Franklin Today

Environmental protections at issue for Forward Franklin EDC

At tonight's meeting, the Forward Franklin Economic Development Committee will be taking up the discussion on revisions to the city's Unified Development Ordinance "as it relates to environmental regulations which may hamper development." The primary environmental ordinance the city raises up on various occasions with developers is the Natural Resource Protection Plan (NRPP). The NRPP has drawn praise from residents wishing to keep Franklin more consicous of conservation and utilizing land better, but upsets developers time-to-time who want to develop more land at the potential expense of losing of the natural resources on their developing properties.

This discussion occurs at a time when the city is constructing the Ryan Creek Interceptor Sewer, which is geared to bring sewer to the southwestern portion of Franklin and easternmost Muskego. This sewer is being built despite strong objections from landowners and farmers in SW Franklin, which haven't faded into the sunset just yet. But again, developers are on the flip-side of this coin, and favor the newfound access of sewer. Developers and the majority of leadership on the Common Council view the sewer as essential to grow and develop the City of Franklin to its maximum ability.

It comes at no surprise then to see environmental regulations such as the NRPP being brought forward for the city's newly-formed economic development entity to review and potentially recommend changes that likely will ease restrictions for developers on environmentally-sensitive areas of the city. What this also has a side-effect on, though, is Common Council President Steve Taylor.

Halloween trick-or-treat time to be decided tonight

Every year, this issue for some reason or another becomes a hot topic at City Hall. This is due to some politicians, like Mayor Taylor, believing that more conformity in the trick-or-treat times throughout the Milwaukee metropolitan area will result in less crossover between communities. The matter became a hot button issue in regards to the Intergovernmental Cooperation Council (ICC), which Mayor Taylor is its Chairman. 

In recent years, leaders in the suburbs, Mayor Taylor included, are frustrated more than ever in terms of carloads of children coming from elsewhere, the elephant in the room being the City of Milwaukee, to the suburbs in persuit of a safer, more enjoyable trick-or-treat (and likely better choices of candy at the doors). The leaders are upset because of an apparent silent uprising among suburban residents having to purchase additional candy at the local Target or Walgreens to accomodate these Milwaukee youths running around in costumes with their, in our case, Franklin counterparts.

September Updates from Alderwoman Wilhelm

Dear Residents,

Here is good news from our Chief of Police and a few items of possible interest. 

Kristen Wilhelm

Franklin's 3rd District

Council tables 230-foot sidewalk connecting subdivisions to FHS

Last night after a spirited debate over a variety of matters, the Common Council voted 6-0 to table a bid acceptance to construct a 230-foot sidewalk connecting subdivisions south and southeast of FHS to the school. This proposal came before the Council after months of earlier discussion that started when a homeowner wanted to build a path along the border of his property for students rather than the alternative of nothing.

Alderwoman Wilhelm sends out August e-Newsletter

Please see below for items of interest in the city. Note that several items have already passed due to delays in getting this e-Newsletter posted to the blog. My apologies for this.

County redistricting plan is approved; City representation increases

Yesterday the Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors approved of its redistricting plan with a vote of 13-6. With this vote, the county moves forward to the 2012 election cycle with 18 districts, down one from the current 19. The district chopped off comes via Supervisor Joesph Rice's district, which was a district representing the North Shore suburbs. Rice was usually part of the minority on the County Board, generally siding with a more conservative suburban bloc versus the majority, more Democratic bloc flanked by supervisors from the City of Milwaukee.

Franklin Post Office spared from nationwide list

On Tuesday, news broke that the United States Postal Service was reviewing post office locations for possible closure or conversion into "Village Post Offices" - where the USPS would work with area grocers in merging operations. While the USPS won't make their final decision until December, they have released a list of locations. Fortunately, while rumors have grown that Franklin's post office was struggling, it was spared from this list. The closest locations are 5 post office sites in the City of Milwaukee.

Read more at the Business Journal.

City redistricting plan could have major impacts in 2013

The City of Franklin's new districts have been created, at least temporarily, and will be discussed at the Common Council meeting on August 2nd. With the new boundaries, if approved, the Common Council could see new representatives in 2013, since one of the aldermen will be just barely kept in the district he represents, and another could lose what some argue as a significant portion of his voting base.

'So You Think You Can Dance' has a contestant from Franklin

This season of FOX's 'So You Think You Can Dance' has a 19-year-old resident of Franklin competing. His name is Nick Young, who has been dancing since he was 4-years-old. His family owns the Young Dance Academy, based in Oak Creek, and was a 2010 graduate of Greendale's Martin Luther High School.

You can read more about Nick by going to the Journal Sentinel's write-up, or Nick's Q&A from the FOX website. The whole Franklin community is sure to be rooting for Nick as he continues forward in the show.

Parks Commission backs CCD concept, makes recommendation to Council

At last night's Parks Commission meeting, Citizens for Community Development (CCD) was asked to present its concept for lands surrounding Froemming Park and the Milwaukee County Sports Complex. As most of you are aware, CCD has been working on this concept for a little over a year, tweaking it per the input given by the community. In recent months, CCD's concept has gained significant momentum in light of the petition supporting its concept being submitted to the City and with more attention being given to it by other entities. Doing the presentation was myself, as CCD's President, and Mike Soto, who's on the CCD Board of Directors and whose employer, Continuum Architects, donated its time and talents to assist CCD in continuing to mold this concept for our community.