Recommended approvalOther

General Ordinance 24-26 — Vacant Commercial Property Registration (PC-26-15)

Description

A new municipal code section requiring vacant commercial buildings to register and pay escalating annual fees, approved as a recommendation to the Common Council.

Impact summary

Owners of chronically vacant commercial buildings could face fees up to $4,000 a year starting in year two; owners actively trying to sell, lease, or restore are exempt.

Applicant

Name: City of Green Bay (at request of Ald. Joey Prestley and co-sponsors)

At a glance

Hearings: 1
Public comments: 7
Total mentions: 1

Last vote · Protection and Policy Committee

Recommended approval3–1

A recommendation, not a final decision. The council decides next.

Discussed at 1 meeting in the last 60 days; most recently Oct 12, 2026.

Meeting timeline (1)

Oct 12, 2026Recommended approval 3–1

Protection and Policy Committee - Oct 12, 2026

A new municipal code section requiring vacant commercial buildings to register and pay escalating annual fees, approved as a recommendation to the Common Council.

Related issues (1)

Vacant commercial property registration and fees

A new ordinance would make owners of long-vacant commercial buildings register them and pay escalating fees up to $4,000 a year, aiming to reactivate empty storefronts. The Realtors Association says it's a property-rights overreach; sponsors say vacancy shifts costs onto taxpayers and neighbors.

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