Updates & Week of April 6 Meetings of Interest for District 2

District 2 Updates and Meetings of Interest

The COVID-19 pandemic continues to disrupt schedules and will for the foreseeable future. In the coming week only two city entities are holding virtual meetings while others are on hiatus until the city's virtual meeting capabilities expand. Meeting details are listed on agendas (see below), but all should have virtual public participation options.

From what I understand, both the Tenney-Lapham Neighborhood Association and Capitol Neighborhoods, Inc., are preparing to launch virtual meeting capabilities, so participation in neighborhood processes is coming soon (see updates below). Check out their websites and email listservs for forthcoming details.

Stay healthy, stay home, and stay in touch.
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There are three sections to this week's update:

1. COVID-19 Updates
2. Other District 2 Updates
3. City Meetings of Interest to District 2

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1. COVID-19 UPDATES

Where to Get COVID-19 Information

- For the latest information on the city's responses and services visit the City's Coronavirus Website.

- The other key site is the Public Health Madison and Dane County Website.

Below is a selection of recent items posted at those sites and elsewhere, as well as other COVID-19 resources:

From Public Health: As of April 3 at 4:30pm, there are 252 people who have tested positive for coronavirus in Dane County and have been 5 deaths. Get up-to-the-minute data on their data dashboard.

Press Release: Gov. Evers Announces Second Package of Comprehensive Legislative Proposals Providing COVID-19 Relief and Support.

Mayor's statement: Reaching Out and Helping Others

Mayor's statement: Mayor Rhodes-Conway's Statement on Rejecting Racism in Our Community.

All City of Madison news releases are here.

From Dane Buy Local: Dane County Small Business Pandemic Support Program.

TLNA list of some area restaurants that are offering to-go or delivery.

Information about Downtown Madison's businesses during the pandemic can be found here.

Information on UW's response to the pandemic at this site.

Madison Metropolitan School District info, including their offering Free Health Meals can be found here.

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2. OTHER DISTRICT 2 UPDATES

Election News

From the City Clerk's Office: Absentee Ballot Secure Drop Off Sites.

The deadline for returning absentee ballots has been extended to April 13.

Note that Curbside Voter Registration and Absentee Voting is available 9am-1pm Saturday outside of 210 Martin Luther King Jr Blvd. This is the last time one can curbside vote before having to do on Tuesday at their polling place.

If you are voting in person on April 7, Wards 47 and 48 will vote at UW Memorial Library. Details here.

More Parking Rules Temporarily Suspended

All on-street meters, Residential Permit Only restrictions, 1-hour and 2-hour time-limit restrictions in non-metered areas, and Street sweeping and Clean Streets-Clean Lakes program parking restrictions are temporarily suspended through Sunday, April 26th, unless otherwise noticed. This amends the previous notice which was scheduled to expire April 6th, and expands the suspension of on-street parking restrictions to include Street Sweeping and Clean Streets-Clean Lakes restrictions. Details can be found here.

Shooting at N. Paterson St. and E. Washington

For those rightly concerned about Wednesday's shooting in the N. Paterson St. and E. Washington area, I'll post any updates that I receive on that incident as I get them. At this time, MPD has not released additional information as they investigate. They have said that the shooting appears to be targeted and was not random; that no suspects are in custody, and that both victims (including the man simply walking on the street) were shot in the leg and their injuries are not life-threatening. The MPD incident report can be found here.

Note too that MPD has not released any new information related to the Feb. 8 homicide that occurred in an apartment on N. Blair at E. Dayton St. They believe that the shooting was not random and there was no danger to the public. MPD indicates that they will release any new information if it does not compromise their ongoing investigation.

Curbside Waste Pickup & Brush Collection Begin April 6

On Monday, April 6, 2020 the Streets Division will begin curbside yard waste pickup and curbside brush collection. Residents should anticipate slower collection service than in past years.

Collection depends on staff availability. In response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the Streets Division will adjust crew responsibilities to ensure critical operations like trash and recycling collection continue uninterrupted. Crews may need to be reassigned from yard waste pickup to perform crucial services, resulting in delays.

More details on the start of yard waste pickup are here.

More details on the start of curbside brush pickup are here.

Drop-off Sites and Brush Processing Center Remain Closed

The Streets Division's drop-off sites at 1501 W. Badger Rd and 4602 Sycamore Ave and the Brush Processing Center at 121 E. Olin Ave remain closed to the public. These sites will reopen once the Safer at Home Order has been lifted.

Complete the 2020 Census As Soon As Possible

The 2020 Census is here. As so much of our focus is appropriately on our community response to COVID-19, it remains critical that everyone who lives in Madison and Dane County completes the census and is counted. As we practice physical distancing, please take the opportunity to show social solidarity by completing the census, now, from the comfort and safety of your own home and encourage your friends, family and colleagues to do the same. You can fill it out online at my2020census.gov, by phone, or by mail. Filling out the census is an easy thing you can do right now to help everyone in our community. More information from the Mayor's blog here.

