Common Council

Meeting and Event Highlights for the Week of August 30, 2021

Zoning for Tiny House Villages, Portable Shelter Missions, and Mission Camps

The City-County Homeless Issues Committee will be discussing proposed zoning text amendments related to tiny houses, portable shelter missions, and mission camps at its meeting on Monday.

• Meeting Details
• Meeting Agenda
• Register for Public Comment

Final Report of the Digital Inclusion Task Force

The Education Committee will be discussing the final report of the Digital Inclusion Task Force at its meeting on Wednesday.

• Meeting Details
• Meeting Agenda
• Register for Public Comment

For additional information about additional meetings scheduled for this week, please consult the City Meeting Schedule online here

Events, activities, seminars, etc.

• Library Takeover is a program created to support communities to make their idea happen at the library! Teams of 3-4 people can pitch their idea via an online application from September 1-October 1. If accepted, the team could receive a $2,000 event budget, free space at the library, a $400 stipend for each member of the team, a 4-workshop event-planning course and help from an influential local mentor.  They're looking for first-time event organizers, diverse communities, LGBTQ+ communities, etc. Learn more and apply here.
• The third event in the Live Well @ Your Library series is a collaboration with two fantastic events in south Madison's Penn Park (2101 Fisher Street) on Sunday, August 29, from 1pm-4pm. Live Well @ Your Library is joining the Black & Brown Unity Picnic and the Latino Chamber of Commerce's La Plaza Market for an exciting outdoor event that approaches wellness in an interactive way.  It is a multicultural, multigenerational and multisensory event that will include live music, dancing, food carts, acupuncture, reiki and more.  Learn more here.

• In light of the recent Supreme Court ruling blocking the Centers for Disease Control's moratorium on evictions, the Homeless Services Consortium is hosting two information sessions  to give a basic overview of the eviction process in Dane County, tenant rights, and some FAQs:

  English session
  September 2, 1:00pm
  Register in advance for this meeting.  After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
  Spanish session 
  September 3, 10:00am
  Register in advance for this meeting.  After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.Announcements, press releases, press conferences, etc.

Announcements, press releases and press conferences

• Your feedback is being sought as part of the Connect Greater Madison: Regional Transportation Plan (RTP) 2050 Update process. The Greater Madison Metropolitan Planning Organization wants to know how well the current area transportation network is serving your needs. Use the interactive mapping tool to post comments on the network, identifying specific gaps and challenges, as well as what you love and what's working well. This commenting tool is open and available from August 23 to October 3, 2021.
• The City of Madison Engineering Division is sharing a new, interactive map and tool for the community to learn more about flooding impacts, stormwater infrastructure and potential flooding in the City of Madison.  Learn more here.
• The City of Madison Engineering Division and Olbrich Botanical Gardens are proud to announce an award the City earned for work on Olbrich's recent expansion.  The Olbrich Botanical Gardens', Frautschi Family Learning Center (FFLC), earned the 2021 US Green Building Council's Leadership Award -West North Central Region. The USBGC Leadership Awards highlight green building projects, companies and individuals over the last year and recognize commitment toward creating healthy, sustainable spaces.
• Included as part of the Vision Zero initiative roadway improvements, upcoming speed limit reductions are scheduled for several Madison streets identified as having a high level of injury causing crashes. The first one to occur, on South Park Street between Regent Street and Badger Road, begins on Monday, August 30, and will reduce the speed limit to 25 mph.  Read more and see additional streets that will have speed limit reductions later in 2021 here.
• There are many options in Dane County to get tested for COVID-19.  Read more here.  See a list of testing partners here, and request a test kit be mailed to you here.
• A new initiative designed to provide alternative emergency response for individuals who are in crisis is set to launch next week. The Madison Fire Department's Community Alternative Response Emergency Services (CARES) team will begin responding to 911 calls effective September 1.  Learn more here.
• On August 26, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the Centers for Disease Control exceeded its authority, thereby blocking the temporary moratorium on evictions. Read more here.  While this is concerning for many renters, the Tenant Resource Center wants to remind renters and property owners alike that there are still millions of dollars available in assistance funds via the Dane CORE program. They urge you to apply now, even if it is for September's rent. Assistance requests are being processed in real-time, and staff are available to help if you find the online application challenging.