Waukesha · issues
Civic issues
Topics getting the most attention in Waukesha public meetings, ranked by how frequently they come up.
Street closure permit approval process
Municipal Lot No. 3 will be closed for a BB's on Main special event. Downtown drivers and parkers should plan around the closure.
2027-2028 Municipal Construction Consultant Contracts
On consent and by unanimous bids, the city set 2026 Drop-Off Center fee adjustments and awarded over $1 million in street work — traffic signals on N. Moreland/Michigan and city-wide concrete patching.
Private Development Construction Oversight Contracts
A batch of developer and stormwater maintenance deals — Skyline Phase Two, Country Crest Lane, Waypoint Villas, ProHealth's Meadowbrook site, Carroll University and Innio — cleared the board and head to the Council. These lock in who maintains stormwater facilities as new development goes up.
Historic district exterior repairs and grant funding
The 2026 grant fund started at $25,000 and only $3,222.50 remains, but three applications on one night totaled about $6,141 in guideline amounts. The commission had to ration the money proportionally, so homeowners got far less than the usual 15% up to $3,000.
Multi-family development at Elkhart Drive terminus
An 84-unit, six-building apartment complex is planned on former DOT right-of-way near Waukesha West High School. The rezoning passed unanimously with little public comment.
TIF assistance for Les Paul Parkway housing development
Staff cited the 2024 housing study showing a persistent shortage of rental and owner-occupied housing, while one resident noted Waukesha's 58% owner-occupancy rate is the lowest in the area and asked what the city is doing to add owner-occupied homes. Staff explained state law bars the city from regulating ownership type.
UPS purchase for new Operations Center
The new operations center is nearly done, with the office move set for December 2 and reopening December 3. Consolidating buildings should eventually trim costs, though the larger new facility may cost slightly more to operate at first.
General Manager leadership transition
The commission voted to keep Cortney Nagel in place as acting General Manager while the utility's top leadership position remains in transition.
Fire department trends and grants
Fire received $359,000 in grants this year, is rolling out a new strategic plan, and flagged emerging risks: e-bike and scooter battery fires and injuries, plus electric car chargers in or near buildings. Concurrent calls rose from 47% to 52% since 2022.
Prairie Home Cemetery operations and services
Prairie Home Cemetery is seeing surging demand for natural burial — sales jumped from 18 in 2022 to about 50 by July 2026 — so it's budgeting to plat a new natural burial section. The cemetery gets just $88,661 in tax support, unchanged for over a decade.
Voting machine replacement needed
The city's voting machines work fine, but the vendor is ending support and they'll become federally noncompliant. With polling places consolidated from 13 to 9, fewer machines will be needed — replacement is expected within a couple of years.
Area 10 floodplain project BRIC grant
The neighborhood near University/Algoma deals with flooding. A new $191,000 federal grant (city share $64,000) funds detailed design; construction could come around 2029 if another grant lands.
WEDC Small Business Development Grant application
A long-boarded entrance at the old Metropolitan Building is coming back to life as the Lost Art Fiber and Textile Studio's main door — small change, real street-level impact downtown.
Sale of city-owned Big Bend Road property
The city no longer needs a nearly 2-acre former water utility parcel along Big Bend Road, and the commission recommended declaring it surplus — a step that could lead to its sale.
Water Diversion Rights
Waukesha got a rare legal OK to pull drinking water from Lake Michigan even though it sits outside the Great Lakes Basin. That matters because it affects tap-water safety, utility bills, and the precedent for other cities seeking Great Lakes water.
2027 Residential Garbage and Recycling Fees
The committee approved a resolution setting what homeowners will pay for garbage and recycling collection in 2027. The fees now go to the full council.
Buchner Park playground ADA resurfacing
Extending Parkton Drive would put a road next to the neighborhood park playground. The parks department says it needs street access to the park, would consider fencing the playground, and is open to expanding the park toward Oakdale Drive; the developer offered to help pay for a fence.
One-time sewer credit program and ordinance revision
The board split on sewer credit requests — approving four homeowners' credits but denying two whose projects didn't count as 'new landscaping.' Vice Chair Kevin Reilly referred the murky Chapter 29.11 rules to the O&L Committee for a cleanup, so expect clearer eligibility standards soon.
Water utility cybersecurity
The commission discussed protecting the water utility's computer systems from potential cyberattacks behind closed doors, following recent incidents at other water systems.
2027 Library Tax Exemption Certification
Members pushed for the updated plan to identify tax-exempt sites — schools, the post office, the YMCA, former Hope Center — that could be redeveloped as tax-generating housing, arguing the city can't grow its tax base otherwise.
Snow and ice removal ordinance update
Second reading of updates: clearance window drops from 24 to 12 hours, fines rise from $25 to $50 plus admin costs for repeat offenses, definitions clarified for enforcement.
Meeting Room Policy Update (A-3)
The board approved an updated policy governing how the library's meeting rooms can be used and reserved.
Employee PTO, holiday, and retiree insurance policy changes
A volunteer time off policy would let library staff take time for community volunteering under defined rules. It now goes to the Library Board.
Council chambers audio-visual upgrade
The 2027 plan includes $270,000 to modernize council chambers AV equipment — better sound, cameras, displays, and a hearing-aid loop — serving both council meetings and municipal court.
North Street/St. Paul two-way conversion, phase two
The council signed on to a WisDOT two-party agreement funding reconstruction/resurfacing of E. North Street, St. Paul Avenue and W. Moreland Boulevard under the LRIP Discretionary Program.
