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Wauwatosa Planning Commission backs smoke-shop conditional-use permit, requires storefront renderings before council
Summary
The Planning Commission voted unanimously to recommend approval of a conditional-use permit for a 1,650-square-foot smoke shop at 10600 W. Bluemound Rd., with a condition that the applicant provide storefront renderings or photos to staff at least five days before the Jan. 28 Common Council meeting or the item will be delayed.
The Wauwatosa Planning Commission voted unanimously to recommend approval of a conditional-use permit for a 1,650-square-foot smoke shop at 10600 W. Bluemound Road, applicant Ali Ali of Buma LLC. The commission added a condition requiring the applicant to supply storefront renderings or photos to city staff at least five days before the Jan. 28 Common Council meeting; if the renderings are not provided the item will be continued to the next council meeting.
The matter was introduced at the Planning Commission meeting as the single agenda item. Staff said the proposed use is retail sale of vape, delta-8 and tobacco products, and noted surrounding land uses include single-family homes to the north, the Milwaukee County Zoo to the south, and commercial properties to the east and west. Staff also told commissioners that a Common Council public hearing was held Dec. 18, 2024, and no members of the public spoke in opposition.
Applicant Ali Ali told the commission that Buma LLC operates other stores and offered to provide images of those locations to illustrate the proposed appearance. "We do are working on the plan of the floor plan," Ali said, noting he would try to provide additional materials in time for the council meeting.
Commissioners and Alderperson Michael Phillips (referred to in the meeting as Alderman Phillips) expressed concern about the proposed shop's appearance and signage. Phillips said he wanted to see what this specific storefront will look like rather than only examples of other stores. A city attorney advised that signage must comply with the city sign code and that a sign permit through Code Enforcement would be required; the attorney also recommended that renderings or photographs be provided to staff prior to the council vote so staff can comment.
Staff confirmed a condition of approval was added requiring that "all the signage associated with the business must comply with City Code," and that the building exterior would be inspected by the Code Enforcement Department prior to occupancy to ensure compliance. The commission modified the motion to include a deadline for submission of renderings or photos to staff five days before the Jan. 28 Common Council meeting; if the applicant cannot meet that deadline, the matter will be held over until the following council meeting.
A motion to recommend approval, as conditioned, carried unanimously. The meeting record shows commissioners voiced "aye" and the chair declared the motion passed unanimously; an individual roll-call tally was not specified in the transcript.
If the applicant complies with the submission requirement by Jan. 23, the Common Council will consider the conditional-use permit at its Jan. 28 meeting. If renderings or photos are not supplied by that date, staff said the item will be postponed to the council's next meeting.
At the close of the meeting, the applicant said he expected to work with city staff on the required materials, and the chair adjourned the session.
