Planning, Development & Engagement
The Planning Section is a group of landscape architects, civil engineers, park planners, environmental conservation, public engagement specialists, and Geographic Information System (GIS) professionals who, provide long-range planning, capital project management, and in-house design. The section also supports development review, evaluation of park improvements, parkland acquisition, and resource-protection areas, needs assessments, easements, right-of-entry permitting, maintenance of the Parks GIS, administration of grants, and evaluation of third-party project requests.
We respectfully acknowledge that the lands and waters encompassed by the Milwaukee County Park System are on the ancestral homeland of Indigenous People. We honor the ancestral owners and strive to be respectful stewards. Learn more in our Land Acknowledgement Statement.
Application Forms
- The Parks Department requires that any outside party seeking to access and/or impact park property for a project must first obtain permission in the form of a Right-of-Entry Permit signed by the Parks Director or their designee.
- Projects on parkland should be requested only when all other viable alternatives have been explored. Permits are granted at the discretion of the Parks Director, and submitting an application does not imply an approval will be granted.
- Submit for a grant for a project that involves Milwaukee County Parks land.
- Application for an easement for utility or public infrastructure.
- Community project request forms along with art installation and park renaming.
Planning Library
- Capital Projects Viewer
- Project Headquarters (HQ)
- Milwaukee County Parks Equity Index Story Map
- Coastline Management Guidelines
Park & Open Space Plan
In partnership with Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission, Milwaukee County Parks created and adopted the 2050 Park and Open Space Plan in 2022.
Milwaukee County Parks Bluffs Assessment
Coastal erosion along Lake Michigan bluffs threatens safety, habitats, recreation, public access, and infrastructure. Milwaukee County and its consultants created a collaborative tool to assess erosion risks along Lake Michigan bluffs, prioritize mitigation strategies, and develop solutions to protect parkland. Through interactive visualization of conditions and risk quantification, the platform supports informed decision-making for the 13 waterfront parks.
Aquatics Facility Study
Milwaukee County Parks commissioned Williams Architects and Counsilman-Hunsaker to assess the current state of its aquatics system and chart a strategic course for its future. The scope of this project encompassed an evaluation of the County's role as an aquatics provider, from recreational offerings and swim instruction to employment opportunities.
Parks Area of Concern (AOC) Projects
You may have heard the term “AOC,” or Area of Concern, pop up in conversations surrounding County projects. AOC is a designation given to a region that has been severely affected by environmental damage and habitat loss – to the point where humans, fish and wildlife are unable to fully use natural resources in a safe or beneficial way. The Milwaukee Estuary was added to the list of AOCs in 1987 and, after three decades of dedicated planning efforts, a remedy is within sight!
In coordination with a committed team of partners, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources is leading the effort to remove the Milwaukee Estuary from the AOC list. Some of the partners, including Milwaukee County Parks, are responsible for carrying out projects. The focus of these grant-funded initiatives are habitat restoration, enhancements for wildlife, and improvements to beaches.
Little Menomonee River Parkway (LMRP) Habitat Restoration & Wildlife Enhancements Project
LMRP contains a collection of natural communities now rare in Southeast Wisconsin. More than 241 species of wildlife are found along the parkway, making it a critical AOC Project area. This project is one of the largest Milwaukee Estuary AOC restoration efforts, seeking to improve habitat and make enhancements for wildlife on over 800 acres of parkland and 6 miles of river.
Kohl Park Wildlife Enhancements Project
Kohl Park provides critical habitat for many native reptiles and birds in the Milwaukee Estuary AOC and contains hardwood forests. The park was chosen as an AOC project due to its proximity to other large plots of protected and restored land. When the Kohl Park project is completed, it will connect those surrounding tracts of land, creating a 1,143-acre habitat corridor.
South Shore Beach Rehabilitation Project
With community input from 2017-2019, designs were made for an improved beach experience at South Shore. Final plans include conversion of the old swimming beach into a naturalized greenspace, with the rocky beach to the south being transformed into a sandy swimming area.