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Wauwatosa City Zoning Code

CHAPTER 24

07 ALLOWED USES

24.07.010 General

Principal uses are allowed in residential, commercial and industrial zoning districts in accordance with use table of Section 24.07.030.

24.07.020 Understanding The Use Table

  1. Use Classification System. For the purpose of this zoning ordinance, uses are classified into use categories and subcategories. These are described and defined in Chapter 24.08. Use categories and subcategories are identified in the first column of the use tables. In some cases, specific use types are listed in addition to the use categories and subcategories.
  2. Permitted Uses. Uses identified with a "P" in the use tables are permitted as-of-right in the subject zoning district, subject to compliance with all other applicable standards of this zoning ordinance.
  3. Conditional Uses. Uses identified with a "C" in the use table may be allowed if reviewed and approved in accordance with the conditional use permit procedures of Section 24.16.040. Conditional uses are subject to compliance with any use-specific standards identified in the final column of the table and with all other applicable regulations of this zoning ordinance.
  4. Prohibited Uses. Uses identified with an "-" are expressly prohibited. Uses that are not listed in the use table are also prohibited.
  5. Use Standards. The "standards" column of use table identifies use-specific standards that apply to some uses. Unless otherwise expressly stated, compliance with such standards is required regardless of whether the use is permitted as-of-right or requires conditional use approval.
  6. Accessory Uses. Uses classified as accessory uses, such as home occupations, are not included in the use table. Customary accessory uses are permitted in conjunction with allowed principal uses, provided they comply with all applicable regulations of Chapter 24.10.
  7. Overlay Districts. Some areas may be subject to an overlay district that establishes additional or alternative use standards, as specified in Chapter 24.05.


HISTORY
Repealed & Replaced by Ord. O-25-25 on 11/18/2025

24.07.030 Use Table

The following table identifies principal uses allowed in residential, commercial and industrial zoning districts. See Section 24.07.020 for information about how to interpret the use table.

USE CATEGORY

DISTRICTS

Use Subcategory

(See Chapter 24.08)

 - Specific Use Type

(See Ch. 24.08)

GR

SR

NR

MR

LDM

MDM

CO[5]

C1[5]

C2[5]

M1[5]

M2

SP-CON

SP-POS

SP-PUB

SP-INS

SP-MED

SP-RP[1]

SP-PKG

MID-RES

MID-TRN

MID-MIX

USE REGULATIONS

RESIDENTIAL

Household Living

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

- Detached House

P

P

P

P

P

P

-

P

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

P

P

-

- Semi-detached House

P

P

P

P

P

P

-

P

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

P

P

-

24.09.020A

- Two-unit House

P

P

P

P

P

P

P

P

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

P

P

-

24.09.020B

- Three-Unit/Four-Unit House

-

-

-

P

P

P

P

P

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

P

P

P

24.09.020C

- Cottage Court

-

-

-

P

P

P

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

P

P

-

24.09.020D

- Attached House

P

P

P

P

P

P

-

P

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

P

P

P

24.09.020A

- Multi-unit Residential Building, 5-12 units

-

-

-

P

P

P

P

P

P

-

-

-

-

-

P

-

P

-

P

P

P

 

- Multi-unit Residential Building, 13+ units

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

P

P

-

-

-

-

-

P

-

P

-

-

P

P

- Mixed-use Building, Vertical

-

-

-

-

-

-

P

P

P

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

P

-

-

P

P

- Mixed-use, Horizontal

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

P

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

- Educational Facility Housing

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

P

P

-

-

-

-

-

24.06.060C

- Live-Work Unit

-

-

-

-

P

 

P

 

P

P

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

P

P

24.09.020E

Group Living (except as indicated below)

-

-

-

-

C

C

-

P

C

-

-

-

-

-

C

C

-

-

C

P

C

 

