City of Green Bay Zoning Changes & DecisionsDelivered Same-Day
in the Green Bay Market
Of the 41 land-use decisions this board made over the last 24 months, 90% were approved. We read every City of Green Bay hearing and pull the outcome, the vote split, and the conditions, so you see how this board actually rules.
19 meetings analyzed. Rezoning decisions delivered same-day. Free New Meeting Alerts for one market, or a 7-day Pro trial. Cancel anytime. View pricing
What gets approved in City of Green Bay
In City of Green Bay, 90% of land-use board decisions were approved over the last 24 months. Special exception / conditional use clear 100%, Land use / comp-plan amendment 89%. ZoneWire analyzed 41 land-use board decisions in City of Green Bay over the last 24 months. Here are the most active project types and how often each one clears.
| Project type | Decisions | Approval rate |
|---|---|---|
| Special exception / conditional use | 12 | 100% |
| Land use / comp-plan amendment | 9 | 89% |
| Variance | 9 | 67% |
1 decisions that went against the odds
These are the denials and deferrals in categories that usually sail through, the deals worth understanding before you commit capital.
Create a free account to see themHow City of Green Bay rules on land use
Approval is not your risk in Green Bay. Getting through the Plan Commission with the right conditions package, and surviving the Board of Appeals on dimensional variances, is. The Council approves the substance of nearly everything it decides but attaches detailed, recurring conditions (parking, buffers, fencing, design variation, owner-occupancy, status-report check-ins), and the one time staff recommended denial the Council overrode it. The variances are where things die: of the 7 land-use variance items, 2 were denied outright on hardship and uniqueness. We tell you what conditions actually get attached so you price the cost of yes before you file.
- Who decides
- Green Bay Plan Commission recommends, Common Council decides
- The pattern
- 27 of 29 decided land-use applications approved (0.93), with roughly 73% of land-use approvals carrying explicit conditions
Proof
Common Council
Feb 3, 2026
Council approved a comprehensive plan amendment for the Henches Auto Sales site (agenda-listed as 1000 Algoma Road) from neighborhood commercial to regional commercial to allow the dealership to expand. Staff had recommended denial, but the Plan Commission recommended approval 5-1 and the Council approved 10-2, the one staff-denial in the record and it was overridden rather than sustained. The companion C-2 to C-3 rezoning also passed.
Full breakdown
Green Bay decides rezonings, conditional use permits, comprehensive plan amendments, PUDs and development agreements at the Common Council, which votes after the Plan Commission holds the public hearing and sends a recommendation. Dimensional variances go a separate route and are decided directly by the Zoning and Planning Board of Appeals.
Across the roughly 30 land-use items on record so far, 27 of the 29 decided applications were approved, which tells you approval itself is rarely the obstacle here. The obstacle is the conditions package.
Roughly three quarters of the land-use approvals we are tracking carried real, specific conditions, and they recur in patterns you can plan around: parking minimums tied to bed or unit counts, opaque fencing and landscape buffers along shared property lines, design variation from neighboring homes, owner-occupancy and short-term-rental bans on accessory dwelling units, and even six-month status-report check-ins back before the Council.
A 90-unit multifamily project at Elk and Locust cleared with PAYGO TIF assistance tied to a new TID and wetland questions pushed to the building-permit stage. A downtown rooming house at 828 Cherry St was capped at 20 residents with 24-hour on-site management and a privacy barrier.
Staff almost never recommends denial, and when it did, on the 1000 Algoma Road comprehensive plan amendment for the Henches auto-sales expansion, the Plan Commission recommended approval 5-1 and the Common Council approved it 10-2 over the staff objection.
The place where applications actually die is the Board of Appeals: of the 7 land-use variance items on record, 4 were approved, 2 were denied outright and 1 was tabled, with both denials turning on the same logic, no exceptional circumstance unique to the lot and a self-imposed hardship.
If you are bringing a rezoning or CUP, build the conditions into your proforma before you file. If you are bringing a dimensional variance, expect the board to test it against hardship and uniqueness, not wave it through.
We are still gathering data in this market, and the conditions picture is already clear enough to price.
See Real Meeting Intelligence
Here's what ZoneWire found in the latest City of Green Bay meeting
Green Bay Plan Commission - 2026-06-29
The Green Bay Plan Commission approved three land-use items on unanimous voice votes at its June 29, 2026 meeting. It approved a conditional use permit to allow a single-family home in the office residential district at 1033 Gray Street (applicant David Hartman of HQ Holdings, LL…
See full analysisKey Decisions
- Conditional Use Permit at 1033 Gray Street
- Rezoning of 703, 707, 713 Roy Avenue
- Shorehaven Preliminary Plat at 2892 Nicolet Drive
Common Council - 2026-06-18
Common Council - 2026-06-16
Zoning & Planning Board of Appeals - 2026-06-15
Plus every other session we monitor
Every City of Green Bay insight is sourced from official public meeting records and analyzed within hours, updated daily.
