Consultant Sam presented the administration and procedures section of a near‑final rewrite of the Sheboygan zoning code and walked commissioners through the project goals, state law context, and proposed procedural changes.

Key points Sam highlighted include: establishing a zoning administrator (the city administrator may delegate tasks to staff), creating flexible application checklists (staff can require reports only when the zoning chapter or checklists call for them), clarifying the review and decision‑making table (who reviews, who decides, and how appeals work), and creating a zoning compliance review process that consolidates site plan and landscape reviews under a single review path. Sam said the rewrite reflects Wisconsin law changes (2017 Act 67 and 2023 Act 16) that affect conditional uses and by‑right approvals.

The draft would limit certain Board of Appeals powers (for example, no use variances) and authorize administrative adjustments for small dimensional changes with neighbor notice and a short waiting period. Planned development district rules (formerly PUDs) are retained but would be treated as zoning text amendments so regulations remain readily discoverable. Nonconformity rules would follow state changes allowing the city to discontinue a nonconformity if a use or structure is vacant for 12 months or more. Sam also described modest adjustments to setbacks and expanded allowances for two units on most lots to support housing choice and accessory dwelling units.

Commissioners and staff probed specifics: which application items will be required by default versus on a case‑by‑case basis; how the zoning administrator’s delegation would work for routine permits; building‑code implications for ADUs; and how the city will produce public summaries and infographics for residents. Commissioners asked for more time to review the full text; Sam said the document is largely finalized and staff will prepare a summary memo and public‑facing materials, with a plan for the Plan Commission to make a formal recommendation later in December and the Common Council to act in January.

Next steps: plan for final edits, staff to prepare summaries/graphics for public outreach and the commission to vote on a recommendation before forwarding the draft to the Common Council.