Meetings and Updates Week of March 11th
posted- City meetings:
- Finance Committee 3/11
- Plan Commission 3/11 and special meeting 3/14
- Transportation Commission 3/13
- Board of Park Commissioners
- April 2nd Spring Election Updates
- Events & Announcements
City Meetings
Note: This is not a complete list of meetings for this upcoming week. All meetings and their details can be found at the Meeting Schedule page.
Finance Committee
The Finance Committee meeting will take place on Monday, March 11, in virtual format at 4:30 p.m. Agenda items include adopting the City of Madison’s required 2024 Annual Action Plan and approving submission of the Plan to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to secure a grant and expanding the Pathways to Recovery Madison and Dane County's Madison Area Addiction Resource Initiative, Addiction Resource Team, and Naloxone Plus programs.
Plan Commission
The Plan Commission meeting will take place on Monday, March 11, in virtual format at 5:30 p.m. Agenda items include:
- Amendments to Tax Incremental Financing Districts, including an amendment to TID 42 which covers a small portion of District 3 along Cottage Grove Road between Acewood Boulevard and Stoughton Road. The amendment donates $1.6m to TID 44 to offset construction costs on a City project and has the effect of keeping TID 42 open and available for one additional year to fund local capital improvement projects if any arise.
- The agenda also includes a zoning code change that I’m sponsoring related to drive-through windows. Here’s zoning staff’s memo explaining the proposal. Meaningful changes to drive through rules by this proposal include:
- Within the Transit Oriented Development (TOD) overlay district, existing automobile infrastructure that’s out of compliance with zoning code must be brought into code compliance when there are new principal structures or major changes (more than 50%) to existing buildings proposed. Where there is nonconforming automobile infrastructure in the TOD overlay, all new automobile infrastructure must comply and there can be no increase in the nonconformity of existing automobile infrastructure.
- In the TOD overlay, changes “under the building” drive-through window requirement to “fully under an occupiable conditioned story.” In the supplemental regulations for drive-through windows, changes “under the building” to “fully under an occupiable conditioned story.” This is a goal of mine because the current TOD code is vague enough that superficial canopies like wood beams (as opposed to occupiable building space) above the drive-through lane technically meet this requirement as currently written in the zoning code per the interpretation of City Zoning staff.
- Adds a requirement that all establishments with drive-throughs must also allow pedestrian access to the establishment. New drive-through-only establishments would no longer be allowed; the must also accomodate pedestrians. Pedestrians could be served through a walk-up window or a walk-in service area with minimal changes to a building's plans or layout.
- Clarifies how to treat lawful nonconforming site conditions. They may continue in their existing condition. However, no increase in the nonconformity of the site condition is permissible, unless that increase in nonconformity is otherwise allowed within the zoning code.
- Finally, the Plan Commission agenda includes development-related requests (none in District 3). Many of these are listed on the agenda with a recommendation of referring to a future meeting of the Plan Commission because apparently postcards weren't sent in time to give notice to nearby residents.
Meeting information:
Transportation Commission
The Transportation Commission meeting will take place on Wednesday, March 13, in virtual format at 5:00 p.m. Agenda items include the 2023 Year-end Traffic Safety Report and a public hearing at 6pm about Metro Transit’s fare updates and new fare technology being installed later this summer..
Board of Park Commissioners
The Board of Park Commissioners meeting will take place on Wednesday, March 13, in virtual format at 6:30 p.m. Agenda items include an informational presentation by Parks staff of the proposed Park Development Plans for seven neighborhood and mini parks in the Northeast Planning Area including for Mayfair Park.
Special In-Person Meeting of the Plan Commission
The Plan Commission’s quarterly in-person meeting will take place on Thursday, March 14 in hybrid format at 5:00 p.m. in room 215 of the Madison Municipal Building. Agenda items include an overview and discussion with the Fire Department about Fire Access to buildings based on street width and building/window access heights under the new Complete Green Streets policy, a discussion about potential future changes to the demolition permit approval process, and a progress update and discussion of key issues in the Northeast Area Plan.
April 2nd Spring Election Updates
- The last day to register to vote online or via mail will be Wednesday, March 13
- City Clerk's Office begins mailing absentee ballots to voters with requests on file, Tuesday, March 12: Track the status of your absentee at My Vote.
