Wetlands - Senior Affordable Housing - Playground Replacement - Public Market and more

Hi Neighbors, 

Thank you very much for reaching out to me with your feedback and comments before and during the city council budget session. 

Many of you came to me and expressed your concerns regarding protecting our 31 acres of wetlands at the HartMeyer site next to the Oscar Mayer site. I ended up proposing a substitute to my original Amendment 9 in order to have unanimous support of the council. The substitute is to do an appraisal of the 31 acres, doing soil testing and evaluating the environmental impact on the community and wild life, in preparation for purchase by the City of Madison. This amendment was passed unanimously by the council and now I plan to work with the planning staff to include the purchasing proposal in the Special Area Plans as Alternative C (in process, no picture yet). The other two alternatives are shown below.
 

Alternative A

Alternative B

Additionally, other important meetings scheduled in District 12:

Senior Affordable Housing Projects at 1814 Packers Ave & 1825,1837 Aberg Avenue.

This month, District 12 received two senior housing proposals and I am organizing neighborhood meetings to get neighbor and community input on these projects. 

• 1814 Packers Avenue

Liberty Mortgage & Development Company has proposed to build a senior affordable housing development at 1814 Packers Avenue. The project would be located at the corner of Packers Avenue and Schlimgen Avenue (Vacant Former Hertz Rent A Car Lot). Proposed is 54 senior units (17 Market/37 Affordable - below market rate).  

A meeting with the developer and city staff will be held on:

Date:  November 26th 

Time: 6:00 PM – 7:00PM

Location:  Warner Park Community Center, Community Room #2

If you have more questions about the project, please reach out to Alf G. McConnell at alfmcconnell@gmail.com

• 1825 & 1837 Aberg Avenue

Liberty Mortgage & Development Company has proposed to build a majority senior affordable housing development at 1825 & 1837 Aberg Avenue. The project would be located at the corner of Aberg Avenue and Huxley Avenue (Currently Westmont Law Offices). Proposed is 61 units (54 senior units and 7 Townhomes). Further segmented as (19 Market/42 Affordable - below market rate). 

A meeting with the developer and city staff will be held on:

Date:  December 2nd 

Time: 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM

Location:  Warner Park Community Center, Community Room #3

If you have more questions about the project, please reach out to Alf G. McConnell at alfmcconnell@gmail.com

Brentwood and Sheridan Triangle Parks playground replacement

The first workshop for the 2020 Park Playground Replacement project was held on October 29, 2019 at Lakeview Library.  As a reminder, the materials presented and discussed during the meeting are posted to the project website, located here: https://www.cityofmadison.com/parks/projects/brentwood-park-playground-replacement and https://www.cityofmadison.com/parks/projects/sheridan-triangle-park-playground-replacement.   

The second meeting will focus solely on the playground replacement at Brentwood Park and the playground alternative at Sheridan Triangle Park and will be held on:

Date: January 7, 2020

Time:  6pm

Where: Sherman Middle School (1610 Ruskin St)

The equipment options being developed are based on the initial input received during the first workshop and the funding allocation for the project as determined by the park's classification (Mini / Neighborhood and Community).  Playground/Accessibility Improvements is a program in the adopted 2020 Parks Capital Budget. Each year, Parks Division staff evaluate completed projects and adjust funding requested for this program based on anticipated construction and play equipment cost increases and the number of playground replacements to be completed each year. The Parks Division is dedicated to ensuring new playgrounds meet or exceed the current level of play.

Park neighbors do have the option to fundraise for additional features if they choose to do so. All funding contributions are made through the Madison Parks Foundation (MPF), the Parks Division's not-for-profit, partner organization. For more information on the option to fundraise, please contact Kathleen Kane at KKane@cityofmadison.com 608-261-9671. If neighbors are interested in fundraising, please contact Kathleen by 11/29/2019 to establish a goal and contribution timeline.

