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CITY OF SOUTH MILWAUKEE PLAN COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES May 26, 2026 1. Call meeting to order/roll call. The meeting was called to order at 6:30 p.m.by Mayor Brett Briesemeister. Members present: Patrick Brever, Chris Haslam, Nick Gates, Ald. David Bartoshevich, Ald. Michal Olechowski, and Kevin Worm. Also present Economic Development Manager Ericka Lang, City Administrator Travis Wells and City Engineer Genevieve Stollenwerk. 2. Public Hearing Item #6: Proposed amendments to various sections of Chapter 15 Zoning Code: 15.16 building height regulations and accessory building setbacks; 15.21 business signage; 15.22 driveways and parking improvements; and various amendments to provide clarity and align with other preempting regulations; and 15.26 Construction Site Erosion and Sediment Control and 15.27 Post Construction Stormwater Management to Municipal. Mayor Briesemeister opened the public hearing at 6:32 pm, reading the public hearing notice and asking three times if anyone would like to speak. Staff confirmed no comments were received. At 6:33 pm Gates moved to close the public hearing, seconded by Haslam. Vote unanimous. 3. Approval of the March 24, 2026 meeting minutes. Haslam motioned to approve the minutes, seconded by Gates. All in favor. 4. Consideration of Bucyrus Storefront Activation Grant for an interior renovation and ADA restroom at storefront space 1233 Milwaukee Avenue. Lang introduced the item. The property owner and business owner Obed Pena is renovating the east side commercial storefront space at 1233 Milwaukee Avenue to relocate NOS Healthcare, a homecare agency, currently located in an office suite in South Milwaukee. Pena recently purchased the business. The space has been vacant since July 2025 and does not meet current building codes. He applied for the Storefront Activation grant for permanent building improvements including an ADA bathroom, requesting $20,000. Project costs are estimated at $110,000. Obed Pena stated they currently have 80 patients and half in South Milwaukee and they need a bigger space as the company is growing. Gates motioned to approve Bucyrus Storefront Activation grant for $20,000 not to exceed 50% of eligible costs, seconded by Olechowski. Vote unanimous. 5. Consideration of Bucyrus Storefront Activation Grant for an ADA restroom at storefront space 910 Milwaukee Avenue. Lang reviewed the interior grant request for an ADA compliant accessible bathroom. The property owner was approved for the same project May 2025 and did not move forward with it. A lease is currently signed for a brow personal service business. Tommi Ali was present, who is the preferred contractor for the project. City of South Milwaukee, Wisconsin 2 Brever motioned to approve the Bucyrus Storefront Activation grant for $12,500 not to exceed 50% of eligible costs, seconded by Olechowski. Vote unanimous. 6. Meeting 2, Discussion/possible consideration of municipal zoning code amendments for regulations pertaining to: a. Driveways and parking slabs b. Lot and building regulations for height and setbacks c. Landscaping and Screening d. Signage e. Stormwater Management Lang reviewed changes to driveway code language, building heights, accessory structure setbacks, landscaping and screening, and signage. Sam Schultz, zoning consultant from Von Briesen who completed the zoning rewrite in 2025, joined the discussion. Discussion of detached garage setbacks when the garage door opens to an alley:  The previous code required 10-feet that is not in the current code. Staff showed a dozen comparable city codes showing 5-feet as the most common setback. Lang and Stollenwerk recommended 5-feet. Increasing the distance from the alley decreases rear yard area.  Schultz noted if a medium distance, then parking along the yolk may obstruct through traffic and hard turning radius in/out of garage. A short 3-foot setback would prohibit parking along the yolk.  Olechowski inquired about cars passing in the alley. The previous zoning code had 10-feet for turning radius. Stollenwerk added 5-feet is typical. The city has 14-ft wide alleys and 5-feet each side gives 24’ which is typical 2-way lane widths.  Worm prefers less distance from the alley to eliminate parking vehicles along the door.  Mayor Briesemeister commented that turning is tight and supports 10-feet, acknowledging older subdivisions had garages close to alleys.  Brever stated 8-feet is appropriate.  