The City of Madison has declared a snow emergency until 7:00 a.m. on Thursday, February 14. Madison residents are asked to remove all vehicles from the street if possible. Fewer obstacles in the road means the plowing operations will be safer, faster and more complete. Depending on road conditions, the snow emergency may be extended beyond February 14.

All residents who must park on the street tonight (the evening of February 12 into early morning of February 13) must park their vehicles on the ODD house-numbered side of the street between the hours of 1:00 a.m. and 7:00 a.m. Violations of the alternate side parking rules are punishable by a fine of $60. Violators will also likely be towed. If a vehicle is towed, an additional $65 towing fee is added to the parking citation.

Vehicles parked on the street tomorrow night (the evening of February 13 into early morning of February 14) must be parked on the EVEN house-numbered side of the street between the hours of 1:00 a.m. and 7:00 a.m.

All daytime parking restrictions will be enforced. Parkers should pay attention to all parking signs. During a declared Snow Emergency you can park for no charge in cashiered sections of City garages from 9:00 p.m. until 7:00 a.m. If you enter before 9:00 p.m. or leave after 7:00 a.m. you are liable for any parking charges before 9:00 p.m. and from 7:00 a.m. until the time you leave.

When parking in the garages overnight, do not park on the top level so this area can be plowed. Vehicles stored longer than 48 hours are subject to being ticketed and towed. Meters in City garages and lots are enforced 24 hours per day, 7 days a week. Free parking is also available at the Brittingham Park Shelter parking lot off of West Washington Avenue.

Residents can sign up to receive text and/or email alerts whenever a snow emergency is declared at www.cityofmadison.com/winter.  You will also get storm and plowing updates at the site or by calling (608) 261-9111.

Citywide plowing operations will begin this afternoon when the storm subsides. Refuse and recycling collection will occur as scheduled on Tuesday. In an effort to assist with this operation, plowing vehicles will also be in the area of the city with a Tuesday collection day in order to plow a path for these collection trucks this morning.  The plowing in the Tuesday area will not be curb-to-curb initially as they are only working to create a lane of travel for the collection trucks.
 
Plowing of all Madison streets curb-to-curb will begin this afternoon when the storm is at or near its end. 
When plowing begins, it will take 14 to 16 hours at least until all Madison streets have received their initial plowing. This is also a deep and heavy snow, so it may take additional time to plow because it will be heavier for the plows to push, which means they will be slower.
 
Since a citywide plowing will occur, Madison residents will receive snow in their driveway aprons as snow is pushed from the street to the curb.  Since this is a dense, heavy snow, residents are reminded to take care when clearing it from the sidewalks and driveways. Take breaks and do not overexert yourself.
 
This will be a daytime plowing operation, which means those on the roads may encounter plowing equipment, so please remember to give them plenty of space to do their work. Also, it is common to encounter temporary windrows of snow blocking side streets as plows circle through neighborhoods to push the snow to the curb for each street.
 
Plowing operations will hopefully be completed by the start of the Wednesday morning commute. However, roadway users should still plan for encountering slippery roads, especially on neighborhood streets, and allow for extra travel time.
 

Good morning. Winter has been engaged in its speed round the last few weeks.  Despite its tenacity, days are getting longer and March is only a couple weeks away. I've cut back on the snow/garbage/plowing/salt updates since they would have been daily, but here we go.

There is regular garbage and recycling today, so get the containers out.  No large items, Christmas trees or dropoff sites.  All the streets will be plowed and hopefully the salt will have cut through the ice.  It is warm enough so that salt is effective, so please use it once you're through the snow to the ice. Sand also still works.  Please try to help your neighbors so everyone can get around safely. Please check http://www.cityofmadison.com/streets for updates.

The aldermanic, mayoral and school board primary is next Tuesday, February 19.  There's early voting this week at libraries and city hall.  Given the weather uncertainty, I encourage you to vote when you can. There are lots of resources to inform yourselves of the candidates for the various seats. Here's a recent article about the 13th district aldermanic candidates.

The flurry of city development approval activity affecting this district has settled down. The Edgewood athletic field seems to be on hold while the school decides its next steps.  There's presently nothing scheduled.  The same is true about Heartland Housing's 1202 Park Street homeless housing project, which seems to be awaiting Heartland and the City figuring out how to provide and fund adequate social services and security for Heartland's  existing Tree Lane and Rethke Avenue housing. The Peleton at Park and Fish Hatchery is in the final stages of city approvals and the early stages of construction.

The main pending development activity concerns the Dean/SSM, Truman Olsen and Pick N Save properties on South Park Street, for which there are meetings this week. Pick N Save has renewed its lease, which is cancellable on 6 months notice.  Dean wants to relocate its Fish Hatchery Clinic to the Pick N Save site as part of a new master plan for the entire clinic site between Park Street and Fish Hatchry.  Welton Enterprises is proposing a full size grocery and additional housing for the Truman Olsen site south of Pick N Save.  All of this will require that Cedar/Appleton Street connect South Park and Fish Hatchery, which the city is working on.

That's all for now. 

Greetings.  The extreme cold that we'll be suffering through tomorrow night has, in addition to closing schools and UW, affected city services. All non-essential City services will be shut down and closed to the public Wednesday, January 30 and Thursday, January 31. This includes city offices and public libraries

Madison Metro Transit will be in service with some limitations. Please check mymetrobus.com to determine which routes are in operation. Police and Fire will be working, as will Public Works employees as they keep streets, sidewalks and bike paths cleared and provide residents with safe drinking water. Staff throughout the City will be monitoring phones and returning calls as needed.

An unavoidable side effect of plow operations is that storm sewer inlets get covered by snow. Normally, this would not be a problem; however normal doesn't appear to apply to weather anymore.

However, by the weekend, temperatures are expected to rapidly climb into mid- to high- 30s and rain is forecast. This could lead to localized street flooding due to storm sewer inlets covered in snow and ice. City staff has begun removing snow from inlets at known low points to minimize the chance of flooding. However, there are almost 20,000 inlets in the City's storm sewer system. It's not feasible for city crews to uncover them all before this weekend. As such, the City is requesting that property owners "adopt" any storm inlets adjacent to their property and help keep it clear of snow. Every inlet helps provide someplace for water to go.

For some good news, the police department has made arrests in a couple of crimes that occured in the district.  The woman who robbed Orange Tree Imports in early January was arrested in Monona, and a man who robbed the Park Street Pizza Hut yesterday was arrested in the Arboretum shortly after the robbery. 

If you can stay inside the next couple of days please do so.  If you're out, bundle up as exposed skin can freeze in minutes.  Please keep your neighbors in mind and check up on them if there seems to be any concerns.

Allen

A couple of noteworthy public enforcement news items:

First, there have been arrests in the series of violent crimes, including a home invasion on South Shore Drive, that took place in December. MPD Violent Crimes Unit detectives are asking the District Attorney to charge a 28-year-old Madison man with five counts of being party to the crime of armed robbery. Eric J. Clay is accused of taking part in a series of violent crimes that victimized cab drivers, homeowners, teenage girls, and gas station clerks. The MPD has also arrested a 16-year-old juvenile on two counts of party to a crime of armed robbery having found probable cause that he worked with Clay in the commission of at least two of the Madison robberies. In addition, the MPD is asking the 16-year-old be charged with taking part in the robbery of a sandwich delivery driver. Work on cases involving Clay and/or the 16-year-old also led investigators to three other area teens who are now accused of robbing a second sandwich delivery driver. Clay, who has past convictions for armed robbery, was taken into custody on a probation hold earlier this month, and has been in the Dane County Jail.

Here are the crimes to which he and other suspects are connected:

December 14th, W. Shore Dr./Drake St., cab robbery, suspects are Clay and teen.

December 14th, Tower Dr./Sun Prairie, gas station robbery, suspects are Clay and teen.

December 15th, 5300 block Raywood Dr., cab robbery, suspect is Clay.

December 15th, N. Mills St., cab robbery, suspect is Clay.

December 15th, Rutledge St., robbery of teenage girls, suspects are Clay and teen.

December 15th, S. Shore Dr., armed home invasion robbery, suspect is Clay.

December 23rd, Odana Rd., sandwich delivery driver robbery, suspect is teen and 14-year-old McFarland girl.

December 31st, Dwight Dr., sandwich delivery driver robbery,

Suspects are 14-year-old McFarland girl - from Odana Rd. case, a 15-year-old Madison boy, and a 12-year-old Madison boy. 

VCU detectives believe others were involved in some of these cases. They are continuing to investigate and more arrests are possible. Anyone with information is urged to contact Madison Area Crime Stoppers at (608) 266-6014.

Second, the snow emergency remains in effect for the entire City of Madison until 7 a.m. Friday, January 25. Alternate side parking restrictions are in effect again tonight for the entire city of Madison, including the Snow Emergency Zone. The Streets Division asks that people choose off-street parking options for their vehicles again this evening, especially those within the Snow Emergency Zone.  If an off-street parking option is not available, you must abide by alternate side parking rules. Streets Division crews will be working throughout the night to plow areas that had been blocked by parked cars during the daytime plowing operations.

Vehicles parked on the street tonight (the evening on January 24 into the early morning of January 25) should be on the ODD house-numbered side of the street between the hours of 1 a.m. and 7 a.m. Violations of the alternate side parking rules are punishable by a fine of $60 throughout the entire City of Madison. Violators of alternate side parking rules may also be towed. If a vehicle is towed, an additional towing fee will be added to the parking ticket.

Residents are reminded that all daytime parking restrictions will be enforced.  That includes restrictions that ban parking on selected blocks in the downtown area and on the near east and near west sides.  Parkers should pay attention to all parking signs.

Additional information about winter plowing and parking can be found on the City of Madison winter website,www.cityofmadison.com/winter.  Parking information can also be heard by calling the winter parking hotline at 608-261-9111.

Greetings.  Here are a few things that might be pertinent.

There will be no refuse or recycling collection on Monday, January 21 in observance of the Martin Luther King, Jr holiday. Madison residents who normally have their refuse and recycling collected on Mondays should instead place their carts to the curb for collection on Tuesday, January 22.  Since the Streets Division will be collecting refuse and recycling from both the Monday and Tuesday districts on January 22, it is essential that residents in these areas place their carts out for pickup prior to 7am.  Due to the additional workload, Streets Division crews may not be able to go back to collect carts set out after 7am. 

In order to collect refuse and recycling from the Monday and Tuesday districts on January 22, Streets Division crews will be diverted from their normal tasks. Due to this, other services, such as large item and Christmas tree collection, may be temporarily delayed. The City of Madison drop-off sites will also be closed on January 21.

The Streets Division will begin the final round of Christmas tree collection. Residents who wish to have their trees collected at the curb should have them out and ready for pickup by 7am on January 22. Trees that have been set out at this time and in accordance to the below rules will likely be collected sometime between January 22 and February 8, depending on workload, weather conditions, and crew availability. Placing a tree to the curb after 7am January 22 may result in missing the final curbside collection opportunity.  Trees set out late may not be collected until the regular brush collection begins in the spring.

Remove all tree stands, decorations, tree bags, and any other foreign object. Trees must be placed at the public road edge, and must be accessible by collection crews. If conditions require, street crews will be diverted from tree collection to assist with maintaining the roads. This may slow down the collection process. Residents should remove trees from the snow if they become buried. Collection crews will not be able to collect ones that are concealed or inaccessible due to snow.

Wreaths, evergreen rope, garlands, and boughs will not be collected with Christmas trees. Do not place them at the curb for pickup. Place these into the refuse container for disposal.  Evergreen decorations like wreaths and so on likely contain wires that can damage the wood chipping equipment, and they may also contain an invasive species.

Madison residents may also bring their Christmas trees to one of the Streets Division drop-off sites located at 1501 W. Badger Rd. and at 4602 Sycamore Ave.  The drop-off sites are open from 7:30am to 3:00pm Monday to Friday.

Additional information regarding tree collection, and other winter-related city operations, can be found on the City of Madison's Winter website, www.cityofmadison.com/winter.

There have been some positive Parks actions in the district. The Parks Commission has recommended that the Common Council authorize the City to pay $5.5 million to buy around 3.65 acres of land adjacent Olin Park from the Wisconsin Medical Society.  This includes 450 feet of Lake Monona shoreline. The initial plan is to manage this land the same as the northeastern portion of Olin Park that adjoins it, while the building is evaluated to determine if it should be demolished or repurposed. Eventually there will be a comprehensive planning process that will include substantial neighborhood input.

Along these same lines, the Parks Department is finalizing a contract with MSA for a comprehensive plan for Vilas Park.  This will also include substantial public input, beginning in the spring of 2019 and continuing throughout the year.

Things are stalled on some development proposals and moving forward on others. Two of the more controversial proposalsEdgewood's Master Plan Amendment and the Homeless housing at 1202 South Park St.are presently on hold at the applicants' request.  The Peleton apartments at Park and Fish Hatchery have started construction and was approved by the Plan Commission on January 14, with final signoff by the Common Council on January 22.  Funk Factory's request to use a warehouse across Gilson Street was approved by the Plan Commission January 14.  Catholic Charities' request to expand the Chris Farley House at 810-814 Olin was approved by the Urban Design Commission January 16 and will have a public hearing before the Plan Commission January 28.

The Truman Olsen/SSM/grocery store on Park Street process has restarted.  Welton Enterprise submitted a proposal for a grocery store and affordable housing on the Truman Olsen site.  Pick N Save has renewed its lease for 3 years, with a 6 month termination option by either party. Dean plans to relocate its Fish Hatchery clinic to the Pick N Save site, subject to completion of a comprehensive master plan for the Dean property.

That's all for now.  We may be getting a dose of real winter the next few weeks, so bundle up.  Allen

Happy New Year.  As usual there are quite few things going on.

Tonight at 6:30 the Board of Parks Commissioners meeting (at Olbrich Gardens) will include amending the Parks Capital Budget to authorize the purchase of the Wisconsin Medical Society property at 330 and 342 East Lakeside street for parks purposes. This has been discussed in the media, and essentially involves buying around 3 1/2 acres of land, including 450 feet of Lake Monona shoreline, to add to Olin Park. The Parks department will undertake a planning process before making any significant changes to this land.  There will also be an evaluation of the existing building to determine if it should be repurposed for park or municipal purposes or demolished. This is a pretty exciting addition to our parks and the planning process should be a robust one.

At the request of the Dudgeon Monroe Neighborhood Association, Edgewood has agreed to postpone the consideration of its proposed Master Plan amendment to an as yet undetermined future Plan Commission meeting.  So those of you who were planning on spending the nights of January 14 and 22 at City Hall can make other plans. I'll communicate any reset dates when I know them.

The January 14 Plan Commission and January 22 Common Council meetings will still consider T Wall's request to amend the Peleton project at Park and Fish Hatchery to divide 16 loft apartments into 32 single floor apartments and to make some other modifications in connection with that change.

The January 14 Plan Commission will also consider Funk Factory's request to use a warehouse across the street from its taproom for beer storage.

The Truman Olsen committee will meet January 15 at 6 pm at the Goodman maintenance facility, 1402 Wingra Creek Parkway, to discuss next steps.

On January 16 Catholic Charities' proposal to demolish existing structures and build a new Chris Farley house at 810-814 W. Olin Avenue will be before the Urban Design Commission, with a Plan Commission hearing on January 28 and a Common Council hearing on February 5.

Neighborhoods, business associations, and resident groups are invited to read about and consider applying for a 2019 Neighborhood Grant to fund a community enhancement or leadership and capacity-building project 

Key Steps

Review the Grant Guidelines and Application
Contact Linda Horvath, 608-267-1131 or lhorvath@cityofmadison.com, by February 1 to discuss your project idea
Contact your alderperson to share your project idea
Consider attending the OPTIONAL Grant Orientation Workshop on January 17, 6:00 p.m. at the Central Library, Room 301, 201 W. Mifflin Street
Apply by March 4, 2019 using the attached application or by visiting the City of Madison Planning Division webpage to complete the application online: http://www.cityofmadison.com/dpced/planning/neighborhood-grants/1576/

Please contact Linda Horvath with any questions about this.

That's all for now.  Allen

Happy New Year.  As usual there are quite few things going on.

Tonight at 6:30 the Board of Parks Commissioners meeting (at Olbrich Gardens) will include amending the Parks Capital Budget to authorize the purchase of the Wisconsin Medical Society property at 330 and 342 East Lakeside street for parks purposes. This has been discussed in the media, and essentially involves buying around 3 1/2 acres of land, including 450 feet of Lake Monona shoreline, to add to Olin Park. The Parks department will undertake a planning process before making any significant changes to this land.  There will also be an evaluation of the existing building to determine if it should be repurposed for park or municipal purposes or demolished. This is a pretty exciting addition to our parks and the planning process should be a robust one.

At the request of the Dudgeon Monroe Neighborhood Association, Edgewood has agreed to postpone the consideration of its proposed Master Plan amendment to an as yet undetermined future Plan Commission meeting.  So those of you who were planning on spending the nights of January 14 and 22 at City Hall can make other plans. I'll communicate any reset dates when I know them.

The January 14 Plan Commission and January 22 Common Council meetings will still consider T Wall's request to amend the Peleton project at Park and Fish Hatchery to divide 16 loft apartments into 32 single floor apartments and to make some other modifications in connection with that change.

The January 14 Plan Commission will also consider Funk Factory's request to use a warehouse across the street from its taproom for beer storage.

The Truman Olsen committee will meet January 15 at 6 pm at the Goodman maintenance facility, 1402 Wingra Creek Parkway, to discuss next steps.

On January 16 Catholic Charities' proposal to demolish existing structures and build a new Chris Farley house at 810-814 W. Olin Avenue will be before the Urban Design Commission, with a Plan Commission hearing on January 28 and a Common Council hearing on February 5.

Neighborhoods, business associations, and resident groups are invited to read about and consider applying for a 2019 Neighborhood Grant to fund a community enhancement or leadership and capacity-building project 

Key Steps

Review the Grant Guidelines and Application
Contact Linda Horvath, 608-267-1131 or lhorvath@cityofmadison.com, by February 1 to discuss your project idea
Contact your alderperson to share your project idea
Consider attending the OPTIONAL Grant Orientation Workshop on January 17, 6:00 p.m. at the Central Library, Room 301, 201 W. Mifflin Street
Apply by March 4, 2019 using the attached application or by visiting the City of Madison Planning Division webpage to complete the application online: http://www.cityofmadison.com/dpced/planning/neighborhood-grants/1576/

Please contact Linda Horvath with any questions about this.

That's all for now.  Allen

Best wishes to all of you for a safe and happy new year! Here are a few items that may be of interest.

Celebrate the new year safely with Metro! Starting at 7 p.m., Metro will operate free extended service that lasts until approximately 3:30 a.m. New Year's Eve Free Rides is sponsored by The Tavern League of Wisconsin's SafeRide Program. For help planning your trip, call (608) 266-4466. Customer service representatives will be available on New Year's Eve from 8:00 a.m. until 1 a.m.

The Greenbush Neighborhood Council has arranged an alder candidate forum for candidates on Monday, January 28. This will be held at St. Mary's Hospital, Conference Room 1 from 6:30PM-8:00PM. All are welcome to attend. This will be a moderated candidate forum with questions solicited and selected in advance. Anyone who would like to submit questions may do so at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/ZJHV9K8

Christmas Tree Collection

The Streets Division provides two rounds of curbside collection for Christmas trees.  Residents who wish to have their trees collected at the curb should follow the below guidelines in order to guarantee their trees are picked up. Wreaths, evergreen rope, garlands, and boughs will not be collected alongside Christmas trees. These items contain wires or metal that can damage wood chipping equipment.  These should be placed into the refuse for disposal.

Failure to follow the below list of rules may result in the tree not being collected.

Remove all tree stands regardless if they are metal, plastic, or wood.
Remove all tree decorations such as lights, ornaments, or other metal objects.
Remove any tree bags, and any other foreign object.

Trees must be placed at the public road edge, and must be accessible by collection crews. If the trees become buried with snow while awaiting collection at the curb, residents are asked to dig out the trees so they are accessible to the crews.

The Streets Division performs two rounds of Christmas tree collection. Residents who wish to have their tree picked up during the first round should have their tree to the curb by 7am on January 2.  Trees set to the curb on or before 7am on January 2 will likely be collected prior to January 18, 2019, depending on weather conditions and crew availability. Residents who wish to have their tree collected during the second round should have their tree to the curb by 7am on January 22. Trees set to the curb at this time will likely be collected prior to February 8, depending on weather conditions and crew availability. Trees placed to the curb after January 22 may not be collected until regular brush collection begins in the spring of 2019.

Madison residents may also bring their Christmas trees to one of the Streets Division drop-off sites.  The sites are located at 1501 W. Badger Rd. on the southwest side and at 4602 Sycamore Ave. on the east side.  The drop-off sites are open from 7:30am to 3:00pm Monday to Friday.

Additional information regarding tree collection, and other winter-related city operations, can be found on the City of Madison's Winter website, www.cityofmadison.com/winter.

There are few city hearings that may be of interest to district residents in January.  The Peleton project at Park and Fish Hatchery is set to go before the Urban Design Commission January 2 the Plan Commission January 14 and the Common Council January 22.  The current legistar packet can be found here.

The January 14 Plan Commision meeting will also include Funk Factory's plans to convert the warehouse across the street at 1529 Gilson Street into beer storage, plans to consturct a detached garage at 1630 Adams street, and Edgewood's proposal to amend its Campus Master Plan to add lights and sound to its athletic field, which also will go before the Common Council January 22.

Until next year.  Allen

Greetings.  Some miscellaneous items before the holidays:

Trash and recycling pickup. 

On Christmas Eve, Streets Division collections will occur as usual for people with a Monday refuse and recycling day. However, we hope to have collections done by 11a.m., so people really need to have their carts out on time.  On time means having them out and ready for pickup before 7a.m.  The drop-off sites will also be open on Christmas Eve – but we hope to have that closed at 11a.m. as well. On Christmas Day, we're closed. On Boxing Day, December 26, we're picking up from residents with a Tuesday and Wednesday collection day.  Drop-off site will be open as well.

Madison residents can place most types of wrapping paper into the green recycling cart. Wrapping paper, gift boxes, cardboard toy packaging, cardboard tubes from wrapping paper, and many other paper-based holiday trappings can be recycled. Wrapping paper with foil cannot be recycled. Gift bows, twine, and ribbons cannot be recycled. And be sure to empty the gift boxes of all the packing material before recycling the cardboard because plastic straps and many other non-cardboard packaging materials cannot be recycled.

CRIME INFORMATION AND PREVENTION STRATEGIES:

There has been a recent spate of armed robberies, including in this district.  This includes carjackings, taxicab and gas station holdups, and at least one home invasion. This is a reminder to:

Keep your doors locked, even when at home; leave a light on when you are away

Be aware of your surroundings, especially when going to and from your vehicle

If a stranger knocks on your door or rings the bell and they tell you they made a mistake or other unusual statement, call the police and provide a detailed description of the individual

Suspects will often knock on the front door and when there is no answer, they will attempt to force entry at the rear or concealed area of the house.

Tell your neighbors if you will be gone for an extended period of time. Consider placing motion lights in those concealed areas

For more strategies, please go to www.madisonpolice.com

IF YOU CAN PROVIDE ANY INFORMATION ABOUT THE RECENT CRIME IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD, PLEASE CONTACT THE VIOLENT CRIME UNIT TIP LINE: (608) 243-0550. Callers wishing to remain anonymous can call Madison Area Crime Stoppers at 266-6014

Development update.  Heartland Housing has again referred its request for a conditional use permit so it will not be on the January 2 UDC and January 14 Plan Commission agenda. T Wall's request to modify the Peleton plans to, among other things, convert 16 existing loft apartments to 32 apartments are scheduled for those UDC meetings, as well as the January 22 Common Council meeting. Construction has begun on the building as previously approved.

The proposed Edgewood athletic field alterations will also be on the January 14 Plan and January 22 Common Council agenda. At its January 14 meeting, the Plan Commission will also consider Funk Factory's request for a conditional use permit to allow carbonation and storage of beer at 1532 Gilson Street, across the street from its existing taproom. Catholic Charities is moving forward with its proposal to demolish existing buildings and build a new Chris Farley house at 810 Olin Avenue, which it plans to present at the January 10 BCNA meeting in preparation for a January 16 UDC meeting and January 28 Plan Commission meeting.

Dean/SSM's plans for its property between Fish Hatchery Road and Park Street have changed, which also affects the city-owned Truman Olsen site south of Pick N Save and the efforts to obtain a new grocery store on Park Street if and when Pick N Save leaves. SSM is no longer interested in acquiring the Truman Olsen site and appears to have scaled back its development plans.  This will likely require the City to issue a new RFP or RFQ to redevelop the Truman Olsen site.  There are few moving parts here, and I'll update you once I've learned more.

And while we likely won't have a white Christmas, at least the recent warm spell has given us a shorter winter.  Best wishes for a happy holiday season.  Allen

IF YOU CAN PROVIDE ANY INFORMATION ABOUT THE RECENT CRIME IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD, PLEASE CONTACT THE VIOLENT CRIME UNIT TIP LINE:

 (608) 243-0550

Make you aware of this recent incident

Ask that if you see or have seen any unusual activity such as suspicious people, vehicles, etc to please contact Madison Police. If the behavior is currently occurring, call 911

Ask that you report any information or other suspicious activity that you believe may be connected to this incident to the tip line listed below

Ask that if contact us you have any video you believe could provide leads in this case

Help to prevent future crimes

Callers wishing to remain anonymous can call Madison Area Crime Stoppers at 266-6014

Around 9pm last night, two armed men entered a home on South Shore Drive, and confronted the residents. The intruders showed guns, demanded money, physically struck the residents, and ransacked the house. They fled the area on foot. At this time, there is no reason to think that the home was targeted for any particular reason. The Madison Police have assured me that they are treating this investigation with the utmost seriousness. Uniformed Madison Police Officers will be in the area this afternoon contacting neighbors by knocking on doors. 

If you have any information about this crime, or saw anything suspicious last night, please call Madison Police at 255-2345.

As always, please be diligent about your surroundings, and please remember to lock your vehicle doors and the doors to your residence, even if you are home. If you see something out of the ordinary, please do not hesitate to call 911.

Allen Arntsen

Edgewood athletic field.  The proposed amendment of Edgewood's master plan to allow bleachers, lights and amplified sound at the Edgewood athletic field is scheduled for public hearings before the Madison Plan Commission and Common Council on, respectively, January 14 and 22, 2019.

I support the amendment with two significant limitations: 1. Edgewood's daytime use of the athletic field will be limited to uses in place in 2018; 2. Edgewood's use of lights be limited to a total of five events per year (down from a proposed maximum of 40). These limitations would be in place through the term of the Master Plan, which is for ten years, and expires in 2025.

I have received significant input on this issue from representatives of Edgewood and affected neighbors.  There was a well-attended neighborhood meeting devoted to this topic and the Vilas and Dudgeon Monroe neighborhood associations considered and took positions on this proposal.  Many people have expressed their views through hundreds of emails on all sides of this issue.

I do not consider the proposed improvements to be a fundamentally incompatible use of the Edgewood campus given its setting in the Dudgeon Monroe and Vilas neighborhoods. While I recognize that neither Madison East nor Madison West High Schools have attached stadiums, an athletic field with bleachers, sound, and lights is a reasonable use of a high school and college campus.  But I also agree that that use should minimize the disruption to neighbors.  Edgewood's amendment sets forth technical information as to its proposed light and sound system, as well as crowd and parking management strategies and event hours, which the school submits will limit the impact on neighbors and surrounding natural areas. Those limitations should remain and be enforceable as part of the master plan.

Because the improvements have not been made, there is uncertainty as to how the lights, sound system and crowds will impact neighbors.  Because of this uncertainty, limiting the number of nighttime events is important.  Five football games totals 10-15 hours of nighttime use in a year.  While that involves some disruption, it is limited.  Although the current master plan limits the use of the field to phy ed and practices, the omission of competitive events appears to be an oversight, given the historical use of the field for athletic events since Edgewood was founded in 1927. However, the use of the field seems to have increased in recent years, and it is appropriate to freeze that expansion at present levels through the term of the master plan. 

The master plan is intended to last ten years, and then undergo appropriate modifications based on negotiations between the schools, neighborhoods and city.  However, the plan expressly provides for amendments during that period. Edgewood requests this amendment because it is losing its right to play home games in Middleton, and because sound and lighting technology improvements will make nighttime events less disruptive than was the case with prior technology.  This seems fair, but it also seems fair to limit the use as set forth above and evaluate the extent of disruption over the remaining seven or so years of the master plan. Information gleaned over this period can be used to set appropriate limits in the next master plan.  Whether those limits are more or less restrictive will depend on the actual impact of these proposed changes.

I encourage and remain open to a reasonable resolution of this dispute. Absent that, this is the position that I plan to take with the Plan Commission and Common Council on this issue.

Dean/SSM Master Plan.  The planning for the Dean/SSM property between Fish Hatchery Road and Park Street is on hold awaiting financial commitments by SSM.  This has also placed on hold the disposiiton of the Truman Olsen property on Park Street and the development of a grocery store to succeed the Park Street Pick N Save. I look forward to moving this process forward, but there is only so much one can do.

Hong Kong Cafe.  Hong Kong Cafe will seek a conditional use permit from the Plan Commission on December 17 to allow it to demolish an adjoining house to expand its parking lot at the corner of Regent and Mills streets for additional parking and outdoor service on Badger game days.  So far this has received overwhelming support from neighbors, but interested persons should make there opinions known to me and/or to the Plan Commission.

Peleton. There will be a groundbreaking for the Peleton project at Park and Fish Hatchery on December 14 at 11 a.m. As of now, the construction will be of the previously approved building, but the developer has requested an alteration to allow 16 additional units, which will be before the Urban Design Commission January 2, the Plan Commission January 14 and the Common Council January 22.

For other development items, please refer to my previous update.  Not sure when the next update will be.  If it's next month, best wishes for a happy holiday season

Greetings.  There are several development projects in the 13th district that will come before city agencies for approval in the next couple of months.  Specifically, the January 14, 2019 Plan Commission meeting looks like a doozy, with the following proposals being considered at that meeting:

Edgewood athletic field. Edgewood High School is seeking to amend its Campus Master Plan to allow it to install lights, amplified sound and bleachers on its athletic field.  This is set to come before the Plan Commission January 14, and the Common Council January 22, 2019.  The adjoining neighborhood associations are split on the proposal, with Dudgeon Monroe opposing and Vilas supporting.  I have received hundreds of emailson all sidesconcerning this issue, and continue to work with Edgewood to see what can be done to minimize the disruption that its proposed changes will cause to the neighborhood.

Heartland Housing.  Heartland Housing's request for a conditional use permit to allow 58 units of permanent supportive housing for homeless people at 1202 Park Street is scheduled to be before th Urban Design Commission January 2 and the Plan Commission January 14.  It may also be on the Common Council's January 22 agenda.  The Bay Creek Neighborhood Association recently approved a letter opposing this project. I remain very concerned about this project given the problems placing this many housing units on a small lot in the middle of the South Park street commercial district and, more significantly, the problems that Heartland been having with its existing permanent supportive housing facilities on Rethke Avenue and Tree Lane.

Peleton. T Wall has proposed changes to the Peleton project that will divide 16 4th floor loft apartments, resulting in 16 additional apartments.  This request will be before the Urban Design Commission (for the 8th time) January 2, the Plan Commission January 14, and the Common Council January 22. T Wall is planning to start construction on the as approved building this month, with a December 14 groundbreaking, but is hopeful that its proposed changes will be approved and can be incorporated into the upper floors of the building.

Funk Factory.  Amanda Funk is seeking a conditional use permit to allow beer brewing and storage at 1532 Gilson street, which is across the street from its existing taproom.  This also is set for the January 14 Plan Commission meeting.  While the request mentions the possibilty of beer sales from the new facility, I've confirmed with city staff and Ms. Funk that all sales will be from the existing taproom.  While Ms. Funk has attempted to get on the Bay Creek Neighborhood Association agenda to discuss her plans, she has not yet been able to do so, but I anticipate will be able to present her proposal to the neighborhood prior to the Plan Commission meeting.

So if you plan to provide input on any of the above at the January 14 Plan Commisison meeting, prepare for a long night.  Allen

Good evening.  Here's an update on parking and election issues.

Winter parking The Snow Emergency Zone has expanded and will go into effect this evening at 1:00 a.m., December 4. The expansion adds the Greenbush and Vilas neighborhoods to the Snow Emergency Zone. The expansion is comprised of the residential streets between Regent to the north and Delaplaine Court/Vilas Park Drive to the south, and between Monroe St/Edgewood Ave on the west and S. Park Street to the east. An updated snow emergency zone map is available on City of Madison winter website www.cityofmadison.com/winter.

The expansion of the snow emergency zone means those who park in these areas only need to abide by alternate side parking rules during declared snow emergencies. All other daytime parking restrictions remain in effect. Alternate side parking is enforced every night from November 15 to March 15, except within the Snow Emergency Zone. Parkers within the Snow Emergency Zone must abide by alternate side parking rules only during declared snow emergencies. 

The alternate side parking rules are as follows: On even numbered days, individuals who park their vehicle on the street must have it parked on the even house-numbered side of the street between the hours of 1am and 7am. On odd numbered days, individuals who park their vehicle on the street must have it parked on the odd house-numbered side of the street between the hours of 1am and 7am.

During declared snow emergencies, the alternate side parking ticket increases to $60 and violators may also be towed. Snow emergencies are routinely two night events in order for both sides of the street to be plowed during the alternate side parking enforcement window.  Snow emergencies can be extended if weather conditions require it.

Residents can sign up to receive winter alert texts for daily alternate side parking reminders and notification of a declared snow emergency. Residents can also sign up for email snow emergency notifications at  www.cityofmadison.com/winter. Once on the site, individuals can also register for snowplow update emails for information about the Streets Division's snow fighting operations. Other winter-related information, including locations for free sand, information about correct salt usage, and links to winter recreation opportunities, can be found on the website.

Winter parking information is also available by calling the Winter Parking Hotline at 608-261-9111.

Spring elections.  Now that we successfully navigated the last election, it's time to get ready for the next one.  Mayoral and aldermanic primary elections are in February 2019, with the general election in April. At least one-half of current alders, including me, are not seeking election.  As of December 1st, candidates for Alder can circulate nomination papers.  You only need 20 to 40 signatures to have your name on the ballot.  On the Madison Common Council website there is a section near the bottom titled "What's Going On". If you click on "candidates & campaigns" under this section, you will be taken to another page with links to the forms you will need to complete and other information you will need to know in order to get your name on the ballot. f you are interested in becoming an Alder, I suggest you review the web page developed by a fellow Alder, Keith Furman. http://www.cityofmadison.com/Council/councilMembers/runForCouncil.cfm

That's all for now.  I'll have an update on district development projects sometime in the next week or so.  Allen

Here are a few updates on previously discussed items:

Sandbags. Residents should not place additional sandbags to the curb for pickup at this time. The deadline to place sandbags to the curb for pickup was November 25.  Collection crews will cycle through the City picking up sandbags that were placed to the curb prior to the November 25 deadline. Once this final sweep through the collection areas is complete, crews and equipment will be reassigned to other priorities.

Residents with sandbags in need of disposal can do one of the following:

Store sandbags for future use. If the property was at risk of flooding during the summer of 2018, it may be at risk again.
Cut open sandbags and spread the sand on your property.Throw the empty bags in the tan refuse cart. 
Return sandbags to 4141 Nakoosa Trail (the old Cub Foods location). Sandbag collection sites in parks have been cleared. The site at Nakoosa will remain available through the winter.

Do not place full sandbags into your refuse or recycling bins.
Do not place sandbags under leaf piles or inside leaf bags for yard waste crews.

Residents will have another opportunity for curbside collection in the spring of 2019. The start of the spring collection period is weather dependent and will be announced when that date is known.