- On Tuesday, March 19th In-Person Absentee Voting Begins. Check the In-Person Absentee Voting website for locations and hours. The last day to vote absentee in person will be Sunday, March 31.
- Find out what’s on your ballot!
Remember to make a plan to vote early or on April 2nd!
Events & Announcements
- Public Input Meeting #2 - Olbrich Park Nature Play, Monday, March 11: Madison Parks is installing a nature play area in Olbrich Park. Earlier in 2023, Parks crews removed the playground at Olbrich Park near Lakeland Ave. The typical lifespan of post and platform playground equipment is 20-30 years, and this playground was past the standard expected lifespan. Parks staff will present a revised design and accept community feedback. The plan will be posted on the project page at least one week before the meeting. Please register in advance.
- Review Draft the West Area Plan - Attend In-Person Public Meeting!, Tuesday, March 12: A draft West Area Plan is available for review! Please review and comment on draft maps and actions here by March 20th, or provide feedback at a public meeting. The three public meetings will cover the same draft content (March 4 and 5 virtual meetings) and the March 12, 6:00 p.m. at Vel Phillips Memorial High School, 201 S. Gammon Rd., Wisconsin Neighborhood Center will offer that content in-person with an open house with draft action review and feedback from 6-6:30 p.m. followed by a staff presentation, questions and further feedback sharing. No registration is required for this in-person meeting. If you have any questions, contact Planning Division staff: Linda Horvath, 608-266-1131, lhorvath@cityofmadison.com; Ben Zellers, 608-266-4866, bzellers@cityofmadison.com
- Spring Home Maintenance, Tuesday, March 12: Once the snow has melted and Spring has sprung – it’s not just Spring-cleaning time…it’s Spring home maintenance time! At this Project Home class we will discuss the things you need to check on, each year, in order to keep your home safe and healthy. If you stay on top of these maintenance items, it will help you avoid problems and costly repairs down the road. Sponsored by MG&E.
- Transportation Options with Metro at Pinney Library, Friday, March 16: Metro employees will talk about different options for getting around the city, including buses, RoundTrip, BCycles, bikes, and more. They will spend time talking about paratransit, a shared ride service for that uses a variety of companies and vehicles to respond to individual ride requests. Paratransit is an Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) service for individuals with disabilities who cannot use Metro’s accessible fixed-route bus service.
- New Internship Program Aims to Diversify Workforce at Madison Fire: The Madison Fire Department announces a new internship program aimed at cultivating up-and-coming talent from communities historically underrepresented in the public safety workforce. Interested candidates can apply between March 13-March 27.
- Calling all Northside and Eastside Madison residents! Equal Opportunities Commission Hosts Housing Meeting to Address Community Concerns: The Equal Opportunities Commission of Madison is set to host a crucial housing meeting on March 14th, 2024, at the Lakeview Madison Public Library (2845 N Sherman Ave Madison, WI 53704.). This event aims to address the surge in housing complaints within the community and provide residents with a platform to voice their concerns.
- Habitat Homeowner Readiness Part 1, Tuesday, March 12: Join us for this two-part series to learn all about homebuyer education and set your future up for success. The Habitat Homeownership Readiness Class will be covering setting goals, budgeting, debt, credit, types of mortgages, and Habitat homeowner qualifications. This Habitat for Humanity of Dane County event is in collaboration with UW Extension.
- Bird & Nature Adventures | Starkweather Creek Area, Saturday, March 16: Outings in the Starkweather Creek area vary each month - be sure to check the starting location. Adventures typically at 10:00am on the 3rd Saturday of the month, year-round, and frequently start at the Goodman Community Center, unless noted otherwise. Outings include nature walks, canoe/kayak adventures, bicycling tours, and more, and are sponsored by the Madison Friends of Urban Nature , Madison Parks, Goodman Community Center , Madison Audubon Society , and Friends of Starkweather Creek . No registration is required. Pets are not allowed.
- Battle of the Badges, Saturday, March 16: It's time for another epic showdown on the ice between the MadCity Police hockey team and Madison Fire hockey time. This event benefits Safe Communities Madison-Dane County, a nonprofit coalition of over 350 organizations working together to save lives, prevent injury and make our community safer.