Haslam stated that given the city is mostly built out, the impact of this code is low.  Commissioners came to a consensus to add eight feet accessory structure setback from alleys if the garage door opens to the alley. Discussion of accessory structure heights:  Lang stated the revised code keeps accessory structure maximum heights the same, not to exceed the height of the principal structure, adding new language that structures can be taller if there is a grade change and the house is elevated.  Briesemeister suggests adding height exception language for Accessory Dwelling Units above detached garages, as seen in other cities, permitting them taller than a one-story house. Schultz will research. Discussion of accessory structure setbacks for corner properties:  Lang stated that the current accessory structure corner street side setback requirement is impractical, requiring excessive setback distances for corner properties. Staff looked at changing it to the same as principal building, but not closer to side street than any existing principal building. City of South Milwaukee, Wisconsin 3  Commissioners discussed whether the code should allow an accessory structure closer to the street than the house or adjacent house in the side yard. Lang will provide further review of corner lots. Discussion of principal building heights:  Lang noted there was no changes since the previous meeting draft, reminding that the current code is not easily calculated.  Schultz prepared the revisions and noted that accounting for the width of the public right-of-way was complicated. In response to comments about concerns of too tall buildings, he added that building codes drive how high buildings are when factoring in fire regulations.  Olechowski questioned if the draft changes simplify understanding permitted heights. Lang stated that no changes were made to the sign code draft from the previous meeting. Commissioners supported limiting flag pole heights and simplifying how strip mall wall signage is calculated. Stollenwerk stated that the storm water chapter in the municipal code was recently updated and the post construction and site erosion language in the zoning chapter were added to that chapter. The ordinance to amend the zoning chapter will include deleting both the §15.26 and §15.27 sections. 7. Update on Scott Crawford Bucyrus Campus development project at 1100 Milwaukee Ave and 1022 Milwaukee Ave. Lang reviewed changes in parking supply. The total supply was reduced to 174, not including 50 allocated spaces on the adjacent parcel to the north. Reviewing the parking code adopted after the PDD was approved in 2024, 170 spaces would be the minimum number required. Commissioners feel the current 174 parking spaces plus 50 spaces on the adjacent property made available through an easement, is appropriate for the project. Brever agreed. Briesemeister noted the newly divided lots do not have singular uses that are active concurrently. Stollenwerk reviewed the Traffic Impact Analysis (TIA), showing the approved temporary circulation for the school in the Corporate building. This circulation will not work when the project is complete. The TIA also recommends shifting the 10 th Avenue south entrance northward so it is mid-block between Monroe Ave and Minnesota Ave, which is on the adjacent property that has various parking and access easements that would have to be revised. Haslam inquired about the number of vehicles dropping off and picking up at the school. Stollenwerk noted the private elementary school does not have bussing with a potential attendance of 200 students. Currently the school is using four lanes down the center of the 10 th Ave parking lot. Most of the traffic are right turns into the lot and does not impact traffic. Lang reviewed landscaping and lighting, with minor changes and information needed. City of South Milwaukee, Wisconsin 4 Briesemeister suggested and commissioners agreed the final landscape and lighting plans may be approved by staff and does not need to come back to the Plan Commission for final approval. Developer Que El-Amin of Scott Crawford, Inc. was present with Mohamad Khalek of Khalek Builders. They are not opposed to relocating the 10 th Avenue driveway, but it is not on their property. Brever stated that the final solution of the traffic circulation for the school needs to come back to the Plan Commission. 8. Schedule next meeting. (June 23, 2026 at 6:30 pm) 9. Adjourn. Gates motioned to adjourn the meeting at 8:14 p.m., seconded by Brever. Vote unanimous. Recorded by Ericka Lang Recording Secretary