2025 Budget Engagement Event + Three Ordinance Changes I'm Working On

Hi Everyone,

Here are this week’s updates.

Save The Date – Budget Engagement Event

Wednesday, May 29 is the tentative date we’ve set for a Southside/Near Westside Budget Engagement Event to be held from 5:30pm to 7:30pm at Goodman South Library, 2222 South Park Street. The event is one of five being held around the city and you may attend any one of them. However, this one is meant to appeal to residents in Districts 13, 14, 5, and 10, the aldermanic districts on the near west and south sides of the city. Refreshments and food will be provided. 

Finance Department staff will be at the event to offer specifics about our budget challenges, including how we got here in the first place and possible next steps. Ample time will be given to answer questions. Stay tuned for more details.

In the meantime, those interested are encouraged to dive into the comprehensive information prepared by Finance staff at https://www.cityofmadison.com/finance/budget/2025-budget/2025-budget-outlook.

There you will find an information series on the 2025 outlook. Quoting from the website:

“The Finance Department recorded a four-part series to explain the fundamentals of the City’s budget and options for closing the budget deficit. One goal of the series is to provide a general understanding of the overall City budget as a first step, followed by an explanation of what has been termed the “structural deficit”.  This informational series is a first step toward deciding on an approach to balancing next year’s budget.”

I strongly encourage you to take advantage of this critical resource. Alders are getting a lot of emails, many of which demonstrate fundamental misunderstandings about the source of the budget deficit and what steps could be taken to fix it. For example, there is apparent confusion between capital and operating expenditures, as many emails suggest the budget could be balanced by cutting affordable housing, BRT, and other capital projects. 

So please take a deep dive in the four-part series to learn more about our structural deficit and our options for addressing it.  

Three Ordinance Changes I’m Working On

Dog Attacks

In response to a vicious dog attack last spring suffered by Stella, an adorable mixed-breed dog owned by my friends Bill Lueders and Linda Falkenstein, I joined with District 18 Alder Charles Myadze to see what could be done. Working with staff from Public Health and the City Attorney’s office, Alder Myadze and I authored an ordinance change that would require dog owners who have been cited as a result of their dogs attacking, biting, and injuring another dog or person to muzzle their dogs off premises and keep their dogs physically restrained on premises. Electronic collars and electronic fences would not be acceptable means of physical restraint. 

The ordinance change was introduced at last week’s Council meeting on March 5, and goes to the Board of Health in April for review. It’s likely the item will be returned to Council on April 16 for a vote. 

Currently, dog owners can be fined up to $500 if their dog attacks another dog or human, but there are no additional requirements that could prevent a repeat occurrence. The proposed ordinance change addresses this gap and will enhance safety for Madison residents and our furry friends.

ADU Changes

In 2021 I worked with staff and former alders Patrick Heck and Grant Foster to ease the approval process to build an accessory dwelling unit (ADU). Sometimes referred to as “granny flats,” as many of these additions are meant to accommodate an aging family member, ADUs had been allowed in the city since 2013 as a conditional use. Because the approval process was lengthy and arguably onerous, few were built. In December 2021, Council approved changes that made ADUs in single-family neighborhoods a permitted use subject to staff review. 

Owner-occupancy of either the primary or accessory dwelling unit was required in 2013 and that requirement remained intact with the changes made in 2021. Moreover, ADUs were limited to single-family homes -- duplexes and other multi-family structures were not eligible. 

Last year, Council approved the Transit Oriented Development (TOD) Overlay District, which allowed owners of single-family homes within ¼ mile of high-frequency transit routes like South Park and Monroe St to convert to a duplex “by right,” no longer requiring a conditional use. I supported this change to “gentle density,” which allows for an incremental increase in housing units in our neighborhoods.

At the time, I argued for duplex conversions to be limited to owner occupied homes. I did not prevail, and the TOD Overlay District as it stands allows landlords to convert single-family homes to duplexes. My thinking has since evolved and I now believe the owner-occupancy requirement to be unnecessary and overly burdensome. I am therefore co-sponsoring an ordinance change that would allow ADUs to be built by landlords on properties containing up to 8 units, subject to staff review. 

The proposed ordinance change goes to Plan Commission tomorrow, March 11, but the recommended action is referral to the next meeting of the Housing Strategy Committee on March 28 before coming back to Plan Commission on April 8. In other words, it’s very likely that no action will be taken by Plan Commission tomorrow. 

Drive-Through Windows

The recent approval of the proposed Starbucks at 1609 South Park, which involves the renovation of the vacant Arby’s building, revealed ambiguities in our zoning ordinance regarding structures with drive-through windows. Following that approval, District 3 Alder Derek Field and I worked with staff to clarify the rules around such structures. As you may recall, I opposed this project when it was originally proposed as a “drive-through only” business. Bay Creek residents have been very vocal about increasing the walkability of their neighborhood and a drive-through only operation would do nothing of the sort. 

Among the changes Alder Field and I are proposing is a ban on new drive-through only businesses. This item will also appear at tomorrow’s Plan Commission meeting.

That’s all for now.

Take care and stay safe,

Tag