September 14–20, 2026
The city council approved a $4M road rebuild on N. Maple Avenue and new downtown design rules, the county handled a flood emergency at the airport, and a wave of zoning updates heads to a full council vote.
Around the neighborhood.
The biggest local action this week: the Common Council signed off on a $4 million contract with Jossart Brothers to rebuild N. Maple Avenue between routes 4 and 26. If you drive, bike, or live along that stretch, expect construction noise and traffic disruptions before the work is done. That decision is now adopted by the council. Separately, the council approved new design standards for downtown streets and storefronts. Property and business owners in the downtown district must now follow those rules whenever they build, repair, or renovate anything facing the street. Also adopted: zoning changes at 3290 Humboldt Road and part of 515 Woodside Drive, updating what can be built there to match the city's 2050 Go Big Green Bay master plan. Both votes cleared the council 8-4.
At the park.
The council voted 9-3 to spend $90,000 on a sculpture from COZO Industries for JBS Park. The piece is now headed to the park as a permanent public art installation.
At the county.
Brown County had a busy Wednesday. The county board declared a flood emergency at Austin Straubel International Airport, which lets the county skip the usual approval steps and start repairs right away. The board also approved a staffing plan for the Brown County Jail to manage cells now housing two inmates at a time, a change that raises payroll costs. Both measures were adopted by the board. On a different note, the board approved bond financing for Zirbel Dairy Farms in Glenmore, allowing the Public Finance Authority to issue bonds to help the farm expand. That is not a direct spend from county tax dollars; it is a financing tool. The board also sent a formal request for two additional circuit court judges, which could eventually reduce wait times for criminal, family, and civil cases.
City leadership.
Thomas Karman was appointed to the Green Bay Water Commission (the board that oversees the city's water system) for a five-year term starting October 2026. That appointment was adopted by the council.
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Coming up next week:
Zoning code rewrite. Four connected local measures are headed to a full council vote after clearing their first reading. Together, they rewrite the city's zoning tables, update land use definitions, and set new rules for unserviced lots in Green Bay's rural residential areas. If you own property in an outlying neighborhood, the changes could affect what you're allowed to build or operate on your lot. No firm vote date is set yet for any of these items.
Federal watershed grants. A Senate bill (S 4041) that would raise annual watershed management grants from $100,000 to $150,000 and open applications year-round has cleared committee and awaits a floor vote. Green Bay sits within the Lake Michigan and Fox River watersheds, so local conservation groups and tribal partners could qualify under the expanded rules.
Federal land and mining bills. Several federal bills cleared committee this week covering an Alaska Native land exchange (S 2016), a forest land transfer for veterans in Gila County, Arizona (HR 837), an expansion of hardrock mineral mining on federal lands (HR 3872), and a private-events pilot at the Gateway Arch in St. Louis (HR 5254). None of these have a confirmed Senate floor date, and none directly affect Green Bay residents.
See what's up for a vote now · Find your representatives