2024-11-27 Neighorhood News & Updates

Southwest and Southeast Area Plan Kick-off

The City of Madison invites community members to participate in an in-person kick-off event or virtual meeting for the  Southeast Area Plan and a virtual kickoff meeting for the  Southwest Area Plan! The Southwest Area Plan in-person meeting took place on November 19 and included about 80 community members, many of whom contributed their feedback. The Southeast Area Plan in-person event is coming up next week, December 4, and is an opportunity to meet with staff from Planning, Engineering, Transportation, Parks, and other City departments to learn about upcoming projects and provide input on the future of the area.

Event Details:

Southeast Area Plan

Date: December 4, 2024

Time: 6:00–7:30 p.m.

Location: La Follette High School Cafeteria and Commons, 702 Pflaum Road

Childcare and Spanish interpretation will be provided. If there is a need for other language interpretation, please contact us at  southeastareaplan@cityofmadison.com.

This event will begin with a brief presentation, but community members are welcome to drop in anytime, whether for a few minutes or the full duration. Come learn about the Southeast Area Plan and share your ideas with City staff!

Virtual Meetings

Virtual meeting options are also available for both plans:

Southwest Area Plan Virtual Meetings (registration required; both sessions cover the same content):

December 3, 2024, from 12:00–1:00 p.m.

December 3, 2024, from 6:00–7:00 p.m.

Southeast Area Plan Virtual Meeting (registration required):

December 5, 2024, from 12:00–1:00 p.m.

Join us to help shape the future of Madison’s Southwest and Southeast areas. We look forward to your input!

Hundreds of Affordable Housing Units to Receive City Funding

Hundreds of proposed new income- and rent-restricted apartments will receive financial support from the City of Madison’s Community Development Division after another round of Affordable Housing Fund awards were approved by the Common Council during its meeting on Tuesday, November 26.

The 2024 Affordable Housing Fund-Tax Credits Request for Proposals (RFP) competitive process offered gap financing loans for development teams that are also seeking Low-Income Housing Tax Credits from the Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority (WHEDA). To receive City funds, applicants must secure 2025 Low-Income Housing Tax Credits from WHEDA and other financing needed to complete the project, have an ownership stake in the development, designate at least 20% of the units for those making 30% of the Area Median Income or less, adopt City-sanctioned tenant selection standards, and receive all relevant City land use and permit approvals.

Pertussis (Whooping Cough) Cases are Rising

Public Health Madison & Dane County urges everyone to be aware of the pertussis (whooping cough) outbreak as the holiday season approaches. As of November 25, there have been  281 cases in Dane County in 2024, and 1,887 cases statewide. “With the holidays approaching, many families will be traveling and gathering with friends and family. This could increase the spread of all respiratory illness, including pertussis, which has been primarily impacting teenagers and college-aged people in recent months,” said Amanda Kita-Yarbro, Epidemiologist for Public Health Madison & Dane County. Pertussis is a persistent cough illness. It is a respiratory infection caused by a bacteria and spreads easily. Anyone at any age can get it, but it can be particularly serious and even deadly to infants and people with a compromised immune system.

Streets Division Drop-off Sites Changing Hours

The Streets Division drop-off sites are changing to winter hours.  The Olin Avenue site will be closing for the winter season on December 1.  The South Point Rd. and Sycamore Ave. sites are switching to winter hours on Friday, December 6. 

Check the Streets Division website to find out the drop-off site hours before loading your car.  Drop-off site information is www.cityofmadison.com/DropOffSites.

2024-11-18 Updates from Alder Wehelie

Public Information Meetings

  • In-Person Open House: Southwest Area Plan kickoff event – Tuesday, November 19, 2024: Join Planning, Engineering, Transportation, Parks, and others at an open house on Tuesday, November 19, 2024, from 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at Akira Toki Middle School, 5606 Russett Road. There will be a brief presentation at the start. Feel free to drop in and stay for a few minutes or the entire time.  Learn about the Southwest Area Plan and other upcoming projects in the Southwest Area.
  • Upcoming events/meetings
  • Announcements
    • Information About a Pilot Program for Event and Commuter Parking Charges at Some City Parks
      • You may have seen news recently that the 2025 City Budget authorizes a pilot program for Madison Parks to explore charging fees to park at some City parks. The idea came from Madison Parks’ 5% cut scenarios during the preparation of the 2025 Operating Budget as a potential strategy to address part of the structural deficit. This pilot program is not intended to charge Madison residents for their use of our public parks, but rather to explore charging fees for special events like home-field Badger games or for limited, designated parking spaces for commuters. Here is how Madison Parks describes the scope of the pilot program:
      • “Initial ideas for the pilot program suggest charging to park a vehicle during home Badger football games, in the north lot of Vilas Park, while continuing to provide the south lot as free three-hour parking.  Other concepts include fee-based parking for a limited number of reserved commuter parking stalls during peak hours in popular lots such as Garner, Olin or Burr Jones. This concept allows park visitors plenty of free parking to visit a park throughout the day. It is unlikely that all of these concepts will be a part of the experiment in 2025, but these and other ideas will be considered by the Board of Park Commissioners.  As the pilot program takes shape, we welcome and encourage community feedback.”
      • Any proposal to implement this pilot program will be reviewed by the Board of Park Commissioners, which will include an opportunity for residents to provide comments and input. I will watch for this on the Board’s agendas and will share more information in future weekly blog posts.
    • Greater Madison MPO Secures $1 Million to Enhance Roadway Safety Across Dane County: The Greater Madison Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) has been awarded $1 million in federal funding through the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) program, part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, to enhance safety for drivers, bicyclists, and pedestrians throughout Dane County.

