Oshkosh council approves parking, zoning and licensing measures; amends liquor-license language

The Oshkosh Common Council on May 13, 2025 approved a slate of ordinances and resolutions affecting parking maps, traffic controls, zoning, the transit center and liquor licenses. Council members also amended two liquor-license resolutions to remove an internal checklist from the body of the resolution and to require that remaining required inspections and approvals be completed by June 2, 2025.

Key actions at a glance:

- Approved Ordinance 25-238: Amend parking-lot maps and related regulations in Appendix 27B for the 300 E slot and 300 W slot (Transportation Committee recommended approval). Vote: carried, 6-0.

- Approved Ordinance 25-239: Amend sections 27A-8 and 27A-10 to designate a yield/right-of-way intersection and stop control at Nevada Avenue and Oak Street (Oak Street to stop for Nevada). Vote: carried, 6-0.

- Approved Ordinance 25-240: Amend section 27A-11 regarding parking and loading-zone regulations on Central Street and Winnebago Avenue. Vote: carried, 6-0.

- Approved Ordinance 25-241: Zone change from Suburban Mixed Use District and Single-Family Residential 9 to Single-Family Residential 5 for properties east of Farmington Avenue and Christian Drive. Vote: carried, 6-0.

- Approved Resolution 25-216: Special area design review and architectural building plan review for a new restaurant, restroom/waiting-area building and bus platform at 110 Pearl Avenue (Planning Commission recommended approval). One council member abstained, citing a conflict because 222 Pearl Avenue was the previous office of their employer; the resolution carried.

- Approved Resolution 25-217: Conditional use permit request for transit-center expansion at 110 Pearl Avenue and related Pearl/High Avenue properties (Planning Commission recommended approval). Vote: carried; one member recorded as present/abstaining.

- Approved Resolution 25-245 (amended): Issuance of a Combination Class B (beer & liquor) license for Golden Nest Pancake Cafe. The council voted to remove an internal completion checklist from the resolution and added language requiring that all required inspections and approvals be completed by June 2, 2025. Vote: carried.

- Approved Resolution 25-246 (amended): Conditional surrender and issuance of a Combination Class B license from Mile High Pub to 1890 Pub & Bistro; council removed the chart and added the same June 2, 2025 language. Vote: carried.

Procedural note on licenses: Council members discussed concerns about including a staff checklist inside a resolution when final inspections (health, fire) had not been completed. The council adopted an amendment removing the chart and adding a requirement that “all required inspections and approvals to be completed by 06/02/2025.” Staff said some final inspections (health department) were still pending and the fire marshal was on vacation and would follow up when back in the office.

How council voted: Roll-call votes were recorded for each item; the council's recorded voting members included Bulow, Stevenson, Larson, Spannbauer, Flom and Muggleauer (aye votes recorded in roll calls in the transcript). Where an abstention was recorded, the council member said they were abstaining because of a potential conflict tied to 222 Pearl Avenue and their employer.

What next: First readings were held for two ordinances (25-243 pedestrian mall code amendments and 25-244 alcohol-beverage license use amendments); both will return for action at a future meeting. Planning- and transportation-related items will follow standard implementation steps in staff departments.