Winter parking.  There's been more than the usual amount of confusion concerning winter parking rules.  This fall, the city expanded the Clean Streets area, which had been generally east of Park Street near Lake Monona, west essentially to Monroe Street.  This involved prohibiting parking on streets for a four hour period once a week to allow street sweeping.  Because of the inconvenience this could cause in the winter with alternate parking rules, the city expanded the snow emergency zonein which alternate parking was only required during designated snow emergenciesto these new clean streets areas. While the Clean Streets (no parking during 4 hour blocks) expansion could be done under the city's existing powers, expanding the snow emergency zone required an ordinance change.  This new ordinance passed the City Council November 20 and will go into effect December 4, which was after the November 15 start of the alternate parking rules. I've been assured thatfor parking ticket purposesthe police are treating the streets as if the new zone were in effect, so there should be no alternate parking tickets.  But there will be tickets for violations of the 4 hour weekly no parking zones.  In short, the recently installed signs should be accurate.  For more information, look here.  Hope this clears this up.

Developments. My prior update misstated the Plan Commission hearing date for the Edgewood Athletic Field changes, the Heartland 1202 Park Street project and the Peleton at Park and Fish Hatchery.  The correct date is January 14.  As to the Edgewood proposal, the City Planning link is here. The best place to email comments on any of these proposals is to hstouder@cityofmadison.com with a copy to me at district13@cityofmadison.com.  That will make sure the comments make it to the Plan Commission file.

Holiday Glow on Monroe Street.  Here are some of the activities planned for December 1.

1. At 10:00 the bright red vintage Badger Trolleybus will depart from HotelRED with Santa, city officials, workers from Speedway Sand and Gravel and representatives of the Monroe St. Merchants Association on board. It will be led by four Cooper Mini reindeer as it drives to the far west end of Monroe Street and turns around so that it can stop at the west business district (location TBD) for a ribbon cutting, and then proceed to Monroe Commons (by Trader Joe's) for a second ribbon cutting.  
2. Santa will get off to greet children between 11:00 and 12:00
3. The trolley will give free rides until 2:00.
4. There will be two groups of carolers in the afternoon, one from Madison's Gilbert and Sullivan troupe The Savoyards, and the other the popular a cappella group The Ambulatones.
5. Henry the Lion, the mascot from the Zoo will be on Monroe Street from 1:00-2:00.

That's all for now.  Allen

Greetings and Happy Thanksgiving (my favorite holiday).  A few things of note.  First, alternate side parking started November 15.  This year, most of the Vilas and Greenbush neighborhoods has been placed in the Snow Emergency Zone, which exempts streets from alternate side parking requirements except for during snow emergencies.  There was some confusion about this because the ordinance was just passed by the City Council last Tuesday, a little later than planned.  A helpful webpage describing the rules and boundaries may be found here.

January 17, 2019 promises to be a busy Plan Commission meeting for 13th district issues.  Currently scheduled are the Heartland Homeless Housing proposal at 1202 South Park, assuming it is approved at the January 2 Urban Design Commission meeting, the Major Alteration request for the Peleton project at the corner of Fish Hatchery Road and Park Street to allow 16 loft apartments to be divided into 32 apartments, and the amendment of the Edgewood Master Plan to allow lights, amplified sound and bleachers on the athletic field.  Edgewood's proposal is here. Construction may begin on the Peleton prior to the Plan Commission approval because there are no plans to alter the exterior so the developer can start construction if it's willing to assume the risk that the alteration is not approved so that it is limited to the as-approved structure.  The Heartland proposal has been delayed several times, and may be again as the developer and the city work out design, funding and management issues raised by problems at other Heartland properties on Rethke Avenue and Tree Lane.

The Vilas Park Master Planning process is scheduled to begin in 2019.  Information is here and interested residents are encouraged to participate.

Curbside leaf and yard waste collection for the fall of 2018 is ending.  The final guaranteed collection opportunity is ongoing.  While the Streets Division will try to provide at least one more curbside leaf collection this season for all residents of Madison, winter weather may prevent that from happening. To learn if you should put yard waste to the curb for the final guaranteed collection opportunity, go to www.cityofmadison.com/yardwaste and click on the blue "Pickup Schedule" button. Otherwis, residents should bring yard waste to one of the drop-off sites located at 1501 W. Badger Rd, 4602 Sycamore Ave, and 402 South Point Rd.  At present, the drop-off sites are open 8:30am to 4:30pm seven days a week and until 8:00pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Starting on Monday, December 3, the site located at 402 South Point Rd will be closed until March 30, 2019. The remaining drop-off sites at 1501 W. Badger Rd and 4602 Sycamore Ave will be open Monday to Friday 7:30am to 3:00pm.

Finally Monroe Street will reopen to two-way traffic some time this afternoon. The two-way Madison Metro schedule will resume on Thursday, however the holiday schedule will be in effect on Thursday and Friday. We will officially celebrate the grand reopening of the street on Saturday, December 1. This is going to be a very big event!  I includes a "Where's Wingra" treasure hunt for kids ages 2-10 that has 17 businesses participating, and an evening of Afterglow dining/drink specials aimed at attracting new young adult customers.

The schedule is as follows:
1. At 10:00 the bright red vintage Badger Trolleybus will depart from HotelRED with Santa, city officials, workers from Speedway Sand and Gravel and representatives of the Monroe St. Merchants Association on board . It will be led by four Cooper Mini reindeer as it drives to the far west end of Monroe Street and turns around so that it can stop at the west business district (location TBD) for a ribbon cutting, and then proceed to Monroe Commons (by Trader Joe's) for a second ribbon cutting.  
2. Santa will get off to greet children between 11:00 and 12:00
3. The trolley will give free rides until 2:00.
4. There will be two groups of carolers in the afternoon, one from Madison's Gilbert and Sullivan troupe The Savoyards, and the other the popular a cappella group The Ambulatones.
5. Henry the Lion, the mascot from the Zoo will be on Monroe Street from 1:00-2:00.

3 Sheeps IPS is releasing a Two Way IPA in honor of the completion of the roadwork that is an imperial IPA "brewed using a whirlpool addition of Citra hops and a dry hop of Sorachi Ace. The resulting beer is bursting with Citrus, Lemon. and slight woody notes."  
Instagift is going to do a special holiday promotion of the Monroe Street Gift Certificate program, with  bonus certificates for purchases (buy $100, get $25 free) made between November 22 and 27, and December 17-25.

Sorry for the length, but there was a lot of news.  Have a great Thanksgiving!  Allen

Greetings.  The recent federal disaster declaration for Dane County flooding makes certain relief available to persons who suffered damage in the flooding.  A Fact Sheet describing some of those benefits is here (Spanish).

As to neighborhood issues, I'm hosting a meeting at Neighborhood House on November 15 at 6:30 pm to discuss Hong Kong cafe's expansion plans and requested zoning ordinance change to allow outdoor activities in an adjoining lot. The zoning administrator's description of the nature and effect of the proposed change follows:

The current zoning regulations prohibit a new outdoor event associated with the Home Wisconsin Badger football games to be located on any lot within 50' of a lot in a residential zoning district.  In practice, this regulation prohibits any new use from being allowed on the south side of Regent Street, due to the proximity to lots zoned residential in the Vilas and Greenbush Neighborhoods.  This amendment allows an existing approved establishment, such as the Hong Kong Café,  to request an approval of their establishment to expand into an appropriately zoned adjacent lot, which is within 50' of a residentially zoned lot.  Note: The lot for expansion must be zoned commercial.
 
If the amendment were approved, where else would expansion be possible?
·       HotelRed. no expansion possible due to existing commercial buildings (Mickie's Dairy Bar, New Orleans Take-outs, Stadium Barbers).
·       Sconnie Bar.  No expansion to southwest, property is zoned residential.  Could request to expand to east, where former beauty supply business operated.
·       Campus cars.  Vacant lot to the south zoned commercial, could request to expand.  Note: vacant lot is owned by Lucky's 1313 partnership.
·       Rocky Rococco's. No expansion possible, adjacent property is zoned residential.
·       Hong Kong Café.  Lot with residential building to the south is zoned commercial.  Could expand to the south.  Currently exploring demolition of residential property and construction of parking facility for restaurant, along with expansion of gameday outdoor event.

Representatives of Hong Kong Cafe and City Planning and Zoning will be present.  Interested persons are invited to attend to ask questions and provide comment.

As to other matters, Heartland Housing is currently planning to submit its revised plans for Permanent Supportive Housing for Homeless Persons on November 21 for consideration by the Urban Design Commission on December 5 and the Plan Commission on December 17.  Edgewood is planning to submit its proposed amendment to its campus master plan to allow lights, bleachers and amplified sound on its athletic field on November 14, for consideration by the Plan Commission and Common Council in January 2019.  And T Wall is proposing a major alteration to its Peloton project to add 17 units by dividing existing proposed loft apartments, with no change in the exterior of the building.  This will also likely be before the Plan Commission in January 2019, although construction may begin beforehand, with the developer taking the risk of the alteration not being approved so that the building must be built according to the previously approved plans.

That's all for now.  Allen
 

Greetings.  This is a miscellaneous update of various items that may be of interest to 13th district residents.  First, from now until November 29, the city will pick up sandbags that are left on the curb.  The city is also removing the large sandbags near Monona Terrace, which may require walking bikes  in that area.  Second, we're in the middle of the annual city budget process. Other than that money for a Vilas Park master plan remains in the budget, nothing therein is particularly focused on this district, but let me know at this email address if there are items that concern you.  Third, the schedule for the Heartland proposed permanent supported housing for homeless persons planned for 1202 South Park Street is again delayed.  Heartland now plans to submit its revived plans November 21, with a December 5 Urban Design Commission hearing and a December 17 Plan Commission hearing.  Fourth, I moderated an October 17 neighborhood meeting focused on Edgewood's plans to make improvements to its athletic field.  The comments at this meeting, and the hundreds of emails that I've received on this topic, make clear that it's the subject of great interest and strong views in the western part of the district.  Presumably the issues will come into closer focus after Edgewood submits its plans to the city, around November 14.  This will likely come before the Plan Commission and Common Council in January 2019. Finally, Monroe Street is almost done.  Please continue to support Monroe Street merchants.  The lake levels are dropping.  And please vote.  Allen

This post relates to election-related information.

Early and absentee voting is going on for the fall elections at the City Clerk, Edgewood College, city libraries and other city facilities.  Hours and locations may be found at the below link.

http://www.cityofmadison.com/clerk/elections-voting/voting/vote-absentee/in-person-absentee-voting-hours-and-locations

As you know I won't seek reelection Anyone who is considering or interested in running for the soon to be open 13th district seat in early 2019 should take a look at the below link to a page on the Common Council website that discusses various issues relating to running for and serving as a Madison alder.

http://www.cityofmadison.com/Council/councilMembers/runForCouncil.cfm

That's all for now.  Allen

Greetings, as you probably know, I won't be running for election in the spring of 2019.  Pertinent dates for persons who plan to run are:

Saturday, December 1, 2018 will be the first day to circulate nomination papers.

Wednesday, January 2, 2019 is the day all nomination papers and forms are due in Clerk's Office.

Tuesday, February 19, 2019 is the primary date if there are more than two candidates.

Tuesday, April 2, 2019 is the spring election date.

Several well qualified 13th district residents have indicated an interest in running for this seat, which is great for the district.  I'm happy to chat with anyone who is considering running to give them the benefit of my limited experience in this position.

Also, the Heartland project at 1202 South Park will not be before the Urban Design Commissionwhich is the next step in its approval processuntil at least November 7 and I look forward to a robust neighborhood discussion about the Edgewood athletic field tomorrow (October 17, at 6:30 at the Edgewood High School Commons.

Finally, I hope we're nearing the day when the city tells us that it's ready to collect sandbags, and I'll let you know the specifics as soon as I learn them.

Enjoy the nice day.

Alle 

Greetings.  The City of Madison needs your help facilitating the right to vote on Tuesday, November 6! 

The City Clerk's Office needs to fill over 3,000 poll worker shifts for Election Day. Hundreds of vacancies remain unfilled.

Poll workers are paid an hourly living wage of $13.01. There are three shifts available: 6 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., 1 p.m. to approximately 9:30 p.m., or 6 a.m. to approximately 9:30 p.m. Poll workers will also be paid to attend one hour of training.

Poll workers must be eligible to vote in Dane County: at least 18 years old, a United States citizen, a resident of the county for at least 10 days, and not disqualified from voting.

Sign up online at http://www.cityofmadison.com/EO

Working at the polls is a rewarding way to give back to the community.  Please consider becoming a poll work.

Otherwise there's not a lot to add since my last update.  Hopefully it will be dry long enough for the lakes to drain.  They drain around 1/2 inch a day if it doesn't rain.  But an inch of rain will raise Lakes Monona and Wingra around 2-3 inches.

As to development proposals, there's a neighborhood meeting at the Edgewood High SchoolCommons on October 17 at 6:30 pmconcerning Edgewood's request to amend its campus plan to allow light on the high school athletic field.  Heartland Housing's proposed Permanent Supportive Housing for homeless persons at 1202 South Park st. was referred by the Urban Design Commission at its October 3 meeting to address setback, parking and other issues.  Initial approval by the UDC is necessary for the Plan Commission to consider this project, and so the schedule is on hold pending a resubmittal to UDC.  I'll keep you posted as to hearing dates on this project, which could be before the UDC as soon as October 24, but may await a later meeting.

That's all for now.  Allen

Well I really hoped to be done with flood updates.  However, we will be under a Flash Flooding Watch this evening, from 7PM through Saturday afternoon. We are predicted to get between 1-2 inches of rain this evening and into the morning. This Heavy rainfall on top of already saturated soil  and full storm sewers, especially in low areas, will bring the potential for flash flooding in the City of Madison.

In addition, historic lake levels continue to cause flooding in the isthmus. Lake Monona is still above the 100-year flood level. Additional rain could cause flooding that may lead to road closures and damage to personal property. Again, don't park in low lying areas, avoid driving when it's raining hard and be very careful navigating flooded areas

Residents and businesses in the isthmus area should not remove sandbags yet. There will be a curbside collection program for sandbags after the increased risk of flooding ends.

For more updates, please check http://www.cityofmadison.com/live-work/extreme-weather/flooding

In addition, there are two district development projects that are coming to a head.  First, Edgewood is seeking to amend its master plan to allow lights on its athletic field so it can host night football games. I have received many communications on both sides of this and think I understand the issues.  Edgewood contends that new lighting technology will prevent light pollution, that its sound system plans won't be unduly dispruptive to neighbors, that it has a good crowd and parking plan in place and that it will abide by reasonable restrictions limiting the number and times of night events. Neighbors are concerned that light, noise, cars and crowds will harm their quality of life.  There will be a neighborhood meeting on October 17 at 6:30 pm at the Edgewood Commons to provide information and neighborhood input on this proposal, which will then work its way through the city process, including Plan Commission and Common Council approval.  Interested residents should attend.

As to the east side of the district, Heartland Housing's Permanent Supported Housing for Homeless Persons proposal for 1202 South Park Street is scheduled to be before the Plan Commission on October 15, starting at 5:30 pm on Heartland's request for a conditional use permit, to allow the 58 unit apartment building to move forward.  One of the conditional use standards is whether the "uses, values and enjoyment of other property in the neighborhood for purposes already established will not be substantially impaired or diminished in any foreseeable manner by the project." Recent publicity about large volumes of police calls at Heartland's existing similar apartments on Rethke Avenue and Tree Lane has raised serious issues as to whether this standard is met by this project.  Interested residents and businesses should attend the Plan Commission meeting to express their views on this.

In addition, Madison Metro wants to know more about our riders, the trips they are taking and how the current service works for them. Information gathered is meant to provide a snapshot for staff to better understand Metro customers and their experience.

Online Surveyhttp://Online Survey
En Español https://En Español

Surveys can also be printed and mailed to:

Metro Transit

Attn: Passenger Survey

1245 E. Washington Ave. Suite 201

Madison, WI 53703

Print Links:
http://English Spanish Hmong Mandarin

That's all for now.  Allen

Greetings.  This is a general update on some pending issues.

Flooding.  The lakes have gone down about a foot, although they're still very high.  The city has asked that people retain sandbags until the lakes have dropped closer to normal levels.  There will then be a system to handle sandbag collection, although that may involve hauling them to the curb.  I'll let you know when it's time to do that.  There is also an interesting discussion at the neighborhood, city and county levels as to what should be done to mitigate flooding risk going forward, including changing storm sewer drains so they don't back up, lowering lake levels, storm water management, and making changes in channels so that the lakes drain faster, among other things.  These discussions have been pretty well publicized, but let me know if you want more information.

Development. A couple of development proposals that have generated a lot of interest are moving forward.

Edgewood has begun the process to amend its campus plan to light its athletic field to allow night football games.  Edgewood made a presentation to the Vilas Neighborhood Association this week and will present to the Dudgeon Monroe neighborhood association October 3 and to the Edgewood Liaison Committee October 8.  There will be a neighborhood meeting on November 17 starting at 6:30 pm to discuss these plans.  Because we're planning on a lot of people, the meeting will be in the Edgewood Commons.  Edgewood hopes to have the Plan Commission and Common Council consider the amendment in January 2019, which will involve additional public hearings.  I've received many communications on both sides of this issue and am particularly interested in what meaningful and enforceable conditions and limitations can be placed on any outdoor evening activities at the Edgewood athletic field to minimize adverse effects on nearby properties.

Heartland Housing is seeking a conditional use permit for permanent supported housing for homeless persons at 1202 South Park Street. This has been the subject of several neighborhood meetings, and is scheduled to go before the Urban Design Commssion on October 3 at 4:30 pm in room 354 of the City County building and before the Plan Commission on October 15 at 5:30 pm in room 201 of the City County building.  These meetings will have an opportunity for public comment. I have heard from many neighborhood residents and businesses about concerns with this project in light of recent police events at Heartland's existing permanent supported housing facilities on Rethke Avenue and Tree Lane in Madison and whether the proposals comply with the applicable urban design guidelines and conditional use standards, including the requirement that the project will not substantially impair the use, value or enjoyment of other property in the neighborhood.  The Urban Design Commission is advisory to the Plan Commission on design issues.  The Plan Commission makes the decision as to the conditional use permit, which can be appealed to the Common Council.

Dean/SSM is preparing a master plan for its Fish Hatchery Road property.  This may include the Truman Olson property directly south of the Pick N Save, which is owned by the city, as well as the Pick N Save property.  Alder Eskrich appointed a committee of neighborhood residents and businesses to review and comment on these plans, which is meeting September 27 at 5:30 at the Water Utility, 119 E. Olin Avenue. The city has established a committee to oversee the disposition of the Truman Olson property, which is awaiting further word from Dean/SSM as to its plans for the overall site.

There are some less controversial projects moving forward, including the reconstruction of the Chris Farley house at 810 Olin Avenue and a proposal to add on to the Hong Kong Cafe on Regent and Mills streets. 

Other possible items of interest are that a city funded master planning process will soon begin for Vilas Park and there are some changes to parking limitations on neighborhood streets between Park and Monroe streets to remove winter alternate parking restrictions but impose a weekly four hour no parking period to allow street sweeping.  Affected properties either have received or will receive a postcard from the city that discusses these changes in more detail.  Finally, the issue of whether the Confederate monument stays or is removed from Forest Hill Cemetary will be considered by the Common Council on October 2.

Feel free to email with questions or comments on any of the above.  Allen

Greetings.  Hopefully the rain will hold off sufficiently that we don't need any more flooding updates until the crisis is past, lakes are at normal levels and sandbags have been collected.  I'll let you know if that's not the case.

This is a resend of my update from an hour or so ago.  I guess some of the links didn't open because of my technical shortcomings.  So I'm trying again to include openable links.  Also, one item that I intended to put in the update but omitted is that the current schedule for the Peloton apartments at Fish Hatchery and Park Street is to have construction begin this fall, with a spring 2020 completion date.

There are many non-flood developments.  First, the city is in the midst of its budget process.  The mayor has submitted his capital budget and the operating budget will come soon.  I am proposing a capital budget amendment to restore funding to implement recommendations of the Vilas Park Master Plan.  Funding is in place to do the planning next year, but the executive budget removed funding that the Parks Department proposed to implement the recommendations of the plan, which my amendment seeks to restore.  Here is the Master Plan RFP.  I'll keep you posted on developments.

The city streets division is implementating changes to parking rules governing streets in an area bordered by Park, Regent, Monroe and Delaplaine to Vilas Park to Edgewood.  In order to clean the streets, neighborhood streets (but not the arterials that make up the border) will no longer be subject to winter alternate parking requirements but will instead have a year round no parking restriction in place for four hours per week to allow street cleaning.  The draft ordinance and explanatory postcard are here.

Several development projects are in the works.  The supportive housing at 1202 South Park St. is scheduled to go before the Urban Design Commission on October 3 and the Plan Commission on October 15.  Plans and the application are here. The Truman Olson committee is planning to meet October 1 at 6:30 pm at the Goodman Maintenance Facility on Wingra Creek Parkway to address the disposition of the property south of the Pick N Save.  Dean Clinic/SSM is starting a master plan for its Fish Hatchery road clinic and a neighborhood steering committee will be updated on those plans at a meeting on September 27 at 5 pm at the Water Utility building on Olin Avenue.  Edgewood High School submitted a notice that it wants to amend its campus plan so as to allow lights and sound at its athletic field. No schedule has been finalized for the review of this plan, but I expect that one will be shortly, and will include at least one neighborhood meeting as well as Plan Commission review.

That's it for now.  I hope the links work. Feel free to email with questions or comments.  Allen

On August 7, 2018 I was sworn in as the District 13 Alder, following the resignation of Sara Eskrich.  I was and am an enormous fan of Sara, and was truly sad to hear that her new job duties were incompatible with serving the district as alder.  I am confident we will hear of her again based upon her commitment to and aptitude for public service. 

The interim alder application and selection process was interesting.  I was one of twelve applicants for the position, which is appointed by the Common Council.  Eight applicants were interviewed by the Council Executive Committee, which is comprised of eight senior alders.  There was a two stage interview process, with all applicants first answering three questions supplied in advance, and then three semifinalists answering a question from each executive committee member.  Upon being selected, I was sworn in at, and participated in my first council meeting, the next night, August 7.

I live in the Bay Creek neighborhood with my wife, Betsy Erickson and my stepdaughters Claire and Ava Pevehouse.  You may see me walking my dog Casper around the neighborhood.  I have served on city and community boards, committees and commissions for many years, and so am generally comfortable with the city process, but there's a lot to learn.  I recently retired from the law firm of Foley & Lardner, where I was a trial attorney specializing in intellectual property and real estate cases.

I committed to not seek reelection, so my only goal is to serve this district as best I can until a newly elected Alder is sworn in in early April 2019.  If anyone is interested in running for the position, feel free to contact me with any questions.  I'm now working to get up to speed on issues affecting the district and hope to attend the meetings of all of the district neighborhood associations as soon as possible.  Please feel free to contact me by phone (608-515-2452) or email (district13@cityofmadison.com) with any questions or concerns.  I'll provide regular substantive updates of city business affecting the district.  I look forward to getting to know as many of you as possible over the next eight months.  

District 13 Interim Alder Update

The Common Council Executive Committee just recommended Allen Arntsen for appointment as Interim Alder for District 13. Pending confirmation by the entire Council, he will be sworn in tomorrow evening at the Council meeting and will serve through the April 2019 election. To read more about Allen, read his application materials here.

Thank you to all the applicants who stepped up and applied to serve!

From me, one last thank you for the opportunity to serve as your Alder. It has truly been my privilege. See you around the neighborhood!   

Neighbors - see below. Also feel free to contact me if you would like to discuss the open position. Thanks! Sara

City of Madison Common Council President Alder Samba Baldeh announced that he is accepting resumes from residents of the 13th Aldermanic District interested in filling the position to be vacated by Alderperson Sara Eskrich.  Alderperson Eskrich resigns from the Council effective August 8, 2018.  The person appointed will serve until a 13th District Alderperson is elected on April 2, 2019, and takes the official oath of office.

All resumes should be mailed or delivered to:

Common Council President

Ald. Samba Baldeh

Room 417, City-County Building

210 Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard

Madison WI 53703

Resumes may also be emailed to council@cityofmadison.com.  Please indicate District 13 vacancy application in the subject line of the email.

Resumes must be received no later than 12:00 noon on Friday, August 3, 2018.

Resumes should include:

•Name

•Address

•Home telephone number

•Work telephone number

•E-mail address

•A biographical resume should include education, work, neighborhood, and civic experience

•A statement on why the applicant wishes to serve

•A statement of what the applicant wants to accomplish

•A statement if the applicant plans to run for alderperson in the Spring 2019 election

The Common Council Executive Committee (CCEC) will review all resumes and interview applicants at a special meeting to be held on Monday, August 6, 2018, at 6:30 p.m. in Room 354, City-County Building (210 Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard). The CCEC will make an appointment recommendation to the Common Council to be acted upon at their August 7, 2018, meeting.

For more information contact Council President Alder Samba Baldeh, (608) 266-4071, district17@cityofmadison.com

Neighbors and Friends –

I am so thankful to have had the opportunity to have served you in District 13 over the past three years. I am writing to inform you of my resignation from the Common Council effective August 8, 2018.

I have accepted an executive position in Brookfield, WI, which will require my full attention. I am proud of all the work we have done together, and look forward to continuing to see our city prosper as a resident of Madison.

The Council President will begin soliciting applications shortly for appointment to the remainder of my term (until the next election in April). If you are interested in serving and want to find out more about the role, please email me. I'd love to schedule time to discuss.

All my best,

Sara

7/24/2018 Update

Greetings Neighbors – Updates below. Thanks!

Save the Date – August 23 from 5:30-7:30pm – Triangle Monona Bay Neighborhood Plan

We want to hear from residents! What would they like new housing and connections to look like? Starting tomorrow, there will be photo boards in the Triangle Monona Bay area – Gay Braxton office, Brittingham, Karabis, Parkside, Bayview Community Center where residents can view building types and street experience photos and tell us what they like and don't like.

• Open House II – August 23, Brittingham Cafeteria, 755 Braxton Place, 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. Primary objective of this open house will be to present draft urban design concepts and ask for feedback from the community. 

Have questions or comments? Please contact Linda Horvath of the City Planning Division at lhorvath@cityofmadison.com or 608-267-1131.

City Project Webpage:  http://www.cityofmadison.com/dpced/planning/triangle-monona-bay-plan/2569/

Make 2018 the year you "go solar" at home

In the past two years, eighty homeowners have installed solar with MadiSUN!  Join the MadiSUN group buy program in 2018 to save money on your energy bill by choosing a clean, renewable energy source.

Why should I go solar with MadiSUN?

LOWER COSTS

• Madison residents come together to purchase and install solar systems as a community. By buying together, we can lower the cost for each participant.

REBATES AND INCENTIVES 

• Thanks to improvements in solar technology, the cost of solar has never been better. Plus, homeowners can receive a Federal Tax Credit for 30% of the cost of their system and Wisconsin's Focus on Energy program offers up to $2,000 in additional rebates. New this year, homes that don't qualify for Focus on Energy Incentives can apply for a MadiSun rebate. MadiSUN also offers excellent financing terms through the new Solar Energy Loan Program, in partnership with Summit Credit Union.

SIMPLICITY 

• We've done the hard work for you! Utilizing a competitive process MadiSUN has selected solar installation contractors that provide high quality service and convenience at the most competitive prices. When participants sign up, MadiSUN refers them to the selected company for a free site assessment and customized proposal.

Interested in learning more??

SIGN UP!

After we hear from you a MadiSUN representative will follow-up with you to discuss if solar is viable for your home and guide you through a few simple steps to a solar powered home.

Sign up by September 16, 2018!

Please share this information with your friends, neighbors, and groups to help us spread the word!           

Contact Us

RENEW Wisconsin

222 South Hamilton

Madison, Wisconsin 53703

608-255-4044

info@renewwisconsin.org

Summer Events in the Area to be Aware of:

Football Family Fun Day

Reminder that Football Family Fun Day is scheduled to take place at Camp Randall on August 1st from 6:00pm-8:00pm.

Fans will enter the stadium thru Gates 1 and 10 and approximately 5,000 people are expected to attend.

For more information please visit the following link.

http://uwbadgers.com/news/2018/6/28/football-don-t-miss-family-fun-day-2018.aspx

If raining, event will be held indoors at the McClain Center.

No parking restrictions are in place for this event.

Crossfit Games

August 1 – 5, https://games.crossfit.com/

Additional Days and Times of local area usage for The CrossFit Games for your situational awareness. 

• Boat Ramp- August 4th and 5th- 6am - 3pm 
• Wingra Creek Bike Path- August 4th and 5th- 6am - 3pm (August 5th for both the boat ramp and bike path are weather backup days. If the weather is good on the 4th, we won't need to shut those areas down on the 5th)
• U.S. Coast Guard, Traverse City, MI - Helicopter Flyover - August 1, 8:45 am
• 115th Air National Guard, Madison, WI - F15's Flyover - August 4, 12 pm

FitBarge

In conjunction with Brittingham Boats, the FitBarge is a 40'x60' floating fitness platform that will be anchored in Lake Monona just off John Nolan Drive outside of the slalom ski course from 7/24 to 8/8. We are so excited by the opportunity to activate our lakes, highlight our city and focus on a healthy and active lifestyle. 

Please let me know if you would like to know more and a couple of key dates and events you should be aware of are:

• The Barges will be launched from Olin Boat Launch on 7/24 and removed on 8/8
• They will be in the water from the 24th to the 8th. 
• We will have programming from the 27th to the 6th from about 6:30 am (yoga) to 8 pm.
• Most people will access by paddle craft. 
• Classes & access to the barge is free
• A shuttle for class participants will run from Olin
• Most people will access by paddle craft from Brittingham but any person can come during open hrs.
• We do have two later events: On 7/29 we will have a guided paddle from Brittingham to the Fit Barge where a band will be playing. On Saturday 8/4 we will have Movie (Jaws) shown on the Barge from about 8 to 10 with everyone paddling back between 10:15 and 10:30 pm.

The best contacts during this event are:

Tyler Leeper, Brittingham Boats 608-695-8444

Stephan Reinkee, Brittingham Boats 608-622-3633

Mike Krawetz, Reebok 781-363-0493

Great Taste of the Midwest

Saturday, August 11, from Noon - 6:00 pm, at Olin Park

• There will be set-up activity beginning in the Park as early as Wednesday. The cleanup is usually finished around noon on Sunday, and the final pick-up of equipment by our vendors is typically completed on Monday morning. As was done the last several years the boat launch will be closed on Saturday.

Greetings Neighbors – Updates below. Thanks!

Street Closure--Glenway Street

Glenway Street will be closed between Monroe Street and Wyota Avenue from 7:00 a.m. on Tuesday, June 5 until 7:00 a.m. on Tuesday, June 12 for sanitary sewer installation as part of the Monroe Street reconstruction project. 

More information about the city reconstruction project can be found here: 

https://www.cityofmadison.com/engineering/projects/monroe-street

If you have any questions, direct them to Tom Mohr at 608-267-8725 or tmohr@cityofmadison.com.

Reminder - please feel free to join our monthly Triangle and Monona Bay Neighborhood Plan Ad-Hoc Steering Committee meetings. They are typically the first Wednesday of the month at 5:30 at Bayview or CDA housing. Check the legistar page for details (coming soon if not yet posted - this week we'll be meeting at Bayview).

SSM-Health Fish Hatchery Campus Redevelopment Steering Committee Kickoff Meeting

Tuesday, June 12 from 5-6:30pm

Labor Temple, 1602 South Park St, Rm 201A

All members of the community are welcome to attend to listen, but this meeting will be a preliminary meeting for the Steering Committee members to participate. 

Alcohol License – Burgrito's on Monroe Street  

ALRC Meeting June 20 at 5:30pm

City-County Building, 210 MLK Jr. Blvd, Rm 201

Burgrito's at 1835 Monroe Street is applying for an alcohol license. You can find their application and supplemental materials linked. Please contact me or Darin Laby (darin@burgritos.com) with any questions.

Heartland Housing Neighborhood Meeting

Thursday, June 21, 2018 6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.

Madison Water Utility, 119 E. Olin Avenue

Please join me, City staff from Real Estate, Planning and Engineering, and representatives from Heartland Housing to discuss Heartland's proposal for 1202 S. Park Street. We will review the information presented last year, including: an overview of the City's affordable housing plan, process and funding support; an update on the process/project status for Heartland's proposal; an overview of the underlying zoning and plan; an overview of Heartland's proposal, including building design and use, programming and supportive services; and an update about alternative sites.

City of Madison Launches 2018 Solar Programs for Homes & Businesses

http://www.madisunsolar.com/

• The Madison Group Buy for Homes program will run for the third consecutive year in 2018, aiming to help 30-40 more Madison residents install solar panels.  Solar installation costs have dropped significantly in the past decade, and along with federal and state incentives, a homeowner can expect to recover their investment in 8-10 years. 
• New for 2018, the MadiSUN Solar for Business Program.  Along with education and business-to-business communication, the program will have a $30,000 fund of rebates to further incentivize Madison businesses to pursue solar.

Community education sessions have already been scheduled which are free for the public to attend and learn more:

• Wednesday, June 6, Beth Israel Center, 1406 Mound Street, 6:00 pm
• Tuesday, June 26, Goodman Community Center, 149 Waubesa Street, 6:00 pm
• Tuesday, July 24, Vintage Brewing Company, 674 South Whitney Way, 6:00 pm

Interested citizens and businesses should learn more atwww.madisunsolar.com and sign up with the "I'm Interested" form. 

2018 City's Healthy Retail Access Program (HRAP)

https://www.cityofmadison.com/mayor/priorities/food/healthy-food-retail-underserved-neighborhoods/healthy-retail-access-program

This year's program makes funds available for healthy retail projects that aim to improve access to affordable, healthy, and culturally appropriate retail within underserved areas. The 2018 Healthy Retail Access Program was created by the Healthy Retail Work Group of the Madison Food Policy Council with the mission of accomplishing the following goals:

• Increase the availability of healthy food
• Improve access to existing grocery retailers
• Provide new affordable grocery distribution options
• Assist in marketing healthy food
• Plan for new healthy retail

For more information, contact George Reistad, Food Policy Director at 608.266.4611 or greistad@cityofmadison.com.

Funk Factory Events

Funk Factory Guzeria will be holding outdoor events with music on June 23 and August 10. There are no further details at this time.

Truman Olson Selection Committee Meeting on Tuesday, May 29th - CANCELED

Today, the City received a joint request from the Hovde / SSM team and the Welton team (collectively, the "Development Teams") to request a 30 day pause in the selection process for Truman Olson.  Their request indicated that they have been discussing opportunities for a joint proposal for the Truman Olson site that would allow it to be master planned in conjunction with SSM Health's Fish Hatchery Clinic.  In order to further explore these opportunities, the teams requested that the City pause the current planning and review process for the Truman Olson site.  This pause will enable the teams to discuss and agree upon details that would be included in a Memorandum of Understanding signed by all parties.  This opportunity to plan for this area of the Southside will enable development to better meet the vision outlined in the Wingra BUILD Plan.  

The Truman Olson Selection Committee meeting scheduled for Tuesday, May 29th, has been canceled.  This will allow the Development Teams time to further refine their plans for the Truman Olson site and the surrounding area.  The Committee will reconvene at a future date to receive an update from the Development Teams and discuss a process for moving forward. 

https://madison.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=A&ID=602964&GUID=53B829DD-3B0F-44D8-AC05-2480001EEC6B

5/6/3018 Update

Hi Neighbors – there are many updates below. Please take a read-through. Thanks!

Park Street / Fish Hatchery / Wingra Creek Triangle (Wingra BUILD Plan Area) Updates

Cedar Street Meeting

Wednesday, May 16 from 7:00 – 8:00pm

Madison Water Utility Conference Room, 119 E. Olin Drive

Please join me and city staff to discuss the Wingra Build Plan and the proposed Cedar Street connection across Park Street to Fish Hatchery.

