City of Milwaukee - File #: 260003

• File #: 260003
• Version: 1
• Type: Ordinance
• Status: In Committee
• File created: 4/21/2026
• In control: LICENSES COMMITTEE
• Title: A substitute ordinance relating to Department of Neighborhood Services investigation of license applications.
• Sponsors: ALD. ZAMARRIPA

Date	Ver.	Action By	Action	Result	Tally
4/21/2026	0	COMMON COUNCIL	ASSIGNED TO

Number
260003
Version
SUBSTITUTE 1
Reference

Sponsor
ALD. ZAMARRIPA
Title
A substitute ordinance relating to Department of Neighborhood Services investigation of license applications.
Sections
85-21-2-c am
90-5-7 am

Analysis
This ordinance requires a license applicant to apply for a certificate of occupancy before the Commissioner of Neighborhood Services may complete the investigation of the license application. In practice, this prevents the License Division from certifying an application as ready for committee until the applicant has applied for a certificate of occupancy. This allows the DNS to obtain the information necessary to determine whether referral to the Board of Zoning Appeals is required.

Body
The Mayor and Common Council of the City of Milwaukee do ordain as follows:

Part 1. Section 85-21-2-c of the code is amended to read:

85-21. Fingerprinting and Investigation Required.

2. INVESTIGATION REQUIREMENT
c. If referral of a license or permit application to the commissioner of neighborhood services, commissioner of health, commissioner of public works or chief of police for investigation is required, the commissioner or chief of police shall cause an investigation to be made and report the findings to the licensing committee of the common council within 14 days of the city clerk’s referral of the application to the commissioner or chief of police. >>The commissioner of neighborhood services may not complete an investigation until the applicant has applied for a certificate of occupancy.<<

Part 2. Section 90-5-7 of the code is amended to read:

90-5. Licensing.

7. INVESTIGATION. a. All applications shall be referred to the chief of police, the commissioner of neighborhood services and the commissioner of health, all of whom shall cause an investigation to be made and report their findings to the licensing committee of the common council. >>The commissioner of neighborhood services may not complete an investigation until the ap...