial or other tools to support new housing infrastructure.

- Design review for public infrastructure: The council added an amendment directing staff to explore a design-review process for public infrastructure projects so aesthetics and functionality are coordinated alongside engineering and code compliance.

- Green stormwater infrastructure: Council inserted a short paragraph tying green stormwater infrastructure to the plan's "complete streets" recommendations, clarifying how low-impact stormwater practices can be integrated in public rights-of-way.

- Impervious-surface limits: Council approved an amendment adjusting maximum impervious surface by lot size in many single-family (R-1) zones: 50% maximum on lots 7,501 square feet or larger and 60% on lots 7,500 square feet or smaller. The amendment was presented as a balance between allowing infill and protecting larger-lot green space.

Amendment process and staff role

Planning Director David Buck (staff) and other planning staff said the plan's guidance is intentionally broad in places to allow flexibility as funding opportunities and grant programs change. "Generally, we like to leave everything in the comp plan really broad," Buck said when council discussed how prescriptive the plan should be. Staff committed to incorporate council amendments into the final document and to work with consultants on map edits and clarified language before final publication.

Zoning-code rewrite held for further review

A separate package of zoning-code amendments tied to the comprehensive plan — described during the meeting as about 93 individual code changes and an update to the city's development regulations — generated extended debate. Several council members said they wanted more time to review the full text and to allow additional outreach to residents who had limited access to the documents while the city's public website experienced problems. Alderman Tyrone Johnson (Alder Johnson) moved to hold the zoning-code item until the next council meeting; the board vote to hold the zoning-code changes passed 8-4. Council members and staff noted that holding the code changes does not prevent additional work by staff and that the proposal would return to the council for further consideration.

Other formal actions taken

- Traffic-signal repair contract: Council approved awarding the Traffic Signal Repair 2025 contract to Bodart Electric Service Inc. for $416,620, including an alternate bid to install conduit to interconnect signals. The department confirmed sufficient funding was available; the award was approved after an amendment to include the alternate bid.

- Adoption mechanics: Alder Michael Prophet (Alder Prophet) moved to adopt the comprehensive plan as amended; Alder DeLay seconded the motion. The council adopted the plan, and a roll call and voice confirmations during the meeting were recorded as the final adoption.

What comes next

Staff will incorporate the council's adopted amendments into the final Go Big Green Bay 2050 document and update maps as directed. The separate zoning-code rewrite will return to the council after further review and outreach. Implementation actions that require funding or ordinance changes — such as capital projects to connect trails, developer incentives, or rezoning to change land-use designations — will require future council approvals.

Quotes (selected)

"I just think it's a great plan. Really appreciate the work that everybody's put into this, and I think it'll be an excellent tool to guide future growth in the city," Noel Halverson, president and CEO, NeighborWorks Green Bay.

"Green Bay should be a biking destination like Madison," Greg Kersling, Green Bay representative, Brown County Planning Commission.

"We have to make up for the significant underbuilding in the last decade and try to do it in a way that creates much larger diversity of housing options and at lower price points," Jennifer Sundstrom, Northeast Realtors Association.

"Generally, we like to leave everything in the comp plan really broad," David Buck, Planning staff.

"93 changes, guys. And plan commission is where the work happens, and we couldn't access the documents," Alder Tyrone Johnson (summing a reason for holding the zoning-code package).

Ending

Council members and planning staff said the document is intended as a policy framework; many implementation steps will come back to the council as project budgets, rezones, grant opportunities or specific infrastructure proposals emerge. The held zoning-code package will return for further consideration at a future council meeting after staff follow-up and additional review by members and stakeholders.