Green Bay adopts 'Go Big Green Bay 2050' comprehensive plan with several amendments

The Green Bay Common Council on Oct. 21 adopted the Go Big Green Bay 2050 comprehensive plan, approving the plan as amended after a public hearing and multiple council amendments.

The plan, submitted by the Green Bay Department of Community and Economic Development, was the subject of public testimony and multiple council amendments before final adoption. "I just think it's a great plan. Really appreciate the work that everybody's put into this, and I think it'll be an excellent tool to guide future growth in the city," said Noel Halverson, president and CEO of NeighborWorks Green Bay, during the public hearing.

Why it matters: The comprehensive plan sets the city’s long-range direction for land use, transportation, parks and housing policy. Council members and speakers emphasized housing supply, active-transportation connections and design standards as priorities tied to the plan’s implementation.

What the council changed and approved: Council members adopted several specific amendments to the consultant-drafted plan during debate. Key amendments adopted at the meeting included: - Language and map edits to emphasize regional bike connections — including calling out Packerland Drive and adding the corridor to plan maps (amendments referenced as changes on pages 45, 46 and 67 of the plan). The change grew out of public comment urging better City-to-municipality trail connections. Alder Prophet proposed adding the language after public comment by Greg Kersling, who called Green Bay “the hub” for Northeast Wisconsin trails. - A directive to review and broaden the plan text about incentives and possible City funding sources to support infrastructure for new housing projects (added language to prompt staff to explore tools beyond the comp plan). - A requirement to include consideration of a design-review process for public infrastructure projects so aesthetic and functional design are considered in public works projects. - Addition of a short descriptive paragraph clarifying green stormwater infrastructure as an element that can be implemented alongside complete streets.

Council debated a separate amendment to investigate "better activating and beautifying" Veterans Park and to study a potential land-swap to free up land for other uses. After extended discussion about the appropriate level of specificity and the need to consult veterans groups and related plans, that amendment resulted in a 6-6 tie and did not carry.

Public testimony: Speakers at the public hearing spoke in favor of the plan and urged the council to strengthen active-transportation connections and housing measures. Greg Kersling (Brown County Planning Commission/Friends of the Fox River Trail) urged stronger West Side and inter-municipal trail connections, including the Packerland Drive corridor. Jennifer Sundstrom of the Northeast Realtors Association described the plan and associated zoning/subdivision changes as essential to increase housing supply.

Votes and procedure: The council used consolidated and roll-call procedures for some sections of the meeting. After adopting individual amendments and allowing staff to integrate them into the final plan text, the council voted to adopt the plan as amended; the clerk recorded the final adoption as unanimous.

What comes next: Staff and the City consultant will incorporate approved amendment language into the final plan document and maps for publication. Several council members asked staff to return a final, edited package reflecting the adopted amendments; staff indicated they would coordinate text and map changes with the consultant and referenced existing related plans (parks plan, safe walk and bike plan) that will remain cross-referenced.

Ending: With the plan adopted, the council and city departments will use the Go Big Green Bay 2050 document as the forward-looking framework for future land-use decisions, transportation projects and related zoning or capital improvements brought back to the council for formal action.