MADISON POLICE DEPARTMENT CHIEF KOVAL'S COMMUNITY FORUM AND TRIANGLE AND MONONA BAY NEIGHBORHOOD PUBLIC SAFETY UPDATE

Wednesday, May 9, 2018 from 6:30-8:00pm

Bayview Community Center, Upstairs Community Room

Please join Madison Police Chief Michael Koval for a community forum where he will discuss concerns specific to the South District. This is a great opportunity to listen to the Chief, ask questions, discuss concerns and hear about what the police are doing in our community. Ald. Sara Eskrich and South District Police Captain John Patterson will start the meeting with an update on recent late night public safety concerns in the 500 block of South Park Street. Spanish and Hmong interpretation will be available.

Monroe Street Parking at Edgewood

Thanks to Edgewood for offering parking to neighbors during Monroe Street reconstruction (during the summer months). See their program details below.

Neighborly Campus Parking Permit Program

Guest's seeking parking must obtain a permit at Edgewood College Campus Assistance Center (Predolin Hall, open 24 hours) or the Security Office (Weber Hall)  (1000 Edgewood College Drive, 608.663.4861)

• Permits will be available beginning May 11th, 2018.  Permits will not be available after August 15th
• Permits must be obtained in person
• You will be asked to provide your address, email address, vehicle description and license plate information and immediate contact phone number.
• Dates for request must be provided as well

Passes will be good for 10 days – if a longer period of time is needed, you would reapply for a new permit

The staff at the Campus Assistance Center or Security Office will notify you were to park

• This is subject to change based on asphalt / road / concrete/ striping / curb and gutter work that may occur in parking College / High School parking lots
  • Timing of this work is subject to change based on weather, campus events, Farmer's Market, etc.....
• You may be required to relocate your vehicle at any time during your approval period.

Parking will be limited to neighbors with access directly off Monroe Street or within 2 blocks if on a side street

• During certain periods, limited parking will be available.  Permits may be denied based on space and will be given out on a first-come-first-serve basis.
• Permits will be free of charge.

Annual Madison Compost Bin and Rain Barrel Truckload Sale!

Saturday, May 12th from 10am-2pm, Alliant Energy Center parking lot

http://www.cityofmadison.com/streets/compost/CompostBinSale.cfm

Truckload Sale! 
Save More: Pre-order by May 1 and save an additional $10 

Make 2018 the year you FINALLY join the thousands of Madisonians that have participated in the annual Madison Compost Bin and Rain Barrel Sale. 

When it comes to easy, cost-effective ways to lessen your impact on the planet, rain barrels and compost bins provide an eco one-two for your home! Harvesting rainwater for your plants saves money and reduces stormwater run-off into local waterways. It is estimated that our urban communities contribute about 30% of the total phosphorus that enter in lakes Mendota, Monona, Waubesa, Kegonsa, and Wingra from runoff. 

For more information visit: http://www.cityofmadison.com/streets/compost/CompostBinSale.cfm

Extra Yard Waste Collection Round this Season

The Streets Division will conduct one extra official round of yard waste collection this spring.

The very cold and snowy start to spring has certainly caused  delays in getting material to the curb, so crews will perform one additional round this season.  Rather than the typical two collection opportunities, this year residents will receive three official collection opportunities.

After completion of the third collection round, curbside yard waste pickup will end until the start of the fall leaf collection season.

Residents who wish to utilize the curbside collection of yard waste should go to the yard waste website (www.cityofmadison.com/yardwaste) and click on the Pickup Schedule button to learn when to place material to the curb.  The Pickup Schedule map is updated daily during the official collection season, and will remain updated during the extra collection round of yard waste.

On the yard waste website, residents can learn how they should place material out for pickup. These guidelines can also be found on our short YouTube video that explains the yard waste collection process.

Residents can call the yard waste collection hotline at 608-267-2088 to learn when crews may be in an area for collection. The hotline recording is updated once a week and provides residents an estimate of where crews will be working.

Residents can also contact the Streets Division office that services their home for information.  Those who live east of S. Park Street, including the isthmus, should call 608-246-4532.  Residents who live west of S. Park Street should call 608-266-4681.

Madison's Budget Process 101

What to get the basics of the budget process? The City of Madison prepares an annual Operating Budget, Capital Budget, and Capital Improvement Plan. The Operating Budget funds the day-to-day activities of the City while the Capital Budget funds major construction projects including building & renovating facilities, road sidewalk & bike path projects, enhancements to the City's transportation network, and major improvements to parks and utilities. See the flyer for an overview!

Historic Preservation Plan Community Gatherings

May 21st: 6:00pm - 7:30pm at East High School (2222 E Washington Avenue), Room 1042 LMC Gold

http://www.cityofmadison.com/dpced/planning/the-historic-preservation-plan/1761/

The City of Madison will host two public meetings to discuss community goals and objectives on May 3 and May 21, 2018. The meetings will include presentations by City staff and the consultant team to describe the findings from the previous meetings and engage the public in conversations about the desired outcomes of the project. The meetings will also include interactive activities and smaller group discussions.

Eviction Defense Project Opens, Providing Free Civil Legal Aid

Legal Action of Wisconsin launches new program to help stabilize housing for families facing eviction in Dane County

How to Get Help

We strongly urge Dane County tenants facing eviction to contact attorney Heidi Wegleitner (608-620-2002 or hmw@legalaction.org) or paralegal Rebeka Pritchett (608-620-2014 or rgp@legalaction.org) *before* their first Tuesday court date.

Tenants may also visit the EDP in-person at the Dane County courthouse on Tuesdays. Arrive at least 30 minutes before your hearing time to request help from our volunteer attorneys.

The Eviction Defense Project is housed at the Dane County courthouse:

215 S Hamilton St Basement level

Tuesdays, beginning at 8:30 a.m.

EDP's free civil legal aid provided by volunteer attorneys and law students may include brief legal advice, assistance negotiating settlement with landlord, assistance preparing court documents, and in-court representation.

How to Volunteer to Provide Assistance

Attorneys who are interested in becoming a volunteer at the Eviction Defense Project are encouraged to contact attorney Heidi Wegleitner hmw@legalaction.org All civil legal aid provided through the EDP is limited in scope and duration. Please contact the EDP with any questions or requests for additional information.

Legal Action of Wisconsin

Legal Action of Wisconsin is a non-profit law firm which provides free representation on civil legal problems to low-income individuals in 39 southern Wisconsin Counties.

Ride the Drive

Sunday, June 3 from 11am – 3pm

Join us for the 10th annual Ride the Drive! Streets will close from 9:30am-4pm. The event link can be found here: http://www.cityofmadison.com/parks/ridethedrive/

4/7/3018 Update

Hi Neighbors – there are many updates below. Please take a read-through. Thanks!

Park Street / Fish Hatchery / Wingra Creek Triangle (Wingra BUILD Plan Area) Updates

There will soon be a flurry of activity in the Park Street corridor. I will work with neighbors and businesses to facilitate processes that provide for regular updates through multiple modes (email, website, mail, BCNA newsletter, and in-person meetings), meaningful input opportunities, and streamlined in-person meetings to help people with limited time participate.

Truman Olson

The city has created a website specifically for the Truman Olson site RFP process. This will be our key location for updates and materials. RFP responses are due April 13. The non-financial (non-proprietary) parts of the submitted responses will be available online ASAP post-receipt.

We have a Selection Committee, on which I and Alder Carter serve (as neighborhood representatives), that will be reviewing the RFPs and making recommendations. We are coordinating this group to meet in conjunction with neighborhood meetings/input opportunities. This will allow members of the selection committee to hear the developer updates and neighborhood feedback directly, streamlining communication. The evening meetings will serve primarily as an opportunity for plan presentation and feedback (for neighbors, nearby businesses, and selection committee members), while the daytime meetings will be primarily an opportunity for the selection committee to discuss financial details (in closed session, as needed). Dates below:

• April 26, 2018 - 6:30 PM (Goodman Maintenance Facility)
• May 3, 2018 - Noon - (30 West Mifflin St, Room 1000 B)
• May 29, 2018 - 6:30 PM (Goodman Maintenance Facility)
• June 21, 2018 - Noon (City County Building, Room 108 - Parks Dept Conf Room)
• July 18, 2018 - 6:30 PM (Goodman Maintenance Facility)     

Questions can be directed to me or to our city staff point person, Dan Rolfs ((608) 267-8722
drolfs@cityofmadison.com).

SSM – Dean Fish Hatchery Clinic (FHC) Redevelopment

I am in the process of convening a Steering Committee of neighbors (both business and residential) that will be responsible for supporting an inclusive engagement process and providing feedback on the FHC master plan and clinic building design. There will be four neighborhood meetings (times/dates TBD) throughout the spring, summer, and fall. We expect SSM to submit a response to the Truman Olson RFP, so there will likely be overlap between the Truman Olson public input opportunities and SSM – FHC opportunities.

1202 South Park Street – Heartland Housing

WHEDA authorized tax credits for the proposed Heartland Housing Permanent Supportive Housing project at 1202 South Park Street. The project and plans have not progressed since the last neighborhood meetings in December 2016 and January 2017, as they were awaiting this financing. Now, Heartland is wrapping up their project at Tree Lane with the city, and we will schedule public meetings in conjunction with their land use application as soon as they are ready to move forward.

Lucky's 1313 Brewpub

There is a proposed conditional use application and change to the alcohol license at 1313 Regent Street, to accommodate two volleyball courts and use the banquet space in conjunction with the restaurant space more often. This is an updated application from the one we held a neighborhood meeting on last year. The applications to the ALRC can be found here: change of premise and change of conditions. Please see the summary of this year's request below:

Volleyball:

• 2 courts with play completed by 10:00 PM
• No amplified sound
• No whistles will be used
• Capacity increased from 58 to 82 on the patio and courts
• Service bar on the patio
• Area will be fenced with an 8' fence of solid materials

Expanded use of banquet hall:

• Rent/use the entire facility as one if closed to the public (had a request a year ago from Coaches vs. Cancer).
• Permitted to use the entire facility as one for a limited number of events.  Max of 24 per year and a max of 2 in a week and 4 in a month.

This will be reviewed at the ALRC on Wednesday, April 18 at 5:30pm and Plan Commission on Monday, April 23 at 5:30pm. I will be requesting a more limited increase in permitting use of the entire facility. Please send me any comments or questions in advance of these meetings. You can also contact the owner, Rod Ripley (rodripley@gmail.com, 608-279-4163), directly for clarification on the requests.

Poetry on Monroe Street Sidewalks

Due to popular demand, the City of Madison anticipates stamping poetry into sidewalks along Monroe Street during the reconstruction. But as you all are well aware, construction is underway and we need to get stampin'.

The Madison Arts Commission will review proposed poetry selections for Monroe Street at their next meeting on Tuesday, March 10, 2018 at 5:00 pm in room 557 of the City-County Building (210 Martin Luther King Jr Blvd).

Members of the public are welcome to attend that meeting in support or to express an objection to the selections. For those who are unable to attend but would like MAC members to consider comments, please email madisonarts@cityofmadison.com before 10 am on Tuesday, March 10. Your comments (with your name) will be compiled and distributed to MAC as well as entered into the permanent public record.

If you have any questions about this project, please email madisonarts@cityofmadison.com.

La Hacienda Update

In follow-up from our meeting regarding public safety along Park Street, MPD met with La Hacienda this week regarding their proposed changes to promote safer late-night service. They will be installing security cameras both inside and outside the restaurant, and have agreed to adjust closing hours to 2am (from 4am) from May 25 through a reassessment in the fall, to see if this addresses issues. If there are any further significant incidents/calls prior to May 25, La Hacienda will adjust their hours immediately. This is a proposed compromise, as approximately 60% of the calls for service have been between 2-4am. I greatly appreciate neighbors and La Hacienda coming together to discuss these challenges and work to find solutions.

Their alcohol license will be part of the separation hearing in May, so we will be scheduling another neighborhood meeting in early May to discuss the proposed changes to hours and operations. Please stay tuned for a date and time.

Historic Preservation Plan

Wednesday April 11th at 6:30pm, John Wall Family Pavilion in Tenney Park at 402 N Thornton Avenue

www.cityofmadison.com/historicpreservationplan

The next Historic Preservation Plan Advisory Committee meeting is scheduled for Wednesday April 11, 2018 at 6:30 PM at the John Wall Family Pavilion in Tenney Park at 402 N Thornton Avenue.  The Advisory Committee will learn about benefits of City plans and discuss how the Historic Preservation Plan can go beyond the typical plan to be uniquely Madison. The meeting agenda can be found here.

In order to stay up to date on the progress of the Historic Preservation Plan or to get involved in the process, please visit the Historic Preservation Plan web page for updates and information:www.cityofmadison.com/historicpreservationplan or email historicpreservation@cityofmadison.com .

Visit us on Facebook!

Annual Madison Compost Bin and Rain Barrel Truckload Sale!

Saturday, May 12th from 10am-2pm, Alliant Energy Center parking lot

http://www.cityofmadison.com/streets/compost/CompostBinSale.cfm

Truckload Sale! 
Save More: Pre-order by May 1 and save an additional $10 

Make 2018 the year you FINALLY join the thousands of Madisonians that have participated in the annual Madison Compost Bin and Rain Barrel Sale. 

When it comes to easy, cost-effective ways to lessen your impact on the planet, rain barrels and compost bins provide an eco one-two for your home! Harvesting rainwater for your plants saves money and reduces stormwater run-off into local waterways. It is estimated that our urban communities contribute about 30% of the total phosphorus that enter in lakes Mendota, Monona, Waubesa, Kegonsa, and Wingra from runoff. 

For more information visit: http://www.cityofmadison.com/streets/compost/CompostBinSale.cfm

City of Madison "My Account" Subscriber Lists

https://my.cityofmadison.com/

You can subscribe to email lists and Alert Madison to receive information, alerts, notifications, and updates on an array of city-related issues. When you subscribe, you can choose to receive information from governmental officials, neighborhood-related news such as conferences, grants, or current planning projects, or from particular agencies such as Engineering, Parks, Police and many more.  This is a great way to stay informed!  

SAVE the Date: 2018 City of Madison's Mayor's Neighborhood Conference

Saturday, November 17, 2018, Monona Terrace Community Convention Center

Mark your calendars for this day long event!  Workshop schedule, registration and other details will be posted by mid-September on the City's Neighborhoods website, email us at

neighborhoods@cityofmadison.com or you could call us at (608) 267-8727. You can also receive updates on the City's My Account – subscribe to Neighborhood Conferences, Roundtables & Training.  See you this Fall!

4/1/3018 Update

Happy holidays and happy spring, all! Please see updates below.

Funk Factory Outdoor Seating Conditional Use Proposal

Monday, April 2nd at 5:30pm, City-County Building, 210 MLK Jr. Blvd, Rm 201, Plan Commission

The taproom at 1602 Gilson street is proposing to add two small outdoor patios. There has been significant conversation and negotiation between the BCNA P&ED committee (with near-neighbors) and the applicant. The staff report on this project is incredibly thorough and proposes conditions of approval that, I believe, strike the right balance between the applicant and near-neighbors. My comments are here. Additional comments can be shared with the Plan Commission directly by emailing Sydney Prusak (sprusak@cityofmadison.com).

Street Use Events – Listening Session

What:    City of Madison Listening Session about Street Use Events with Neighborhoods & Residents

When:   Thursday, April 5,  6-8 pm

Where:  Goodman Parks Facilities Building, 1402 Wingra Creek Parkway (off Olin Av), First floor meeting room.  Google Maps: Goodman Parks Facilities Building

This facility is served by Metro Transit Route 13: http://www.cityofmadison.com/metro/schedules/Route13/index.cfm

The City of Madison is fortunate to have an abundance of festivals, runs, concerts, marches, and other outdoor activities planned on the isthmus each year.  However, that also brings challenges for City staff, budgets, Metro bus riders, neighbors, and visitors.  The City of Madison is engaged in an analysis of special events in the downtown area and your feedback is requested.

Who should attend?  Anyone who attends or is impacted by City Street Use Events, Festivals, and Marches – especially those downtown on the Isthmus.  City staff will give an overview of concerns about events reaching a "maximum capacity" and facilitate a discussion to learn your concerns and ideas for the future of events downtown. This includes festivals, races, parades, marches, and demonstrations that close down a City street in the downtown area.  (This meeting is not focused on events that are just held in City Parks.)  This is part of a Racial Equity and Social Justice Analyses of the permitting process for special events on City streets.

We look forward to a continued collaborative effort as we plan for the future of outdoor activities in downtown Madison.  You are an important voice in this process and we want to hear from you.  Our discussion will consider issues such as the number, location, size, and length (time and number of days) of events, particularly those on the isthmus, and the impact this has on residents, businesses and city services, staff, and resources. We look forward to your insights. 

Please use this email, madisonevents@cityofmadison.com, if you have questions or comments.  Hope to see you April 5! 

Edgewood Events to Note

On the afternoon of Monday, April 9, 2018, Edgewood High School will be hosting a pre-Prom drivers' awareness event entitled "Project Prom" that will involve the property in the front of the high school.  The activities include a mock car accident scene involving several of our students that demonstrates the unfortunate results that can be related to texting and driving.  We are working with the Madison Fire Department, Dane County Sheriff's Office, and Medflight - all of which will be part of the mock accident scenario being enacted.

"Party with a Purpose" will be held in the Regina parking lot on Friday, May 4th. Amplified sound will be used from approximately 4:00pm to 7:00pm. The Edgedome will be used as back-up for inclement weather. 

There will be controlled burns of the prairie/rain gardens on campus. The burns will occur when the conditions are adequate.  Because the weather conditions vary daily, it is difficult to pinpoint an exact date and time for the burns.  The College has the appropriate Natural Lawn Burn Permit issued by the City of Madison.  The permit is valid until June 30, 2018. 

Gardens at Marshall Hall, Dominican Hall, Siena Apartments, and the Edgedome may be burned.  Areas will not be burned simultaneously; each garden will be burned individually, and when the fire is completely extinguished, the next garden will be started.  There will be a minimum of two experienced staff members present.  Each garden will be back-burned and water hoses will be at each garden to ensure the fire stays under control.

Monroe Street Construction – Extra Bike Parking and Car Parking Evenings/Overnight in Wingra Lot – So please keep visiting our shops and restaurants!

The City has/will install temporary bike racks in two locations.  The benefit of these locations was that the amount of temporary concrete and terrace disturbance could be minimized.  A bike rack has been set-up adjacent to the Monroe Art Center building at 2526 Monroe St. and another one will be installed with-in the plaza adjacent to the Monroe Commons & Trader Joes's (1802 Monroe St., Spooner St. side of the building)  These will be the larger, multi-stall bike racks, as opposed to just the post and rings.

Parking in the evening and overnight in the Wingra Lot is FREE! Payment for parking is only required from 8am – 6pm. Please see more information on the website: http://www.cityofmadison.com/parking-utility/garages-lots/wingra-lot

Volunteer to help the Park/Regent Street Corridor Business Walk!

A BUSINESS WALK is an economic development tool that, in a short amount of time, allows 50+ business and civic leaders to get a pulse of the business environment in their community.

Following the walk a report is created and the results are used to advocate for needed changes or ways in which successful ideas may be replicated.

Economic professionals also used the information to help identify businesses that may require or are interested in further outreach activities or support.

Typically each Business Walk touches over 200 businesses in three hours. 

Here is a short video about the program: https://youtu.be/RGjcYj_3k_o

Volunteers: Register below to become a Business Walk Walker.

Date: April 18th, 2018

Start Location: Madison Labor Temple Lounge - 1602 S Park St #106, Madison, WI 53715

Day of Timeline: 
7:30 a.m. - Registration/Breakfast 
8:00 - 9:00 a.m. - Program Start (Training) 
9:00 - 12:00 p.m. - Business Walk (Economic Development) 
12:00 - 1:30 p.m - Lunch/Debrief Discussion

If you are available and interested in becoming a Park/Regent Street Corridor Business Walk Walker please register below. Space is limited.

Please note that volunteering is by invite only. REGISTER HERE!

Prescribed Burns

This year, the City of Madison Parks Division and Engineering Division will be conducting prescribed burns on areas of existing native vegetation.  Prescribed burns are an important management tool for Wisconsin's native plant communities.

Prescribed burns that will occur in our area include:

·        Brittingham Park shoreline native vegetation area (between Brittingham Place and the fishing pier)

·        Goodman Park raingardens (primarily along Wingra Creek Parkway)

·        Olin Park raingarden

·        Commonwealth pollinator garden

The prescribed burn Project Manager will mail postcards to residents in the coming days to remind them to anticipate a prescribed burn in their neighborhood. As in the past, the Dane County Emergency Management automated phone call system will be used to notify relevant neighbors on mornings when we will be burning.

These burns will be conducted by certified professionals with a permit from the Madison Fire Department. The burns will only take place under specific weather conditions in order to manage smoke and minimize impacts to neighbors. In addition, the burn professionals will install appropriate road signage on the day of the burn. 

A list of project contacts and more information is on our website at:

https://www.cityofmadison.com/parks/projects/2018-prescribed-burns-0

April 2 Starts Curbside Yard Waste and Brush Pickup 

On Monday, April 2, the Streets Division will begin curbside yard waste pickup for the spring.  There are two curbside collection opportunities during the spring pickup window.  After both collection opportunities occur, curbside yard waste collection will end until the autumn leaf collection season.

Residents who want to know when to place material to the curb to ensure collection during the spring pickup window are encouraged to visit the Streets Division's yard waste website, www.cityofmadison.com/yardwaste, and click on Pickup Schedule. The Pickup Schedule shows where crews are working and which areas of Madison should place yard waste to the curb.

Once on the Pickup Schedule webpage, residents can enter their address in the "Find an Address" field in the top left corner of the site. This will zoom the map to their neighborhood and show their current collection status.

The Pickup Schedule is updated daily when curbside collection is active. Residents wishing to know the most current information regarding the whereabouts of crews and the collection status of their neighborhood should check the Pickup Schedule website regularly.

Residents can also call the brush and yard waste collection hotline at 608-267-2088 for estimates on collection. The hotline recording is updated weekly.

What is Yard Waste?

Yard waste is plant material.  Examples include pulled weeds, fallen leaves, and other plant debris.  Yard waste also includes pumpkins, crabapples, black walnuts, pine cones, vines, and even twigs that are less than 18 inches long.

How Yard Waste Should Be Prepared for Collection

When setting out yard waste, residents can pile the material loose on the terrace or curbside.  Residents can also place yard waste into open compostable paper bags, or in open plastic bags.  If bags are used, they must be open at the top.  Yard waste can also be placed under a tarp to prevent it from blowing.

Do not place yard waste in the street or gutter.  Yard waste in the street creates a nutrient-rich runoff that leads to algae blooms and weed growth in the lakes. Yard waste piles in the street can also clog storm drains, which may lead to street ponding during rainstorms.

Yard waste piles should be placed away from obstructions such a trees, utilities poles, mailboxes, and fire hydrants.

And, do not mix brush with yard waste. Brush is a separate collection process than yard waste. Piles of brush and yard waste folded together will not be collected.

More information about preparing yard waste for pickup can be found on the Streets Division website, or by watching the "How to Prepare Yard Waste for Pick-Up" video on the City of Madison YouTube channel.

On Monday, April 2, the Streets Division will begin curbside brush collection.  Curbside collection should last from April through the end September. Residents will have multiple opportunities for curbside brush pickup during collection season. The official final round of brush collection is weather dependent and will be announced when that date is known.

What is Brush?

Brush is woody material trimmed from trees, shrubs, and bushes that measure over 18 inches in length. 

How is Brush Collected?

A two-person crew collects brush. Material is picked from the terrace by hand then fed into a wood chipper.  With this in mind, there are collection guidelines to follow to ensure the safety and efficiency of the workers.

Brush Guidelines

In order for brush to be collected at the curb, it must not be longer than 8 feet in length, and must not be thicker than 8 inches in diameter.

Brush should be piled on an open area of the terrace away from trees, utility poles, and other obstructions.

Be sure to pile brush with cut ends facing the same direction, and separate brush from any foreign objects like loose dirt, metal, wire, rocks, and items set out for large item pickup.

Do not put brush into bags, boxes, or any receptacle. Brush placed into a container will not be collected.  Smaller brush piles may be bundled with string or twine. Bundles must be shorter than 4 feet in length and must not weigh more than 40 pounds.  Oversized bundles, and brush bundled with wire, will not be collected.

Do not pile brush in the street, or obstruct the sidewalk.

Also, do not mix brush with yard waste.  Brush is a separate collection than yard waste, so the piles must be kept separate.  Piles with material mixed together will not be collected.

Finally, the Streets Division will not collect brush that has been cut by a contractor.  Contractors who trim trees, shrubs, and bushes must haul the material their work created to an appropriate processing facility.

Special Note: Large Brush Piles

Piles that will take chipper crews longer than 10 minutes to process will be assigned to a one-man crane vehicle to collect. The crane vehicle, also called a "clam", will typically arrive within three business days of the chipper crew.

Drop-off Sites

Residents and taxpayers can also use the City of Madison drop-off facilities.  Brush can be delivered to 1501 W. Badger Rd. or 4602 Sycamore Ave. 

Both drop-off sites will be open seven days a week starting March 31.  On Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays the sites will be open 8:30am to 4:30pm.  On Tuesdays and Thursdays, the sites will be open 8:30am to 8:00pm.  These hours will remain in place until December 2, 2018.

Residents and taxpayers are restricted to one load a day.  The maximum load accepted is the equivalent of one pickup truck, or an 8 foot by 4 foot trailer.   Residents and taxpayers attempting to bring in more than this during one trip will be denied access.

All users of the drop-off site are expected to show proof of residency or taxpayer status to use the site.

Contractors may not use these drop-off sites to dispose of material.

For more information regarding the drop-off facilities, and other Streets Division services, please visit www.cityofmadison.com/streets.

Brush Processing Center

Contractors who cut brush from parcels within the City of Madison can deliver brush to the processing center at 121 E. Olin Ave. to be chipped for a per ton fee.  Madison residents who cut brush from a city parcel can also elect to deliver brush to the processing center. 

Mulch is also available at this location.  More information regarding fees for mulch can be found on the Brush Processing Center's page of the Streets Division's website.

More Information

For more information regarding the drop-off facilities, curbside collection, and other Streets Division services, please visit www.cityofmadison.com/streets.

3/7/2018 Update

Triangle and Monona Bay Area Safety Meeting

We had a very productive and positive conversation last Thursday night at Bayview regarding neighborhood safety, particularly late night activity around La Hacienda. Captain Patterson presented this PowerPoint with some great starting point data. The La Hacienda owners joined us for the meeting and are interested in being part of the solution. We left the meeting either the following next steps:

• La Hacienda will continue working with MPD to improve safety in and around the restaurant. The La Hacienda owners agreed to detail the actions which they are willing to undertake. I will circulate those proposals to the neighbors and the police far enough in advance of the ALRC separation decision-making, so as to allow all of us to reconvene to discuss the proposals and to suggest modifications well before the ALRC deadline.  If the proposals are not adequate to address the issues, or if they are not adequately implemented, we could the request the 2 AM closing time.
• Neighbors should please call MPD when you hear or see issues, so we are getting accurate data on incidents (and they can respond). Non-emergency is (608) 255-2345 and emergent issues should use 911.
• I will be scheduling a follow up meeting in late March/early April. 

Thanks again to everyone for participating in this important conversation.

Clean Streets / Clean Lakes in Greenbush

At the recent Greenbush Neighborhood Council meeting we discussed parking restrictions and expanding the Clean Streets / Clean Lakes program to certain narrow and one-sided parking areas in Greenbush, including Delaplanie, St. James, Wingra, Hoven Court, Eberhardt Court, and the 500 block of S Randall. 

As you may know, the Clean Streets/Clean Lakes Program prohibits parking one morning a week on blocks with no alternate side parking. Adding these street to the year-round program allows the Streets Department weekly access to the curb throughout the year.  Changing to a year-round program will improve the Streets Division's ability to perform snow removal and street maintenance.  It also improves the water quality of our lakes by keeping our streets clean in the summer.

This program has already been successfully implemented in the several areas throughout the city.

If you have any questions and/or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me or city staff (Stefanie Niesen, sniesen@cityofmadison.com, 608-266-4623 directly.

Taskforce on Government Structure

I'm proud to serve as a member of the newly created Taskforce on Government Structure. I know many neighbors are interested in public engagement and participation models. Our next couple meetings are great learning and sharing opportunities, please join!

1.         Monday, March 19, in Room 354, City County Building at 6 pm.  This meeting will be devoted primarily to a presentation by the city attorney's office on the current structure of Madison City Government. 

2.        Friday, March 23, at the Goodman Community Center at 6 pm.  This meeting will be devoted primarily to a presentation by the city Racial Equity and Social Justice Initiative (RESJI) team on different models for public participation.

Parking Policy on Arbor Drive: Meeting and Input Gathering

The City of Madison is considering a proposal to adjust the parking policy along Arbor Drive, from the intersection of Monroe Street and Chapman Street through Arbor Drive and Knickerbocker Street. The proposal would limit parking to a maximum of 3 hours, enforceable by Traffic & Parking Enforcement. The current policy does not restrict daytime parking. Please note, parking in the Lake Wingra Boats lot is also expected to be adjusted to a 3-hour limit, if approved by the Parks Department. The City seeks input on parking in both areas. 

I am hosting a neighborhood meeting with DMNA, as an opportunity for neighbors, local community organizations, and businesses to offer feedback regarding the proposal. Please join me:

Neighborhood Meeting: Edgewood College, Predolin Hall, Room 115B, Thursday, March 8, 7:15pm-8:15pm

You may attend the meeting in person to provide feedback, or contact the Dudgeon Monroe Neighborhood Association Transportation Committee Chair, Richelle Andrae, at transportation@dmna.org with your comments. We aims to develop a parking policy that supports equitable access to public amenities, retailers, restaurants, and other organizations in the neighborhood. If you do not plan to attend the March 8 meeting, please submit your comments for consideration by March 9, 2018.

Monroe Street Work Starts Monday, March 12

Continue to find updates and sign up for specific email alerts on the project on the city engineering website!

Metro has a great video on their detour, available on all of our online info pages. Links to those pages are here: http://www.cityofmadison.com/metro/monroe/

Park Street Supportive Housing Project Receives WHEDA Tax Credits

The Heartland Housing proposed project at 1202 South Park Street for the next phase of city permanent supportive housing was awarded low-income tax credits by WHEDA. You can read their press release here.

The project has not yet gone through the city land use approval process. The project is expected to need Plan Commission approval for a conditional use permit. I will be in-touch shortly on next steps for the project and neighborhood input opportunities.

Please join Alder Sara Eskrich, South District Police Captain John Patterson, and fellow neighbors for a conversation about safety in our neighborhoods. Recent shootings and violence outside late night establishments will be key topics of discussion. All neighbors are welcome.

2/18/2018 Update

Greetings Neighbors – hope you are enjoying the sun! Meetings and updates below. Please take a look. Thanks!

1720 Monroe Street (Associated Bank Site)

Urban Land Interests (ULI) will be back at the Plan Commission on Monday, Feb. 19 at 5:30pm to request approval of a Mixed Use development at 1720 Monroe Street.

Background: On Monday, January 22, they requested Final Approval on the proposed development of a five-story, mixed-use building with 16,000 square feet of ground-floor commercial space and 68 units on a 0.77-acre site from the Plan Commission. Plan Commission members were generally supportive of the design and project, except the 5-story element abutting single-family homes on Stockton Court. They did not approve the project, but asked ULI to bring back a project they felt they could approve.

The most substantive changes made to the proposal are: 1) Lower the overall height; 2) Reduce the mass at the upper stories of the building's northeast corner in order to better conform the building to setbacks that would have been required in the TSS District; and 3) Bike Parking Revisions.

You can find more information on my website, and the planning department's website.

Monroe Street Public Information Meeting

City Engineering will be hosting an informational meeting for neighbors and businesses along Monroe Street on Wednesday, February 21st at 6:30pm in Rm 108 Sonderegger Building (the building attached to the parking ramp) at Edgewood College.

The Mason Entertainment License  

On Wednesday, February 21 at 5:30pm the Alcohol License Review Committee will be reviewing the Mason Lounge's request for an entertainment license to have bluegrass/jazz performances a few times per month. Their application can be found here.

To the Bay Creek Neighborhood Council and interested parties:

On February 12, more than 20 neighbors met to discuss the impact of the following on Hickory, Cedar, Pine, & Spruce street residences:

1) Proposed business developments along Gilson Street 

2) Proposed extension of Cedar Street across Park Street to Fish Hatchery

Following this meeting, Pine Street neighbors met with the owners of the Funk Factory to discuss the residential character of the surrounding streets and preserving neighbors' enjoyment of their properties.

Please join neighbors on February 22 when they meet with Alder Eskrich to learn more about this part of Bay Creek and neighbors' perspectives! 

We'll also be discussing the results of the recent BCNA survey regarding 1202 & 1402 South Park.

WHEN: Thursday, February 22, 7:30-9:00 PM

WHERE: St. Mark's Lutheran Church

Please RSVP: jollygiants@gmail.com

Save the Date: South Park Street Community Safety Meeting

Please hold the evening of Thursday, March 1st for a meeting at the Bayview Community Center with me, the Police Captain, and neighborhood leaders to discuss recent late-night violence and shooting near Brittingham and the 500 Block of South Park Street.

Monroe Street Library – Proposed New Hours
 

Current hours:                                                                         Proposed new hours:

Monday 1-9pm                                                                         Monday 10am-8pm

Tuesday 10am-6pm                                                                 Tuesday 10am-8pm

Wednesday 1-9pm                                                                  Wednesday 10am-8pm

Thursday 12-6pm                                                                                   Thursday - closed

Friday 1-9pm                                                                             Friday 10am-6pm

Saturday 9:30am-5pm                                                            Saturday 9am-5pm

Sunday – closed                                                                                      Sunday - closed

TOTAL: 45.5 hours                                                                   NEW TOTAL: 46 hours

Community driven

This change meets a longstanding community desire for more consistent hours and increased morning hours.  The significant increase to our morning hours will be more accommodating to daycare providers, families, and our older adult patrons.

New start and closing times, and closed on Thursday?   

We examined a variety of different configurations of hours to arrive at a balance of providing a consistent set of hours, meeting the needs of our patrons, better alignment with other MPL libraries and our business neighbors, and remaining within our existing operating budget.  

• The 10am start time is in alignment with the other MPL neighborhood libraries and is community driven.
• The slightly earlier closing times better reflects the current usage of our library where library use dramatically deceases after 7pm.  It also better aligns with our retail neighbors where Monroe Street businesses are generally open 10am to 6, 7, or 8 pm.
• In order to maintain days of 8-10 hours and remain within our current budget, our best option was to close an additional day.  We examined our data and determined that a closure on Thursday, our slowest service day, would have the least impact to our patrons.

This new change in hours will result in more efficient staffing and allow for better accommodation of staff schedule needs.  In addition, the change improves access to our facility and includes a slight increase of hours overall without increasing our current operating budget. 

Status of proposal

The proposed change to the hours of operation was introduced to the Library Board at their January 2018 meeting.  We have continued our vetting process with an equity analysis, which is currently being finalized, and additional conversations with community partners.  The proposal will return to the Library Board at the March 1, 2018 meeting.

If approved, the changes will go into effect April 2, 2018.

For more information:

Sarah Lawton, Manager, Monroe Street Library · 608-224-7103 · slawton@madisonpubliclibrary.org

Meet Me Outside

Sitting on the hill, in the midst of Dudgeon Park, Wingra School, an independent K-8 progressive school, has spent two years working on a plan to design an outdoor playscape that reflects their commitment to outdoor play and environmental education.   "Meet Me Outside" was born out of a desire to create a sustainable landscape that would spark the curiosity of students, neighbors, and friends.  The playscape will include natural landscapes for climbing and exploring, a music area, boardwalk, rain and pollinator gardens, a food forest, a council ring, and a stage.   In addition, the design includes a labyrinth for walking meditation and reflection.   The space will be accessible, and school officials hope that it will become a focal point for school and neighborhood activities.  Construction will coincide with Madison City Parks renovation of the back playground at Dudgeon Park.  Both projects are slated to get underway in June and are expected to be completed by August. 