2024-11-12 Updates from Alder Wehelie

Manchester Park Playground Improvements

The City of Madison Parks Division has begun it’s work on replacing the playground at Manchester Park. The new playground equipment is anticipated to be installed and completed by late 2024 or early 2025. For more information on this project, please visit the Manchester Park Playground Improvements project page.

Empowering Small Businesses: District 7 Lunch and Learn featuring the Office of Business Resources

I am pleased to announce my upcoming Lunch and Learn on Thursday, November 21, from 12:00 to 1:00 p.m. Learn more about small business opportunities, how to apply for city programs, TIF, TBE certification, and more! This virtual event is free and open to all Madison residents.

This interactive session will feature expert speakers from the Office of Business Resources, including Saran Ouk, Manager of the Office of Business Resources, Ruth Rohlich, Business Development Specialist, and Michael Miller, Business Development Specialist. Attendees will leave with knowledge of small business resources, staff contacts, and actionable tips essential to overcoming common challenges and fueling growth and success.

This event is virtual via Zoom, and advanced registration is required. This event is free and open to the public. You can join the virtual meeting using your computer, smartphone, or tablet or listen in via telephone. You will receive login information after registering at www.cityofmadison.com/LunchandLearnD7.

Southwest Area Plan Open House

The Planning team for the Southwest Area Plan has announced the dates and times for a series of kickoff events. The events will focus on laying the groundwork for the planning process, including short presentations on what the Area Plan process involves (what area plans do and do not do, the differences between future land use recommendation maps and zoning maps, etc.) before an open-house-style event where community members can ask questions of City staff from across multiple departments.

Event Details:

In-Person: The City of Madison will hold plan in-person kickoff event for the Southwest Area Plan on Tuesday, November 19, 2024, starting at 6:30pm at Toki Middle School.

Virtual: Save the date for the virtual Southwest Area Plan event will be held from Noon – 1:00pm and 6:00pm – 7:00pm on Tuesday, December 3. More information to come!

The Beltline bounds the Southwest Planning Area to the north and northeast, the City of Fitchburg to the south and southeast, and S. High Point Road to the west. It is represented by five different alder districts: District 1 (Council Vice President John Duncan), District 7 (Ald. Nasra Wehelie), District 10 (Council President Yannette Figueroa Cole), District 19 (Ald. John Guequierre), and District 20 (Ald. Barbara Harrington-McKinney).

Read the full news release here to learn more about the Southwest and Southeast Area Plans and the dates of their kickoff events.

Field of Southwest Area of Madison

Boards, Commissions, and Committee 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.

If you would like more information about becoming a member of a City board, commission, or committee, please visit the page linked here.

Announcements and News Releases

Events

For the full list of upcoming events, please visit the City events calendar.

2024-11-01 Neighborhood News & Updates

City’s Affordable Housing Fund Supports 150+ Units, Native Nations Program, Safe Communities Celebration, and More!

Calling all neighborhood leaders, residents, non-profit groups, and others who support community building in neighborhoods: please circulate this list of announcements via email lists, newsletters, and other communication methods.

 

City’s Affordable Housing Fund to Support 150+ Affordable Housing Units

Four affordable rental housing developments will receive financial support from the City of Madison after the Common Council approved the funding during its meeting on Tuesday, October 29, 2024.

Six developers submitted requests in response to the  2024-2025 Affordable Rental Housing Development Non-Tax Credit Request for Proposals (RFP), which offered assistance to affordable rental housing developments that are not utilizing Federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credits. The goal of the Non-Tax Credit Affordable Housing Fund program is to offer support for different types of affordable housing development and preservation than those that typically receive tax credits.

Celebrate Native Nations during the Teejop & Beyond Program Series at Madison Public Library

The Madison Public Library created this program in partnership with Ho-Chunk Gaming Madison to highlight both traditional and contemporary practices, stories, and community relationships of native nations. Six presenters representing different Native tribes will lead programs throughout October and November on a wide range of topics, including Native citizenship and participation in the electoral process, the recent discovery of canoes in Lake Mendota, the history and process of making musical instruments, and more. Four presenters are returning from last year’s program series.

Upcoming Events

Safe Communities’ 25th Anniversary Celebration

Safe Communities will celebrate its 25th anniversary on November 19th. Safe Communities of Madison and Dane County is a non-profit coalition of over 350 organizations working together to save lives, prevent injury and make neighborhoods and the city safer. The coalition focuses on drug poisoning prevention, elder falls prevention, traffic safety/pedestrian safety, and suicide prevention. Join their anniversary celebration:

Tuesday November 19th, 5:00 – 8:00 p.m.

Black Business Hub, Atrium (1st floor)

2352 S. Park St., Madison 53713

RSVP here:  https://forms.gle/UM8Drk1FuQPZ9Vsw5

Streets Division Updates

  • Leaf Collection: Don’t miss your leaf collection set out dates! Get the one for your home at  www.cityofmadison.com/YardWaste
  • Street Tree Inventory: Ever wonder what kind of tree it is in front of your house? What about every tree along the street in Madison? We have a map for that now that shows you the tens of thousands of trees along Madison’s streets. Check out  our new street tree inventory.
  • New Online Recyclopedia: Confused about if you should recycle something or put it in the trash? Does something require special handling?  We have a new tool to help you figure out how to dispose of all this stuff in our lives. You can  check it out on our new website.
  • Our Electric Trucks Have Names! As you may recall, Madison has Wisconsin’s very first electric trash trucks – so we ran an election to give them silly names and many of you voted.  Here’s the results.
  • Never Miss a Collection Day:  As we move closer to winter, we recommend you sign up for the new Trash & Recycling Schedule Updates email list.  This will help you not miss a trash & recycling pickup day if weather causes any delays in the pickups.  Sign-up for this email list in the  Streets section on the City’s email-list page.