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City plan panel approves rezoning to park for MMSD West Basin stormwater project
Summary
The City Plan Commission voted to rezone seven parcels on North 30th Street to Park (PK) to allow the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District (MMSD) to assemble the site for the West Basin stormwater basin, which MMSD says will provide a near-200-year level of stormwater service and public open space once complete.
The Milwaukee City Plan Commission on June 16 approved an ordinance (File 250,149) to rezone seven parcels on North 30th Street to Park (PK) so the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District can assemble a single parcel for the West Basin stormwater basin.
The change covers 4220, 4250, 4260, 4260R, 4320, 4330 and 4350 North 30th Street. Kristen Connolly, planner with the Department of City Development, told the commission the parcels are currently a mix of industrial zonings and the rezoning would “consolidate the zoning of the seven parcels into park, to allow one site to be assembled.”
The rezone is intended to support the West Basin, the largest of three stormwater basins MMSD is building for the 30th Street Corridor to reduce recurring flooding in an area that drains roughly 4,000 acres to Lincoln Creek. Jerome Flogle, senior project manager at the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District, said MMSD has been planning and engaging the community on the basin for 15 years and described the West Basin as “three times bigger than North and East put together.” He said the combined system is designed to provide roughly a 100-year — and with built-in safety factors essentially a near-200-year — level of stormwater service for the neighborhood.
Nut graf: The rezoning clears a legal and administrative obstacle MMSD said was necessary to assemble the site and finish construction. MMSD representatives told the commission the basin will both reduce flood risk and be designed as publicly accessible green space with trails, native landscaping and programmed events.
MMSD described cleanup and remediation work already completed on the parcels and said some fenced and remediated areas remain. Jerome Flogle said the agency and its community partners have held outreach events on the site — at one recent Saturday event staff reported roughly 200 attendees — to develop plans for public amenities, habitat restoration and trail connections. Beth Smith, MMSD real estate supervisor, explained the consolidation will streamline property management and permitting for the single assembled parcel.
Commissioners asked about safety, lighting and how the basin will connect to proposed trail and linear-park projects. Flogle said the basin design emphasizes gradual slopes, native vegetation and lighting calibrated to avoid spillover into adjacent residential areas. He also said the basin is being coordinated with city plans for multimodal connectivity on 30th Street so future trail segments can tie into the site.
The motion to close the public hearing and approve File 250,149 passed unanimously with Commissioner Allison Nemec, Commissioner Ronnell Washington, Commissioner Katrina Crane, Commissioner Tariq Moody and Commissioner Jesus Gonzales recorded as voting aye. The recorded motion text on the public record was: “I move to close the public hearing and approve item number 250,149 as presented.”
Ending: MMSD said construction will require additional remediation and significant earthmoving before final amenity work; no construction timeline or final cost estimate was presented at the hearing.