For more information or to donate to the Meet Me Outside project, please contact Wingra School at info@wingraschool.org.

Proposed Gypsy Moth Treatment Areas

What is gypsy moth? In the summer months, residents may notice trees with leaf-loss due to an invasive caterpillar.  This defoliation is due to the gypsy moth caterpillar, which eats leaves on oak trees and other species.  As you can imagine, this causes stress to these trees, makes them more susceptible to disease, insects or environmental stresses, such as drought and may ultimately be the demise of the tree.

How is it treated? Treatment by the Wisconsin DNR, to reduce this destructive insect, is done by a low flying plane which sprays a natural-based insecticide called Foray®.  The City of Madison has submitted an application for the gypsy moth treatment.

Where is the proposed treatment? The proposed treatment area may affect you. Visit this website for details on the program and maps of potential affected areas.

https://parks-lwrd.countyofdane.com/Information/Invasive-Species/Gypsy-Moth-Suppression-Program

How can I opt out of the treatment? If you wish to object to the treatment of your property, you must do so in writing to: Marla Eddy, City Forester, 1402 Wingra Creek Pkwy, Madison, WI 53715 by 3:00pm on February 21, 2018. You must explain the reason for your objection, provide your name, phone number, and mailing address along with the address of the property you want excluded from the spray (if different from your mailing address). Please be aware that if you object to your property being sprayed, your adjacent neighbor's property will also be affected by your decision and will be eliminated from the spray area. Please share this information with your tenants if this is a rental property as they are affected and have the right to object.

2018 Neighborhood Grant Program

Deadline: February 19, 2018, 4:30 p.m.

 The Department of Planning and Community & Economic Development, Planning Division, has a grant programdesigned to help neighborhoods build capacity and beautify public places. The grant program helps to improve the quality of life within neighborhoods, and the City as a whole. For more information, view the workshop slideshowand/or contact Linda Horvath, Planning Division, for a pre-application discussion at 608-267-1131 or email:lhorvath@cityofmadison.com. View past funded projects to see what other neighborhood groups have accomplished. 

Madison Food Policy Council Announces 2018 SEED Grants Cycle

Deadline: Monday, February 26, 2018 by 4:30pm

The City of Madison Food Policy Council announces the 2018 SEED Grants cycle to address food access issues in our community. SEED Grants are small grants designed to support new and recently emerging projects or programs that support access to healthy food in our community. The Madison Food Policy Council is encouraging any organization, group, or agency that is devoted to making food more accessible to City of Madison residents to apply. Any proposal that improves the local food system will be considered. The maximum of any one grant will be limited to $10,000. A total of $50,000 is available in this grant cycle. For more info contact: George Reistad, Food Policy Coordinator, atgreistad@cityofmadison.com or call 608-266-4611.

Final Call for Future Land Use Map Comments (as part of the Comprehensive Plan Update)

https://imaginemadisonwi.com/

Deadline: March 2, 2018 (Noon)

A key component of the City of Madison's Comprehensive Plan Update is updating the Generalized Future Land Use (FLU) Map.  As the City grows, this map provides guidance on future land use in our built up and yet to be developed areas. The Plan Commission reviewed community comments received on the April 2017 Draft FLU map and based on their direction an updated version has been created. This is your opportunity to provide comments on the updated version before it goes to the Plan Commission for final adoption.

We are asking you for comments (deadline March 2 @ noon) on the February 2018 version of the Future Land Use Map. All of the info is in easy to read map form:  1) Take a look at the Updated 2018 Draft Land Use Map (this map provides a city wide view and highlights areas that been recommended for land use changes since 2006) and 2) review the side by side comparison map where you can compare the February 2018 Draft of the map with the 2006 Comprehensive Plan FLU Map.  We've also updated our FLU Map FAQs. For more info contact Ben Zellers, City of Madison Planning Division at bzellers@cityofmadison.com, 608.266.4866. 

Madison Arts Commission Annual Arts Grants

Deadline March 15, 2018 - Grant Writing Assistance Available

The City of Madison distributes funds to Madison artists and non-profit organizations through the Madison Arts Commission's annual grant programs. Project Grants provide up to $3,000 for performances, exhibitions, or events that enrich the cultural lives of Madison citizens. Arts Education Grants provide up to $3,000 for extracurricular arts-based educational programming, Legacy Grants provide up to $1,500 for organizations that provide consistent, quality events, and programs year after year; and Individual Artist Fellowships provide up to $1,500 to help support artists to create and share original work.

MAC also offers volunteer one-on-one assistance with the applications in free clinics held at the Madison Central Library, 201 W. Mifflin & by appointment. Drop in to ask questions about MAC Grants and receive personal assistance: Thursday, March 8, 2018 5:30 - 7:30 PM (drop in, no registration required) -and-Saturday, March 10, 2018 from 11 AM - 1 PM (drop in, no registration required). Fifteen-minute, one-on-one sessions are available by appointment email: MadisonArts@cityofmadison.com. Contact Karin Wolf, 608.261.9134, kwolf@cityofmadison.comfor more info.

Applications for Summer AASIRE Internship Program, City of Madison

Deadline: February 25, 2018

The City of Madison offers a limited number of paid summer internships through the Affirmative Action Student Professional in Residence Internships (AASPIRE) program. The program's goal is to attract members of Affirmative Action target groups who are engaged in college-level studies compatible with a Public Administration career track. AASPIRE Internships take place in the summer and last for a temporary 8- to 10-week duration. Each intern will be assigned to work on a limited-term, management-level project. For more info contact: Kirsten L. Vanderscheuren, City of Madison Dept. of Civil Rights, 608.267.8634

Wanda Fullmore Summer Internship (For high school students)

http://www.cwd.org/youth-development/wanda-fullmore-summer-internship-program/

The City of Madison, in collaboration with Common Wealth Development, offers paid summer internships for high school students. In 2018, Common Wealth will work with the City to place 40-50 youth in summer internships. To be eligible for the program, youth must reside in the City of Madison limits and must provide proof of eligibility to work in the United States. Youth are considered individually, and preference will be given to those entering 11th or 12th grade for the 2018-2019 academic year and who face barriers to employment. Interested youth and their parents/guardians must complete the application packet and submit it at any of our open interview meetings listed on the website or directly to Common Wealth. For more info contact: Common Wealth Development, 608.256.3527.

Senior Coalition Survey.  The Madison Senior Coalitions, a group of non-profits that provide programs and services for Madison adults over 60 who live independently, is conducting a short 2-minute survey. Click the link below to start the survey. Thank you for your participation!  https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/MD23FWX

1/29/2018 Update

Greetings Neighbors – meetings and updates below. Please take a look. Thanks!

Monroe Street Update

Below is a summary of the work that will take place on Monroe Street between Odana Road and Regent Street in 2018:

Monday, January 29th, 2018 to Mid-March 2018:

• MG&E Gas will install underground gas lines between Chapman Street and Woodrow Street (see attached map).
• Only one lane of eastbound traffic and one lane of westbound traffic will be maintained at all times--the peak hour traffic lanes will be closed.  
• Metro Transit bus service will be maintained in both eastbound and westbound directions.  Some bus stops will need to be relocated or closed at various times.
• Sidewalk on one side of Monroe Street will be maintained at all times.

Mid-March 2018 to Mid-November 2018:

• City reconstruction contract will take place.
• Westbound (outbound) traffic lanes will be closed.  One eastbound (inbound) traffic lane will remain open at all times from Odana Road and one eastbound lane will remain open from Nakoma Road.
• Crazylegs Lane will be permanently closed to create a new public space.
• South Breese Terrace between Regent Street and Monroe Street will be closed during construction.
• The Southwest Commuter Path will be redirected during some phases of construction but will remain open at all times. 
• Eastbound Metro Transit routes will be maintained with bus stops at Glenway Street, Commonwealth Avenue, Arbor Drive, Leonard Street, and Grant Street.

More information about the city reconstruction project can be found here: 
https://www.cityofmadison.com/engineering/projects/monroe-street

If you have any questions, direct them to the contact persons listed.

Contacts: 

• Tom Mohr, 608-267-8725, tmohr@cityofmadison.com
• Jim Wolfe, 608-266-4099, jwolfe@cityofmadison.com

1720 Monroe Street (Associated Bank Site)

Urban Land Interests (ULI) is requesting approval of a Mixed Use development at 1720 Monroe Street. UDC approval is required for all requests to rezone to a Planned Development (PD) district. On Monday, January 22, they requested Final Approval on the proposed development of a five-story, mixed-use building with 16,000 square feet of ground-floor commercial space and 68 units on a 0.77-acre site from the Plan Commission. Plan Commission members were generally supportive of the design and project, except the 5-story element abutting single-family homes on Stockton Court. They did not approve the project, but asked ULI to bring back a project they felt they could approve. We expect the Plan Commission to make some procedural moves so the projects can be back before them on February 19. ULI will be outreaching directly to neighbors who spoke to the Plan Commission, as well as DMNA. The project is aiming to be approved ASAP so it can be constructed in conjunction with the Monroe Street reconstruction.

You can find more information on my website, and the planning department's website.

BCNA Special Meeting  

WHEN: January 29, 2018 from 6-8

WHERE: St. Mark's Lutheran Church at 605 Spruce St.

WHY: To share the outcomes of the recent survey regarding the city's proposed development at 1202 S. Park Street and future development at 1402 S. Park Street. 

We will discuss the meaning of these outcomes and decide what to do with the results.

Note from Sara: Unfortunately, I will not be able to attend, as I have a conflicting Council meeting.

You're Invited – New Film Release!

The Dane County Housing Initiative is pleased to present:

Minding the Gap: The Housing Crisis in Dane County

Tuesday, January 30, 2018, 6:30-7:30 pm

The Village on the Park – Room A

Please join the Dane County Housing Initiative on Tuesday, January 30, 2018, 6:30 to 7:30 pm to screen the housing short film produced by the Dane County Housing Initiative and Tweedee Productions. Running time 7.25 minutes.

Film Intro and Screenings: 6:45 pm, 7:15 pm, Q&A to follow

Refreshments will be served - All Welcome!

Dane County Housing Initiative (DCHI) representatives will be on hand to answer questions and discuss this new initiative. Interested residents and stakeholders are invited to share the film with their neighborhood associations, chambers, employers, local governments, plan commissions, or local church groups.                             

Location: The Village on the Park – Room A, 2300 S Park St, Madison, WI 53713

Madison Chocolate Company – Alcohol License

Madison Chocolate Company at 729 Glenway is applying for a beer and wine license. Their application can be found here. They will be before the Alcohol License Review Commission on February 21.

I'm proud to serve on the Madison Metropolitan Sewerage District – they are doing great work in our community. Learn more and be proud of this innovative local work!

Madison Metropolitan Sewerage District ships record volume of phosphorus out of watershed            

MADISON, WIS. – As part of ongoing efforts to improve regional water quality, Madison Metropolitan Sewerage District shipped a record volume of phosphorus out of the watershed in 2017.

The phosphorus was shipped out as tiny pellets of struvite fertilizer under the brand name Crystal Green. Michael Mucha, the district's chief engineer and director, said removing the phosphate-based mineral advances goals for resource recovery even as the utility achieves a 96 percent phosphorus reduction in the wastewater stream.  

"We're turning a problem nutrient into a renewable resource that's needed to grow crops," Mucha said. "In the meantime, we're increasing the efficiency of our own operations. It's a win for the environment, the economy and the communities we serve."

During 2017, the district produced 585.1 tons of struvite fertilizer, up from 497.7 tons in in 2016. The struvite total is equivalent to 146,000 pounds of pure phosphorus and as a controlling nutrient, a single pound of phosphorus can lead to 500 pounds of algae.

The district also set a record for biogas production in 2017 as it churned out 305.1 million cubic feet, up from 269.9 million cubic feet in 2016. The district used this biogas supply to generate more than 7.4 million kilowatt-hours of electric power to offset its own energy use.

During the year, the district cleaned and reclaimed 16.03 billion gallons of water, up from 14.87 billion in 2016 and the highest total since 2010. The district's outfalls account for more than 90 percent of the flow at the discharge points that feed Badfish Creek State Wildlife Area and Badger Mill Creek, a class II trout stream. The district returned approximately 14.8 billion gallons of water to Badfish Creek and 1.2 billion gallons to Badger Mill Creek while reusing 184 million gallons for purposes within the plant.

Although the Madison Water Utility recently reported a 50-year low in water pumping during 2017, inflows to Madison Metropolitan Sewerage District's Nine Springs Wastewater Treatment Plant increased in 2017 due to wet weather and continued growth among the 26 area customer communities the district serves. The sewerage district operates sanitary-only sewers; however rain and snowmelt may enter the system and affect flow volume.

Other resources reclaimed by the district in 2017 included processing of 2.1 million gallons of class A liquid biosolids into class A cake biosolids, which hold potential in diverse markets including residential application. The district also produced 35.8 million gallons of Metrogro biosolids for use as a sustainable, local fertilizer by farmers in the region.

ABOUT THE DISTRICTEstablished in 1930 to protect the lakes and streams of the upper Yahara watershed, Madison Metropolitan Sewerage District today serves 26 Madison area customer communities covering some 184 square miles and 360,000 people. The district owns and operates 141 miles of pipe and 18 regional pumping stations that convey approximately 41 million gallons of wastewater to the Nine Springs Wastewater Treatment Plant each day. Organized as a municipal corporation, the district is a leader in sustainability and resource reclamation; its rates are established by the Madison Metropolitan Sewerage District Commission.

Madison Food Policy Council Announces 2018 SEED Grants Cycle

The City of Madison Food Policy Council announces the 2018 SEED Grants cycle to address food access issues in our community. SEED Grants are small grants designed to support new and recently emerging projects or programs that support access to healthy food in our community.

The City of Madison 2018 Budget includes $50,000 in grant funds to be distributed by the Madison Food Policy Council. The Madison Food Policy Council is encouraging any organization, group, or agency that is devoted to making food more accessible to City of Madison residents to apply. Any proposal that improves the local food system will be considered. The maximum of any one grant will be limited to $10,000.

The Madison Food Policy Council's SEED Grants Work Group has implemented changes to the application materials for 2018. Changes include:

• Direct alignment of funding criteria outlined in the SEED Grants cover letter with grant application questions and the grant reviewer score sheet
• Removal of the requirement to use strategies from the Healthy Food For All Children Community Plan
  • Please note that the HFFA Community Plan is a useful resource and one that SEED Grants applicants should look over and take into consideration
• Increased transparency in points allotted per grant application section
• Inclusion of a "Frequently Asked Questions" document on the SEED Grants webpage

Interested applicants should go to the City of Madison SEED Grants webpage for the grant application guidelines and application form. Applications are due on Monday, February 26th, 2018 by 4:30pm, and should be submitted to George Reistad, Food Policy Coordinator, at greistad@cityofmadison.com or mailed/hand-delivered to the Mayor's Office at 210 Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd. Room 403, Madison, WI 53703. Applications submitted via standard mail must be postmarked no later than Friday, Feb. 23rd, 2018.

Potential applicants are strongly encouraged to attend a pre-submittal information meeting to discuss the grant application and explore potential collaboration opportunities with other organizations in attendance. The pre-submission meeting will be held on Wednesday, January 31, 2017 at 6:00pm at the Meadowridge Library – Community Room B (located at 5740 Raymond Rd., Madison, WI 53711).

Applications will be evaluated and funding recommendations made to the Madison Food Policy Council by the SEED Grants Work Group of the Madison Food Policy Council in February 2017. Final decisions will be announced in late March. Additional questions can be directed to the Mayor's Office, (608) 266- 4611.

1/8/2018 Update

Greetings Neighbors – meetings and updates below. Please take a look. Thanks!

Monroe Street Update – the show must go on!

As you have likely heard, the bids came in over budget for Monroe Street reconstruction. There is a resolution I'm supporting with the Mayor to amend the capital budget to maintain the project, as scheduled in 2018. Unfortunately, there will be a compromise to manage the costs and our budget – we will no longer be undergrounding the utility lines in the business districts (as proposed), but I will work to ensure we put conduit down so we can underground more feasibly in the future.

The budget amendment resolution unanimously passed the Finance Committee tonight! I hope you will join me in supporting this project, so we can "survive (through 2018 reconstruction) and thrive (after)!"

Ongoing information on the project can be found here.

1720 Monroe Street (Associated Bank Site)

Urban Land Interests is requesting approval of a Mixed Use development at 1720 Monroe Street. UDC approval is required for all requests to rezone to a Planned Development (PD) district. They are requesting Final Approval on the proposed development of a five-story, mixed-use building with 16,000 square feet of ground-floor commercial space and 68 units on a 0.77-acre site at 1720 Monroe Street. The site is currently zoned Planned Development (PD). While the applicant plans to maintain this zoning district classification, they currently anticipate filing a new PD application for the proposed development.

You can find more information on my website, and the planning department's website.

We have held many neighborhood meetings and input sessions, and the project is now moving through the formal city review process. See the schedule below -

• Urban Design Commission: January 10, 2018
• Plan Commission: January 22, 2018
• Common Council: Feb. 6, 2018

Edgewood High School Addition Neighborhood Meeting

January 22, 2018, 6:00PM, Edgewood High School Auditorium (enter @ circle drive, left entrance door)

Purpose:  Presentation of proposed advancement of Master Plan construction pertaining to an auditorium addition, elevator addition, and expansion of the commons. You can find more information here.

You're Invited – New Film Release!

The Dane County Housing Initiative is pleased to present:

Minding the Gap: The Housing Crisis in Dane County

Tuesday, January 30, 2018, 6:30-7:30 pm

The Village on the Park – Room A

Please join the Dane County Housing Initiative on Tuesday, January 30, 2018, 6:30 to 7:30 pm to screen the housing short film produced by the Dane County Housing Initiative and Tweedee Productions. Running time 7.25 minutes.

Film Intro and Screenings: 6:45 pm, 7:15 pm, Q&A to follow

Refreshments will be served - All Welcome!

Dane County Housing Initiative (DCHI) representatives will be on hand to answer questions and discuss this new initiative. Interested residents and stakeholders are invited to share the film with their neighborhood associations, chambers, employers, local governments, plan commissions, or local church groups.                             

Location: The Village on the Park – Room A, 2300 S Park St, Madison, WI 53713

City of Madison Wants You to Share Your Thoughts and Experiences on Downtown Events and Madison Metro Bus Service

The City of Madison prides itself on hosting signature events that bring together and celebrate our community, as well as facilitate free expression. Street Use Event permits include a variety of activities such as cultural and food festivals, holiday parades, athletic events, political demonstrations, marches, neighborhood block parties and more.

The growing popularity of events, specifically in the Isthmus area has highlighted concerns about traffic and metro bus disruptions, challenges in the ability to respond to emerging political situations, noise and other impacts, as well as concerns from those wishing to hold events and navigating the permit process.

The concerns are in the following areas: City resources needed for scheduled and nonscheduled events, the relationship of permit fees to the City resources and the equity surrounding those fees, transportation impacts, and capacity and scheduling as requests for new events continue to grow.

The Mayor has asked staff from a variety of departments to evaluate the issues and recommend possible strategies which may lead to changes in the review process for events that balance the benefit of Madison hosting events and the concerns of multiple stakeholders. Staff have been meeting regularly and are working to evaluate these issues through a racial equity and social justice lens.

One topic identified by this team is impact on Metro bus routes as a result of scheduled and non-scheduled events. Staff have prepared a bus survey to gather feedback on this topic. Buses are often rerouted or can have delays during special events. Public transportation can also be a mode of choice for people attending events. The bus survey is intended to gather input from bus riders about if, and how, events may affect their bus trips, in particular people who depend on the bus for work and other appointments. The survey is posted on buses and other venues. The survey is also attached to this message, in English, Spanish and Hmong. You can find a link to the surveys here.

As Madison continues to be a destination of choice for events, and as political situations arise that may evoke large public demonstrations, we want to examine our policies and determine how to improve the Street Use Event process. Feel free to fill out the survey and share it with Madison Metro.

Proposed Reconstruction of Emerson & Lowell St

Public Information Meeting

Tuesday, January 23 at 6:30pm at Goodman South Madison Library 2222 S. Park Street.

The limits are Emerson Street from Park to Hickory, and Lowell Street from Lakeside to Olin.   The resolution will be coming through the Board of Public Works (BPW) on 1/3/18 and Council on 1/16.

The tentative schedule is:

• Mail assessments: 1/26/18
• BPW 2/7
• Common Council 2/27
• Advertise for bid 3/1
• Start work ~5/7

Proposed Reconstruction of Pine St & Gilson St

The assessment districts for both projects are scheduled to be established at the BPW on 1/17.

Pine Street--reconstruction from Beld St to Gilson St.  The assessments will include replace of all of the curb, replacement of drive aprons, replacement of some sidewalk and replacement of the sanitary sewer laterals.  In addition, the project will include the replacement of the asphalt pavement, replacement of the sanitary sewer and water mains; and replacement or installation of additional storm sewer.

Gilson Street- reconstruction from W Olin Ave to W Lakeside St.  The assessments will include replace of all of the curb, replacement of drive aprons, replacement of some sidewalk and replacement of the sanitary sewer laterals.  In addition, the project will include the replacement of the asphalt pavement, replacement of the sanitary sewer and water mains; and replacement or installation of additional storm sewer.

Both projects are schedule for a public hearing at the Board of Public Works on 3/7 and the Common Council on 3/20.  Construction would start approximately 5/29. A neighborhood meeting will be noticed in advance of the Board of Public Works.

Lock-Up!

Madison Police is in the middle of a social media campaign called #NightlyLockup to remind people of the importance of LOCKING THEIR DOORS, specifically their car doors.  You may have also seen our Billboard (image attached) on the beltline.  Some quick stats:

·         The City of Madison has experienced over 1100 Thefts from Auto so far this year.

·         There have been 27 guns stolen out of vehicles this year

·         There were 41 guns stolen out of cars in 2016

·         Since 2016 there are now 68 guns in criminal hands that DID NOT HAVE TO HAPPEN

·         The majority of these cases occurred with unlocked cars

We are sending out reminders each night on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram to remind people to lock their cars and garages, using the hashtag #NightlyLockup

Please do your part to "Lock-It-Up" (work and home) and follow Madison Police on social media and share our posts!

How to Have Your Christmas Tree Collected

The Streets Division provides two rounds of curbside collection for Christmas trees.  Residents who wish to have their trees collected at the curb should follow the below guidelines in order to guarantee their trees are picked up.

Wreaths, evergreen rope, garlands, and boughs will not be collected alongside Christmas trees. These items contain wires or metal that can damage wood chipping equipment.  These should be placed into the refuse for disposal.

The Rules for Christmas Tree Collection

Failure to follow the below list of rules may result in the tree not being collected.

·         Remove all tree stands regardless if they are metal or wood.

·         Remove all tree decorations such as lights, ornaments, or other metal objects.

·         Remove any tree bags, and any other foreign object.

The above listed items may damage the wood chipping equipment used to process collected trees, so they must be removed.

Where to Place Your Tree for Collection

Trees must be placed at the road edge, and must be accessible by collection crews.

Also, if the trees become buried with snow while awaiting collection at the curb, residents are asked to dig out the trees so they are accessible to the crews.

When to Place Your Tree for Collection

The Streets Division performs two rounds of Christmas tree collection.

·         Round One Begins January 2, 2018

Residents who wish to have their tree picked up during the first round should have their tree to the curb by 7am on January 2.  Trees set to the curb at this time will likely be collected prior to January 16, 2018, depending on weather conditions and crew availability.

·         Round Two Begins January 16, 2018

Residents who wish to have their tree collected during the second round should have their tree to the curb by 7am on January 16. Trees set to the curb at this time will likely be collected prior to February 1, depending on weather conditions and crew availability.

Trees set to the curb after the second curbside collection opportunity occurs for a neighborhood will not be collected until the start of regular brush collection in March 2018.

Therefore, residents who wish to have their Christmas trees collected at the curb prior to the spring must have their tree to the curb before January 16. 

Placing the tree to the curb after January 16 means both collection opportunities may be missed, and collection may not occur until the spring during regular brush collection.

What Happens if It Snows

The Streets Division is the primary agency responsible for servicing city streets during snow and ice events.  If conditions require, crews will be diverted from tree collection to assist with maintaining the roads. This may result in pickup delays.

Residents are reminded to remove trees from the snow if they become buried. Collection crews will not be able to collect ones that are concealed or inaccessible due to snow.

Drop-off Sites

Madison residents may also bring their Christmas trees to one of the Streets Division drop-off sites.  The sites are located at 1501 W. Badger Rd. on the southwest side and at 4602 Sycamore Ave. on the east side.  The drop-off sites are open from 7:30am to 3:00pm Monday to Friday.

Additional Information

Additional information regarding tree collection, and other winter-related city operations, can be found on the City of Madison's Winter website, www.cityofmadison.com/winter.

12/10/2017 Update

Greetings Neighbors – welcome to winter! If you want to stay in the loop on plowing, snow emergencies, etc., please sign up here: https://www.cityofmadison.com/residents/winter/. More updates below, with many surveys. Please share your opinion through these opportunities. Thanks!

Imagine Madison (City Comprehensive Plan): Phase 3 Online Survey

We want your opinion on the priorities for Madison and how our community can be improved for everyone. In our third and final survey, you can prioritize strategies to tell us what Madison should work on first, share your ideas for action steps, and provide your insights about how Madison should accommodate new development. To weigh in, please go here.

Here are a few things we've recently heard from the community:

• "Increase access to K-5 walking neighborhood schools. Decrease bussing of elementary school children."
• "As malls decline, replace them with intentional multi-family housing communities."
• "Use libraries to offer/host programs on career opportunities and job trainings."

South District Community Survey

We still need to hear from you – there's still time to fill out the Madison Police Department South District's community survey! 

Below is a link to this year's survey for the South Police District.   Please take a few moments to click on the below link and let us know your thoughts:

http://www.surveymonkey.com/r/MPDSOUTH2017

2018-2019 Streets Collection Schedule Calendars Now Available 

In this season of giving, the Streets Division would like to provide the residents of Madison with a tool they can use at their homes every day for the next two years. It's the 2018 and 2019 collection schedule calendars!

The collection schedule calendar shows what day to expect your refuse, recycling, and large items to be collected by Streets Division crews. No more putting out the recycling cart on the wrong day, and no more getting confused with holiday collections.

To get your calendar, go to our website www.cityofmadison.com/collectionschedule and enter your address as directed.

A new tab will open on your web browser.  In the new tab, you will first see the 2017 collection calendar. When you scroll down, under the 2017 calendar you will find the 2018 and 2019 calendars. 

Residents without internet access can contact the Streets Division office that services their home to receive their collection schedule calendar.  If you live west of S. Park Street, you should call 608-266-4681.  If you live east of S. Park Street, you should call 608-246-4532.

Edgewood High School Expansion – Fine Arts Addition, Commons Project, and Elevator Addition

In accordance with the Master Plan, Edgewood plans to move forward with building updates and an addition. Please take a look at high-level plans here. This will be kept up to date as more information becomes available.

Community Input Sought on Municipal ID Program

Mayor Soglin and members of the Common Council are exploring the implementation of a City of Madison Municipal ID program.  This ID would be issued by City of Madison with a primary focus of trying to reach populations, who for whatever reason, do not currently have a government-issued ID and could benefit from having the ID.

The City is seeking information from the community on how a Municipal ID card could function for people in Madison. 

Residents are encourage to share their reactions to this proposal through this link to the community engagement survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/VNHZ7LD.

As information is received, additional community outreach is expected including community meetings.

Good Neighbor Workshops

MPD's Judgement Under the Radar team and the Madison Community Policing Foundation will continue in 2018 starting with another 2-part "Being a Good Neighbor 101" workshop hosted at the Warner Park Community Center (1625 Northport Drive) in January!

WORKSHOP #1 – 6:00PM-8:00PM, JANUARY 17TH , 2018 At this 90-minute workshop, neighbors and community members will examine definitions of implicit bias and cognitive association and explore why bias is a difficult subject to talk about. Participants will then engage in meaningful group discussions focused around concepts of neighborliness, personal safety and effective community building. Attendees will leave the workshop understanding more about the nexus between bias, reporting and crime statistics, as well as cultural factors that influence what makes one person "suspicious" while another seems friendly and approachable.

WORKSHOP #2 – 6:00PM-8:00PM, JANUARY 31ST , 2018 At this 90-minute complementary workshop, neighbors and community members will practice several strategies proven to reduce the harmful impacts of implicit bias and stereotyping. This solution-driven course will provide participants with tools to better understand different perspectives and to more positively engage with others.

Seating is limited to 30 participants. Please contact Officer Emily Samson to reserve your seat. RSVP (608) 266-4238 or esamson@cityofmadison.com Free childcare will be provided.

Reminder – SW Path

Please remember to be respectful neighbors and know the Southwest Commuter Path and the natural areas surrounding – including the cemetery and golf course – are not areas for off leash dogs. The city has many off leash dog parks, which you can find more about here: https://www.cityofmadison.com/parks/dogoffleashpark/

10/29/2017 Update

Greetings Neighbors – Have a spooky and safe Halloween!

Meeting and city updates below. Please take a look. Thanks!

Congratulations Edgewood!

At the first-ever ALL IN Challenge Awards ceremony to recognize colleges and universities committed to increasing college student voting rates, Edgewood College received two Best in Class Awards.

The College is recognized for having the highest student voting rate among four-year, private institutions category, as well as within the four-year, small, private institution category. Edgewood College also earned a Silver Seal for achieving a student voting rate between 60 and 69 percent.

Maribeth Witzel-Behl, Madison's City Clerk, also played a crucial role in the most recent election by providing an early voting location that students, faculty, staff and voters from the surrounding neighborhoods were able to use.

Student participation in elections has increased in the past few years nationwide. A recent report, "Democracy Counts: A Report on U.S. College and University Student Voting" from the National Study of Learning, Voting, and Engagement, an initiative of Tufts University's Institute for Democracy in Higher Education, shows that between the 2012 presidential election, and the 2016 presidential election, student voting went from 45.1 percent of eligible voters in 2012 to 48.3 percent in 2016 – a 7 percent improvement. Data for Edgewood College shows student voting at 65.7 percent in 2016.

The All IN Campus Democracy Challenge is a national awards program. The Challenge encourages higher education institutions to help students form the habits of active and informed citizenship, and make democratic participation a core value on their campus. By joining the Challenge, campuses commit to:

• Convening a campus-wide committee that includes members from academic affairs, student affairs, and the student body, as well as any other relevant stakeholders;
• Developing and implementing an action plan to improve democratic engagement;
• Participating in the National Study of Learning, Voting, and Engagement (NSLVE) in order to measure student voting rates; and
• Sharing their campus' action plan and NSLVE results in order to be eligible for a recognition seal and/or awards.

Nearly 300 campuses, enrolling more than 4 million students, have joined the Challenge since its launch in summer 2016.

Madison Launches State's First Winter Salt Certification Program

Increasing road salt use is adding up to a growing environmental problem in our area. Just one teaspoon of salt pollutes five gallons of water, and once salt is in our waterways, it does not break down. Chloride, one of the two chemicals that make up salt, is toxic to small aquatic life. It has infiltrated our lakes, streams, marshes, and even a handful of municipal drinking water wells.

Road salt is a valuable tool to combat icy conditions, but it must be used responsibly. That's why the City of Madison is launching the state's first Winter Salt Certification Program, aimed at teaching winter maintenance professionals how to use the least amount of de-icing material necessary to keep our parking lots, roads, sidewalks and driveways safe. The program is open to all of Dane County.

About half of all the road salt used in Madison is spread on parking lots, driveways & sidewalks. Many parking lots and sidewalks receive 10 to 20 times the amount of salt needed to fully melt the ice. That means up to 90% of the salt put down is simply wasted and washes away.

The new Winter Salt Certification Program is a voluntary education and recognition program that will empower consumers to request well-trained snow removal companies. The program will begin as a pilot this fall with four 5-hour training and exam sessions. The sessions will cover recommended salt application rates, how to calculate the amount of salt needed based on weather conditions, and technological advancements like brining.

The Winter Salt Certification Program will initially offer only individual certifications for winter maintenance professionals. In 2018, it will also begin offering three tiers of company certification:

• Bronze 30% of field staff certified – No salt reporting
• Silver 60% of field staff certified + Reporting
• Gold 90% of field staff certified + Reporting

The City of Madison has been actively working to reduce salt for many years. Only 30% of our streets are salted (major roads and bus routes), and equipment is calibrated to apply salt at the DOT recommended rate. The City will focus on further reducing its own salt use by having all city staff who apply salt become certified by next winter and by only hiring certified contractors. For more information on the impact of road salt and upcoming training dates, visit the Winter Salt Certification Program page.

Truman-Olson Site RFP

At Council on Tuesday night, we will approve release of an RFP for sale of the city-owned property at 1402 S. Park Street. This is an exciting next step related to redevelopment along South Park Street, in line with the Wingra BUILD Plan. We set forth clear priorities in the RFP, including: ensuring a grocery store remains in the area; developing workforce housing; completing Cedar Street and creating connectivity through the site for all modes of transportation; and minimizing city investment and increasing the tax base. I look forward to seeing the responses we receive and will continue to provide updates as the eventual land use approval processes proceed.

You can read more in the Cap Times article here.

Olin Turville Park Boat Launch Improvements Meeting

Wednesday, November 1, 2017 from 6:00-7:00 pm

Goodman Maintenance Facility, 1402 Wingra Creek Parkway

The City of Madison Parks Division will hold a public input meeting regarding 2018 improvements to the Boat Launch at Olin Turville Park.  The City is proposing to replace the concrete ramps in the spring of 2018.

At this meeting, Madison Parks will discuss this project and seek input on the ramp replacement.

You are invited to attend this meeting to provide comments on the proposed project.  If you have questions or comments but are unable to attend the meeting, please contact Corey Stelljes at (608) 266-6518 or cstelljes@cityofmadison.com. 

A project website can be found at: 

https://www.cityofmadison.com/parks/projects/olin-turville-park-boat-launch-improvements

Associated Bank Redevelopment Alder-Neighborhood Meeting

Thursday, November 2 from 7pm – 8pm at HotelRED

Please join us to review updated plans for the proposed redevelopment by Urban Land Interests at 1720 Monroe Street.

"Work Party" at the Annie Stewart fountain in Vilas Park

November 4, 2017 

Like last fall, we plan to gather on Saturday, November 4, 2017 from 9:00 AM – 12:30 PM for a "work party" at the Annie Stewart fountain in Vilas Park to continue our efforts to remove the underbrush from the area behind the fountain.

Please mark the date on your calendar. We need your help to help remove the underbrush, carry & stack it at the curb, etc. Families are welcome.

Our goals are to remove the invasive buckthorn, etc. and to open sightlines from the fountain to Lake Wingra.

Please RSVP to Annie Stewart Memorial Fountain c/o Steven J. Schaefer, Schaeferlaw.ss@gmail.com

Also, please complete an Individual Volunteer Release form for the Madison Parks Division at: http://www.cityofmadison.com/parks/volunteer/and bring it to the work party.

Calling All Artists!

Crazylegs Plaza & Wingra Park Entrance: Open House & Mosaic Art Input Session

Thursday, November 8, 6:00-7:30PM, HotelRED 

Join us for an open house and mosaic art input session regarding the final landscape designs and future public art for Crazylegs Plaza and the Wingra Park entrance! City staff and project designers will be on hand to answer questions and gather input on the planned public art components. Both projects will be completed as part of the Monroe Street reconstruction in 2018.

The open house will be held from 6:00-7:30PM in the HotelRED lobby. The mosaic art input session will be held in the first floor meeting room from 6:00-7:15PM. We look forward to seeing you there!

Eventbrite link: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/crazylegs-plaza-wingra-park-entrance-open-house-mosaic-art-input-session-tickets-38782638917

Madison College South Campus Initiative Community Meetings

We hope you can join us at one of two community sharing meetings to find out more about the selected site (corner of Badger Road and Park Street), plans for the new campus, and to hear what your fellow community members had to say! The same information will be presented at both meetings and both will include time for questions and discussion.