- Adult Family Home

P/C

P/C

P/C

P/C

P/C

P/C

-

C

-

-

-

-

-

-

C

C

-

-

P/C

C

-

24.09.010

- Community Living Arrangement

P/C

P/C

P/C

P/C

P/C

P/C

-

C

-

-

-

-

-

-

C

C

-

-

P/C

C

-

24.09.040

- Foster Home/Treatment Foster Home

P

P

P

P

P

P

-

C

-

-

-

-

-

-

C

C

-

-

P

C

-

24.09.060

PUBLIC/CIVIL

GR

SR

NR

MR

LDM

MDM

CO[5]

C1[5]

C2[5]

M1[5]

M2

SP-CON

SP-POS

SP-PUB

SP-INS

SP-MED

SP-RP[1]

SP-PKG

MID-RES

MID-TRN

MID-MIX

USE REGULATIONS

College/University

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

C

P

-

-

-

-

Day Care

- Home-Based—Up to 8 children or adults

P

P

P

P

P

P

P

P

P

-

-

-

C

-

C

C

-

P

P

P

- More than 8 children or adults [7]

C

C

C

C

C

C

C

C

C

-

-

-

C

-

C

C

-

-

C

C

Detention and Correctional Facilities

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

C

-

-

-

-

Fraternal, Labor, Membership Organization

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

P

P

P

-

-

-

-

P

-

-

-

P

P

Hospital

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

C

P

-

-

-

-

Library/Cultural Exhibit

- 

P

P

P

P

P

P

P

P

-

-

C

C

-

C

C

-

P

P

P

Park/Recreation/Open Space (except as indicated below)

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

P

P

P

C

C

-

-

-

-

- Community or Recreation Center

-

C

C

C

C

C

-

C

P

-

-

C

P

C

C

C

-

C

C

P

-General Recreation Park/Playground

C

C

C

C

C

-

-

-

-

-

P

P

P

C

C

-

C

-

-

- Golf Course (min. 5,000 yards)

-

C

C

C

C

C

-

-

-

-

-

C

P

C

C

C

-

C

-

-

- Swimming Pool

-

C

C

C

C

C

-

-

-

-

-

C

P

C

C

C

 

-

C

-

-

 

- Tennis Court

C

C

C

C

C

C

-

-

-

-

-

C

P

C

C

C

-

C

-

-

Religious Assembly

C

C

C

C

C

C

-

P

P

C

-

-

-

-

C

C

-

C

C

C

Government or Safety Services

C

C

C

C

C

C

C

C

C

P

P

-

-

P

C

C

-

C

C

C

School

-

P

P

P

P

P

P

P

-

-

-

P

P

-

P

P

-

P

P

-

Utilities & Services

-

C

C

C

C

C

C

C

-

-

-

-

C

C

-

-

-

C

C

-

- Minor

P

P

P

P

P

P

P

P

P

P

P

P

P

P

P

P

-

P

P

P

- Major

C

C

C

C

C

C

C

C

C

C

C

C

C

C

C

C

-

C

C

C

COMMERCIAL

GR

SR

NR

MR

LDM

MDM

CO[5]

C1[5]

C2[5]

M1[5]

M2

SP-CON

SP-POS

SP-PUB

SP-INS

SP-MED

SP-RP[1]

SP-PKG

MID-RES

MID-TRN

MID-MIX

USE REGULATIONS

Animal Services

- Sales & Grooming

-

-

-

-

-

-

P

P

P

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

P

P

- Shelter or Boarding Kennel

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

C

P

P

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

- Veterinary

-

-

-

-

-

-

P

P

P

P

P

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

P

P

Artist Work or Sales Space

-

-

-

-

-

-

P

P

P

P

P

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

P

P

Building Maintenance Service

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

P

P

P

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

P

Business Equipment Sales & Service

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

P

P

P

P

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

P

P

Business Support Service

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

P

P

P

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

P

- Trade/Vocational/Technical School

-

-

-

-

-

-

P

-

P

P

P

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

P

Communication Service Establishments

-

-

-

-

-

-

P

P

P

P

P

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

P

P

Construction Sales & Service

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

P

P

P

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

P

Eating & Drinking Establishments [3]

- Restaurant

-

-

-

-

-

-

C

C

C

-

-

-

C

-

-

C

-

-

C

C

- Bar or Tavern

-

-

-

-

-

-

C

C

C

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

C

C

Entertainment & Spectator Sports (except as indicated below)