Regional radio system and dispatch console upgrades
Fire and police leaders previewed a multi-million-dollar 2028 county-wide radio capacity upgrade — no money in 2027, but a big number is coming.
AED replacement program
Fire officials detailed a program replacing roughly 106 publicly available AEDs across police cars, parks, and city facilities, citing local and statewide saves.
Jackson Sparks memorial field at Oliver Complex
The memorial fund honoring Jackson Sparks, created after the 2022 parade attack, has raised about $165,000 toward synthetic turf at the munici-pal athletic complex — covering roughly 42% of the project.
Historic Springs maintenance and proposed "Friends of the Springs"
Hobo Spring keeps clogging with leaves and flooding, requiring repeated costly cleanouts. Alderman Chrisien will refer the problem to city engineering to study a permanent fix, possibly using the roughly $10,000 springs donation fund.
2027-2031 Parks, Recreation & Forestry capital budget
The board recommended the department's five-year capital investment plan to the Finance Committee. It lays out how the city will fund parks, trails, and recreation facilities from 2027 through 2031 — expect it to move on to Finance Committee and then the Common Council.
Parking lot landscape island requirement enforcement
Ventura Foods ripped out its parking lot islands before getting approval, arguing trucks destroyed them and they held water. Commissioners wrestled with setting a precedent of waiving landscaping rules but approved a temporary waiver with 60 days to design a better solution.
Home-based adult disability daycare in single-family neighborhood
A resident wants to care for 3-4 adults with disabilities from their home on River Place Boulevard. Some neighbors worry it's a business in a $500K+ single-family area and where it leads; commissioners saw it as close to permitted home childcare and approved it with tight conditions for two years.
Growing MetroLift paratransit demand
Transit manager Brian Engelkin said MetroLift ridership is back to 2012 levels and the four-bus fleet can't keep up, risking ADA violations. The CIP adds a fifth bus, fully paid for with federal funds.
Crossing guard services for schoolchildren
The renewed contract keeps 17 crossing guards at school crossings citywide for about $195,900. Officials noted the guards cost far less than using sworn police officers for the same work.
Horeb Springs Retaining Wall Improvements
Contract Change Order No. 1 with All-Ways, Inc. adjusts the retaining wall improvement project and heads to the Council for consent.
Street Resurfacing Progress (Michigan and Moreland)
Director Damien reported the Michigan and Moreland resurfacing project hit a minor setback because more old asphalt than expected had to be removed.
Hawk's Landing stormwater maintenance
Amendment No. 1 with McMahon Associates continues vegetation management services for the city's stormwater facilities.
Library Facility Investments
The rebid for a new library revolving door came in over budget, so the board rejected the bids and staff will pursue a cheaper restoration kit with the contractor.
E-bikes and e-cycles damaging parks and streets
Ald. Manion asked where the pending e-bike ordinance stands — an issue that affects how e-bikes can be ridden around town. No update or action was recorded at this meeting.
Proposed update to the 2012 Central City Master Plan
The city's downtown-area plan is 14 years old and doesn't reflect the Navistar closure, the YMCA's planned move, or the housing shortage. An update would guide redevelopment of major sites — and members want it to prioritize putting tax-exempt properties back on the tax rolls.
Children's Renovation
The board got a status update on the renovation of the children's section. Families using the library will see the results when work wraps up.
Remote work limits for city staff
The library is formalizing rules for staff remote work. If the Library Board approves it, employees would have clear guidelines on when working from home is allowed.
AI Acceptable Use Policy
The library adopted new rules on how employees may use artificial intelligence at work — an early sign of how public institutions are grappling with AI. It will shape how staff handle information and serve patrons.
New Zoning Code update and its impact on the Board of Zoning Appeals
Waukesha is rolling out a new Zoning Code, and it will change how the Board of Zoning Appeals handles variances, appeals, and exceptions. If you're planning a project that needs board approval, the procedures and standards you'll face may differ from the old code.
Davidson Road project intermunicipal agreement
Waukesha is rebuilding its section of Davidson Road this year, and a new agreement with the Town of Brookfield and City of Brookfield spells out each municipality's responsibilities for the corridor. Waukesha moved a year early to avoid utility conflicts; the neighbors' work follows in 2027.
Historic home repair grants in Waukesha historic districts
The commission awarded $8,750 in Paint and Repair grants to five historic properties, helping owners maintain roofs, siding, and windows in the city's historic districts. These grants keep older neighborhoods well-maintained and preserve community character.
Thomas Press building mural
A large historical mural by James Berainey will cover the entire Thomas Press facade on Friedman Alley, including vinyl on windows and enamel on the garage door. It honors Les Paul and the building's printing history. Residents will see a major downtown facade transformation.
STOR-IT Right rezone at Dolphin Dr and Coral Dr
A new two-building, 64,000-square-foot self-storage facility is coming to the northeast corner of Coral and Dolphin Drives. Approval came with sidewalk and curb improvements but split the commission 3-2.
Grede Park irrigation project stalled
The only bid for Grede Park irrigation came in over budget, so the council rejected it and will redesign the project for a winter rebid. The park upgrade is delayed but not dead.
Temporary outdoor alcohol service on Municipal Lot 13
Bars can now temporarily extend service onto Municipal Lot 13, just like the Clocktower lot allows for St. Patrick's Day. Matty's sought the change; the lot will close for those events.