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Waukesha Plan Commission recommends updated zoning code to Common Council; implementation targeted for Sept. 1
Summary
The Plan Commission voted June 24 to recommend a citywide zoning ordinance rewrite to the Common Council, sending the draft for a final public hearing and council vote July 7; staff described map corrections, clarified sign exemptions (including murals), and noted a Sept. 1 implementation target.
The Waukesha Plan Commission on Wednesday voted to recommend a comprehensive rewrite of the city’s zoning code to the Common Council, sending the ordinance to a final public hearing and council vote scheduled for July 7.
Charlie (staff member) told commissioners the draft includes corrected zoning-map overlays, updated acronyms for new mixed-use and regional commercial node overlays, and several wording changes requested by the city attorney to make definitions and exemptions legally defensible. "We are not changing the historic preservation overlay at all," Charlie said, clarifying concerns raised during public comment about a historic overlay on Madison Street.
The rewrite also restores exemptions for certain signs and clarifies the city’s approach to murals and signs carried by individuals. Charlie said the attorney’s office reworded the sign section so that government and utility signs are clearly exempted and that murals or works of art that do not advertise a business product or service are not treated as regulated signs. The staff presentation noted cases where murals that include small brand marks were previously allowed through negotiation with public art sponsors.
Other changes described include a clarified definition of yards to avoid gaps between the legal definition and the area regulated by the code, and map corrections so existing PUD overlay areas appear accurately on the official map. The staff memo also incorporated recent rezoning decisions, including the rezoning referenced for the February application.
Commissioners asked for clarity on murals that include brand references; Charlie said longstanding murals are usually reviewed by the public art committee rather than the sign code and that logos or advertising elements can trigger sign-review requirements. After extended questions and clarifications about the technical edits, the commission voted to forward the draft ordinance and its accompanying map to the Common Council for final action July 7. Staff continues to target an implementation date of Sept. 1 if council approves the ordinance.
Next steps: the Common Council will hold the final public hearing and vote on July 7; staff said the city attorney and departments will continue to refine implementation details and subdivision standards will return to the commission later this summer if needed.