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

C

C

-

-

-

-

C

-

-

-

-

C

C

- Amphitheater

-

C

C

C

C

C

C

C

-

-

-

-

C

C

-

-

-

C

C

-

- Aquarium or Planetarium

-

C

C

C

C

C

C

C

-

-

-

-

C

C

-

-

-

C

C

-

- Auditorium

-

C

C

C

C

C

C

C

-

-

-

-

C

C

-

-

-

C

C

-

- Stadium and Athletic Fields (accessory to schools only in R districts)

-

C

C

C

C

C

C

C

-

-

-

-

C

C

-

-

-

C

C

-

Financial Services (except as indicated below)

-

-

-

-

-

-

P

P

P

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

P

P

- Convenient Cash Business

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

C

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

24.09.050

- Food & Beverage Retail Sales

- Grocery Store

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

P

P

P

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

P

P

- Liquor/Wine/Beer Store

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

C

C

C

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

C

C

- Carry-out Only

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

P

P

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

P

P

Funeral & Interment Services

- Cemetery/Columbarium/Mausoleum

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

C

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

- Cremating

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

C

P

P

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

- Undertaking/Funeral Services

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

P

P

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

P

P

Lodging

- Bed & Breakfast

-

-

C

C

C

C

-

C

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

C

C

-

24.09.030

- Hotel/Motel

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

C

P

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

C

C

- Campground

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

C

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

Office, Administrative, Professional

-

-

-

-

-

-

P

P

P

P

P

-

-

P

-

P

-

-

P

P

- Government/ School District Offices

-

P

P

P

P

P

P

P

P

-

-

-

-

-

P

P

 

-

-

P

P

 

Office or Clinic, Medical

-

-

-

-

-

-

P

P

P

-

C

-

-

-

P

P

-

-

P

P

Parking, Non-Accessory

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

C

P

P

P

-

-

P

-

C

P

-

C

P

24.06.080B

Personal Improvement Service

-

-

-

-

-

-

P

P

P

P

C

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

P

P

Repair or Laundry Service, Consumer

-

-

-

-

-

-

P

P

P

P

P

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

P

P

Research Service

-

-

-

-

-

-

P

P

P

P

P

-

-

-

-

P

-

-

P

P

Retail Sales (except as indicated below)

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

P

P

P

P

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

P

P

- Antiques, Resale Shops, Second-hand Merchandise

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

P

P

P

P

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

P

P

6.55

- Cigarette, Cigar, Tobacco, Vape, or E-Cigarette Store

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

C

C

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

24.09.120

- Cigarette & Tobacco Product Sales (ancillary)

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

P

P

P

P

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

P

P

- Large-Format Retail

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

C

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

24.09.090

Sports & Recreation, Participant

- Indoor

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

P

P

P

P

-

-

-

-

P

-

-

P

P

- Outdoor

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

C

C

P

P

-

-

-

-

C

-

-

C

C

Vehicle Sales & Service

- Auto Wash/Cleaning Service

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

C

P

P

-

-

P

-

-

-

-

-

-

7.46.120

- Auto Fueling Station

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

C

P

P

-

-

P

-

-

-

-

-

C

- Heavy Vehicles and Equipment, Sales/Rentals

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

C

P

P

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

- Light Vehicles and Equipment, Sales/Rentals

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

P

P

P

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

6.72

- Motor Vehicle Repair, Limited

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

P

P

P

-

-

P

-

-

-

-

-

-

- Motor Vehicle Repair, General

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

P

P

P

-

-

P

-

-

-

-

-

-

- Vehicle Storage & Towing

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

C

P

P

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

INDUSTRIAL

GR

SR

NR

MR

LDM

MDM

CO[5]

C1[5]

C2[5]

M1[5]

M2

SP-CON

SP-POS

SP-PUB

SP-INS

SP-MED

SP-RP[1]

