Call Mayor Barrett and ask him to Protect the Milwaukee River Now for Current and Future Generations!

Milwaukee Riverkeeper, along with our colleagues that make up the Milwaukee River Work Group, have been working for over three years to develop a set of legal protection for the Milwaukee River Corridor between North Avenue and Silver Spring Drive within Milwaukee City limits.

We have been working to create what is called an Overlay District that establishes sensible zoning and design guidelines to protect an 8-mile, 800 acre natural area, which currently is vulnerable to destruction given existing zoning. This natural corridor (or primary environmental corridor) is important in protecting water quality, providing wildlife habitat, minimizing flooding, and providing a natural refuge in the heart of the city that enhances our quality of life.

Much of this area was formerly under water when the North Avenue Dam was in place, and retains the zoning of times past that does not reflect currently conditions. The land area within the Overlay District (known officially as the Milwaukee River Site Plan Review Overlay District) is 70% owned by Milwaukee County Parks, with some private parcels mixed in. Most of the private parcels are single family/duplex, which are not subject to this effort. There are only a handful of “developable” commercial and private properties that may be impacted by this zoning, and Work Group representatives have met with these property owners to assuage their concerns. Several of the impacted property owners have already agreed to protection and public use of affected portions of their land, as part of the creation of the Milwaukee Centennial Rotary Arboretum.

Despite overwhelming support, the Mayor has not expressed his support for the draft legislation and is proposing some major changes that will weaken the draft legislation.  The time for real protection is now!!

Please call or write Mayor Barrett to ask for his support of the Milwaukee River Overlay District. Below are talking points:

• Permanently protect the Milwaukee River Primary Environmental Corridor. The Milwaukee River Corridor is one of our city’s most valuable natural assets for protecting our water supply, minimizing flooding, providing recreational opportunities, and enhancing our quality of life.
• Enact forestry regulations to protect the trees within the corridor, which currently have no protection.
• Enact enhanced stormwater guidelines to protect the Milwaukee River from pollution and minimize runoff into the already stressed combined sewer system.
• Establish setbacks from the Primary Environmental Corridor for development. These setbacks are important in protecting river bluffs from erosion, protecting root zones of trees, and providing buffers between development and the natural environment. We are recommending a 50 foot setback.
• Please protect the scenic beauty of this natural river corridor by establishing sensible height restrictions for adjacent development.  We do not want the Milwaukee River upstream of North Avenue to become another condo canyon. Development adjacent to natural portions of the Milwaukee River should be held to a higher standard in order to protect scenic beauty and the value of the existing recreational experience.
• These regulations affect a small number of properties; affected landowners always have the ability to appeal to the Zoning Board for a variance if they have legitimate issues that would make it impossible for them to comply, and the vast majority of stakeholders are in favor of passing the Milwaukee River Overlay District.
• Passing this Overlay District can be the Mayor’s legacy to the City of Milwaukee—similar to protecting the Milwaukee Lakefront, which is so important to our cultural identity and quality of life.

Contact information for Mayor Barrett: mayor@milwaukee.gov or 414-286-2200.  Please cc the County Clerk at rleonh@milwaukee.gov so your comments can be included in the legislative file.

Please contact Mayor Barrett today! Thank you for your continued work in helping us to protect our rivers!