Green Bay's Common Council and Plan Commission process rezonings, conditional use permits, and subdivision plats in northeastern Wisconsin's largest city. The Broadway District and downtown waterfront redevelopment area along the Fox River generate mixed-use and infill zoning cases. The West Side and Bellevue annexation areas along I-41 see active commercial and residential subdivision filings.
Recent Zoning Insights in City of Green Bay
Green Bay Plan Commission - 2026-06-29
June 29, 2026
Common Council - 2026-06-18
June 18, 2026
Common Council - 2026-06-16
June 16, 2026
Recent meetings with zoning keywords detected by ZoneWire. Subscribe to get all alerts in real time.
Monthly Zoning Activity
City of Green Bay had 5 public meetings in June 2026 with 180 zoning insights detected, down 11% from May.
| Month | Meetings | Zoning Insights | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 2026 | 5 | 180 | |
| May 2026 | 4 | 203 | Roundup |
| Apr 2026 | 4 | 305 | Roundup |
| Mar 2026 | 4 | 249 | Roundup |
| Feb 2026 | 1 | 80 | |
| Jan 2026 | 1 | 4 |
Source: ZoneWire analysis of City of Green Bay public meeting transcripts. Updated daily.
More in Wisconsin
How ZoneWire Works in City of Green Bay
Every Meeting, Covered
Sessions from Green Bay Common Council, Green Bay Plan Commission, Green Bay Zoning & Planning Board of Appeals are tracked automatically. You'll never miss a discussion that could impact your next deal.
Zoning Insights, Flagged
Each transcript is scanned for rezoning, conditional use permits, subdivision plats, planned developments, and other zoning keywords. You get the signal, not the noise.
Get Alerted. Verify Instantly.
Receive an alert the same day something relevant comes up in City of Green Bay. Click through to hear the exact moment in the meeting and act with confidence.
A part-time analyst monitoring every City of Green Bay council meeting runs $1,000+ per month. ZoneWire delivers the same rezoning, variance, and development intelligence for $129. See the full comparison
Free: New Meeting Alerts for one market. ZoneWire Pro adds full transcripts, zoning analysis, and keyword alerts for $129 per market per month.
ZoneWire has analyzed 19 City of Green Bay council meetings, flagging 1021 rezoning, variance, and development items.
Related Articles
Green Bay Zoning Decisions: May 2026
Green Bay, WI zoning decisions for May 2026: 6 approved, 0 denied across 3 public meetings.
Zoning DecisionsGreen Bay Zoning Decisions: April 2026
Green Bay, WI zoning decisions for April 2026: 12 approved, 1 denied, 1 deferred across 4 public meetings.
Zoning DecisionsGreen Bay Zoning Decisions: March 2026
Green Bay, WI zoning decisions for March 2026: 7 approved, 0 denied across 4 public meetings.
Frequently Asked Questions
Zoning in Green Bay is regulated by Chapter 44 (Zoning) of the City's Code of Ordinances, which establishes the zoning districts, the official zoning map, land-use standards, and administrative procedures. The full text is published in the Green Bay Code of Ordinances on the Municode Library and is linked from the City's Codes & Ordinances page. The City's planning functions are carried out under the authority of Wisconsin Statutes section 62.23.
The Green Bay Plan Commission handles the City's locally specific and state-mandated planning functions, including managing the land-use codes and zoning regulations, planning future land use, and protecting natural resources. It consists of seven members, including one alderperson, who are appointed by the Mayor and approved by the Common Council to 36-month terms.
The Plan Commission reviews a range of land-use actions, including zoning changes (rezoning) to a different district, conditional use permits, Planned Unit Developments (PUDs) and PUD amendments, Comprehensive Plan amendments, subdivisions and preliminary plats, and right-of-way vacations. Applicants generally begin the process through the City's Community & Economic Development department; specific submission requirements are available from the City's planning staff.
The Zoning & Planning Board of Appeals hears and acts on appeals for variances to the Green Bay Zoning Code. The board is composed of five members plus two alternates, each appointed by the Mayor and approved by the Common Council to 36-month terms. Meeting agendas are posted before each session and minutes are published after the board approves them.
The City requires a site plan submission for many residential and commercial projects, including new home construction, additions to homes, detached garages, decks and porches, and yard sheds larger than 50 square feet. Applicants are directed to Chapter 44 of the City code for zoning criteria such as height restrictions, minimum lot area, and building area, and an Erosion Control Permit may be required depending on the project. Commercial site plan questions can be directed to siteplangb@greenbaywi.gov.
Yes. ZoneWire Free sends New Meeting Alerts for Green Bay at no cost, with the agenda for each meeting. ZoneWire Pro adds full transcripts, zoning and development analysis, and keyword alerts for $129 per market per month.
The Next Rezoning Vote Won't Wait for You
Set up your county alerts in minutes and start receiving zoning intelligence by tomorrow. Start free with New Meeting Alerts, or try Pro free for 7 days.
Get free alerts for City of Green Bay zoning meetings
Get an email when a new meeting is posted for City of Green Bay, with the agenda. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.
Get free alertsSee our Privacy Policy.
New developments in City of Green Bay