Street and Highway Widths.
Milwaukee City Charter § 11-15
in effect11-15. Street and Highway Widths.
1. COUNCIL APPROVAL. The common council of the city of Milwaukee where it is deemed that the general welfare will be promoted thereby may establish street and highway widths in excess of those actually and presently in use and may adopt plans showing the location and width proposed for any future street or highway.
2. PUBLICATION. Such streets or highways or plans therefor shall be shown on a map prepared for that purpose and filed in the office of the register of deeds and notice thereof shall be published in a newspaper of general circulation in the territory in which such streets or highways are located, once each week for 3 successive weeks, and shall be posted in at least 3 public and conspicuous places along each such street or highway. Such notice need not contain legally accurate descriptions but shall briefly set forth the action of the common council in language adequate to apprise the various property owners of the effect of such action.
3. MAP CHANGES. The common council may from time to time thereafter upon publication of notice alter, supplement or change the same and such alterations, supplements or changes shall be similarly filed in the office of the registrar of deeds.
4. ACQUISITION. The excess width of streets or highways actually or presently in use or the right of way acquired for those planned as aforesaid need not immediately be acquired for highway or street purposes but may be acquired at any time, in whole or in part, by the city of Milwaukee, provided, however, that no part shall be acquired any less than the full extent, in width, of the excess width to be made up of land on the same side of such highway or street nor for less than the full distance in length of such excess width lying within the limits of contiguous land owned by the same owner; provided, further, that any land so acquired, whether the excess width is acquired, for the length of the highway or street or not, shall at once become available for public highway purposes. The power to acquire such right of way or additional width of highway or street in portions as provided herein may be exercised for the purpose of acquiring such lands on advantageous terms to the city of Milwaukee, whether by reason of availing itself of any favorable offer of such land, or by reason of avoiding additional cost thereof on account of the erection or making of contemplated improvements thereon by the owner thereof, or by any other reason. (S. 1 thru 4, Ch. Ord. 60, File #50607-a Feb. 20, 1933.)
Source: City of Milwaukee Legislative Reference Bureau, Milwaukee City Charter and Code of Ordinances (city.milwaukee.gov master PDFs)URL: https://city.milwaukee.gov/ImageLibrary/Groups/ccClerk/Ordinances/City-Charter/CH11.pdf#page=9Fetched: 10/26/2026