Windom Way Park playground replacement

The first workshop for the 2020 Park playground replacement project held on October 29, 2019 at Lakeview Library.  As a reminder, the materials presented and discussed during the meeting are posted to the project website, located here: https://www.cityofmadison.com/parks/projects/windom-way-park-playground-replacement.  

The second meeting will focus solely on the playground replacement at Windom Way Park and will be held on:

Date: December 10, 2019 

Time: 6 PM

Where: Sherman Middle School (1610 Ruskin St)

The equipment options being developed are based on the initial input received during the first workshop and the funding allocation for the project as determined by the park's classification (Mini / Neighborhood and Community).  Playground/Accessibility Improvements is a program in the adopted 2020 Parks Capital Budget.  Each year Parks Division staff evaluate completed projects and adjust funding requested for this program based on anticipated construction and play equipment cost increases and the number of playground replacements to be completed each year. The Parks Division is dedicated to ensuring new playgrounds meet or exceed the current level of play.

Park neighbors do have the option to fundraise for additional features if they choose to do so. All funding contributions are made through the Madison Parks Foundation (MPF), the Parks Division's not-for-profit, partner organization. For more information on the option to fundraise, please contact Kathleen Kane at KKane@cityofmadison.com 608-261-9671. If neighbors are interested in fundraising, please contact Kathleen by 11/29/2019 to establish a goal and contribution timeline.

Task Force on Government Structure

TFOGS just completed their first draft report on governance structure. If you are interested to read the report, please click here.

Curbside Leaf and Yard Waste Collection Ending for 2019

The Streets Division's curbside collection for yard waste and leaves is ending for 2019. Residents should not place additional leaves and yard waste on the terrace for collection. Instead, residents should use a Streets Division drop-off site.

The Streets Division cannot guarantee that residents will receive another curbside leaf collection, considering the lateness of the year and the likelihood of a winter event occurring before everyone receives another collection.

Any leaves placed on the terrace at this time are subject to being left until spring of 2020 when curbside collection resumes. 

If and when the weather allows, the Streets Division will assign crews to perform curbside leaf and yard waste collection. However, collection of curbside piles of yard waste and leaves this season is no longer guaranteed.

Residents must be aware that if a winter event occurs, the Streets Division must assign staff to snow plowing duties, which means no personnel will be available for leaf collection.  And it is possible that in the event of a winter storm, curbside leaf piles will be buried under the snow and will remain frozen on the terrace until the spring thaw of 2020.

Residents who still have yard waste for disposal are encouraged to take the material one of the City of Madison drop-off sites.

The drop-off sites are still on expanded hours. The sites are open 8:30am to 4:30pm seven days a week and until 8:00pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays.  Expanded hours will end on December 8, 2019. The drop-off sites are located at 1501 W. Badger Rd, 4602 Sycamore Ave., and 402 South Point Rd.

On December 9, 2019, winter drop-off site hours begin.  Winter drop-off site hours are 7:30am to 3pm. Monday to Friday.  The South Point Rd location will also close for the season when winter hours start.

Additional information about the drop-off sites and yard waste collection can be found on the Streets Division's website, www.cityofmadison.com/streets.

The Madison Public Market's Free Upcoming Holiday Market 

Please join this special holiday gathering benefiting our community, and a sneak peek at our Market's new home in the Fleet services building. Featuring many local vendors, merchants, musicians and more, this free event is the perfect way to mingle with your Madison neighbors and celebrate this holiday season. Stock up on any last-minute gifts for loved ones, or just stop in to warm up with some of Madison's one-of-a-kind lunch and snack items for purchase.

The event will feature holiday themed performances, crafts for the little ones, and even a special visit from our favorite sleigh-rider.

Date: Saturday, December 14th

Time: 11am - 3pm

Location: This event will be held in the future Market building located at the corner of First Street and E. Johnson Ave.

For more information: http://madisonpublicmarket.org/2019/11/holiday-market-december-14th/
 

If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out as always.

Happy Thanksgiving! Have a very safe and enjoyable holiday.

Syed