What:    Community Meeting #1

When:  Monday November 6th 6:00-7:30 PM

Where: Urban League of Greater Madison Community Room – Evjue A

2222 South Park Street, Villager Shopping Center

What:    Community Meeting #2

When: Thursday November 9th 5:00-6:30 PM

Where: Madison College West Campus – Room 126

                8017 Excelsior Drive, Madison, WI 53717

Please join us to hear more about this important project in the South Madison community! To learn more about the new campus location and about the process so far, please visit: https://madisoncollege.edu/south-campus-initiative.

South District Community Survey

We need to hear from you!  Below is a link to this year's survey for the South Police District.   Please take a few moments to click on the below link and let us know your thoughts:

http://www.surveymonkey.com/r/MPDSOUTH2017

I read all of the written commentary you submit to us via this online survey and then share it with supervisors and officers in the South District.  We intend to use your input and ideas when planning for 2018, so your responses are very valuable!

Thank you and please feel free to share this with your neighbors!

DO YOU WANT TO BE PART OF HISTORY?

Please take this survey about important places in Madison and tell us what is important to you. https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/CityofMadisonHPPSurvey1

The survey results will be used at upcoming public meetings and the survey will be open until December 8, 2017.

Turkey Trot

Bay Creek Neighbors – there will be a Thanksgiving Day race at Alliant Energy Center and Quann Park this year. The organizers originally proposed a route through the neighborhoods, but based on MPD and Alder feedback, they have rerouted to minimize neighborhood impact. You can view their application here, which is updated from the current map they show on their website. Please take a look at their website for times and plan accordingly. Additional notice will be sent and posted, per city requirements as we approach the event.

Submit a Nomination – Jeffrey Clay Erlanger Civility in Public Discourse Award

The City of Madison invites you to submit nominations for its annual JEFFREY CLAY ERLANGER CIVILITY IN PUBLIC DISCOURSE AWARD. The award honors Jeffrey Clay Erlanger, who was an individual of integrity, passion, intelligence, and civility. Jeff understood that thoughtful and caring people could have very different views on how to best address our community's many complex issues and problems. Jeff, who died on June 10, 2007, spent a significant part of his life committed to public service, focusing on constructive advocacy and civil debate, fairness, openness, and effective representation. He embraced the similarities that unite us.

Jeff served on the City of Madison's Economic Development Commission; he was chair of the Commission on People with Disabilities; chair of the Board of Directors of the Community Living Alliance; and ran for the Madison Common Council in 2002. He also held a number of other significant positions in the community. One of his greatest accomplishments was his successful push for the accessible taxicab service in Madison today.

CRITERIA

The Jeffrey Clay Erlanger Civility in Public Discourse Award recognizes City of Madison residents sharing Jeff Erlanger's dedication to, and passion for public policy development, civility, individual and human rights and who conduct their daily life consistent with these values and who have had a significant impact on the Madison community.

ELIGIBILITY

• Nominees must be an adult.

• Only one award will be presented annually.

• Nominees must be residents of the City of Madison whose work, program, project, policy decisions or actions have made a positive contribution to the community and its residents.

• Nominees must have demonstrated leadership in public advocacy, focusing on constructive civil debate, fairness and openness resulting in effective outcomes.

• Nominees must have demonstrated a dedication and commitment to treating people with civility, respect and dignity.

• Nominees may have been compensated for their work, as long as they exemplify the values represented by the award.

• Current members of the Common Council, the award committee, City staff and contractors with the City are not eligible to be nominated for the award.

NOMINATIONS

Nominations should contain detailed information regarding the nominee sufficient to allow the award committee to determine that the candidate meets the award criteria. The award committee will not conduct additional research.

Nominations must be submitted on the nomination application and returned to:

Mayor's Office

Attn: Jeffrey Clay Erlanger Award Nomination Committee

210 Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd., Room 403

Madison, WI 53703

Nomination forms may be submitted via fax at 608-267-8671 or by e-mail at mayor@cityofmadison.com. Please include "Erlanger Award" in the subject line of email communications.

All nominations must be received no later than 4:30pm, on Friday, November 3, 2017.

Questions or requests for additional application forms should be directed to the Mayor's Office at 608-266-4611. Information is also available on the City's website:

http://www.cityofmadison.com/mayor/programs/jeffrey-clay-erlanger-civilitypublic-discourse-award/

10/18/2017 Update

Greetings Neighbors – updates below. Please take a look. Thanks!

Council Taskforce on Governance

Residents Asked to Apply to Serve on Task Force on Structure of City Government
Seven Resident Appointments Available

The Common Council adopted Resolution, Legislative File No. 47707 on September 5, 2017 creating a special task force on city governance to examine the structure and powers of the Common Council and its committees and the structure and powers of the Mayor's office.

There are seven (7) resident appointments are available to be filled; three (3) appointed by the Mayor, three (3) appointed by the Council President and a chair (1) to be appointed jointly by the Mayor and Council President.  Four alders will also be appointed to the task force (two by the Mayor and two by the Council President).

The Task Force will examine and report on several issues as they relate to our current form of city governance and examine models for reform (for more information on what the task force will review click here to read the resolution).  It is anticipated that the task force will convene in January 2018.

City of Madison residents are encouraged to apply for the task force by completing an application (MS Word) and emailing it to Mayor's Office. Then electronically submit your Statement of Interests form.

Once you have submitted your completed application it will be reviewed and considered by Council President Rummel and Mayor Soglin.

Event Announcement - Community Mural Painting at the South District

October 18, 2017 8:20 AM

This Saturday - please join artists from Dane Arts Mural Arts, neighbors and officers, at the South District Station to begin painting a mural in our community room!  This is a space used by many people in South Madison, so we are extremely excited with this project that will celebrate our diverse community.

Painting supplies and free pizza will be provided!

825 Hughes Place, Madison, WI – SPD Community Room

Saturday, October 21st from 3:00-5:00 PM

Imagine Madison Update

This is it...  Our third, and final, round of Community Meetings are next week.  We'll be focusing on prioritization -- the most important step for a community-wide initiative.

The Basics

• October 23 at the Village on Park Atrium (2300 S Park St)
• October 24 at Lussier Community Education Center (55 S Gammon Rd)
• October 25 at Goodman Community Center (149 Waubesa St)

All meetings are from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM (open house from 6:00 – 6:30; group activities from 6:30 – 8:00). Refreshments and childcare will be provided. Spanish and Hmong interpreters will be at each meeting. Please see attached flyer.

The Activities

Join your fellow community members to participate in interactive activities focusing on the big question: What's MOST important? 

Strategies and Actions

Specifically, small groups will collaboratively determine which Strategies are the most important related to a particular topic, and suggest Actions that can be done to accomplish those important Strategies. There will be three rounds, so there's plenty of time to discuss multiple topics!

Where should we prioritize growth?

Madison is a very popular place.  We are expected to add 40,000 housing units between now and 2040. Meeting participants will discuss where these housing units should go through an interactive mapping activity. The activity includes reviewing multiple informative maps, and placing stickers on a base map showing where you believe growth should occur. This will also include a group discussion to share why you chose to put your dots where you did.

Episode #3 – Imagine Madison Mini-Documentary

Episode #3 of our interview mini-documentary has been posted. Check it out to see what your neighbors want for Madison's future. If you missed Episode #2, you can view it here. Last, but certainly not least, the Imagine Madison Promotional Video won a 2017 Best of the Midwest Festival Award of Excellence at the Wisconsin Community Media Conference.  Way to go, Madison City Channel!

Last call -- Planning Pop-Ins

Do you want to have a lively discussion and activity at your organization's next meeting?  Invite us!  We'll tailor an interactive conversation based on what works best for your group.  The best part -- your conversation will help inform the future of Madison.

Playground Workshop

Thursday, October 26th @ 6:30 pm

Midvale Elementary School cafeteria, 502 Caromar Drive

The City of Madison Parks Division will hold a playground workshop to discuss playground improvements to the following parks:

? Dudgeon School Park ? Odana Hills Park ? Indian Hills Park

At this meeting, City staff will present the playground design process and seek input from neighborhoods on each individual park playground.

You are invited to attend this meeting to provide comments or input on the proposed projects. If you have questions or comments but are unable to attend the meeting, please contact Kate Kane at (608) 261-9671 or at kkane@cityofmadison.com.

Olin Turville Park Boat Launch Improvements Meeting

Wednesday, November 1, 2017 from 6:00-7:00 pm

Goodman Maintenance Facility, 1402 Wingra Creek Parkway

The City of Madison Parks Division will hold a public input meeting regarding 2018 improvements to the Boat Launch at Olin Turville Park.  The City is proposing to replace the concrete ramps in the spring of 2018.

At this meeting, Madison Parks will discuss this project and seek input on the ramp replacement.

You are invited to attend this meeting to provide comments on the proposed project.  If you have questions or comments but are unable to attend the meeting, please contact Corey Stelljes at (608) 266-6518 or cstelljes@cityofmadison.com. 

A project website can be found at: 

https://www.cityofmadison.com/parks/projects/olin-turville-park-boat-launch-improvements

Associated Bank Redevelopment Alder-Neighborhood Meeting

Thursday, November 2 from 7pm – 8pm at HotelRED

Please join us to review updated plans for the proposed redevelopment by Urban Land Interests at 1720 Monroe Street.

"Work Party" at the Annie Stewart fountain in Vilas Park

November 4, 2017 

Like last fall, we plan to gather on Saturday, November 4, 2017 from 9:00 AM – 12:30 PM for a "work party" at the Annie Stewart fountain in Vilas Park to continue our efforts to remove the underbrush from the area behind the fountain.

Please mark the date on your calendar. We need your help to help remove the underbrush, carry & stack it at the curb, etc. Families are welcome.

Our goals are to remove the invasive buckthorn, etc. and to open sightlines from the fountain to Lake Wingra.

Please RSVP to Annie Stewart Memorial Fountain c/o Steven J. Schaefer, Schaeferlaw.ss@gmail.com

Also, please complete an Individual Volunteer Release form for the Madison Parks Division at: http://www.cityofmadison.com/parks/volunteer/and bring it to the work party.

Crazylegs Plaza & Wingra Park Entrance: Open House & Mosaic Art Input Session

Thursday, November 8, 6:00-7:30PM, HotelRED 

Join us for an open house and mosaic art input session regarding the final landscape designs and future public art for Crazylegs Plaza and the Wingra Park entrance! City staff and project designers will be on hand to answer questions and gather input on the planned public art components. Both projects will be completed as part of the Monroe Street reconstruction in 2018.

The open house will be held from 6:00-7:30PM in the HotelRED lobby. The mosaic art input session will be held in the first floor meeting room from 6:00-7:15PM. We look forward to seeing you there!

Eventbrite link: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/crazylegs-plaza-wingra-park-entrance-open-house-mosaic-art-input-session-tickets-38782638917

Do you want to be a part of history?

Please take this survey about important places in Madison and tell us what is important to you. https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/CityofMadisonHPPSurvey1

The survey results will be used at upcoming public meetings and the survey will be open until December 8, 2017.

Budget Process

We are in the midst of the 2018 budget approval process. There are many priorities and constrained funds. This means having difficult decisions. I am prioritizing investments to our infrastructure, through our capital budget, and investments in long term sustainability through operational  – including environmental sustainability, public safety through a public health approach to violence prevention, and racial equity and social justice initiatives.

Learn more here: https://www.cityofmadison.com/budget/

9/24/2017 Update

Greetings Neighbors – lots of updates below. It may not feel like it, but fall is here and there are lots of Streets Department related changes regarding brush pickup, leaves at the end of the update. Please take a look. Thanks!

Budget Listening Sessions

Alder Shiva Bidar and I will be holding joint budget listening sessions regarding the city budget. Our colleagues and County elected officials have been invited. We hope you will join us!

Bayview Foundation

Tuesday, September 26 from 7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. at Bayview Community Center Community Room (Upstairs) (601 Bayview)

Hmong and Spanish translators will be available at this meeting.

Parking available on Braxton Place or in the Bayview Foundation parking lot. If parking in the lot you will need to go into the office and get a parking pass.

West High School

Monday, October 2 from 7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. at West HS Cafeteria (30 Ash Street)

Follow-Up from Greenbush / Vilas Public Safety Meeting

Thank you to everyone who attended our meeting with the Madison Police Department about the Good Neighbor Program. The materials presented, including the powerpoint and new police district maps (for when Midtown Station opens in 2018), are linked.

National Voter Registration Day – Tuesday, September 26

We will be celebrating National Voter Registration Day next Tuesday with voter registration drives throughout the City of Madison.  Here are the confirmed events on Tuesday, September 26: 

• 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. at the Madison City Clerk's Office, 210 Martin Luther King, Jr, Blvd, room 103
• 8 a.m. – 8 p.m. at Warner Park Community Recreation Center, 1625 Northport Dr
• 9 – 11 a.m. at Oakwood Village University Woods, 6205 Mineral Point Rd
• 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. at Bridge Lake Point Waunona Neighborhood Center, 1917 Lake Point Dr
• 9 a.m. – 9 p.m. at Alicia Ashman Library, 733 N. High Point Rd
• 9 a.m. – 9 p.m. at Central Library, 201 W. Mifflin St
• 9 a.m. – 9 p.m. at Pinney Library, 204 Cottage Grove Rd
• 9 a.m. – 9 p.m. at Sequoya Library, 4340 Tokay Blvd
• 9:30 – 11:30 a.m. at Lussier Community Education Center, 55 S. Gammon Rd
• 10 – 11:30 a.m. at SSM Health St Mary's Care Center, 3401 Maple Grove Dr
• 10 – 11:30 a.m. at Attic Angel Place, 8301 Old Sauk Rd
• 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. at the Senior Center, 330 W. Mifflin St
• 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. at Neighborhood House Community Center, 29 S. Mills St
• 10 a.m. – 8 p.m. at Goodman South Madison Library, 2222 S. Park St
• 10 a.m. – 8 p.m. at Hawthorne Library, 2707 E. Washington Ave
• 10 a.m. – 8 p.m. at Lakeview Library, 2845 N. Sherman Ave
• 10 a.m. – 8 p.m. at Meadowridge Library, 5726 Raymond Rd
• 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. at Monroe Street Library, 1705 Monroe St
• 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. at Olbrich Botanical Gardens, 3330 Atwood Ave
• 12 – 2 p.m. at Oakwood Village Prairie Ridge Community Center, 5565 Tancho Dr
• 12 – 6 p.m. at Ian's Pizza, 319 N. Frances St
• 12 – 6 p.m. at Ian's Pizza, 100 State St
• 1 – 7 p.m. at Hy-Vee, 675 S. Whitney Way
• 3 – 6 p.m. at Lussier Community Education Center, 55 S. Gammon Rd
• 4 – 7 p.m. at Eastside Farmer's Market, Central Park, 202 S. Ingersoll St
• 6 – 8 p.m. at Boys & Girls Club Allied Family Center, 4619 Jenewein Rd

Additional voter registration drives will be held:

• Monday, September 25, at Wil-Mar Neighborhood Center, 953 Jenifer St, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
• Wednesday, September 27, at Wil-Mar Neighborhood Center, 953 Jenifer St, from 1 to 3 p.m.
• Saturday, September 30, as part of the Pop-Up Market at Salvation Army Community Center, 3030 Darbo Dr, from 2 to 5 p.m.

The Historic Preservation Plan Kick Off Meeting

Tuesday September 26, 2017, from 6:00-7:30 PM at Goodman Community Center, 149 Waubesa Street

Please join us to create Madison's first plan to identify, celebrate and preserve the places that represent our collective community at the Historic Preservation Plan kick off meeting. 

The City of Madison is excited to expand its preservation program, but we need your help!

Visit our website www.cityofmadison.com/historicpreservationplan, email historicpreservation@cityofmadison.com, or call 608 266 6552 for more information.

MPD Good Neighbor Night

Wednesday, September 27 from 7-8:30pm at the Training Center at 5702 Femrite Drive

Discussing cyber security – learn how to safeguard your privacy on the internet and social media sites and how to protect children from online predators and cyber bullies.

Mayor's Neighborhood Roundtable

Saturday, October 7 from 9am - 12pm

We hope that you will join us at this year's event! Register today for the 2017 Mayor's Neighborhood Roundtable event, Saturday, October 7 from 8:00 a.m. (registration), 9am to12:00 p.m. (program) at the Monona Terrace Community and Convention Center, One John Nolen Drive, Madison, WI.  Free.  Onsite childcare and language assistance available (ASL, Hmong, Mandarin, and Spanish).  Other languages upon request. This event is for any resident who is interested in their neighbors and neighborhood well-being. 

Register NOW

A Greater Madison Vision

What : Scenario Design Workshop

Where : South Madison Library,  2222 S Park St, Madison, WI

When : Saturday, September 30th, 9am - 4:45pm

Register Now For A Greater Madison Vision's all-day scenario design event.

Try your hand at making a development plan for the region on the "iPlan Greater Madison" computer game!

Try the "build the neighborhood of the future" challenge with model blocks.

Drop by any time. This will be an all-ages event with refreshments, activities for kids and adults alike.

Register Now

The Fair Housing Center of Greater Madison is offering a free fair housing training seminar for owners and managers of rental property

Wednesday, November 8, 1:00 - 3:00 p.m. at Madison Public Library – Sequoya Branch, 4340 Tokay Blvd.

While the seminar is free, we ask that attendees register so we'll be sure to have enough of our training materials available.  To register, or for more information, call us at 608-257-0853.

The seminar will include information about the protected classes and prohibited practices delineated by local, state and federal fair housing laws; reasonable accommodations and modifications for tenants with disabilities; advertising rental units in compliance with fair housing laws; non-discriminatory negotiation with prospective tenants, and much more.

This seminar is supported by funding from the City of Madison Community Development Block Grant Program.

If you need materials in alternate formats or other accommodations to access our services, please call 257-0853.

Volunteers Needed!

The Beacon (the Homeless Day Resource Center) is looking for volunteers. Find out more about opportunities here.

Final Round of Brush Collection Begins Monday, September 25

The Streets Division will begin the final guaranteed round of brush collection on Monday, September 25.

Starting on Monday, September 25, crews on both the west and east side of Madison will begin collecting brush from residents who live within the Monday refuse collection district.

After each street within the Monday refuse collection district has been serviced for the last guaranteed collection for 2017, crews will then move onto the area of the city within the Tuesday refuse collection district.  Upon completion of the Tuesday district, crews will then proceed to the Wednesday district and then onto the Thursday and Friday refuse districts.

Once all of the streets within the Friday refuse collection district have been serviced for the final round, guaranteed brush collection will end for 2017.  Brush set out after crews have completed the final round for a district may not be collected.  If weather conditions and equipment availability allow, the Streets Division may be able to staff crews to collect brush after the final official round is completed, however it is not guaranteed to occur.

To learn estimates on when crews are expected in your neighborhood check the collection are maps on the brush section of our website www.cityofmadison.com/streets.  The collection area maps are updated daily during collection periods.   Residents could also call the brush collection hotline at 608-267-2088 for curbside collection time estimates that are updated weekly, or call the Streets Division office that services your neighborhood.  Residents that live east of South Park Street, and that includes the isthmus, should call the east side Streets Division at 608-246-4532.  Residents that live west of South Park Street should call the west side Streets Division at 608-266-4681.

Madison residents and taxpayers can also bring their brush to either of the brush drop-off sites.  Brush loads brought to the drop-off site may not exceed what will fit into the back of a standard pick-up or small trailer.  Loads that are too large will be denied use of the drop-off site and directed to use the brush processing center.  The sites are located at 1501 W. Badger Rd. on the southwest side and 4141 Nakoosa Trail on the east side.  The sites will be open seven days a week from 8:30am to 4:30pm and until 8:00pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays. 

Please note that the drop-off services will return to 4602 Sycamore Ave. at 8:30am on Tuesday, October 17. The Nakoosa Trail drop-off site on will permanently close at 4:30pm on Monday, October 16.

Also note that brush contractors may not use the drop-off sites. If a resident hires someone to remove brush from their parcel, they must make arrangements with the person they hired to haul the material away.  Contractors, as well as residents and other city taxpayers with large volumes of brush, can bring brush they cut from a City of Madison parcel to the brush processing center at 121 E. Olin Ave to be chipped for a per-ton fee. Additional information about the brush processing center can be found on the Streets Division website or by contacting the center at 608-266-4911.

For more information about brush collection, the drop-off sites, and the brush processing center, please visit our website, www.cityofmadison.com/streets.

Fall Leaf Collection to Begin Monday, September 25

The City of Madison Streets Division will begin curbside leaf and yard waste collection for the fall on Monday, September 25. 

As in years past, there will be no leaf collection schedule.  Streets Division crews will follow a rotation.  Beginning on September 25, both west and east side crews will begin collecting leaves and yard waste from residences within the Monday refuse collection district.   Once crews have collected from each street within the Monday refuse district once, crews will move into the Tuesday district.  After servicing the Tuesday district, crews then rotate to the Wednesday district, followed by the Thursday and then Friday refuse districts.  Upon completion of Friday refuse district, crews will begin the cycle again in Monday district. 

Crews will continue to rotate through the city in this manner at least three times and crews will continue to collect leaves and yard waste for as long as the weather allows.    

Besides leaves, crews will collect yard waste.  Yard waste is generally considered to be leafy plant material, such as weeds, and also small twigs that are less than 18 inches in length.  Crews will also collect other garden and plant debris like tomato plants, pumpkins, pine cones, sunflower stalks, and so on during the fall leaf collection period.

When placing yard waste to the curb, the Streets Division would like to remind residents to follow the collection guidelines and not place their material into the gutter or in the street.  Leaf and yard waste piles left in the street result in the material being washed into our lakes during the autumn rains, which leads to increased phosphorus levels that contribute to algae and weed growth.  Plus, leaf and yard waste piles can wash into the storm drains and clog them, which can lead to street ponding.

The Streets Division asks that residents pile their leaves and yard waste loose on their terrace or in compostable paper bags.  If compostable or plastic bags are used, they should be left open at the top so crews can identify their contents. Residents can also place a tarp on top of their leaves to prevent them from blowing. 

Brush should not be mixed within the yard waste and leaf pile.  Brush is processed differently than yard waste, so these piles need to be separated.  Commingled piles will not be collected.  Also, if possible, residents are encouraged to place their leaf and yard waste piles at least 4 feet from obstructions, such as parked cars, terrace trees, and mailboxes. Piles that cannot be safely collected will be left behind.

Due to the uncertainty of workloads and weather conditions, predicting when leaf collection crews will be in a given area can be very difficult.  The Streets Division has several options residents can use to get the latest information on where crews are working.

During leaf collection season, daily updates regarding the whereabouts of collection crews can be found on the collection area maps on the leaf and yard waste section of our website, www.cityofmadison.com/streets.  Residents can also call the 24-hour hotline information line at 608-267-2088 for weekly collection estimate updates.  And residents can contact the Streets Division office that services their neighborhood.  Residents east of S. Park Street, and that includes the isthmus, can call the east side Streets Division at 608-246-4532 and residents west of S. Park Street can call the west side Streets Division at 608-266-4681. 

In addition to using the curbside collection service, Madison residents can bring their leaves and yard waste to any of the three yard waste drop off sites.  The sites are open seven days a week from 8:30am to 4:30pm and until 8:00pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays.  The yard waste sites are located at 1501 W. Badger Rd on the southwest side, 4141 Nakoosa Trail on the east side, and 402 South Point Rd. on the far west side. 

Please note that the drop off services will return to 4602 Sycamore Ave. at 8:30am on Tuesday, October 17. The Nakoosa Trail drop-off site on will permanently close at 4:30pm on Monday, October 16.

For additional information regarding leaf and yard waste collection and the drop-off sites, please visit the Streets Division website, www.cityofmadison.com/streets.

Rigid Plastic Recycling Suspended

The rigid plastic recycling drop-off program has been suspended.  Rigid plastic material, such as five-gallon buckets and children's toys, if they cannot be reused, resold, or donated, should be placed into the refuse to be sent to the landfill.  The dumpsters for rigid plastic recycling at the Streets Division drop-off sites have been removed, and there is no timetable for them to return.

Suspending the rigid plastic recycling program is the only change to the City of Madison recycling program at this time. 

Pellitteri Waste Systems, which is the company that provided rigid plastics recycling for Madison at the drop-off sites, informed the Streets Division that they could no longer accept that material for recycling. This is due to an import ban on certain types of plastic scrap enacted by the government of China.  While many recyclables are kept here in the United States to be transformed into new products, others need to be shipped overseas.  Without the ability to export rigid plastic materials to China, and without another market available at this time, the rigid plastic program must be suspended.

If another market, either domestic or international, becomes available for the mixed rigid plastic material previously accepted at the drop-off sites the program will return.   

Residents are reminded that the landfill is the last option for rigid plastic material.  Useable items like children's toys and lawn furniture could be donated to many local organizations or listed for sale or for free at www.madisonstuffexchange.com.  Residents can also utilize their social media networks to see if their rigid plastic items could have another life in the home of a friend, neighbor, or contact.

Additional information regarding this change can be found on the Streets Division website

9/11/2017 Update

Greetings Neighbors – lots of updates below. Please take a look. Thanks!

Triangle Monona Bay Neighborhood Plan Kickoff Cookout

September 14th, 4:30-7:00 p.m. in the Triangle greenspace on Braxton Place 

The purpose of this event is to introduce the neighborhood to the planning process and hear what residents feel are the most important issues and opportunities. There will be many opportunities for people to contribute their input during this process.

Translated materials will be available and there will be a Spanish and Hmong interpreter there as well.

Presentation of Design Alternatives: Crazylegs Plaza + Wingra Park Entrance

WHEN: September 14, 6:00-7:30PM

WHERE: Wingra School Gymnasium (first floor), 718 Gilmore Street

WHAT: Join us to view and discuss site plan, landscape design and public art options (rendered images) developed by Ken Saiki Design for Crazylegs Plaza and the entrance to Wingra Park. Help prioritize the design concept that best suits each site.

Learn more and RSVP here: www.eventbrite.com/e/design-alternatives-presentation-crazylegs-plaza-wingra-park-entrance-tickets-36563668918

Monroe Street Festival

Saturday, September 16

Join us at the 40th Annual Monroe Street Festival on Saturday, Sept. 16th. A special feature this year is the Monroe Street Green Meet N' Eat, and Park(ing) Day. This innovative use of public space will take place on the 1800 block of Monroe Street (across from Trader Joe's- Madison,WI) beginning Friday, Sept. 15th through the evening of Saturday, Sept. 16th. In celebration of International PARK(ing) Day, temporary pop-up parks, innovative "green" street design and outside dining areas will transform the 1800 block into a vibrant gathering space and outdoor living room for all to enjoy!  

Edgewood Event Notice

There will be an event with amplified sound on September 20th, 2017.  The Anatomy of Frank concert will take place from 6PM – 9PM on the Predolin Terrace.

Celebrate with Bayview! Project Showcase and Pizza Palooza

Friday, September 22, 12-2pm at Bayview International Center for Education and the Arts, 601 Bayview, Madison

Bayview completed several exciting community projects this summer and now it's time to celebrate! Join us Friday, September 22 for a project showcase and pizza party.  The celebration includes the unveiling and dedication of our 19 foot mosaic mural. Other projects include:  

• Playground and outdoor classroom
• Community center patio and garden
• Painted mural
• Early childhood natural play area

This event is free and open to the public. We want everyone to learn more about Bayview, share in our accomplishments and learn about our plans for the future.

Many thanks to our generous project funders and project partners, including: Madison Community Foundation, City of Madison Neighborhood Project Grant, Madison Arts Commission, Dane Arts, Kaboom!, Madison Children's Museum, American Family Insurance and WHEDA. 

10th Annual Celebrate South Madison Festival

Saturday, September 23rd - 11 am to 7 pm at the Madison Labor Temple - 1602 S. Park Street

The music line up is the best with the Clyde Stubblefield All Star Tribute, Mad City Fund, and many other community performers.

Greenbush and Vilas Neighborhood Safety Meeting

Monday, September 18 at 6:30PM at Arboretum Cohousing, 1137 Erin St.

Cpt. John Patterson of Madison Police will present some statistics of recent calls/incidents in our area along with trends they have been seeing recently. Officer Emily Sampson will the present on MPD's "Good Neighbor Project", a refinement of past Neighborhood Watch programs. You can read a little about the project and Officer Sampson's remarks here:  http://www.cityofmadison.com/police/blog/?Id=12227

PROPOSED REDEVELOPMENT OF 1720 MONROE STREET

Tuesday, September 19 at 6pm at HotelRED

Urban Land Interests (ULI) is proposing the redevelopment of 1720 Monroe Street. The project will include the demolition of the current Associated Bank building and the construction of a new, mixed-use building containing underground parking, first floor retail and residential apartment homes. You may contact Anne Neujahr Morrison at ULI with questions regarding the proposed development at amorrison@uli.com or 608.441.5163.

The DMNA Zoning Committee will be meeting at 6pm on Tuesday, September 19, at Hotel Red to hear from ULI about the proposed development. All are welcome to join. Please note, neither city staff nor I will be able to attend this meeting – there will be more neighborhood meetings on this development.

MPD Good Neighbor Night

Wednesday, September 27 from 7-8:30pm at the Training Center at 5702 Femrite Drive

Discussing cyber security – learn how to safeguard your privacy on the internet and social media sites and how to protect children from online predators and cyber bullies.

Mayor's Neighborhood Roundtable

Saturday, October 7 from 9am - 12pm

We hope that you will join us at this year's event! Register today for the 2017 Mayor's Neighborhood Roundtable event, Saturday, October 7 from 8:00 a.m. (registration), 9am to12:00 p.m. (program) at the Monona Terrace Community and Convention Center, One John Nolen Drive, Madison, WI.  Free.  Onsite childcare and language assistance available (ASL, Hmong, Mandarin, and Spanish).  Other languages upon request. This event is for any resident who is interested in their neighbors and neighborhood well-being. 

Register NOW

A Greater Madison Vision

What : Scenario Design Workshop

Where : South Madison Library,  2222 S Park St, Madison, WI

When : Saturday, September 30th, 9am - 4:45pm

Register Now For A Greater Madison Vision's all-day scenario design event.

Try your hand at making a development plan for the region on the "iPlan Greater Madison" computer game!

Try the "build the neighborhood of the future" challenge with model blocks.

Drop by any time. This will be an all-ages event with refreshments, activities for kids and adults alike.

Register Now

8/20/2017 Update

Happy winding down of summer, all! Lots of reminders and dates below. Please take a quick read through to the end. Thanks!

Reminder – Lock up!

This is the time of year when thefts of convenience often happen to a greater degree in our neighborhoods. Madison Police Department is aware of the need for extra vigilance during fall move-in time, but it helps when neighbors are extra diligent as well. Please remember to lock your car, house, garage doors!

Regional Planning Commission – Input Solicited!

Leaders from business, government and non-profits across the region launched A Greater Madison Vision in late 2015 to develop a shared vision and plan for how the region grows.

Our region is a special place. Our quality of life, prosperity and natural beauty draws us and keeps us here. Yet these same qualities also fuel strong growth. At our current pace, we will see another 150,000-plus people living the region in the next 25 years – the equivalent of two Camp Randalls' worth of Badger fans!

How we grow matters. How and where people, homes, businesses and roads are added matters to our lives. It affects traffic and our ability to get where we need to go on time. It affects our access to good jobs and homes we can afford close to family and friends. It affects the quality of our lakes, and the health of farming.

Getting growth right requires a common vision, plan and coordinated action among communities, businesses and organizations.

Your input is important. A successful plan – one that leads to measurable improvements to things we care about – needs input from a wide range of voices, including yours.

Here are three ways you can make your voice heard.

1. Online Survey Questions – Answer five quick questions about which driving forces you think will have the biggest impact on our communities and region.
2. Driving Forces – Possible Futures Sessions – An engaging group activity to explore future possibilities. Participants explore driving forces and identify possible futures that we need to prepare and plan for.
3. iPlan Greater Madison Computer Simulation – Participants decide how growth is distributed on an interactive map and see the impacts of their choices on things like housing choices, jobs, farmland and environment. They get feedback from different "stakeholder" groups who express support or displeasure with choices made.

Help us shape a Greater Madison Vision. Contact me at MattC@capitalarearpc.org or (608) 283-1265 to schedule a Driving Forces or iPlan session, or if you have questions.

You can find information about these opportunities and others on the Greater Madison Vision website at www.AGMV.vision.

Spirit of Greenbush (Rededication Event)

Thursday, August 24 at 4pm, corner of Regent and N. Murray St

The Spirit of Greenbush memorial was commissioned to honor the rich and diverse history of the Greenbush neighborhood. The monument includes a central carving made out of Italian Carrara marble, and around that center-piece, a pyramid-shaped base holds granite slabs containing photo-etched images and text that tells stories of the original residents.

Over time, the marble form remained stable, but portions of the granite cladding around the sculpture's base loosened and many of the images were unreadable or broken. Recognizing the need to recreate and reconstruct the piece before it was irreparable, community organizer and member of the Italian Workmen's Club, Frank Alfano, volunteered to help City staff and the Madison Arts Commission create a plan for the memorial's restoration. With Alfano's dedicated stewardship, and a joint effort between Findorff Construction and Pechmann Memorials, restoration of The Spirit of Greenbush is anticipated to be completed by August 24, 2017.

The Italian Workmen's Club (IWC) of Madison, WI will sponsor a rededication event for the memorial The Spirit of Greenbush on Thursday, August 24 at 4:00 PM at the corner of Regent and North Murray streets. This event is free and open to the public.

The Peloton (1010 S. Park Street)

This project will be at the Plan Commission looking for final approval on Monday, August 28 at 5:30pm. Please review materials here (note: I'm having trouble getting one of the files uploaded, but will get a smaller file up ASAP), and let me or Tim Parks (tparks@cityofmadison.com) know if you have comments for the Commission.

Vilas Bridge Replacement Public Information Meeting

Tuesday, August 29 at Edgewood College East Regina Room

The City of Madison Parks Division is holding a public input meeting to discuss the proposed pedestrian bridge replacements at the Vilas Park lagoon. The two pedestrian bridges that connect the greater park to the lagoon island are nearing the end of their service life and both bridges are anticipated to be replaced in 2018.

At the public input meeting, Parks staff will review the condition of the existing bridges, discuss the proposed replacement structures and review the project timeline. The project's scope is focused on the bridge replacements only and does not extend to Vilas Park as a whole.

If you have questions or comments but are unable to attend the meeting, please contact Mike Sturm at (608) 267-4921, or at msturm@cityofmadison.com.

Presentation of Design Alternatives: Crazylegs Plaza + Wingra Park Entrance

WHEN: September 14, 6:00-7:30PM

WHERE: Wingra School Gymnasium (first floor), 718 Gilmore Street

WHAT: Join us to view and discuss landscape design and public art options (rendered images) developed by Ken Saiki Design for Crazylegs Plaza and the entrance to Wingra Park. Help prioritize the design concept that best suits each site.

Learn more and RSVP here: www.eventbrite.com/e/design-alternatives-presentation-crazylegs-plaza-wingra-park-entrance-tickets-36563668918

WHAT DOES A 100% RENEWABLE ENERGY MADISON LOOK LIKE TO YOU?

September 27, 6 - 8 pm, Central Library (Rm 302), 201 W. Mifflin St. 

Come to the kick-off meeting to share your ideas about how the City of Madison is going to

achieve this ambitious goal.

Questions or Feedback? Please contact Jeanne Hoffman, jhoffman@cityofmadison.com, (608) 266-4091

Mayor's Neighborhood Roundtable - Please SAVE THE DATE!

We are gearing up for the 2017 Mayor's Neighborhood Roundtable that will take place at Monona Terrace Community and Convention Center on Saturday, October 7th from 8am to 12pm. Everyone is welcome to this free event. If you know about someone who wants to be more active in their neighborhood, meet community leaders, city officials and staff,  and community organizations, or simply would like to get to know how the City of Madison or other organizations could better serve your community, please come and bring others to this event! There will be various workshops, networking opportunities and more.

