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Neenah council approves ordinance easing residential rules in some commercial districts
Summary
The Common Council voted 8-0 to adopt Ordinance 2025-04, which removes a minimum dwelling width, adjusts side-yard setbacks for narrow lots in R-2 areas and allows certain residential uses in commercial zones to improve mortgage eligibility.
The Neenah Common Council on Wednesday approved Ordinance 2025-04, amending Chapter 26 of the city code to change residential development standards and permitted uses in commercial districts. The vote was 8-0.
The changes remove a 20-foot minimum dwelling width requirement, reduce required side-yard setbacks in R-2 areas for lots under 60 feet to allow 6-foot setbacks on both sides, and allow certain residential uses in commercial districts to be treated as permitted rather than nonconforming. Deputy Director Schmidt told the council the three changes came from a housing study and planning commission discussion and are intended to make it easier to place or refinance homes, including with Federal Housing Administration loans.
The plan commission reported its recommendation at the council meeting. Alderman Steiner moved adoption of the ordinance; the motion was seconded and carried on a unanimous vote.
Supporters told the council the narrower setback in R-2 districts responds to frequent variance requests for substandard-width lots near downtown and on Doty Island. Schmidt said the prior side-yard configuration had resulted in two variance requests over the last year. Council members did not raise additional amendments during the discussion.
Ordinance 2025-04 will take effect following normal publication procedures. The ordinance was introduced with a public hearing at the start of the meeting; no members of the public spoke during that hearing.