SP-PKG

MID-RES

MID-TRN

MID-MIX

USE REGULATIONS

Manufacturing & Industrial Services, Artisan

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

P

P

P

P

-

-

P

-

-

-

-

P

P

Manufacturing & Industrial Services, Limited

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

P

P

-

-

P

-

-

-

-

-

-

Manufacturing & Industrial Services, General

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

P

P

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

Manufacturing & Industrial Services, Intensive

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

C

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

- Recycling Service

- Limited

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

P

P

P

-

-

P

-

-

-

-

-

P

- General

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

P

-

-

P

-

-

-

-

-

-

Residential Storage Warehouses

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

P

P

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

- Warehousing, Wholesaling & Freight Movement

- Limited

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

P

P

-

-

P

-

-

-

-

-

-

- General

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

P

P

-

-

P

-

-

-

-

-

-

Waste-Related Use

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

C

-

-

P

-

-

-

-

-

-

AGRICULTURAL

GR

SR

NR

MR

LDM

MDM

CO[5]

C1[5]

C2[5]

M1[5]

M2

SP-CON

SP-POS

SP-PUB

SP-INS

SP-MED

SP-RP[1]

SP-PKG

MID-RES

MID-TRN

MID-MIX

USE REGULATIONS

Apiary

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

P

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

Community Garden

P

P

P

P

P

P

P

P

P

P

P

P

P

P

C

C

-

P

P

P

Farmer's Market

C

C

C

C

C

C

P

P

P

P

P

-

P

P

P

P

-

C

P

P

Nurseries & Greenhouses

-

-

C

-

-

-

-

-

P

P

-

C

C

P

C

C

-

-

-

P

MISCELLANEOUS

GR

SR

NR

MR

LDM

MDM

CO[5]

C1[5]

C2[5]

M1[5]

M2

SP-CON

SP-POS

SP-PUB

SP-INS

SP-MED

SP-RP[1]

SP-PKG

MID-RES

MID-TRN

MID-MIX

USE REGULATIONS

Wireless Communication Facilities

- Co-located

[2]

[2]

[2]

[2]

[2]

[2]

[2]

P

P

P

P

-

-

P

-

-

-

[2]

P

-

24.09.110

- Freestanding

[2]

[2]

[2]

[2]

[2]

[2]

[2]

[2]

[2]

P

P

-

-

P

-

-

-

[2]

[2]

[2]

24.09.110

Drive-through or Drive-in Facilities

-

-

-

-

-

-

C

C[4]

C[4]

C

C

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

24.11.100

Helipad

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

P

-

-

-

-

[1] See Section 24.06.070 for a list of permitted and conditional uses in the SP-RP district. [2] See Section 24.09.110 for additional regulations. [3] See Section 24.05.020 C.2. In a regional mall, no Conditional Use is required for establishments with no separate entrance or seating. [4] See Section 24.05.030 B.7. Drive-through or drive-in facilities are prohibited in /NOR overlay. See Section 24.05.020 D for additional /MAY Overlay drive-through or drive-in regulations. [5] See Subsection 24.03.040 I and 24.04.040 F. - Outdoor storage activities require a Conditional Use. [6] See Subsection 24.08.040 O.2. "Office or Clinic, Medical" definition. [7] Only allowed on school or religious assembly properties with a Conditional Use.

(Ord. O-13-17, § VI, 11-19-2013; Ord. O-14-08, § I, 3-19-14; Ord. O-14-20, pts. V, VI, 8-5-2014)

HISTORY
Amended by Ord. O-16-13 pt. I on 5/3/2016
Amended by Ord. O-19-17 pt. II on 8/6/2019
Amended by Ord. O-21-17 pts. III—VII on 8/3/2021
Amended by Ord. O-21-15 pt. I on 8/3/2021
Amended by Ord. O-22-4 pt. I on 2/1/2022
Amended by Ord. O-22-20 pts. I, II on 8/2/2022
Amended by Ord. O-23-25 pts. II, III on 11/21/2023
Amended by Ord. O-24-04 pt. III on 1/16/2024
Amended by Ord. O-25-18 on 7/22/2025
Amended by Ord. O-25-25 on 11/18/2025

O-25-25

O-21-17

O-21-15

O-23-25

O-24-04

O-25-18