400 Block E. Washington Steering Committee Expected to Reconvene Virtually

The James Madison Park District Steering Committee that has been reviewing the LZ Ventures redevelopment proposal for the north side of 400 block of E. Washington Ave is expected to hold a virtual meeting in the near future. The steering committee co-chairs are finalizing the details of how the process will work given that in-person meetings are not possible. When those details are finalized, email notices will be sent to all who have signed up to participate in the Steering Committee process and will also be noticed in my Alder Updates.

If you'd like to participate and/or stay informed contact Eli at president@capitolneighborhoods.org or Joe at jmartino@isi360.com.

Note that on April 1, the developer submitted a formal application to the city. In addition to further neighborhood input, the proposed demolitions will need review by the Landmarks Commission and/or the city's Preservation Planner, the Urban Design Commission will need to weigh in, and Plan Commission will consider various aspects of the proposal. Given that the Landmarks Commission and UDC are on hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the schedule for their meetings is uncertain. I'll be sure to publicize any such meetings (virtual only at this point).

126 Langdon St. Redevelopment Proposal Could Be at Plan Commission in May

Core Spaces, the developers of the proposed apartment building at 126 Langdon St., has asked that their application be considered at the Plan Commission's expected May 18 virtual meeting. Plan Commission is preparing to hold its first virtual meeting on April 13 and, assuming that the city's virtual meeting capabilities perform as expected, Core Spaces' request may follow that timetable.

As mentioned in my Feb. 17 Alder Update, the Urban Design Commission voted not to recommend approval of two bonus floors of height sought by Core Spaces, but UDC's consideration was advisory only so the proposal can move to Plan Commission consideration. Note that Core Spaces has made some design modifications in response to UDC and neighbor input. The neighborhood steering committee, organized by the Mansion Hill District of Capitol Neighborhoods, Inc., will contact committee members in the near future seeking any additional input and will distribute updated proposal renderings and I will relay that info in my updates. If you would like to be on the steering committee email list, contact Bob at bob.klebba@gmail.com.

Parks Division Self-Guided Walks

In a perfect world, Madison Parks volunteer nature experts would provide guided walks each weekend as part of the on-going, year-round Bird & Nature Outing series. Today, we must learn to adapt to these unique times, in order to stay safe and still enjoy nature. We encourage you to continue to seek the outdoors and Madison Parks – safely. In doing so, we're proving a few expert tips for your own self-guided walks at the locations typically featured in the Bird & Nature Outings. More info here.

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3. City Meetings of Interest to District 2

Below are some pertinent agenda items from the two city committees that are meeting this week. If you click on a meeting agenda below, then click on an agenda item of interest, you will see all documents that have been submitted on that item.

The city meeting agenda items are open for testimony from the public should you be interested in weighing in via teleconferencing (details included on agendas). Also, committees and commissions have an opportunity at the beginning of each agenda for Public Comment on items not on the agenda. I also appreciate hearing from you on any items on which you have a particular interest or concern.

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Finance Committee: Agenda

4:30pm, Monday, April 6, 2020

Virtual Meeting

The City of Madison is holding the Finance Committee meeting virtually to help protect our community from the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

Note: Virtual attendance instructions in the agenda linked above.

ITEMS TO BE CONSIDERED

Agenda Item 2

Approving $900,000 in Federal HOME funds to provide additional support for the City's Deferred Payment Loan (DPL) homeowner rehab program and the "Home Buy the American Dream" (HBAD) down payment assistance program.

Agenda Item 3
Authorizing an allocation of up to $300,000 in Federal Community Development Block Grant Program funds to acquire and rehabilitate a site for childcare services by the Dane County Parent Council, Inc.

Agenda Item 4
Authorizing departments to transfer to other departments up to $50,000 from the operating budget and up to $250,000 from the capital budget in response to the COVID-19 emergency

Agenda Item 5
Amending Section 4.21(3) of the Madison General Ordinances to defer room taxes imposed for January, February and March, 2020 to no later than July 31, 2020, at the discretion of the City Treasurer

Agenda Item 6
COVID-19 Response - Fiscal and Legislative Update

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Community Development Authority: Agenda

4:30pm, Thursday, April 9, 2020

Virtual Meeting

*Community Development Authority Board members will participate in this meeting via teleconference.*

Note: Virtual attendance instructions in the agenda linked above.

DISCUSSION ITEMS

Agenda Item 2

CDA Resolution # 4382 - Authorizing the suspension of late lease payment fees for residential tenants effective April 1, 2020 until further notice.

- Deb Rakowski

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