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Future Development Strategic Planning Report

City of St. Francis – Overview

Incorporated in 1951, the City of St. Francis boasts safety and independence on the south shore of Lake Michigan between the City of Milwaukee and the City of Cudahy. Friendly neighborhoods and lake front views await visitors. Easy access, located off I-794 just minutes from downtown Milwaukee, but with all the convenience of suburban living. Mitchell International Airport, located on the southern border of St. Francis, permits travel to world markets both domestic and abroad.

In 2014, St. Francis dedicated a new Civic Center along Howard Avenue or State Hwy 32. The Civic Center encompasses the functions of City Hall with wings for protective services to include the St. Francis Police Department and the St. Francis Fire Department. In addition, the City contains 63 acres of public parkland including 23 acres fronting Lake Michigan providing access to the Milwaukee County Oak Leaf Trail system

In 2015, the city adopted a revised Comprehensive Plan. In part, the plan includes designating areas “subject to change”. Forty-nine total properties were identified for future change. The city maintains three tax incremental finance districts (TID), two of which are active. TID 4 is principally located along and near the south and west borders neighboring the City of Cudahy and the City of Milwaukee. TID 5 includes the lake front and the former WE Energies “Lakeside Power Plant” property dismantled in the 1990’s. The city adopted a comprehensive re-zoning plan in 2004. Properties located east of S. Lake Drive are zoned Planned Development.

In 2017, the city prioritized this strategic plan of development for eighteen of the forty-nine properties identified as “subject to change” as shown in illustration one. In the following pages the city identifies each site by location with a brief history. The city council endorses the development or redevelopment of each site based on its supported individual strategic plan. While most of the property is privately-owned, each strategic plan identifies its current use and future use based on zoning and the adopted comprehensive plan.