GREEN BAY – The City of Green Bay Common Council gave the mayor a future raise, welcomed a new neighborhood association and extended congratulations to First Responder award winners at its regular meeting Oct. 21 before discussing a bike path extension, affordable housing and the Go Green Bay 2050 Comprehensive Plan update, which the council unanimously approved with several new amendments to it.
The unanimous vote on the Comprehensive Plan followed a public hearing and a robust council discussion of several newly created amendments, including one involving a land swap of Memorial Park that District 9 Alder Brian Johnson put forth because of what he referred to as the park’s low visibility and usage.
“People don’t even realize it exists. The idea is we could create something more visible,” he said. “We’re doing a disservice to our veterans by having this memorial in a park that few people know exists.”
District 7 Alder Alyssa Proffit said the Memorial Park amendment was too specific to include in the Comprehensive Plan, while others were concerned veterans and other stakeholders might oppose the changes.
Mayor Eric Genrich said, “Alder Johnson referenced making sure whatever happens is kind of an elevation of recognition of veterans in the community. If the city were to ever change the use of the park while I’m mayor, we would definitely be collaborating with our veterans groups in doing so.”
District 11 Alder Melinda Eck asked Johnson, “When you say ‘land swap,’ is there another area you’re thinking about? Where would be a good place to put it that would elevate it?”
Johnson didn’t identify a new location, but said he would give city staff discretion on finding a new spot.
Dave Buck, principal planner in the city’s Department of Community and Economic Development, said the amendment would involve a change to the land-use map from parks to downtown that would “probably supersede the parks plan.”
This amendment failed in a 6-6 tie.
During the public hearing on the Comprehensive Plan, held at the request of the Green Bay Department of Community and Economic Development, Noel Halvorsen said he was asked to provide his input. “I think it’s a great plan, and it will be an excellent tool to guide future growth in the city,” said Halvorsen, president and CEO of nonprofit housing agency NeighborWorks Green Bay and a former planner with the City of Green Bay and Brown County.
Greg Kirschling, a west Green Bay resident and member of the Brown County Planning Commission who is involved with Friends of the Fox River Trail, spoke about a “very, very good; very, very ambitious” biking plan in the Go Green Bay plan.
While Green Bay is the hub of Northeast Wisconsin, he said, “We need to look outside of our city borders to see what comes into Green Bay. Everything runs through the hub in Green Bay and the spokes are all the other trails. Right now they’re not connected.”
To improve Green Bay’s bike-ability, the stretch of Packerland Drive between Mason Street and Highway 29, where no sidewalk and no bike trail exists, presents an opportunity for the city to continue the trail down Parkland Drive, Kirschling said. He described a bike trail that would connect to the industrial park, retail areas, Northeast Wisconsin Technical College, Pamperin Park and Duck Creek trail and Howard Memorial Park and the Mountain Bay State Trail.
“We have an opportunity to be a biking destination for people who come from out of town. It would help with commuting. Kids riding to training camp don’t know how to get to Lambeau Field safely,” he said.
District 7 Alder Alyssa Proffit liked his idea and suggested adding a reference to an expanded bike network that connects to other municipalities to the Comprehensive Plan. “We want to be a destination bike hub, at least I do. I think that would be awesome,” she said.
Proffitt proposed an amendment to include language about the bike path improvements in three places in the Comprehensive Plan. The motion carried without opposition.
Jennifer Sunstrom of the Realtors Association of Northeast Wisconsin spoke on behalf of 900 members who work and reside in Brown County in support of the Comprehensive Plan update and amendments to zoning codes.
“What you have before you goes beyond the band-aid tweaks. It is visionary, but it is not new. It provides for the possibility of once again creating neighborhoods of people who represent all of us, the kind of development we used to do before zoning became a tool for racial segregation and now economic segregation that is completely dividing us and making it impossible to provide housing for everyone,” she said.
Sunstrom said she supported changes to restrictive zoning and housing codes. “These changes provide the flexibility that developers and builders need to draw them to Green Bay and to start chipping away at our housing shortage,” she said. “The number of people who are homeless or housing insecure is rising every single day.”
Speaking as the director of public relations and government affairs at the realtors association, Sunstrom said, “It took wisdom to develop and propose these changes and will take courage to adopt them and to start restoring hope that the American dream is not just for the privileged few.”
District 1 Alder Jennifer Grant recommended an amendment to include incentives for new housing projects. “We have TIFs (Tax Increment Financing) for multifamily housing. To have a well-rounded plan, we should look at what other municipalities are doing.” She proposed an amendment “to review language regarding incentives and possible city funding sources for infrastructure for new housing projects.” The council unanimously approved this amendment.
Johnson said other incentives besides TIF Districts can be deployed to encourage development. He also suggested an amendment to ensure design standards are included in infrastructure projects. “When we think of really, really great communities, they aren’t concrete jungles,” he said. He motioned to amend the plan to include “some type of design review process” for new development. The motion carried without opposition.
The Green Bay City Council recognized the Green Bay Metro Fire Department for its First Responder of the Year Award for “unwavering dedication” during the NFL Draft.
The event went off without a major incident, thanks to the fire department’s preparation and professionalism, Genrich said.
Green Bay Fire Chief Matthew Knott and Battalion Chief Eric Jeltema expressed appreciation and said it was a team effort.
Police Officer Scott Salzmann and retiring canine Pyro were recognized for being named First Responder of the Year in the 90th Assembly District.
State Rep. Amaad Rivera-Wagner thanked canine handler Salzmann for his work with Pyro, who was hurt in the line of duty, recovered, returned to service for six years and now is retiring. “I’m just grateful we were able to keep this officer on the force,” Rivera-Wagner said.
The council also reappointed Sean Hamill to the Traffic, Bicycle and Pedestrian Commission for a term to expire Nov. 1, 2028, and approved the Green Bay Police Department’s granting of operators licenses.
The next Common Council meeting is scheduled for Nov. 11.
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