Waukesha planners review near-complete zoning code rewrite, set Feb. 25 open house

City planning commissioners and consultant staff reviewed a near-complete draft of a rewritten zoning code on Feb. 11, outlining changes to district names, uses, development standards and procedural rules and scheduling a public open house for Feb. 25.

The consultants said the rewrite consolidates prior chapter-by-chapter edits and reflects feedback from staff, the city attorney and commissioners. Key structural changes include renamed residential base districts (RN1–RN4) tied to intent, a separate overlay for environmentally sensitive lands, and postponed inclusion of subdivision standards to a later phase.

Why it matters: The rewrite would replace the city’s existing code with a single, uniform document and create new rules that will shape future development, site plan reviews and designation of nonconforming uses. Commissioners repeatedly pressed staff for clarity on definitions, notice procedures and which projects will be reviewed administratively versus by the planning commission.

Among the substantive changes explained during the meeting, consultants said RN1 will be oriented to large lots and low density, RN2 toward missing-middle housing, RN3 to small-scale multiunit and missing-middle types, and RN4 to larger multiunit development. Staff also flagged that subdivision standards will be adopted in a later phase and will not hold up this code adoption.

Commissioners debated how many and which administrative approvals should remain at staff level and when projects should return to the planning commission. Staff told the panel that projects meeting objective standards could be approved administratively, while exceptions, PUDs and projects adjacent to residential areas would continue to come to the commission. A public-notice table (mailing radius by procedure) was added to the draft; staff said the standard notice radius is 300 feet (100 feet for variances) with options to adjust fees if the city or applicant seeks broader notice.

Staff and consultants outlined the next steps: a public open house on Feb. 25, additional plan-commission review sessions to finalize language, and multiple council readings with a minimum 30-day notice before final hearing. The consultants said the draft will become the new zoning code and that existing nonconforming uses will remain unless altered.

The meeting closed with staff asking commissioners and the public to attend the open house and provide any remaining comments before staff prepares the code for council consideration. The commission did not take formal action or vote on the code during this session.