You will be able to register online very soon on our website www.cityofmadison.com/neighborhoods or you could call us at (608)267-8649 or email us at neighborhoods@cityofmadison.com

Bridge Replacement in Bay Creek / Monona Bay Neighborhoods

SW Bridge Engineers, LLC has been working with the Wisconsin & Southern Railroad to design and permit two replacement railroad bridges that cross Monona Bay just north of the Bay Creek Neighborhood. Having obtained permitting through the DNR and US Army Corps of Engineers, the project is moving into the bidding phase with the goal of completing the bridge replacements over this coming winter prior to cold water fishery restrictions and the opening of the recreational boating season next spring.

The project consists of replacing two timber trestles on the southwest railroad causeway that runs north from Bernie's Beach Park with new steel trestles. The existing timber trestles are reaching the end of the their service life and are susceptible to ice damage so the decision was made by the Wisconsin & Southern Railroad and the Wisconsin DOT to replace the bridges rather than repair them. Replacement in lieu of repair will also better preserve this important transportation corridor.

The proposed bridges use the same design as the newer steel trestle constructed alongside John Nolan Drive about five years ago. The new bridges will be similar in length as the existing timber bridges (the south bridge will be 2 feet shorter, the north bridge will be 3 feet longer) and will be located in approximately the same location (both will be shifted roughly 4 feet to the south). The individual span openings will increase from roughly 14 feet up to 25 feet. The clearance between the water and the bottom of the new bridges will remain the same as the existing bridges. The track over the bridges will be raised between 6 inches and 8 inches to provide room for the deeper steel beams while maintaining underside clearance. I have attached photos of the existing timber trestles to be replaced and the newer steel trestle by John Nolen as a reference.

As part of the bridge replacement some of the abandoned timber piles next to the existing bridges will be removed to provide a clear channel for improved water flow and recreational boating. The abandoned piles closer to shore and away from the main channel will be kept in place to provide fish habitat. The entirety of the existing timber trestles, including the piles, will be removed. All material removed from both bridges will be properly disposed of at an offsite location.

The reconstruction project will likely start in October and continue through March. During this time there will be cranes and other equipment out on the causeway (or adjacent to it on barges) working on one or both of the bridges. To access the bridges during construction the contractor will either drive along the existing railroad grade up from Lakeside Street, or the contractor will launch barges out into Monona Bay from a DNR approved landing site. Material and equipment may also be brought in by rail.

Reminder Re: Yard Waste Pick-Up – The city streets division does NOT collect yard waste during the summer. You can learn more about their schedules for fall/spring, and drop off-sites for off-season here.

7/31/2017 Update

Please see below for information on Monore Street Meetings, Moving Days, and the Great Taste. Happy Summer!

Monroe Street Reconstruction, Crazylegs and Wingra Park

Please find listed below information on three new meetings for the Crazylegs Plaza & Wingra Park Entrance Redesign Project, in addition to the final Monroe Street corridor design meeting.

The following dates include ALL of the upcoming meetings related to Crazylegs Plaza, the Wingra Park entrance, and the Monroe Street Reconstruction – this should allow people to plan for which meetings they are more interested in.  

1: Crazylegs Plaza re:Design Workshop

WHEN: August 8, 6:00-7:30PM

WHERE: HotelRED, 1501 Monroe Street

WHAT: This is the first of three total meetings regarding the future design of Crazylegs Plaza. Join us to learn about and provide input on future design opportunities for Crazylegs Plaza, including landscape design and public art, in an active, creative setting!

Learn more and RSVP here: www.eventbrite.com/e/crazylegs-plaza-redesign-workshop-tickets-36494977460

2: Monroe Street Reconstruction: Final Corridor Design Presentation + Open House

WHEN: August 16, 6:00-7:30PM (presentation begins at 6:15PM)

WHERE: Wingra School Gymnasium, 718 Gilmore Street

WHAT: Presentation of final design plans and discussion of next steps, including assessments and what to expect during construction.

Learn more and RSVP here: https://finalcorridordesignopenhouse.eventbrite.com

3: Presentation of Design Alternatives: Crazylegs Plaza + Wingra Park Entrance

WHEN: September 14, 6:00-7:30PM

WHERE: Wingra School Gymnasium (first floor), 718 Gilmore Street

WHAT: Join us to view and discuss landscape design and public art options (rendered images) developed by Ken Saiki Design for Crazylegs Plaza and the entrance to Wingra Park. Help prioritize the design concept that best suits each site.

Learn more and RSVP here: www.eventbrite.com/e/design-alternatives-presentation-crazylegs-plaza-wingra-park-entrance-tickets-36563668918

4: Open House Presentation of Final Designs for Crazylegs Plaza + Wingra Park Entrance

November 2017, date TBD

Moving Days Are Here Again

The annual downtown Madison ritual of shuffling from one apartment to the next has begun.  On top of packing, hauling, and saying goodbyes, movers need to decide just what to do with all their unwanted stuff.  And there is a lot of it.

In 2016, over one million pounds of unwanted goods was landfilled just from the August move out days.  That is a considerable amount of material to put in the landfill, especially considering how much of it can be reused, resold, or recycled.

The Streets Division wants to encourage everyone participating in the downtown moving days first to seek out donation opportunities.  There are several places to donate useable items, such as couches, desks, clothes, non-perishable food, and many other things.  Items could also be resold through the Madison Stuff Exchange or other person-to-person exchanges.

If the unwanted item cannot be donated or resold, then the Streets Division also encourages everyone to follow the collection guidelines outlined below.  After all, our crews might have to collect over one million pounds of unwanted items in the coming days.  Following the rules will help make the move out safe and efficient for everyone. 

The Streets Division will be providing additional collections in the downtown moving area on the days leading up to August 15 when downtown leases traditionally end.  More details regarding the additional collections can be found below.

Donation Opportunities

Here is a list of potential places where unwanted yet usable items can be donated.  This list is not exhaustive as other options for your items may exist locally through consignment shops or other reputable donation opportunities. 

Be sure to contact the donation organization prior to arriving with your items to be sure they will accept what you seek to give.  For example, Habitat for Humanity may take a gently used microwave, but they will not take clothing.  And the YWCA may accept the cookware and non-perishable food items that you no longer need, but they cannot accept furniture.  Many of these organizations also post a list of what they can and cannot accept on their websites.

Agrace Thrift Store

• Madison East phone: 608-327-7200
• Madison West phone: 608-833-4556

Bethesda House of Thrift

• Phone: 608-223-1228

Boomerang's Resale Store

• Phone: 608-268-0793

Easter Seals Donation Station

• Phone: 608-257-7780

Goodwill

• Madison East: 608-246-1990
• Madison West: 608-271-0048

Habitat for Humanity ReStore

• Madison East: 608-661-2813
• Madison West: 608-442-9919

Salvation Army

• Schedule a home collection: 1-800-728-7825

Savers

• Phone: 608-441-1380

St. Vincent de Paul

• Madison East: 608-257-0673
• Madison West: 608-278-6370
• Schedule a free home collection: 608-278-2920, extension 1

YWCA

• Phone: 608-257-1436, option 2

Residents of the large downtown apartment buildings may have access to donation opportunities within their buildings.  A list of buildings that have partnered with Goodwill to provide this service for their residents can be found on the Streets Division's Moving Days website.

Streets Division Operations

Starting on Monday, July 31, residents in the downtown moving days area who have their refuse and recycling collected on Thursdays can place their collection carts at the curb every day. 

Crews from the Streets Division will be in this area every day between July 31 and August 15 to empty the refuse and recycling carts so residents can use them again and again during the move out process.

The Streets Division recommends placing as much appropriate material into the refuse and recycling carts as possible.  Using the carts makes collection operations safer and faster for everyone. 

Guidelines for Refuse, Recycling, and Using the Carts

• Please keep your refuse and recycling separated from each other.
• Do not put trash in cardboard boxes. Boxes are recyclable. Stuffing them with trash means they get sent to the landfill. Please flatten and bundle cardboard boxes for recycling.

·         Only put appropriate recyclable items in your green recycling cart. Consult the Recyclopedia (page 8) to learn what can go into it.

·         Do not put recycling in your tan refuse cart - all material in the tan cart goes to the landfill.

·         If you have more recycling than can fit into the cart, and you cannot wait until your cart has been emptied for you to refill it, bring the excess to a drop-off site or place the recyclables in clear plastic bags outside your filled cart. Do not make loose piles of recycling, and do not stuff it into other containers.

·         Put all refuse at the curb in your tan refuse cart or trash bags. Do not pile your trash loose at the curb.

• Make sure your carts remain accessible for our trucks and do not pile bagged trash, bagged recyclables, or large items around them.

·         Leave the collection arts at your apartment. Do not take them with you. The carts belong to the City and must remain for the new tenants. There will be carts at your new apartment if that building uses City refuse and recycling services.

Guidelines for Furniture, Appliances, and Other Large Items

·         Do not pile bagged trash or recyclables on top of large items furniture or appliances set out for collection.

·         Keep larger metal items, such as filing cabinets or bed frames, separate from other material so they can be easily collected and recycled.

·         Most appliances, including microwaves, require a fee for collection. You will need to purchase a fee sticker prior to placing that item out for collection. Check the Streets Division website or the Recyclopedia to verify if your appliance needs a fee sticker.

Guidelines for Televisions, Computers, Laptops, and Other Electronics

·         Do not place televisions at the curb. They must be brought to a drop-off site for recycling. There is a recycling fee for each television.

·         Do not place computers or laptops at the curb. They must be brought to a drop-off site for recycling. There is a recycling fee for each computer or laptop.

·         Many other electronics are banned from the landfill, like cell phones and DVD players, and they must be recycled. They, too, must be taken to a drop-off site.

·         Other electronics can be recycled as well, like Christmas tree lights, or vacuums, or basically anything with a plug.

The Drop-off Sites

The Streets Division offers drop-off site services for all residents of the city of Madison.  Televisions, computers, and other electronics must be taken to a drop-off site, but other material, such as excess refuse or recycling, can be taken to a drop-off site as well.

Residents can bring one load a day of refuse, recycling, or large items to either the 1501 W. Badger Rd. or the 4141 Nakoosa Trail drop-off site. The single load cannot be larger than what would fit into a standard pick-up truck bed or small single-axle trailer.  Loads larger than those guidelines will be denied access to the site. Individuals wanting to use the drop-off site will need to provide proof of their City of Madison residency.

Appliance Sticker Sales

If you have an item that requires an appliance sticker, they can be purchased at the Streets Division offices at 1501 W. Badger Rd. and 4602 Sycamore Ave. between the hours of 7:30am and 4:00pm Monday to Friday.  Sticker sales are not available at the Nakoosa Trail drop-off site.

Stickers can also be purchased at any city of Madison public library and the Treasurer's office in the City-County Building.

Stickers can also be purchased online at www.madisonpay.com, but stickers will need to be mailed to you after purchase.

The Madison Stuff Exchange

With so many people moving into new apartments, the demand for used furniture and other household items will be very high.  That makes this a great time to list unwanted yet usable items on the Madison Stuff Exchange.

Residents of Madison and Dane County can register to use the site at no charge.  Items can be given away or offered for sale.  There is a maximum sale price of $99 for any item. Businesses may not use the site to sell their products or services.  Residents looking for items can also register and post their wanted list.

The web address of the Madison Stuff Exchange is www.madisonstuffexchange.com.

Additional Information

If there are questions, all residents are encouraged to contact the Streets Division.  Residents who live east of S. Park Street, and that includes the isthmus, should call 608-246-4532 and residents west of S. Park Street, and that includes the neighborhoods around Camp Randall, should call 608-266-4681. 

Additional information can also be found in the Recyclopedia and the Streets Division's Moving Days website.

-

August 21 at Olin Park – Great Taste of the Midwest

It is that time of year again, the Madison Homebrewers Tasters Guild is preparing for this years' Great Taste of the Midwest to be held at Olin Park on 8/12 from noon to 6pm. The event will be run pretty much the same as last year, there is no amplified music at the event.

The boat launch will be closed for the day on Saturday, as it was last year. 

Set-up activity generally begins in the park as early as Wednesday. The cleanup is usually finished around noon on Sunday, and the final removal of equipment by our vendors is typically completed by Monday morning. 

7/18/2017 Update

Please see the items below for neighborhood meetings and events related to: Park Street Planning; MPD's "Being a Good Neighbor," programming; the Monroe Street Final Design Corridor. Also, please share ped-bike projects and note CrossFit Games Use of Quann Park. See below.

Park Street Development Update Neighborhood Meeting         

Tuesday, July 25, 2017 6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. (Updated Times)

• Based on neighborhood feedback, this meeting is being extended to allow for more robust Q&A and feedback related to the Peloton project (1034 S. Park Street). We will briefly break as we switch from updates to discussing this specific project, should neighbors want to leave. If you only plan to attend for the Peloton update and discussion, we will start between 7:15 and 7:30 (depending on how long other updates take).

Goodman Maintenance Facility, 1402 Wingra Creek Parkway

Meeting Parameters:

• The meeting will provide updates on proposed and anticipated developments in the Park St / Fish Hatchery (Wingra Build Plan) triangle area.
• Each agenda item below relates to a project or potential project.
• Time has been allocated for each project, some will take less time, but they will not take more than the time allocated below. We will strictly follow the time allocations, to ensure we get to all projects. If there are additional questions after, please either submit them in writing for follow-up with appropriate staff/development team members.

Madison Police Department Community Workshop (Flyer with Details)

Workshop #1 – 6:30-8:30pm, July 26

Workshop #2 – 6:30-8:30pm, August 30

Space is limited so please email Officer Emily Samson (esamson@cityofmadison.com) to reserve space. Free childcare will be provided.

Monroe Street Reconstruction: Final Corridor Design Presentation & Open House

When:   Wednesday, August 16, 6:00-8:00 PM (previously scheduled for July 20th). Presentation will begin at 6:00PM.

Where:  Wingra School Gymnasium, 718 Gilmore Street, Madison, WI 53711

RSVP:     https://finalcorridordesignopenhouse.eventbrite.com.

Goals:

1. Present final corridor design plans for the Monroe Street reconstruction, including streetscaping and traffic calming enhancements.
2. Share next steps in preparing for the Monroe Street reconstruction that will begin in spring 2018.

Pedestrian-Bicycle Projects Sought

The Madison Pedestrian/Bicycle/Motor Vehicle Commission will hold a public hearing to receive comments on potential pedestrian and bicycle projects the City should consider undertaking in the 2018-2020 Capital Budgets to increase opportunities for walking and bicycling in Madison.

The intent of the public hearing is to hear suggestions for new capital (construction) projects. Please note that concerns about routine maintenance and operational issues can be directed to the appropriate agency via the City's Report-a-Problem webpage http://www.cityofmadison.com/reportaproblem.

The hearing will be held at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, July 25, 2017, in Room 201 of the City County Building, 210 Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard.

Written comments will also be accepted through Monday, August 7th, 2017, and should be addressed to the Pedestrian/Bicycle/Motor Vehicle Commission, c/o City Traffic Engineering Division, PO Box 2986, Madison WI 53701-2986, or emailed to traffic@cityofmadison.com.

The results of the public hearing and written comments will be used to develop a list of projects to be considered for inclusion in the 2018-2020 construction work program.

Contacts:

Arthur Ross, Traffic Engineering, 608-266-6225, aross@cityofmadison.com

Please see below regarding use of Quann Park for the CrossFit Games:

We are writing to inform you of The CrossFit Games request for exclusive use of Quann Park and its surrounding area near the Alliant Energy Center. This is our first year hosting our event in the City of Madison and we are excited to have the CrossFit Community experience Madison, WI. We have been working closely with the City of Madison, Dane County and the Madison Area Sports Commission on our permitting and insurance to adhere to the requirements of the City of Madison and be proper guests of your City.

The CrossFit Games will celebrate it's 11th year in Madison, WI. The CrossFit Games are the world's premier test to find the Fittest on Earth™. They are world-renowned as a grueling test for the toughest athletes on Earth as well as a thrilling experience for spectators. Since its inception in 2007, the CrossFit Games have become "one of the fastest growing sports in America," according to Forbes. In addition, we were The Winner of Best Professional Multi-Sport or Multi-Discipline Event by SportsTravel Magazine in 2015.

Days and Times of Quann Park Usage:

- Access starting

  - Monday July 24, 2017

- Exclusive Use Starting 

   -Sunday July 31, 2017 - August 6, 2017

7/18/2017 Update

Meeting Dates – Park Street Planning and Monroe Street Final Design Corridor. See below.

Park Street Development Update Neighborhood Meeting         

Tuesday, July 25, 2017 6:30 p.m.

Goodman Maintenance Facility, 1402 Wingra Creek Parkway

Meeting Parameters:

• The meeting will provide updates on proposed and anticipated developments in the Park St / Fish Hatchery (Wingra Build Plan) triangle area.
• Each agenda item below relates to a project or potential project.
• Time has been allocated for each project. We will strictly follow the time allocations, to ensure we get to all projects. If there are additional questions after, please either submit them in writing or follow-up with appropriate staff/development team members in the room.

Monroe Street Reconstruction: Final Corridor Design Presentation & Open House

When:   Wednesday, August 16, 6:00-8:00 PM (previously scheduled for July 20th). Presentation will begin at 6:00PM.

Where:  Wingra School Gymnasium, 718 Gilmore Street, Madison, WI 53711

RSVP:     https://finalcorridordesignopenhouse.eventbrite.com.

Goals:

1. Present final corridor design plans for the Monroe Street reconstruction, including streetscaping and traffic calming enhancements.
2. Share next steps in preparing for the Monroe Street reconstruction that will begin in spring 2018.

7/10/2017 Update

Please see below for updates on the Park/Fish Hatchery Development Proposal, Monroe Street, and Park Street Planning Meeting Save the Date. This is an update from the update a few days ago – so please review! :)

The Peloton (1004 &1032 South Park Street)

Plan Commission – Referred to at least the July 24 Plan Commission Meeting

Monday, July 24 at 5:30pm, 210 Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd. Room 201 (City County Building)

This project was reviewed this evening at the Plan Commission. I have shared these comments for the Commission, and we worked through additional conditions and concerns that need to be addressed. The Plan Commission referred this project for at least two weeks, to see more details regarding the proposed conditions, setbacks and pedestrian/bike accommodations, shared parking, and undergrounding of utilities. As soon as I have updated plans related to these concerns and conditions I will share them out.

If you have further input, please do not hesitate to reach-out to me directly, or share comments with the assigned city planner Tim Parks (tparks@cityofmadison.com) to have them entered into the formal record.

2017 Monroe Street Reconstruction Meetings Reminder

Bus Stops

If you are particularly interested in bus stop locations on Monroe, please attend the Transit and Parking Commission public hearing on Wednesday, July 12 at 6pm in Madison Central Library, 201 W. Mifflin Street, Room 302. You can learn more on the website.

Monroe Street Reconstruction: Final Corridor Design Open House – Postponed!

In order to accommodate time for staff to fully incorporate neighborhood feedback (thank you all!), the meeting is being postponed.

When: TBD

RSVP here: https://finalcorridordesignopenhouse.eventbrite.com

Open House Goals:

1. View and learn about final plans for the reconstruction of Monroe Street, including streetscaping and traffic calming designs.

2. Discuss ideas with City of Madison engineering, planning and Metro staff.

3. Learn about next steps in preparing for the Monroe Street reconstruction to begin in spring 2018.

Park Street Development Update Meeting

Please hold the evening of Tuesday, July 25 for a meeting to provide updates on the various development proposals in the South Park Street area of the Bay Creek neighborhood. Details forthcoming.

7/8/2017 Update

Hope everyone had a happy and safe 4th and is enjoying this weekend! Please see below for updates on the Park/Fish Hatchery Development Proposal, Monroe Street, and Park Street Planning Meeting Save the Date.

The Peloton (1004 &1032 South Park Street)

Plan Commission

Monday, July 10 at 5:30pm, 210 Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd. Room 201 (City County Building)

This project will be before the Plan Commission on Monday evening. I have drafted these comments for the Commission. If you have further input, please do not hesitate to reach-out to me directly, or share comments with the assigned city planner Tim Parks (tparks@cityofmadison.com) to have them entered into the formal record.

2017 Monroe Street Reconstruction Meetings Reminder

Bus Stops

If you are particularly interested in bus stop locations on Monroe, please attend the Transit and Parking Commission public hearing on Wednesday, July 12 at 6pm in Madison Central Library, 201 W. Mifflin Street, Room 302. You can learn more on the website.

Monroe Street Reconstruction: Final Corridor Design Open House

When: July 20, 2017 6:00-8:00 PM

Where: Edgewood College Washburn Heritage Room 1000 Edgewood College Drive Madison, WI 53711

RSVP here: https://finalcorridordesignopenhouse.eventbrite.com

Open House Goals:

1. View and learn about final plans for the reconstruction of Monroe Street, including streetscaping and traffic calming designs.

2. Discuss ideas with City of Madison engineering, planning and Metro staff.

3. Learn about next steps in preparing for the Monroe Street reconstruction to begin in spring 2018.

Park Street Development Update Meeting

Please hold the evening of Tuesday, July 25 for a meeting to provide updates on the various development proposals in the South Park Street area of the Bay Creek neighborhood. Details forthcoming.

6/24/2017 Update

Please see below for updates on the Park/Fish Hatchery Development Proposal and Monroe Street Reconstruction. Thanks!

The Peloton (1004 &1032 South Park Street)

Urban Design Commission

Wednesday, June 28 at 4:30pm, 210 Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd. Room 351 (City County Building)

This project will be before the Urban Design Commission on Wednesday evening. Please monitor the link to see any changes in designs/plans submitted for the committee to review. At this time, I have not been provided updated plans. This table highlights the comparison to the plans approved in 2015.

I have drafted these comments for the Commission. If you have further input, please do not hesitate to reach-out to me directly, or share comments with the assigned city planner Tim Parks (tparks@cityofmadison.com) to have them entered into the formal record.

The project is scheduled for Plan Commission on July 10.

2017 Monroe Street Reconstruction Meetings Reminder

Bus Stops

The preliminary corridor design workshop and final design open house (info below) will provide information on new bus stop proposed locations. However, if you are particularly interested in this topic, please attend the Transit and Parking Commission public hearing on Wednesday, July 13 at 6pm in the City Council Chambers (210 MLK, rm 201). You can learn more on the flyer and website.

Monroe Street Reconstruction: Preliminary Corridor Design Workshop

When: July 5, 2017 6:00-8:00 PM

Where: Edgewood College Washburn Heritage Room 1000 Edgewood College Drive Madison, WI 53711

RSVP here: https://preliminarycorridordesignworkshop.eventbrite.com

Workshop Goals:

1. Share detailed preliminary plans for the future design of Monroe Street.

2. Gather community input on potential placemaking and traffic calming enhancements along the length of Monroe Street.

3. Explore ideas and questions in a creative, hands-on setting.

Monroe Street Reconstruction: Final Corridor Design Open House

When: July 20, 2017 6:00-8:00 PM

Where: Edgewood College Washburn Heritage Room 1000 Edgewood College Drive Madison, WI 53711

RSVP here: https://finalcorridordesignopenhouse.eventbrite.com

Open House Goals:

1. View and learn about final plans for the reconstruction of Monroe Street, including streetscaping and traffic calming designs.

2. Discuss ideas with City of Madison engineering, planning and Metro staff.

3. Learn about next steps in preparing for the Monroe Street reconstruction to begin in spring 2018.

Bay Creek Neighborhood Association Meeting

June 29, 2017  6:30-8:30 PM

VFW Hall

133 East Lakeside St.

PURPOSE:

To invite neighbors to give input on ways to improve communication and encourage greater participation in the work of the neighborhood association.  The City of Madison is providing a facilitator to help us determine issues and to help us create an action plan for moving forward.

AGENDA

Introductions and welcome

Review of current neighborhood meeting format

Establishing meeting ground rules

Purpose of this meeting

Gathering insights activity

        Individual insights

        Small group activity to find themes

        Large group discussion of themes

Action Plan

        Short and long-term improvement ideas

        Next Steps

Adjournment

Happy Summer, Neighbors! See below for more information on HotelRED's updated plans, Monroe Street reconstruction final meeting reminders, Jazz in the Park and the Duck Dash, weekly food cart dinners in Vilas Park, MadiSUN Solar Group Buy, and organics program expansion.

HotelRED Updated Plans

When: Thursday, June 15, 7-7:30pm (10min project overview, 20min Q&A)

Where: HotelRED, as part of the Vilas Neighborhood Association Council Meeting

Please join us for a neighborhood discussion on the proposed revitalization of HotelRED.  The new projects involves a two plus story vertical addition to the existing structure.  The addition will include two floors of new guests rooms and a rooftop lounge, patio, meeting space and green roof.  After carefully listening to our neighbors and the City, this proposed revitalization will enhance a local amenity and resource, while still continuing to serve as a strong community focused member of the neighborhood. 

2017 Monroe Street Reconstruction Meetings Reminder

Bus Stops

The preliminary corridor design workshop and final design open house (info below) will provide information on new bus stop proposed locations. However, if you are particularly interested in this topic, please attend the Transit and Parking Commission public hearing on Wednesday, July 13 at 6pm in the City Council Chambers (210 MLK, rm 201). You can learn more on the flyer and website.

Monroe Street Reconstruction: Preliminary Corridor Design Workshop

When: July 5, 2017 6:00-8:00 PM

Where: Edgewood College Washburn Heritage Room 1000 Edgewood College Drive Madison, WI 53711

RSVP here: https://preliminarycorridordesignworkshop.eventbrite.com

Workshop Goals:

1. Share detailed preliminary plans for the future design of Monroe Street.

2. Gather community input on potential placemaking and traffic calming enhancements along the length of Monroe Street.

3. Explore ideas and questions in a creative, hands-on setting.

Monroe Street Reconstruction: Final Corridor Design Open House

When: July 20, 2017 6:00-8:00 PM

Where: Edgewood College Washburn Heritage Room 1000 Edgewood College Drive Madison, WI 53711

RSVP here: https://finalcorridordesignopenhouse.eventbrite.com

Open House Goals:

1. View and learn about final plans for the reconstruction of Monroe Street, including streetscaping and traffic calming designs.

2. Discuss ideas with City of Madison engineering, planning and Metro staff.

3. Learn about next steps in preparing for the Monroe Street reconstruction to begin in spring 2018.

Duck Dash and Jazz in the Park

Saturday, June 17

Participants can choose between a canoe, a single or tandem kayak, or stand up paddleboard to race out and back from Wingra Boats. Once on shore, they will choose between a 10K course around the Arboretum or a family-friendly fun run (around 3K) out and back from the park through the beautiful Monroe Street neighborhood. Registration starts at 8:30am, race begins in the water at 9:00am. Registration costs $15-40. Learn more at http://www.wingraboats.com/events. 

The DMNA Social Justice Committee will be collecting non-perishable food and healthy snacks for school food pantries and children who are food insecure in our neighboring schools. Please bring donations to Jazz in the Park on June 17. Thank you! 

Pack a family picnic, lawn chairs, and blankets so you and your family can enjoy live music all afternoon and evening at Wingra Park, including:

3:30 - 5:00pm Edgewood College Jazz Band
5:30 - 7:00pm The Red Hot Horn Dawgs
7:30 - 9:00pm The Big Payback

Event Date: 
Saturday, June 17, 2017 (All day)
Location: 
Wingra Boats and Wingra Park

Food Cart Dinners @ Vilas

Weekly neighborhood food cart dinners will begin June 20 and will be at Vilas Park on Wednesdays this summer, from 5:30-7:30pm. Learn more at: http://www.letseatoutwi.org/.

MadiSUN program: opportunity to save money on installing solar panels

Good news about a great opportunity for affordable rooftop solar electricity for Madison families. We know that our neighborhood cares about sustainability and energy from clean sources, so we're excited to be part of spreading the word.

This summer, the City's MadiSUN program is offering a special Solar Group Buy program to help residents save money and install rooftop solar panels together. The group buy simplifies the installation process and lowers costs by working with a pre-qualified, vetted solar company that offers a competitive group price.

Plus, MadiSUN is offering a Solar Energy Loan with a low, fixed interest rate and flexible repayment terms on solar loans up to $20,000.

Visit Madisunsolar.com to learn more.

Putting solar panels on a home is a great way to lower household energy costs. In 2017, the price of installing solar has never been lower: homeowners can receive a Federal Tax Credit for 30% of the cost of their system, and Wisconsin's Focus on Energy program offers up to $2,000 in additional rebates. And installing solar means switching to a clean, renewable energy source that is great for the community.

Visit Madisunsolar.com and sign up for more information. The Group Buy program is recruiting interested households from now through August.

Select Bay Creek and Greenbush Neighbors: Organics Recycling!

Please pay attention to the exciting invitation letter you may have received from the city streets division. Organics recycling may be available! 

This is an exciting program, and we continue to work towards city-wide expansion. In the meantime, I'm very glad it will be able to serve a few more of you.?

It's only just a small piece because we're picking up elsewhere on Thursdays, and this piece made the most sense for us to add while the collection vehicle is on its way back to dump at our transfer station on Olin Ave.

Every single-family home in the yellow-shaded polygon on the map will receive an invitation letter to join.  We're just doing volunteers to help control against contamination concerns.  And our online sign up only functions with single-family homes, so that's why we're avoiding multi-unit buildings for the time being.  Plus, we've found that resident changeover is a pretty common cause for contamination, so apartments might be tough for the program right now.

There will be a couple community meetings over the next two weeks for residents if they have any questions. The meetings will be at the Goodman South Madison Library.  The first one will be on June 7th at 6pm.  The second one will be on June 14th at 6pm.  The meeting will probably take an hour, give or take.    

Here's the map of the folks that got invitation letters:

Greetings Neighbors –

This update has information on events, developments, and policy. Please review and let me know if you have questions or comments.

Meetings/Events

Lucky's 1313 Regent St

This proposal is no longer on the Plan Commission agenda for Monday, May

May 26-29 Brat Fest

Please see the letter from Tim Metcalfe to neighbors regarding this year's event.

Development Updates

Wingra Point II / Peloton (1004 and 1032 S. Park Street)

The project plans have been re-submitted for approval. The proposed approval process schedule is:

• Urban Design Commission, June 28
• Plan Commission, July 10
• Common Council, July 18

Each of these meetings includes a public hearing opportunity.

Please review the plans on my development page and linked here. The summary table below (linked here) highlights the changes from the approved version and the new plans:

Please send me your thoughts on this project.

1202 South Park Street Permanent Supportive Housing Project

This project did not receive WHEDA tax credits. Heartland Housing is currently reviewing options and deciding on next steps. I will share more when I have additional information.

Overall, the city did not fare well in receipt of tax credits for affordable housing this round. City support is provided to projects to help them leverage WHEDA tax credits as a funding source. This is critical to our affordable housing strategy and helped fund Rethke Terrace and Tree Lane projects (among many others). We will work to improve projects to hopefully be more successful in the future.

Council Policy Work

On Tuesday night, the Council passed 13 action items based on the recommendation of the President's Work Group on Police and Community Relations. This impressive work is summarized in a report well worth reading. Please find it here. We should all be proud of this city and police department supported legislative work.

Thank you for the opportunity to serve you for a second term on the Common Council! It is such a privilege. I look forward to being sworn in again on Tuesday.

See below for more information on the Greenbush Housing Renovation Program, Madison Policy Survey, Regent and Randall Sewer Project and road impacts, Camp Randall Events, Monroe Street Reconstruction Meetings, Waste/Brush Collection, and the new Recyclopedia!

Greenbush Housing Renovation Program Open House

Wednesday, April 19, 6:30 p.m. at HotelRED, 1501 Monroe Street

Please join us on April 19 to learn more about the Greenbush Housing Renovation

Program. The program is designed to help pay for the cost of purchasing/renovating and converting current rental properties to owner-occupied housing through a forgivable loan. The program runs through the end of 2017.

For more information about program eligibility, contact Terri Goldbin at the City of Madison at 266-4223. You can also learn more about the program's history and successful loans here.

Madison Policy Department Policy and Procedural Review Study Survey

The City of Madison Madison Police Department Policy and Procedure Review is an outgrowth of the work and recommendations of the MPD Ad Hoc Review Committee, which is itself a body of volunteers and residents appointed by the City to address issues of concern regarding police-community relations.

The committee was also tasked by the Mayor and City Council to participate in the process of hiring experts to conduct a comprehensive outside review of MPD as a constructive means of identifying strengths and areas of potential improvement. The City Council agreed and authorized the review.

Throughout 2017, OIR Group will perform a multi-faceted review of MPD that will culminate in a public report of findings and recommendations. This includes a survey of your perceptions of the Madison Police Department – please participate! http://www.cityofmadison.com/mpdstudy/

MADISON METROPOLITAN SEWERAGE DISTRICT--NORTH RANDALL AVENUE & REGENT STREET SEWER LINING PROJECT

Beginning Monday, April 10th, Michels Corporation will set up traffic control to line the existing Madison Metropolitan Sewerage District (MMSD) sanitary sewer that runs underneath North Randall Street from West Dayton Street to Regent Street, and on Regent Street from North Randall Street to East Campus Mall.  

This project will rehabilitate the existing sanitary sewer with a new lining to extend the life of the sewer.  The alternative to this process is to install new sanitary sewer, which would require an open-trench and excavation of the entire length of the sewer. 

Parking will be removed from much of North Randall Street and Regent Street in these areas.  Both North Randall Street and Regent Street will have one lane of traffic in each direction at all times (see the attached map).  The exact location of the parking removal will depend on where the contractor is actively working. 

Much of the work will occur within intersections and will necessitate closing traffic on side streets leading into Regent Street. Again, the side streets that will be closed will depend on the location the contractor is actively working.

Delays on Regent Street are expected during the morning and afternoon peak traffic periods. 

Information about street projects can be found on the city of Madison website.

The MMSD Sewer Lining Project is expected to last until approximately June 30th, 2017. 

Upcoming Camp Randall Events

Spring Football Game

Scheduled for Friday, April 21st with a start time of 6:30pm.  We are expecting a crowd of 10,000 people.

In addition to the Spring Football Game, we are also hosting a Kids Fair in the McClain Center with all kinds of interactive activities for kids.  This will run from 5:00pm-6:30pm.

More information can be found at the following links: http://www.uwbadgers.com/news/2017/2/6/wisconsin-football-spring-game-set-for-april-21.aspx and http://www.uwbadgers.com/index.aspx?path=football

Crazylegs

This event is scheduled for April 29th.  We are expecting 20,000 people for the event.  More details can be found at the following link: http://www.crazylegsclassic.com/

Engineering Expo

This event is scheduled for April 7-8 from 9am-2pm each day.  This is not an athletic department event, however, just wanted to make you aware since the event does often times involve a large number of buses on Breese Terrace.  Some more information about the event can be found at the following link: http://engineeringexpo.wisc.edu/

2017 Monroe Street Reconstruction Meetings Reminder

Monroe Street Reconstruction: Wingra Park Entrance Workshop

When: April 27, 2017 at 5:30

Where: Temple Beth El 2702 Arbor Drive Madison, WI 53711

RSVP here: https://wingraparkentranceworkshop.eventbrite.com

Workshop goals:

1. Share opportunities and gather community input on desired placemaking and traffic calming enhancements at the Wingra Park entrance and adjacent intersection (Commonwealth and Monroe).

2. Explore community ideas and questions in a creative, hands-on setting.

Monroe Street Reconstruction: Preliminary Corridor Design Workshop

When: June 21, 2017 6:00-8:00 PM

Where: Wingra School Gymnasium 718 Gilmore Street Madison, WI 53711

RSVP here: https://preliminarycorridordesignworkshop.eventbrite.com

Workshop Goals:

1. Share detailed preliminary plans for the future design of Monroe Street.

2. Gather community input on potential placemaking and traffic calming enhancements along the length of Monroe Street.

3. Explore ideas and questions in a creative, hands-on setting.

Monroe Street Reconstruction: Final Corridor Design Open House

When: July 20, 2017 6:00-8:00 PM

Where: Edgewood College Washburn Heritage Room 1000 Edgewood College Drive Madison, WI 53711

RSVP here: https://finalcorridordesignopenhouse.eventbrite.com

Open House Goals:

1. View and learn about final plans for the reconstruction of Monroe Street, including streetscaping and traffic calming designs.

