Plan Commission hears public concerns and splits on zoning-code amendments tied to 2023 Act 16

The Germantown Plan Commission on March 10 held a public hearing on five proposed text amendments to Section 17 of the Village of Germantown Municipal Code intended to bring the code into conformity with 2023 Wisconsin Act 16.

Jeff Retzlaff, community development director, summarized the package and said the changes are “necessary to maintain consistency between our zoning code and Wisconsin statutes.” Retzlaff said the revisions implement provisions in 2023 Act 16 — including language now codified in Wisconsin statute section 66.10015 — and that the village attorney provided a written opinion on specifics included in commissioners’ packets.

Retzlaff outlined five changes in the draft ordinance. He described them as: removing a prior code provision that required a three‑quarters favorable vote of the full village board to increase maximum density in a planned development district; removing the village’s “protest petition” provision that previously could trigger a super‑majority requirement; creating a certiorari appeal route to circuit court for denial of conditional use permits consistent with the new code sections; clarifying that most zoning amendments will require a simple majority of a quorum except for down‑zoning (which would…