Southwest Area Plan

Residents of Southwest Area invited to share perspectives in community survey
The City of Madison is mailing out postcards on Wednesday, January 15, 2025 to a group of randomly-selected people living in the Southwest Area as part of the ongoing Area Plan process. The survey was developed in collaboration with UW-Madison Ph.D. Students in the Sociology Department. 

Those who are selected will receive a postcard with instructions on how to participate. Survey results will inform and shape Southwest Area Plan recommendations that will have a lasting impact on the future of our city’s neighborhoods. Residents will have until February 10, 2025 to complete the survey. 

The postcards will be sent out to one-third of the people living in the Southwest Area. A public link to the survey for anyone who was not randomly selected to receive a postcard is also available. If you receive a postcard, please use the link on it, and not the public link.  

Once the City has compiled the results of the first part of the survey, a second survey will be created based on the feedback received. The second survey will be sent out in the spring. Survey results will be posted on this page later this spring.

Commenting Map
Share what you love about the Southwest Area, along with your ideas and feedback on things that need attention on the Southwest Area Plan interactive commenting map!

December 3, 2024 Virtual Public Meetings
The Southwest Area Plan hosted two virtual meetings (in addition to the November 19th open house) for residents to learn about the planning process and provide feedback.  Both meetings had the same presentation:

• December 3, 2024 - Noon.
• December 3, 2024 - 6 p.m.

November 19, 2024 Open House
A Southwest Area Plan open house was held at Akira Toki Middle School on November 19th. Meeting materials: boards , handouts , presentation.    

The Southwest Area Plan Process
Area Plans guide changes that occur over time to the physical aspects of our community, such as land use, housing, transit, streets, bike paths, and other community facilities. They are steered by overarching City policies and feedback from stakeholders. 

The Southwest Area is approximately 5,400 acres (8.4 square miles) and is generally bounded by the West Beltline Highway to the north, the City of Fitchburg to the east, and S. High Point Road to the west. See map below. Additional background maps can be found under the Project Resources section.  

The City invites residents, community organizations, businesses, and other stakeholders to share feedback about the future of their neighborhoods. Keep up to date on events and ways to participate by subscribing to the email list. 

About the Planning Framework 
The City has established a Planning Framework to simplify the City’s sub-area planning and make it more equitable. Over the next decade, 12 Area Plans will be developed to cover the entire city and future growth areas. These plans will address a consistent set of topics and include higher level recommendations.  After the 12 Area Plans are established, they will be updated each decade to reflect an ever-changing city. 

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