2. Discuss ideas with City of Madison engineering, planning and Metro staff.

3. Learn about next steps in preparing for the Monroe Street reconstruction to begin in spring 2018.

Curb Side Yard Waste and Brush Collection Begins April 3, 2017

Finally, Madison, the weather and the calendar both show that it's spring.  And it's time to get outside and reclaim our yards from winter.  Starting on Monday, April 3, the Streets Division will begin our curbside brush and spring yard waste collection services.

Please note that as in years past there are only two guaranteed collection opportunities for curbside yard waste collection in the spring.  Upon completion of the second collection round, curbside yard waste services cease until the start of the fall leaf collection season.  Curbside brush collection will continue through the spring and summer before ending later in the fall.

As in years past, crews will not follow a set schedule for these collections.  On April 3, brush and spring yard waste crews will begin collecting in the areas of the city that has a Monday refuse collection day.  Once crews have finished collecting from each street in that area, they will move into the area of the city that has a Tuesday refuse collection day.  Upon the completion of the Tuesday district, crews move into the Wednesday district. Crews will continue to rotate through the city in this manner for the duration of the collection seasons.

What Is Yard Waste?

Yard waste is considered leafy plant material.  Examples include pulled weeds, fallen leaves, and garden debris.  It also includes pumpkins, crabapples, black walnuts, pine cones, and even twigs that are less than 18 inches long.  For a full list of restrictions, visit the Leaf and Yard Waste section of the Streets Division website (www.cityofmadison.com/yardwaste).

Yard Waste Collection

Crews will complete two official rounds of curbside collection of yard waste before ending for the season.  Material set out after the second round of collection will not be collected until the start of the fall leaf collection in late September. 

Residents wishing to utilize this service are encouraged to set material out prior to crews arriving into their refuse collection area.  For daily updates on where the crews are collecting, residents should visit the Leaf and Yard Waste section of the Streets Division website and use the Collection District Maps.  Directions on how to use the maps are found on the website.  Residents can also call the leaf and yard waste hotline at 608-267-2088 for weekly updates and estimates on collection times.

How Should People Pile Yard Waste for Collection?

When setting out yard waste, residents can pile the material loose on the terrace or curbside.  Do not place it in the street directly.

Residents can also place yard waste into open compostable paper bags, or in open plastic bags.  If bags are used, they must remain open at the top.  Do not cinch, tie, or otherwise close the yard waste bags.

Also, do not mix yard waste and brush together into a single pile.  Brush and yard waste are processed differently, and are collected by different crews, so they must be kept separate.  Piles that have yard waste and brush mixed together will not be collected.

What is Brush?

Brush is woody material likely trimmed from trees or bushes that is longer than 18 inches, but shorter than 8 feet long.

Brush Collection

Crews will pick brush continuously throughout the spring, summer, and early fall.  Brush collection will end in late September when the personnel is needed for the fall leaf collection.  The actual end of brush collection and the start of fall leaf collection is weather dependent.  Future updates will be provided to announce the end of brush collection later this year.

Residents wishing to utilize this service are encouraged to set material out prior to crews arriving into their collection area.  For daily updates on where the crews are working, residents should visit the Leaf and Yard Waste section of the Streets Division website to utilize the Collection District Maps.  Directions on how to use the maps are found on the website.  Residents can also call the brush hotline at 267-2088 for weekly updates and estimates on collection times.

How Should People Set Brush to the Curb for Collection?

Brush should be set out with the cut ends facing the same direction.  And please take care to pile the brush neatly so workers can collect the material quickly without risk of cutting their hands or arms.

Do not place brush into containers or bags.   Please do not tie brush together wires, or mix other material with it, such are rocks or metal.  For other restrictions, please visit the Brush section of the Streets Division website (www.cityofmadison.com/brushcollection).

Residents are again reminded not to comingle brush and yard waste.  Piles of mixed brush and yard waste will not be collected.

Special Note About Contractors

Brush will be collected if it is cut and set out by homeowners or residents only.  Brush created by contractors need to be disposed of by the contractor.  Contractors are also barred from using the resident & taxpayer only drop off facilities to dispose of the brush.  Contractors can use the brush processing facility at 121 E. Olin Ave. to dispose of the brush they create.  The website for the processing site is www.cityofmadison.com/streets/yardWaste/brushprocessing.cfm.

Drop-Off Sites

Residents and taxpayers can also use the city of Madison drop off facilities.  Brush and yard waste can be brought to 1501 W. Badger Rd. or 4602 Sycamore Ave.  The drop-off site at 402 South Point Rd. can only accept yard waste.

All three drop off sites are currently open seven days a week.  On Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays the sites are open 8:30am to 4:30pm.  On Tuesdays and Thursdays, the sites are open 8:30am to 8:00pm.  These hours will remain in place until December 3, 2017.

Residents and taxpayers are restricted to one load a day.  The load should be the equivalent of one pickup truck full, or an 8 foot by 4 foot trailer.   Residents and taxpayers attempting to bring in more than this during one trip will be denied access and directed to the brush processing facility at 121 E. Olin Ave.

All users of the drop off site are expected to show proof of residency or taxpayer status to use the site.

Again, contractors are barred from using the drop off sites to dispose of material.

For more information regarding the drop off facilities, please visit the Drop-Off Site section of the Streets Division website (www.cityofmadison.com/streets/yardWaste/dropoffsites.cfm)

For more information for all Streets Division services, visit www.cityofmadison.com/streets.

New Recyclopedias from the Streets Division

We have a new Recyclopedia.  There's a very handy and searchable PDF on our website that can be found on the main Streets Division website (see the below screen shot).   You can follow this link to give it a look: http://www.cityofmadison.com/streets/documents/Recyclopedia2017-web.pdf

3.20.17 Updates

Please see below for more information about HotelRED, Lucky's 1313, Rockhound Brewery, and 1603 Monroe:

HotelRED

HotelRED will be before the Plan Commission tonight at 5:30pm to review their proposed 4 story expansion. Please share comments with the Plan Commission by emailing staff Tim Parks (tparks@cityofmadison.com). You can view my memo on the project here.

Lucky's 1313

Lucky's 1313 is applying to expand their outdoor patio capacity and add volleyball courts. The letter of intent is on my website and I will post more details as they become available. We will be holding a neighborhood meeting to give them the ability to share more information and answer questions. Please join us or email me directly with feedback.

• Wednesday, March 22 at 7pm at 1313 Regent Event Room

Rockhound Brewery

Rockhound Brewery at 444 S. Park Street is applying for an outdoor patio and indoor entertainment license for indoor live music. You can find more details, including copies of their application forms, on my development website. Please share any feedback you have with me.

1603 Monroe Street Update

We had a very productive neighborhood meeting on Thursday night. Due to great feedback, the developer is proposing to work to physically re-route traffic from the building to Oakland, rather than down the alley. Proposed updates to the plan are here.

Two neighborhood meetings of interest on Thursday evening:

1603 Monroe Street Conditional Use for Drive-Through

Thursday, March 16, 2017 at 7:00 p.m. at HotelRED (in conjunction with the Vilas Neighborhood Association Council Meeting)

This project is proposing a conditional use for a drive-thru lane bank lane, to move Associated Bank from up the street. Plans can be found here. Please join us at the meeting on Thursday night to learn more, ask questions, and share your opinion. Also feel free to email me directly.

Additional Information:

• Traffic Study, with additional attachment regarding bank drive-thru - correction to the additional attachment, Associated Bank had their drive-thru numbers reversed - 20% of total traffic at the bank per month are drive through, or 1,000 total over 20-24 week days and all Saturdays are half days. Less than the projections of the traffic study. 
• Drive Up Plans, Rear View, Exit View, Associated Bank Corner View

Plan Commission is expected to review this proposal at their April 3rd meeting. 

Forest Hill Cemetery Improvements Public Meeting

Thursday, March 16 from 6:30-7:30 pm at Randall Elementary School Cafeteria, 1802 Regent St. 

The City of Madison Parks Division will hold a public input meeting regarding improvements to Forest Hill Cemetery including storm sewer installation, irrigation main replacement, and roadway resurfacing. At this meeting, Parks will discuss and seek input on the proposed improvements.

If you have questions or comments but are unable to attend the meeting, please contact Corey Stelljes at (608) 266-6518 or cstelljes@cityofmadison.com.

For more information please visit: https://www.cityofmadison.com/parks/projects/forest-hill-cemetery-improvements

District 13 Development Update

Please read on for updates regarding HotelRED, 1603 Monroe, Wingra Creek, and Monroe Street Reconstruction.

HotelRED, 1501 Monroe Street

As presented at a neighborhood meeting last November, HotelRED is proposing an additional four stories with a rooftop small restaurant and event space. You can find their plans and more details in their conditional use application, linked here.

• Plan Commission, Monday, March 20 at 5:30pm

Back in the fall, I received many emails both in support and in opposition to this addition. Please continue to share your thoughts with me, as it will inform the eventual position I will take on this proposal. If you would also like to contact the Plan Commission, the decision-making body, please cc or also email Tim Parks (tparks@cityofmadison.com).  

1603 Monroe Street

The four story project, approved this spring, has a website where you can follow developments - http://www.1605monroe.com/. The developer is proposing to fill much of the commercial space by moving Associated Bank from their current Monroe Street location to this site. However, this requires a drive-through window. A drive through is a conditional use in the zoning district. The developer intends to submit plans for this reconfiguration of the enclosed parking to include a drive-through bank window. They hope to go before the Plan Commission for approval of the conditional use on April 3. I will post more information, including a traffic impact study, to my website as soon as it is available.

Wingra Point II (Wingra Creek Residences), 1004 and 1032 South Park Street

There has been a lot of neighborhood information and discussion about redesigns of this project. I want to reiterate – nothing has been submitted to the city for approval at this time. I take positions on projects once plans have been submitted, we have reviewed them with the neighborhood and city staff, and the approvals are before the appropriate city bodies.

Monroe Street Reconstruction

I am excited to share an update on the Monroe Street Reconstruction project and public engagement process, which will continue through summer/fall 2017 to prepare us for reconstruction in 2018. On January 3rd, the Common Council unanimously approved the future cross section (dimensions) for Monroe Street proposed by city staff with neighborhood input. With the cross section approved, we can now move forward with more detailed design and planning around the specific type and placement of streetscaping, traffic calming and sustainability improvements. The redesign of Crazy Legs Triangle with a placemaking focus will be a major opportunity as part of this next phase.

Below you will find dates and times for three public workshops and meetings planned for 2017. In addition to these meetings, city staff will be coordinating with businesses and meeting with green infrastructure experts to explore opportunities that will be shared and discussed at the public workshops.

The goal of these final meetings is to ensure that the future design of Monroe Street reflects and benefits the broadest cross-section of our diverse community. I hope that we can count on your participation!

• Monroe Street East Segment Placemaking Workshop

April 27, 6:00-8:00 PM, HotelRED

Geographic scope: Monroe Street corridor from Crazy Legs Triangle to Edgewood Avenue. NOTE: This workshop will begin outside at Crazy Legs Triangle at 6:00 PM. Facilitators will lead a 50-minute walk-and-talk discussion that includes Crazy Legs Triangle and the east end business district. The group will arrive at HotelRED for the indoor portion of the workshop at 6:50 PM. The total length of the walk will be approximately one half mile.

RSVP here: https://monroeeastsegmentworkshop.eventbrite.com

• Monroe Street West Segment Placemaking Workshop

May 24, 6:00-8:00 PM, Wingra School Gymnasium

Geographic scope: Monroe Street corridor from Edgewood Avenue to Odana Avenue.

NOTE: This workshop will begin outside at the Wingra Park entrance (where the path meets Monroe Street by Commonwealth) at 6:00 PM. Facilitators will lead a 50-minute walk-and-talk discussion that includes areas adjacent to Wingra Park, Edgewood College and the Knickerbocker business district. The group will arrive at Wingra School for the indoor portion of the workshop at 6:50 PM. The total length of the walk will be approximately 1.3 miles.

RSVP here: https://monroestreetwestsegmentworkshop.eventbrite.com

• Monroe Street Corridor Design Open House

July 20, 6:00-8:00 PM

Edgewood College Washburn Heritage Room

Goals of the east and west segment placemaking workshops:

1. Share and gather community input on specific placemaking and traffic calming opportunities planned for each half of the Monroe Street corridor;
2. Visualize and discuss larger-scale placemaking opportunities at Crazy Legs Triangle (east end workshop) and the Wingra Park entrance (west end workshop), including public art, green infrastructure, community gathering spaces and corridor design themes; and,
3. Explore community ideas and questions in a more hands-on setting.

These meetings will be highly interactive. Please note that each meeting will begin with an outdoor walking portion, so if you prefer to meet the group inside afterward, feel free to do so.

Please watch for invitations as these meetings are scheduled and share with your family, friends, coworkers and fellow community members. You can ensure that you receive notice for these meetings by signing up for my email updates here: http://www.cityofmadison.com/council/district13/updates/. Thank you and I look forward to seeing you at a workshop this spring!

Upcoming Vilas Parks Projects for 2017

The City is proposing several projects in Vilas Park scheduled in 2017!  Information will be provided as it becomes available. To stay up to date on these projects and other Parks projects please visit https://www.cityofmadison.com/parks/projects.

Vilas Park Accessible Fishing Pier

The  Parks Division is proposing the installation of an accessible fishing pier at Vilas Park on Lake Wingra. The pier would be located near the existing parking lot on Vilas Park Drive and extend out into Lake Wingra.  This would be a joint project between City of Madison Parks Division and Building and Construction Trades Council Of South Central Wisconsin.

• Public Informational Meeting: January 19, 2017 at 7:30 pm. Please visit https://www.cityofmadison.com/parks/projects/vilas-park-fishing-pier for more information on the project and upcoming public informational meeting.

Vilas Park Pedestrian Bridge Replacements

The City is planning replacement of the two existing pedestrian bridges to the island in Vilas Park.  The proposed bridges will be roughly located in the same location. A Public Informational Meeting is tentatively scheduled for March or April of 2017.  Watch for more information in the upcoming months.

Vilas Park Master Plan

The Parks Division will be kicking off  the Master Plan for Vilas Park in late summer or fall of 2017 with several public informational and visioning meetings.  Watch for more information in the upcoming months to learn how you can get involved.

Upcoming Meetings: 1202 South Park Street; Vilas Fishing Pier; Goodman Ice Rink; Edgewood HS Athletics. Please join us!

Goodman Ice Rink

• Wednesday, January 18 at 6:30pm at the Goodman Maintenance Facility (1402 Wingra Creek Parkway)

Proposed 2017 work includes:

• Lining and rehabilitation of the existing ice rink storm sewer discharge pipe: The existing pipe used to drain the water from the ice rink is metal and in poor condition and the City will be completing maintenance work in the summer of 2017.  A new PVC plastic storm sewer pipe will be used to line the existing metal pipe.  Additionally a new control valve will be installed in the existing access structure near the bike path.  New apron endwalls will be placed at either end of the pipe.  This has been designed and the City has selected RP Cattell Inc to complete the work.  Work is expected to take place between June 5th and June 30th.  A temporary closure (and detour) of the Capitol City Bike Path at this location is anticipated for up to 5 business days to allow completion of the work.
• Replacement of the existing rink lighting system: The existing lighting system at the Goodman Ice Rink will be removed and replaced.  The existing 6 light poles and concrete bases will be removed and a proposed 2 pole system will be installed.   The new lighting will be an LED system and provide targeted lighting sufficient for open skating and hockey.  The new lights will be more energy efficient and provide more targeted lighting with less spill-over compared to the existing system.
• Removal of the existing warming shelter: The City is proposing to remove the existing warming shelter as part of the changes to the Goodman Ice Rink. Unfortunately this shelter has been closed for the last few years; it's in poor condition with a non-functional sanitary sewer lateral that makes the shelter unusable.  A hazardous materials inspection was completed and it was determined that the shelter has lead and asbestos contamination which will need to be remediated.  Demolition is proposed to occur in the summer of 2017. At this time we will not be replacing the warming shelter at this location. In the past, this building has been problematic from an operations standpoint and has had problems related to encampment issues and drug use.

Vilas Park Fishing Pier

• Thursday, January 19 at 7:30pm, Edgewood College, Predolin Humanities Center, Room 306

The Building Trades would like to donate an accessible fishing pier on Lake Wingra, near the beach. Please save the date and attend the meeting or reach-out to Parks staffer Corey Stelljes (CStelljes@cityofmadison.com) for more information.

1202 South Park Street Permanent Supportive Housing Proposal

• Tuesday, January 24 at 6:30pm, Goodman Maintenance Facility, 1402 Wingra Creek Parkway
  • This meeting will be focused on planning issues related to land use and the proposed site.
• Early February meeting TBD (likely at Rethke Terrace)
  • This meeting will be focused on services provided (safety, quality of life concerns for this particular housing type).

Edgewood High School Athletics

• Monday, January 30 at 6:30 in the HS Commons

Edgewood High School will be hosting an informational meeting January 30th at 6:30 - 8:00 PM in the school Commons.

The purpose of this meeting is to provide information to our neighbors regarding Edgewood's desire and necessity to host night sporting events on their new field.

Information will be shared about field usage, parking, traffic management, expanded seating and storage, field lighting and outdoor sound.

This meeting is intended to provide information and receive feedback. Questions will be addressed, or noted for follow up if additional information is needed to provide answers.

Parking will be available in the Commons lot located to the left of Edgewood Drive. The Commons doors are located on the far right side of the building as you face the school.

We hope you can attend this informational meeting. You can find some initial information in this briefing sheet prepared by Edgewood.

Neighbors - It's obviously another snow emergency outside. I do not send email or forward updates every time the city sends a snow alert, as not to clutter your inbox. If you want to be updated regarding snow plowing, snow emergencies, and when sidewalks need to be cleared, please sign-up for email updates here: http://www.cityofmadison.com/residents/winter/

Thanks! Stay warm!

December 12, 2016 Update

See below for updates on the status of development and project approvals, winter reminders, meetings, and more. Stay safe and warm on this beautiful snow day!

Snow Emergency Declared 12/11/2016

The City of Madison has declared a snow emergency.  This means alternate side parking restrictions will be in effect for the downtown/isthmus snow emergency zone and the rest of the city of Madison. The snow emergency will remain in effect until 7 a.m. on Tuesday, December 13.

Madison residents are asked to remove all vehicles from the street if possible.  All residents who must park on the street tonight (the evening of December 11 into early morning of December 12) need to have their vehicles on the EVEN house-numbered side of the street between the hours of 1am and 7am.   

Vehicles parked on the tomorrow night (the evening of December 12 into early morning of December 13) should have their vehicles on the ODD house-numbered side of the street between the hours of 1am and 7am.

Violations of the alternate side parking rules are punishable by a fine of $60 throughout the entire City of Madison.  Violators could also be towed.

Residents are reminded that all daytime parking restrictions will be enforced. That includes restrictions that ban parking on selected blocks in the downtown/isthmus area and on the near east and west sides. Parkers should pay close attention to all parking signs.

Parking is available in the cashiered sections of city-owned ramps in the downtown area. During a declared snow emergency, you can park for no charge at the City ramps from 9pm until 7am. If you enter before pm or leave after 7am, you are liable for any parking charges before 9pm and from 7am until the time you leave.

When parking in the ramps overnight, do not park on the top level so this area can be plowed. Be aware that vehicles stored in city ramps longer than 48 hours are subject to being ticketed and towed. Meters in lots and ramps are enforced 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  Parking is also available at the Brittingham Park Shelter parking lot off W. Washington Ave.

Madison residents can get complete snow emergency information at www.cityofmadison.com/winter or by calling 261-9111.

Be Salt Wise!

You kept the leaves out of the lake, now it is time to keep the salt out!

We all rely on salt to help keep us safe. However, you only need a little. You can help change the amount of salt used on our side walks, parking lots, and streets. The most efficient amount of salt is one coffee mug for 60 feet or 10 sidewalk squares! Any more than that and you unnecessarily harm plants and animals, pollute lakes and groundwater, and damage vehicles, roads and bridges.

This winter, help protect our lakes and groundwater:

• Shovel Early: Clear walkways before the snow turns to ice.
• Use Less: Use one coffee mug per 10 sidewalk squares.
• Switch: Salt Doesn't work under 15 degrees; instead use sand or a low temp ice melter.
• Hire contractors that are a trained Salt Wise applicator!
• Share: Remind stores & businesses to be Salt Wise.
• Be Salt Wise all year: The salt from your water softener ends up in local freshwater streams so switch to new, efficient softeners.

Want more? Learn more on how to be Wisconsin Salt Wise at www.wisaltwise.com.

Campus Master Plan Update

Monday, December 12 at 7pm

Gordon Dining and Event Center, 770 W. Dayton

Current Campus Master Plan Newsletter here.

1603 Monroe Street

This project was approved in June, but recently the project team determined the project was not economically feasible based on the approved design. They will be submitting a revised plan for approval at the January 9 Plan Commission.

The team will be overviewing the new project and design to the Vilas Neighborhood Board on Wednesday, December 14 at their 7:00 pm meeting at Hotel Red. You are all invited to attend and ask questions or provide input at that meeting. Given for the most part this is a reduction in size of the project, we will not be holding another neighborhood meeting. If you have feedback on the new proposal, please feel free to contact me directly and ask any questions of Gregg Shimanski (gregg@madrent.com).

The updated project has the following components (as described by the developer, Gregg Shimanski):

• Four stories, down from five stories;
  • Dropped off the top floor  condominium component of the project:
  • Sq. Ft. of building now down from 47,001 gross square feet to 39,965 gross square feet
• Eliminate the lowest level of parking;
  • Parking goes from 14 public space to 16 public spaces; and residential tenant parking goes from 48  spaces to 27 spaces:
  • Bike parking goes from 70 combined public and residents to 58 total;
  • Included some moped parking and moved some public bike spaces into the terrace for easier access to retail/commercial uses;
• Residential unit count goes from 48 to 44 with no change in the apartment unit type or mix:
• Commercial/Retail space goes from  5,020 sq. ft. to about 5,353 sq. ft.
  • My office will take up about 1,300 sq. ft. of this and we are working with a financial institution who we hope will take the signature corner space of about 2,200-2,500 sq. ft., with 1,300-1,500 yet to be discussed with any user;
• The "footprint" of the building stays the same;
• Vehicle access points goes from 3 to only 1;
• We have taken City Planning Department comments on elevations and made the Oakland/Monroe Corner more predominant and sharp. Commercial access to building is now flush off the sidewalk.
• Demolition start date of 4/1/17 with completion late winter/early spring, 2018
• Contractor will be Krupp Construction

1202 South Park Street

We had a productive neighborhood meeting on Thursday evening. I will post the information from that meeting on my website when I get copies.

We anticipate two meetings in January: 1. Focused on planning and zoning considerations for the site, and 2. Focused on services, hopefully hosted at Rethke Terrace (the recently opened permanent supportive housing project managed by Heartland on the east-side).

Stay tuned for more information.

Monroe Street Cross Section

The Monroe Street proposed cross section continues to move through the city approval process. If you want to learn more about the proposal and alternatives, there's a great overview handout here. The public engagement process so far is well outlined here. Additional information can be found on the website. The committee reviews are public meetings with the opportunity for public comment. Feel free to attend in person or email input to city engineering (cbachmann@cityofmadison.com).

• December 14, 2016 at 4:30pm - Board of Public Works
• January 3, 2017 at 6:30pm - Common Council

1004 & 1032 PARK STREET

The project team is proposing changes to their original approval. This will require a full re-approval process. I cannot support the current version of the plans, due mainly to the lack of commercial space. Park Street is in need of pedestrian and street-level activation for the long-term health of our community. Though leases may take time to rent out on Park Street, with increased infill in the area, the commercial space will eventually be rented and bring many assets. This is what is called for in the neighborhood and corridor plans. Developers must submit projects that align with our approved plans whenever possible.

If the plans change significantly, I will call a neighborhood meeting on this project. At this time, city staff and I have expressed that the changes proposed do not conform to plans. If that changes, we will need to brief the neighborhood and gather feedback.

In the meantime, the development team has a right to move through the land use process. At this time, they intend to follow this schedule:

• Urban Design Commission, TBD (before Plan Commission)
• Plan Commission, January 23, 2017
• Common Council, February 7, 2017

New Options Available to Pay Your City of Madison Property Tax Bill

It is that time of year again, along with holiday decorations, gatherings with friends and family and even snow, it is time to expect your City of Madison property tax bill. There are however a couple of new methods of payment this year that will make the process easier.

Consider Enrolled Payments. Using this method, you may pay online using your Checking/Savings account. You can view activity, edit your profile, or add/delete accounts. Select from a variety of email notifications to help manage your payments. There is not a fee for using eBilling. Residents who pay their bills in installments using the enrolled payments can easily set up their accounts to get the added benefit of electronic reminders as a due date approaches.

Another new payment option is payment by phone. This service offers both the option of English and Spanish via an automated service operating 24 hours per day. You will be able to enter your checking/savings account or credit/debit card privately by phone by calling 877-899-4281.

Individuals using this service are asked to have their parcel and bill numbers ready. There is a fee for using a credit/debit card. There is not a fee for using a checking or savings account.

In addition, as always, property owners are able to make a onetime payment by credit or debit card or accessing a checking or savings account. There is a fee for using a credit or debit card but none for using a checking or savings account. Residents are still able to submit their payments by mail to the City Treasurer's office. All mailing information is included in the tax bill. You may also pay in person at the City Treasurer's office in the City County Building.

All tax payments postmarked on or before December 31, 2016 will be processed as having been paid in 2016.

Protect Your Home From Rats: New Public Health Video

Got rats? They aren't just a problem in big cities. Get rid of sources of food and shelter in your yard for a #ratfreeMadison. Public Health Madison & Dane County explains how:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tSCGWu2vFX8&t

Madison Is Now A 'Class 1' Fire Protection Community

Property Owners May Be Entitled To Lower Insurance Rates

The nation's leading supplier of data and analytics for the property/casualty insurance industry has named Madison "Wisconsin's newest Class 1 fire protection community." It's a distinction shared by only three other cities in the state.

The Insurance Service Organization (ISO), through its Public Protection Classification program, examined three areas: Emergency Communications, Fire Department, and Water Supply. Out of 105.50 possible credits in the ISO's scoring metric, Madison received 91.48 credits, placing the city among an elite group of 204 municipalities (out of 47,000) in the country that carry this honor (see: "Points of Pride" document.pdf). The new classification takes effect Thursday, December 1.

The public's ongoing investment in a progressive fire department, a robust and reliable water utility, and a responsive, technologically-advanced emergency communications center is now paying off by way of lower property insurance rates.

Most insurers use the ISO's Public Protection Classification Program when underwriting and calculating premiums for residential, commercial, and industrial properties; therefore, property owners in the City of Madison, Village of Shorewood Hills, and Town of Blooming Grove may be entitled to decreased rates.

Individuals can take advantage of this new classification by contacting their insurance agent and letting them know their community was just upgraded to an "ISO Class 1" ranking. Because each insurer uses ISO rankings differently, actual savings may vary.

Dear Neighbors,

With the recent passage of capital and operating budgets for the City, Monroe Street reconstruction is on track to be complete in 2018.

Thank you all for your involvement and feedback in the process thus far. The proposed cross section designed based on community input will be approved by City committees in the coming weeks. If you want to learn more about the proposal and alternatives, there's a great overview handout here. Additional information can be found on the website. The committee reviews are public meetings with the opportunity for public comment. Feel free to attend in person or email input to city engineering (cbachmann@cityofmadison.com). 

• November 29, 2016 at 5pm - Pedestrian/Bicycle/Motor Vehicle Commission
• December 14, 2016 at 4:30pm - Board of Public Works
• January 3, 2017 at 6:30pm - Common Council

I know some are disappointed with the proposed cross section. We will not find a cross section design that pleases everyone. In my assessment of all the feedback received throughout this process, the proposed cross section best addresses the key priorities of the most people, within the confines of the width of the street. I appreciated the participation of so many people via the survey, emails, phone calls, and meetings that allowed us to collectively evaluate a wide variety of options.

Once the cross section is approved, we can move on to planning other key elements of the project, including green infrastructure, placemaking enhancements, lighting, finalizing pedestrian island/beacons/raised and painted intersections locations, trash/recycle locations, bus stop enhancements, and more. I look forward to continue working with you all.

Hope you all have a great Thanksgiving!

All my best,

Sara

Thank you all for your interest and participation in our discussion on Sunday. I, personally, was encouraged by the insights and ideas shared. I look forward to carrying them forward together.

Linked here is a summary of the "Local Next Steps in the Context of the National Election (in District 13)" meeting held on Sunday, November 13, 4:00-5:00 p.m., at the Neighborhood House Community Center, 29 South Mills Street. The purpose of the meeting was to develop short and long-term action items and priorities for the city, and share with the wider community by Monday afternoon (November 14) on your website. This summary has parts: 
 
Part A – Event and Results: (1) Event Summary, (2) Participant Reactions to the Election Results, (3) Group Consensus on "Top 3 High Impact Recommendations," (4) Group Consensus on "Top 3 Easy to Do Recommendations", (5) An Individual Chose Recommendation as "Top 3 High Impact Recommendations," (6) An Individual Chose Recommendation as "Top 3 Easy to Do Recommendations", (7) An Individual Provided Recommendation as "Something Interesting to Consider", and (8) Concluding Comments. 
 
Part B – Replicating the Event: (1) A one-hour meeting agenda, (2) Detailed meeting process that generated the recommendations contained in this report, (3) Civil discussion ground rules, (4) Your individual feelings and recommendations, and (5) Your group/table's recommendations. 
 
The 14 participants, within one hour, developed and prioritized a list of 60 local action recommendations. Many arrived feeling somewhat hopeless, and left feeling hopeful. Their list of local action recommendations, and the steps suggested in the "Concluding Comments" section of this report, should be shared widely, develop roots quickly, and blossom throughout Madison and other locations.  

Local Next Steps in the Context of the National Election (in District 13)

Sunday, November 13 from 4-5pm

Neighborhood House Community Center, 29 South Mills Street

Please join me on Sunday for an opportunity to process together the next steps for our local community, in light of the recent election. All are welcome to this discussion, which will be a safe space facilitated by Denis Collins, professor at Edgewood College.

I realize this is very short notice, and not everyone who would like will be able to join. Those who attend will develop short and long-term action items and priorities for the city, which will be generated into a report to be shared out with the wider community by Monday afternoon (November 14) on my website. This will provide more individuals the opportunity to read, react, and share their thoughts and priorities with me electronically. All this work will provide me with short-term information for budget deliberations at Council on Monday and Tuesday evening, as well as the ongoing work of serving our diverse constituency.

Agenda for Sunday, November 13

• 4:00 - 4:10 Welcome and Process Overview
• 4:10-4:15 Divide into interest group tables (depending on who attends) and review rules and guidelines for civil discourse
• 4:15-4:35 Interest groups will work to generate ideas and prioritize
• 4:35-4:45 Report out
• 4:45-4:55 Prioritize as a large group
• 4:55-5:00 and ongoing, Participants can organize on their own regarding the activity

I hope this will be an opportunity for those who desire to start (and continue) working together in our local community on city issues. The Council will be passing the following resolution on Monday evening, which I hope sets the tone for how we will continue to engage as a city:

Title

Reaffirming the city of Madison's values of inclusion, equity and justice.

Body

WHEREAS, the Mayor and Madison Common Council believe in and stand for the values of

inclusion, equity and justice; and,

WHEREAS, the Mayor and Madison Common Council condemn Islamophobia, racism, sexism,

xenophobia, homophobia and transphobia in rhetoric and action; and,

WHEREAS, the city of Madison welcomes all people and recognizes the rights of individuals to

live their lives with dignity, free from discrimination and targeting because of their faith, race,

national origin, immigration status, sexual orientation and/or gender identity; and,

WHEREAS, the Mayor and Madison Common Council will continue to work on making the city of

Madison's services and programs accessible and open to all individuals; and,

WHEREAS, the Mayor and Madison Common Council believe in the public sector working for

the public good, advancing racial equity and inclusion to be critical to the success of our

community and our nation,

NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Mayor and Madison Common Council reaffirm

the values of inclusion, equity and justice in the city of Madison.

Vote!

You can find your polling place and more information on wisconsinvote.org. Thanks to our city clerk and her staff for their amazing work ensuring early voting was available at all city public libraries, on UW and Edgewood campuses and at the clerk's office.

Pumpkin Composting and Leaf Pickup

City of Madison residents should place their pumpkins at the curb along with their leaves for collection this fall.  Leaves should be placed in piles at the street edge for collection with the pumpkins on top.  Do not place your leaves in the street or gutter. Residents who elect bag their leaves should place their pumpkins on the ground next to their bagged leaves. Those who bag their leaves are reminded to leave the bags open at the top so crews can identify what is inside the bag.

 Alternatively, your pumpkins could surrender their nutrients and join the choir invisible in residents' very own back yard compost bin.  Pumpkins are a great source of nitrogen for the backyard piles.

In addition to collecting pumpkins, City of Madison crews will also collect other organic Halloween/Fall decorations such as other decorative gourds, corn stalks, and straw as part of the leaf collection. You may also bring this material to our yard waste drop off sites at 1501 W. Badger Rd., 4602 Sycamore Ave, or 402 South Point Rd.   The sites are presently open from 8:30am to 4:30pm seven days a week and until 8:00pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays.  These hours will remain in effect until Sunday, December 4.

Residents can get complete information on fall leaf collection, including estimates on when crews will be collecting from your neighborhood at http://www.cityofmadison.com/yardwaste  or by calling 267-2088.

HotelRED Neighborhood Meeting

Wednesday, November 9, 2016 at 7:00 p.m. at HotelRED (1501 Monroe Street)

Please join us for a neighborhood meeting where we will hear about the proposed revitalization of the existing HotelRED at the corner of Regent and Monroe Streets. This project involves a four-story addition to the existing structure that includes additional guest rooms and parking, as well as a rooftop garden and top floor community event space.

Monona Bay Public Meeting

November 15th at 7:00pm at the Madison Water Utility (119 E. Olin Avenue)

The City of Madison is proposing a project to dredge approximately 1000 cubic yards of material from Monona Bay, near the intersection of Parr Street, West Shore Drive, and South Shore Drive.  The purpose of the project is to provide a secondary off-loading location for Dane County weed cutters.  This area has historically been used for off-loading weedcutters, but accumulated sediment now prevents this.  The shoreline in this location will not be altered.  Sediment will be removed to provide a minimum water depth of approximately 5 feet. 

If you have questions or concerns related to this project, please contact Sally Swenson of the Engineering Division at (608) 266-4862 or sswenson@cityofmadison.com.

Wingra Point II Update

The project originally approved last year, commonly called Wingra Point II, at the intersection of Park Street and Fish Hatch, has been resubmitted for approval due to significant plan alterations. This means the project needs to go through full review again--including the Urban Design Commission, Plan Commission, and Common Council. The plans and dates are on my development website here.

The Urban Design Commission meeting is Wednesday, November 9 at 4:30pm.

I am very concerned about the significant decrease in commercial space for this project. From a planning perspective, it is important to have mixed-use projects that activate the street.

Monroe Street Reconstruction

Thank you for joining us at the Monroe Street Cross Section Open House at Edgewood College Thursday the 27th.  Please find meeting notes, briefing sheets and presentation, all of which are posted on the City's project website: http://www.cityofmadison.com/engineering/projects/monroe-street

As a reminder, upcoming public meetings for review and approval of the recommended cross section are:

November 22: Introduce to the Common Council (for referral only)

November 29: Ped/Bike/Motor Vehicle Commission

December 14: Board of Public Works (Lead Agency)

January 3, 2017: Common Council (final vote)

If you have additional comments or questions that you would like to submit, please direct these to Christy Bachmann (cbachmann@cityofmadison.com) in the city engineering department and Alder Sara Eskrich (district13@cityofmadison.com).

We thank you for your continued participation in the Monroe Street Reconstruction planning process and we look forward to seeing you again in early 2017, when we will discuss placemaking, green infrastructure and streetscape improvements.

Imagine Madison – Comprehensive Plan

Mark your calendars for the first round of community meetings related to "Imagine Madison", the process to update our Comprehensive Plan.  The main objectives of these meetings, which will both have the same program, are to provide background information on city data and issues and to review major goals that have been synthesized from the 2006 Comprehensive Plan and subsequent City plans.  Snacks and childcare opportunities will be provided.

Monday, December 5th

5:30-8:00PM (6:15-7:15 Presentation)

Central Library, 3rd Floor

201 W. Mifflin St.

Madison, WI 53703

Wednesday, December 7th

5:30-8:00PM (6:15-7:15 Presentation)

The Atrium at Village on Park

2600 S. Park St.

Madison, WI 53713

Regent Street Visioning Open House

Tuesday, October 25, 2016      6:00-7:00PM

HotelRED

For the past several months Vandewalle & Associates has been working with the Greenbush-Vilas Partnership and its Community Advisory Committee to consider opportunities that could advance implementation of the adopted Regent Street South Campus Neighborhood Plan. We've met with numerous property and business owners and community stakeholders and collected their ideas.

 With the Regent Street South Campus Plan as our guide and the stakeholder comments informing next steps, Vandewalle has worked with the CAC to put together rough ideas and potential next steps.

 Now it's time to open the discussion to the broader community. The open house will give neighbors and any interested community members the chance to view and react to the early framework before we move ahead. Consultants and stakeholders will be on site to hear comments and answer questions. ?

UW Campus Master Plan Meeting

Wednesday, October 26, 2016     4:45PM

WARF Building, Room 132

610 Walnut Street

Join the Joint West Campus Area Committee for a meeting including Local Agency Updates, Neighborhood Association Updates, a review of the UW-Madison Campus Master Plan and treats.  Come share your ideas and comments with the Committee.

Here is the Campus Master Plan Website with more information.

Brittingham Park Community Garden Playground Replacement

Wednesday, October 26, 2016

Bayview International Center for Education and the Arts

Upstairs Meeting Room

601 Bayview

Madison, WI 53715

The neighborhood has spoken and the City of Madison Parks Division will be holding a follow-up public input meeting to choose the playground equipment type, age range, colors, and type of surfacing to be installed at the community garden playground location in 2017!

You are invited to attend this meeting to provide comments or input on the proposed project.  If you have questions or comments but are unable to attend the meeting, please contact Kate Kane at 608-261-9671 or kkane@cityofmadison.com

Monroe Street Reconstruction Open House

Thursday, October 27, 2016           6-7:30PM

Edgewood College, Washburn Heritage Room 1000

Edgewood College Dr. Madison, WI 53711

Please join us on Thursday, October 27 for the Monroe Street Cross Section Open House, the sixth meeting in the Monroe Street Reconstruction community engagement process.  Come to learn about the outcomes of the Cross Section Workshop; results of city traffic modeling and analysis; and the final proposed cross section and design opportunities for Monroe Street.  Short presentations by City Staff will take place 6-6:45 followed by an open house viewing and discussion of the proposed cross section and associated design opportunities.

Referendum Vote for Madison Public Schools

Thursday, October 27, 2016      6:30PM

Memorial High School

This is a great opportunity for community members to hear more about the referendum and have questions answered.  A presentation will begin at 6:30PM followed by question and answer from attendees, as well as questions submitted through social media.  Questions will be answered by a panel of district representatives, board members, and district staff.  Light refreshments will be provided

Community members are welcome to submit questions to referendum@madison.k12.wi.us or through the district's Facebook or Twitter accounts.   To request childcare, interpretation or translation, email referendum@madison.k12.wi.us

More information is available at www.mms.org/referendum

UW Campus Master Plan Meeting

Monday, October 31, 2016        6:00PM

215 Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd.

Room 300 (Madison Municipal Building)

Join the Joint Southeast Area Campus Committee to talk about Project Updates including: Memorial Union & Alumni Park; Hamel Music Performance Center; Witte Hall; ROTC Facility; UW PD Addition; and SERF Plan.  Also to discuss: Chemistry Building (action item); and UW Master Plan project update.

Here is the 2015 Campus Master Plan Update Newsletter

Join the Greenbush-Vilas Partnership for an Open House to discuss the future of the Regent Street corridor.  

Tuesday, October 25th   6:00PM-7:30PM   at HotelRED

Vandewalle & Associates has been working with the Greenbush-Vilas Partnership and its Community Advisory Committee to consider what could be done to advance the Regent Street South Campus Neighborhood Plan.  Rough ideas and potentional next steps have been put together, and now it's time to open the discussion to the community.  The Open House will give neighbors and community members a chance to view and react to the early framework.  Consultants and stakeholders will be there to answer questions and listen to feedback from the community.   

Upcoming Meetings:

Budget Listening Sessions

Please join me, along with Alders Shiva Bidar, District 5, and Denise DeMarb, District 16, for one of two upcoming joint public listening sessions on the 2017 city budget. Residents are encouraged to come learn more about how our city tax dollars are spent, and share their thoughts and suggestions for priorities. There will be a presentation on the Mayor's proposed budget in order to help facilitate discussion.

Monday, October 3

6:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

La Follette High School, Room C17, 702 Pflaum Rd.

Wednesday, October 5

6:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

West High School, Room 2031, 30 Ash Street

Common Council Meeting

Capital budget hearing--come testify and share your opinion on capital projects with the full Council.

Tuesday, October 4 at 7pm

City-County Building

210 Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd, Room 201

Jade Garden Update

The development team was scheduled to go before the Urban Design Commission on Wednesday evening, but staff provided the following update:

Based on the recent Informational Presentation to Urban Design Commission (UDC) on September 21, the applicant has requested to reschedule the public hearings with UDC and Plan Commission (PC). The intent of the application is to revise the plan set materials to address the UDC's and staff's initial comments. I have included a link to the UDC materials below for your reference. After meeting with the applicant this afternoon we were able to revise the public hearing schedule to include a formal public hearing and recommendation from UDC on October 26 and PC on November 7. 

September 21 UDC Materials

https://madison.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=2703477&GUID=9230ADEB-A65F-4A6F-A513-391554FEEFA2&Options=&Search=

Madison Neighborhood Conference

The 2016 Neighborhood Conference People-Places-Possibilities is just around the corner! Join the growing list of people who have already signed up ... 180 and counting! Don't miss out – register today for this dynamic city-wide event scheduled for Saturday, October 8th from 8 am to 5 pm at the Monona Terrace Community and Convention Center, Madison, WI.  Your $15 registration fee includes - Early Bird Tours, Inspiring Keynote Speaker, 12 Workshops & 20 Peer-to-Peer Conversations, and informal reception.  Fee waivers, childcare assistance, and interpretation services available.  

Conference at a Glance

8-9am | Registration, Networking, Early Bird Tours, Organizational Displays

9-9:30am | Mayor's Welcome and Opening Remarks

9:45 -12| Workshops and Neighborhood Conversations

12-1:30pm | Keynote, Lunch, & Awards/Recognitions

1:30-2:45pm | Workshops – Demographics, Economic, and Mass Transit

3:00-4:00pm | Workshops – Housing, Business, Pedestrian/Bicycle System

4:00-5:00pm | Networking Reception (Cash Bar

Website/Registration - www.cityofmadison.com/neighborhoods/NeighborhoodConference

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/events/1697456843909845/

Regional Transportation Plan

You will have the opportunity to:

·              Review draft plan goals and policies

·              Provide feedback on draft plan chapters

·              Examine existing conditions analysis of the transportation system

·              Weigh in on recommended solutions for important issues, needs, and opportunities facing the region's transportation system

·              Provide ideas for improving the transportation system

·              Talk with MPO staff about current plans and planning activities

The Regional Transportation Plan is the region's blueprint for future transportation investments, strategies, and actions covering all modes. It provides the policy direction and framework, which is refined through corridor, mode specific, and strategic studies and plans. 

We need to hear from you!  Our transportation system affects all of us every day in many ways. It has a major impact on the regional economy, supports and influences patterns of growth, and affects our quality of life. Join us in this important planning process.

For more information about the Regional Transportation Plan, please visit www.MadisonAreaRTP.com.

For more information about MATPB, please visit www.MadisonAreaMPO.org.

If you are only going to come to one meeting on Monroe Street reconstruction designthis is the one!

The Community Input Summary and Cross Section Workshop is the fourth meeting in the Monroe Street Reconstruction community engagement process. A street's "cross section" refers to how many feet of space are allocated within the public right-of-way for uses such as sidewalks, terraces, driving lanes, parking lanes, bike lanes, etc. The future cross section for Monroe Street must be determined before detailed design and engineering commences in 2017.
 
This workshop will provide community members with an opportunity to participate in exploring and generating cross section options that will inform the final cross section prepared by City staff
 
What: Monroe Street Reconstruction Cross Section Workshop
When: Thursday, September 29, 2016   6:00-8:00 PM
Where: Wingra School Gymnasium 718 Gilmore Street, Madison, WI 53711
RSVP: To help us plan accordingly, please register/RSVP for free here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/monroe-st-reconstruction-community-input-summary-cross-section-workshop-tickets-27604805717 Those who are unable to RSVP are still welcome to attend.
 
The workshop will include:

• Priority results from the summer's targeted public engagement on business enhancement, multi-modal infrastructure and green infrastructure.
• Technical parameters, opportunities and tradeoffs involved in potential cross section configurations.
• Hands-on small-group exercise with scaled infrastructure modeling pieces to create and share a preferred cross section for Monroe Street.
• Discussion of next steps toward determining the final cross section for Monroe Street.
   

The Community Input Summary and Cross Section Workshop is the fourth meeting in the Monroe Street Reconstruction community engagement process. A street's "cross section" refers to how many feet of space are allocated within the public right-of-way for uses such as sidewalks, terraces, driving lanes, parking lanes, bike lanes, etc. The future cross section for Monroe Street must be determined before detailed design and engineering commences in 2017.

This workshop will provide community members with an opportunity to participate in exploring and generating cross section options that will inform the final cross section prepared by City staff

What: Monroe Street Reconstruction Cross Section Workshop

When: Thursday, September 29, 2016   6:00-8:00 PM

Where: Wingra School Gymnasium 718 Gilmore Street, Madison, WI 53711

RSVP: To help us plan accordingly, please register/RSVP for free here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/monroe-st-reconstruction-community-input-summary-cross-section-workshop-tickets-27604805717 Those who are unable to RSVP are still welcome to attend.

The workshop will include:

Priority results from the summer's targeted public engagement on business enhancement, multi-modal infrastructure and green infrastructure.
Technical parameters, opportunities and tradeoffs involved in potential cross section configurations.
Hands-on small-group exercise with scaled infrastructure modeling pieces to create and share a preferred cross section for Monroe Street.
Discussion of next steps toward determining the final cross section for Monroe Street.

Please join Madison Alders Shiva Bidar, District 5, Denise DeMarb, District 16, and Sara Eskrich, District 13, for one of two upcoming joint public listening sessions on the 2017 city budget. Residents are encouraged to come learn more about how our city tax dollars are spent, and share their thoughts and suggestions for priorities. There will be a presentation on the Mayor's proposed budget in order to help facilitate discussion. 
 

Monday, October 3

6:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

La Follette High School, Room C17, 702 Phlaum Rd.

Wednesday, October 5

6:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

West High School, Room 2031, 30 Ash Street

Upcoming Meetings - Please attend or email me to share your thoughts!

Plan Commission (Infusion Chocolates) – August 29

The request for outdoor seating and limited production and processing for Infusion Chocolates will be heard before the Plan Commission on Monday, August 29 at 5:30pm. Please find my comments in support here. The agenda item with more details on their proposal can be found here.

Monroe Street – September 1

The next meeting in the Monroe Street Reconstruction public engagement process is the Green Infrastructure World Café (see attached meeting agenda). The purpose of this world café-style meeting will be to learn about green infrastructure and sustainable design opportunities as part of the Monroe Street reconstruction, including the Envision Rating System that will be used to guide the project design. Participants will hear from city staff and discuss ideas and opportunities in large and small groups. Input from this meeting will be used to inform the Cross Section Workshop (on September 29th), where participants will discuss how space within the public right-of-way should be allocated.

What: Green Infrastructure World Café

When: Thursday September 1st, 2016 6:00-7:30 PM

Where: HotelRED 1501 Monroe St, Madison, WI 53711

RSVP: To help us plan accordingly, please register/RSVP for free here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/monroe-street-reconstruction-green-infrastructure-world-cafe-tickets-27136084760 Those who are unable to RSVP are still welcome to attend.

Below are two resources that will be discussed in greater detail during the world café:

1. Envision, a rating system for sustainable infrastructure that will be used to evaluate decisions during the Monroe Street Reconstruction. See attached points table for a breakdown of the elements on which a project may be evaluated.
2. Lake Wingra Watershed Plan, developed by the City of Madison and Friends of Lake Wingra, which describes four goals and related objective for the watershed. Ideas associated with the Monroe Street reconstruction are discussed in Section 3 – Infiltration, p. 3-22. Note that the Monroe Street boundaries described in the plan are different from the boundaries of the existing reconstruction project; however, the plan provides perspective on the possible opportunities associated with the project.

Jade Garden – September 8

2nd NEIGHBORHOOD MEETING: PROPOSED REDEVELOPMENT OF JADE GARDEN SITE

Thursday, September 8, 2016 - 7:00 pm

Water Utility - 119 E. Olin Avenue

The meeting will focus on the revised redevelopment plans for the Jade Garden site at 1109 S. Park Street.  Representatives from Shulfer Architects will outline the proposal they will be submitting to the city's Plan and Urban Design Commissions. You can view the plans here: http://www.cityofmadison.com/council/district13/development/.  The meeting will include time for Q&A and neighborhood feedback.

UW Master Plan – September 13

'Revised Draft Master Plan' Open House:

September 13, 2016 7-9 PM

Union South, Varsity Hall

*refreshments will be provided

The August 2016 UW-Madison Campus Master Plan Update newsletter is available here:

http://www.masterplan.wisc.edu/documents/Newsletter%20August%202016-CMP.pdf

Update for Bay Creek and Monona Bay Neighbors on Barriques Coffee Roasting

As you all may know, at the request of the Bay Creek Neighborhood Association, Barriques requested referral of their Plan Commission hearing regarding their Conditional Use application to continue roasting coffee onsite, until September. Their current status update can be found below. Please contact me if you notice any changes in the condition.

Barriques will be back before the Plan Commission on September 19th.

From Barriques - Here is where we are at with our work on the roaster.

 - We are finalizing the contract with Environmental Tech & Engineering out of Elm Grove to do some before and after stack testing of the emissions from our roasting operation. They were recommended to us by a number of the DNR approved clean air consultants we talked to.  The contract will be done this week and testing & reporting will all be concluded before the end of August. The before and after testing in this case refers to checking the emissions before and after the catalyst as I understand it. We are finalizing what will be tested for but it will primarily be for volatile organics and aldehydes.  We had discussed the option of testing the system before we made our planned improvements and after but the combination of it doubling the already very expensive price tag AND the fact that the neighborhood was unwilling to commit to supporting us if certain benchmarks were hit led us to just opt to test the system after our improvements are completed.  This will give us good scientific data on what is actually coming out of our exhaust stack that we can compare to standards set by agencies like the DNR, EPA and comparable to other 'familiar' exhaust sources(fireplaces, cars etc...).

 - About two weeks ago we had the afterburner unit inspected and adjusted by a burner technician.  He completely took apart the unit, cleaned it, made some adjustments to things like airflow and pitch of the burner and recommended a few other 'fixes'. The fixes generally deal w/ adding things like increased lengths of the cabling that the probes are attached to to allow us easy access to the burner unit itself so that cleaning etc... can be done w/ less trouble.  The report back so far from the roasting crew is that during the final minutes of the darkest roasts they are getting better temperature stability and, thus theoretically performance, from the afterburner.   

- The new catalyst should arrive in the shop later this week/early next.  This is the larger unit that we had custom engineered to fit in the existing housing.  It too should give us better performance at the times when we have the largest possibility to produce noticeable emissions.  That should be installed next week prior to the stack testing.

 - The only other thing we are still chasing right now is some kind of system that would be placed on top of our exhaust stack to force the exhaust higher into the air using high-speed blowers/diffusers.  We are chasing our tail here a bit as each system has it's own downsides (for example high noise levels) which also need solutions. Time frame is up in the air at this point.  

From Bay Creek Planning & Economic Development Committee:

On May 23, 2016, the Plan Department granted Barriques an extension on its conditional use permit (CUP) review until September 19, 2016. Bay Creek neighbors had lobbied Barriques to request the referral so that Barriques and Bay Creek's Planning & Economic Development (P&ED) committee could work together to test out whether new roasting machinery would sufficiently lessen or eliminate the problematic exhaust fumes that neighbors were reporting.

Members of P&ED met with Barriques' owner, Matt Weygandt, in early June to share results from a questionnaire that they had circulated among Bay Creek neighbors living within nine blocks of the coffee roaster. Of the 32 individuals who responded, 31 noticed the odor of Barriques' exhaust and 24 minded it; 18 noticed smoke and 17 minded it. Those who minded it reported coughing, difficulty breathing, and other negative impacts.

P&ED members asked Barriques to share dates for baseline emissions testing, installation of new/retooled equipment, and follow-up testing so that P&ED could keep neighbors informed of Barriques' plan for updating and improving its roasting machinery and so that P&ED could plan and implement a follow-up questionnaire. 

During the last week of July, Matt Weygandt emailed Alder Eskrich, explaining that Barriques: 1) had inspected, cleaned, and adjusted its afterburner unit in early July; 2) will install a new catalyst before the end of July; 3) has contracted with a consultant to test for volatile organics and aldehydes before the end of August, and 4) is considering installing a high-speed (and potentially noisy) blower on its smokestack. (See above for the full text of Weygandt's message.)

Weygandt's message included the misstatement that: "The neighborhood was unwilling to commit to support us if certain benchmarks were hit." No benchmarks have yet been offered to neighbors regarding diminishment of Barriques' fumes. P&ED did request both before and after testing in order to identify benchmarks, reasoning that by determining the causes of the negative impact of roasting fumes on neighbors, Barriques might make appropriate changes to its operations (including establishing benchmarks). Nonetheless neighbors remain hopeful that the changes Barriques plans will be effective.

P&ED still awaits a reply from Weygandt stating the exact dates for installation of the catalyst and blower. Neighbors will need several weeks to observe potential changes in Barriques' exhaust and to provide feedback because: 1) shifting winds take the fumes to different addresses from day to day; 2) air conditioning may filter some of the impact of the fumes, skewing the actual results; and 3) it takes considerable time for P&ED to circulate and collate neighbors' responses. 

PUBLIC MEETING: W. MAIN, S./W. SHORE CONTINUED BIKE BOULEVARD

Monday, August 1, 2016 - 5:30 p.m.

Water Utility - 119 E. Olin Avenue

Please join me to hear from  city Traffic Engineering staff to learn more about the proposed bike route system enhancements along West Main Street, South Shore Drive, West Shore Drive, and Gilson Street. We will discuss bike/ motorist signing and pavement markings to enhance the bike route system, including the "Bike Boulevard" designation and its associated signing and marking. Please attend this meeting or email me to ask questions or share your thoughts.?

Please join us for the next step in the Monroe Street Reconstruction community engagement process. At this meeting we aim to understand the community's perspective on issues and opportunities related to pedestrian, bicycle, and transit infrastructure design on Monroe Street, including how these different uses will interact following reconstruction. Participants will hear from City of Madison staff about reconstruction plans, multimodal design concepts and considerations, and have the opportunity to discuss in small groups the complex opportunities and tradeoffs involved in multimodal planning on Monroe Street.  

What: Monroe Street Reconstruction Pedestrian, Bicycle, and Transit Infrastructure World Café

When: Thursday, August 11th, 2016 from 6:00-9:00 PM

Where: The Washburn Room @ Edgewood College  1000 Edgewood College Dr., Madison, WI 53711

RSVP: To help us plan accordingly, please register/RSVP for free here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/monroe-street-pedestrian-bicycle-and-transit-infrastructure-world-cafe-tickets-26566505132. Those who are unable to RSVP are still welcome to attend.

*Note that some surface parking lot space may be unavailable at Edgewood College at this time due to resurfacing, so please allocate an additional five minutes for parking. If you have limited mobility, please contact Zia Brucaya at zia@urbanassetsconsulting.com to inquire about special accommodations.

For more information about the Monroe Street Reconstruction, please refer to the City of Madison Engineering project website:

https://www.cityofmadison.com/engineering/projects/monroe-street

Alcohol License Review Committee Items

Wednesday, July 20 at 5:30pm

21. 43457 Public Hearing - New License Lomo TRC LLC • dba Roman Candle Pizza

We had a very productive neighborhood meeting on Tuesday, July 12th with The Roman Candle regarding their request for alcohol licenses at Knickerbocker Place. Neighbors shared concerns regarding alcohol density, hours of operation, and parking, but also shared support for the new restaurant at this location, particularly focusing on the family-friendly nature of The Roman Candle. Please see The Roman Candle's info sheet here.

After the meeting, I shared with neighbors that to ease concerns about the impact of the restaurant, I would ask ALRC to limit the hours of operation to 10pm weekdays and 12pm Fridays and Saturdays. The applicant has noted he will agree to these hours.

I have sent this memo to the ALRC to indicate my support of the alcohol license with the limited hours. Some neighbors have also expressed concerns about outdoor seating. Though you will see a proposal in the materials from The Roman Candle, this will move through a separate process at the Plan Commission. City staff have begun working with The Roman Candle to help determine what may be permissible on the site (as I don't think the current drawings will work), pending a formal proposal and approvals at Plan Commission. I will keep the neighborhood in the loop about that separate process.

Wednesday, August 17 at 5:30pm Alcohol License Review Committee

Double SS BBQ is requesting removal of one of their Alcohol License Conditions – no outdoor smoker. Please note - we are not "re-litigating" (for lack of a better word) the use of an outdoor smoker at Double S. They are applying to have the condition of no outdoor smoker removed from their liquor license, as it is not germane to the liquor license and requires separate conditional use approvals (which they do not have). They are not currently requesting a conditional use to smoke on-site regularly. 

The removal of the condition on the alcohol license will not allow Double S to smoke outdoor onsite. 

A neighborhood meeting on this request will be held:

• Sunday, July 31st at 7pm at HotelRED

Please see this note below from the owner:

As we indicated, we plan to Petition for a license restriction removal for our beer/wine license. Our intent is to file for the change this month with the intent being that we would appear, if necessary, before the ALRC in August (August 17).

We will be asking for the deletion of the "No Outdoor Smoker" restriction on our license. Our attorney has discussed this with the City Attorney's office and the Mayor's Food and Alcohol Policy Advisor.  All agree that the restriction is not germane to our beer and wine license. In our discussion, you also agreed that the restriction does not have anything to do with alcohol, beer or wine. 

Here is our rationale:

• State Law allows all bars/restaurants to cook outdoors 14 times per year regardless of proximity to residences, without any special permitting required. Food Code Reference: Chapter 1-201.10(62). 
• No other business in your District has this liquor license restriction.
• No other business anywhere in the City has this liquor license restriction.
• All other restaurants/bars in your Aldermanic district are allowed to cook outdoors, on similar grills/smokers on football game days and other special events but Double S is not. This puts us at a competitive disadvantage.
• This restriction places us at a distinct business disadvantage to other businesses in this district as well as in the City.
• The use of an outdoor grill/smoker/bbq pit has no direct relationship to a liquor license, and is simply not germane. It is overbroad and unfair.
• The entire concept behind Double S is based on smoked meat/bbq and this restriction really inhibits our ability to operate effectively and efficiently as a business.
• As you know our grill/smoker/bbq pit as well as all of our cooking methods have met or exceeded all State and County Food Codes and Health Codes as well as ALL Federal Air Quality Guidelines.
• We have signature of over 2000 individuals in support of this effort.

We have complied with all restrictions on our license. Our hours are less than permitted, our alcohol to food ratios are all within guidelines and we have not installed a permanent outdoor smoker. We have not been a problem for the neighborhood or the City. We have been good citizens and business owners.

The petition for a license restriction change will allow us the opportunity, like other businesses – like neighborhood businesses in this neighborhood and others throughout the City, to cook outdoors on 14 days per year. As the football season is upon us and with our business in the shadow of Camp Randall, the need to move forward with this change is imminent. Time is of the essence.

We understand that granting this license change will not allow for the permanent installation of an outdoor smoker. We understand that if we decide to move forward on that front, we will need to follow a different process – one that would result in our being granted a conditional use permit. That is an issue for future consideration.

Infusion Chocolates is moving forward with formally submitting their plans to the city for Plan Commission approval of their outdoor seating and limited food production and processing proposal at 2503 Monroe Street. We had a productive and positive neighborhood meeting with them on Wednesday, July 6th and both the neighborhood association and I look forward to supporting their proposal once submitted and reviewed by staff.

West Main, West and South Shore Bike Boulevard Meeting

• Monday, August 1 at 5:30pm at the Water Utility
• Come get questions asked of Traffic Engineering about the proposed extension of the bike boulevard from West Main Street around Monona Bay.

Reminder: this meeting is tomorrow night and at Edgewood. Please spread the word, as postcards mailed had the incorrect meeting location. Thanks!

INFUSION CHOCOLATES CONDITIONAL USE MTG (In coordination with the DMNA Council meeting)

Wednesday, July 6, 2016 - 6:45 p.m. Edgewood College Library Boardroom 

Infusion Chocolates, a small artisan chocolate shop that has been operating at Hilldale Shopping Center since 2008, is interested in relocating to the property at 2503 Monroe Street. They have submitted a letter of intent for a lease at this location and wish to apply to the city for a Conditional Use Permit in order to produce chocolates and confectionary products and for an outdoor seating area to accommodate no more than 16 people.

Please attend this meeting or email me to ask questions or share thoughts on this proposal.  

INFUSION CHOCOLATES CONDITIONAL USE MTG (In coordination with the DMNA Council meeting)

Wednesday, July 6, 2016 - 6:45 p.m. Edgewood College Library Boardroom 

Infusion Chocolates, a small artisan chocolate shop that has been operating at Hilldale Shopping Center since 2008, is interested in relocating to the property at 2503 Monroe Street. They have submitted a letter of intent for a lease at this location and wish to apply to the city for a Conditional Use Permit in order to produce chocolates and confectionary products and for an outdoor seating area to accommodate no more than 16 people.

Please attend this meeting or email me to ask questions or share thoughts on this proposal.  

ROMAN CANDLE ALCOHOL LICENSE MTG

Tuesday, July 12, 2016 - 5:30 p.m. Former MadCat Space next to Victor Allens

The Roman Candle, a local pizza restaurant is looking to open their third Madison-area location at 2623 Monroe Street (in the Victor Allens and former MadCat spaces). Please find a copy of their liquor license application here. 

Please attend this meeting or email me to ask questions or share thoughts on this proposal.  

Meetings of Interest to District 13 this Week – Plan Commission, Monroe Street Reconstruction, and ALRC

Monday, 6/13

• Plan Commission, 5:30pm in Rm 201 City County Building (210 MLK Blvd)
  • 6. 42303 Consideration of a demolition permit to demolish a single-family residence and construct a new single-family residence at 3303 Gregory Street; 13th Ald. Dist.
  • 8. 42307 Consideration of a conditional use to construct an outdoor recreation area, expand the parking area, increase the capacity and modify the floorplan for approved outdoor eating area, and approve a parking reduction, all for a restaurant-tavern at 1313 Regent Street and 7 S. Randall Avenue; 13th Ald. Dist.
  • 12. 42745 Consideration of a conditional use for an outdoor eating area for a restaurant-tavern at 2701 Monroe Street; 13th Ald. Dist.
  • Unfortunately, I have two conflicting meetings on Monday night, so I will not be able to attend the Plan Commission. Please view my memo to Commissioners here.
• Monroe Street Reconstruction (Re)Kick-Off Meeting, 7pm at Wingra School
  • The City of Madison is holding a Monroe Street Reconstruction Kickoff Meeting on June 13, 2016 from 7:00 -9:00 PM in the Wingra School Gymnasium (2nd floor).  At this meeting you will have the opportunity to:
    • Review a summary of the Monroe Street Reconstruction Project and community input to-date
    • Learn about the public engagement and planning process timeline through 2017
    • Engage in community visioning for the future of Monroe Street
    • Discuss current project plans, issues and opportunities with City of Madison staff
  • Please see the attached letter I sent with more details on the reconstruction process.  letter RSVP encouraged but not necessary

Wednesday, 6/15

• Alcohol License Review Committee, 5:30pm in Rm 354 City County Building (210 MLK Blvd)
  • 69. 43115 Separated Entertainment Renewal Lucky's Madison LLC • dba Lucky's Bar 1421 Regent St 21+ Entertainment Aldermanic District 13 (Alder Eskrich) • Police Sector 303 Separation requested by Alder Eskrich
    • Update on this item: I requested separation of these licenses due to the neighborhood feedback and complaints regarding noise from the premises. The ALRC made clear at the separation meeting a couple weeks ago that they will not be re-granting this entertainment license for this operator in this location, and this is not expected to be contested by the applicant. The alcohol license renewal went through Council last week with a condition prohibiting live entertainment.
  • 80. 42992 Public Hearing - New License Knickerbocker Restaurant LLC • dba Verdant & Miko Poke 2701 Monroe St • Agent: Caitlin Suemnicht • Estimated Capacity: 155 Class B Combination Liquor & Beer • 25% alcohol, 75% food Aldermanic District 13 (Alder Eskrich) • Police Sector 302
    • This is the tandem item to Plan Commission Agenda Item 12. Please view my memo to the ALRC here.

PUBLIC MEETING: VERDANT & MIKO POKE

LIQUOR LICENSE AND CONDITIONAL USE APPLICATIONS

Monday, June - 7:00 p.m.

2701 Monroe Street (former Bluephies)

Knickerbocker Restaurant LLC, dba Verdant & Miko Poke, has applied for a Class B Combination Liquor & Beer license and a conditional use permit for the construction of an outdoor eating area at 2701 Monroe, site of the former Bluephies.

Please attend this meeting or email me to ask questions or share thoughts on these applications with the owner. You can find their applicaiton and plans here.

The Monroe Street Reconstruction Kickoff Meeting will be held on Monday, June 13th, 2016 from 7:00–9:00 PM in the Wingra School Gymnasium (2nd floor).

Please click here for more information and to RSVP: https://monroestreconstructionkickoffmeeting.eventbrite.com

Light refreshments will be provided. To help us plan accordingly, please register/RSVP for free using the link above. Those who are unable to RSVP are still welcome to attend. At this meeting you will have the opportunity to:

• Review a summary of the Monroe Street Reconstruction Project and community input to-date
• Learn about the public engagement and planning process timeline through 2017
• Engage in community visioning for the future of Monroe Street
• Discuss current project plans, issues and opportunities with City of Madison staff

To stay updated on this project, visit the City of Madison Engineering website:
http://www.cityofmadison.com/engineering/projects/monroe-street.

Please join me for a meeting to learn about the proposed redevelopment of the Jade Garden site at 1109 South Park Street. The development team will outline their plans for the site, to accommodate the new City of Madison zoning code to comply with the City's Comprehensive Plan, as well as attempt to incorporate the desires and feedback from the immediate neighbors. The meeting will include time for Q&A and neighborhood feedback.

Tuesday, May 31st at 7:30pm

Madison Water Utility Conference Room

119 E. Olin Street

I will post the plans on the District 13 website when they are available. 

Thanks,
Sara

Meetings of Interest to District 13 this Week – Plan Commission and ALRC

Monday, 5/23

• Plan Commission, 5:30pm in Rm 201 City County Building (210 MLK Blvd)
  • 11. 41731 Consideration of a conditional use for limited production and processing at an existing coffeehouse in TSS (Traditional Shopping Street District) zoning at 961 S. Park Street; Urban Design Dist. 7; 13th Ald. Dist.
    • This item will be referred to September 19 at the request of the applicant and the neighborhood. Barriques will be installing new equipment to help mitigate impacts of roasting on surrounding homes. If you have feedback about these improvements (over the next few months – once implemented), please reach-out to me directly.
  • 15. 42307 Consideration of a conditional use alteration to construct an outdoor recreation area and expanded parking area for a restaurant-tavern and increase the capacity for a previously approved outdoor eating area at 1313 Regent Street and 7 S. Randall Avenue; 13th Ald. Dist.
    • This item will be referred to the June 13 Plan Commission meeting. If you have feedback in advance of that meeting, please email me. Note: the applicant is requesting outdoor volleyball courts.
  • 21. 42565 Consideration of a demolition permit and conditional uses to allow demolition of a multi-tenant commercial building and single-family residence and construction of a mixed-use building with approximately 5,000 square feet of commercial space and 48 dwelling units at 1603-1609 Monroe Street; 13th Ald. Dist.
    • This item will be heard before the Plan Commission tomorrow night. My comments on the project are linked here.

Tuesday, 5/24

• Alcohol License Annual Renewal Separations, 5:30pm in Rm 354 City County Building (210 MLK Blvd)
  • 14. 43114 Separated Liquor License Renewal Lucky's Madison LLC • dba Lucky's Bar • Capacity: 160 1421 Regent St • Agent: Rodney Ripley Class B Combination Liquor & Beer • 66% alcohol, 33% food Aldermanic District 13 (Alder Eskrich) • Police Sector 303 Separation requested by Alder Eskrich
  • 15. 43115 Separated Entertainment Renewal Lucky's Madison LLC • dba Lucky's Bar 1421 Regent St 21+ Entertainment Aldermanic District 13 (Alder Eskrich) • Police Sector 303 Separation requested by Alder Eskrich
    • I requested separation of these licenses due to the neighborhood feedback and complaints regarding noise from the premises. I hope to limit live entertainment in line with the recently approved new license (Sconnie Bar), which is limited to 4 nights per month (as well as football Saturdays).

Barriques Conditional Use at Plan Commission – Referral until September

At the request of the applicant and the neighborhood association Planning and Economic Development Committee, the Plan Commission hearing on the conditional use request for Barriques' coffee roasting on-site (at 961 S. Park St.) will be referred until September 19. It was scheduled for this coming Monday, May 23. This referral will allow time to install a new, larger catalyst in the existing afterburner and pursue modifications to the exhaust stack to further mitigate impacts on neighbors. The conditional use request to continue roasting will be evaluated and formally either permitted or denied in September.

Please feel free to continue to send me any comments on this conditional use request directly (district13@cityofmadison.com) and indicate if you would like me to share your comments with the Plan Commission. All feedback that has already been submitted will be shared with the Plan Commission in September. 

MONROE STREET PUBLIC INFORMATIONAL MEETING

Wednesday, May 11, 2016 @ 7:00 PM HotelRED, 1501 Monroe Street Madison, WI 53711

The City of Madison is proposing to reconstruct Monroe Street in 2018. Funding is included in the 2016 budget for improvements to pedestrian crossings within the Monroe Street corridor. Presentations will be made followed by discussion on the following two topics:

1. Proposed 2016 pedestrian crossing improvements along Monroe Street
2. Presentation of upcoming planning and engagement process for the proposed 2018 Monroe Street reconstruction project

The meeting will include representatives from City of Madison Engineering, Traffic Engineering, Planning and Metro Transit.

If you have questions or concerns related to this project, you may contact Christy Bachmann, of the City of Madison Engineering Division. Christy Bachmann ? (608)266?4095 ? cbachmann@cityofmadison.com

DOGS IN CITY PARKS SURVEY

Please find out more information on Madison Parks pilot program to allow dogs on-leash in certain parks and take the Dogs in Parks Survey here.

The survey will only take a few minutes to complete.

Wingrat Park in District 13 is part of the Dogs in Parks Pilot Program.

In August 2015, Madison Common Council approved the Dogs in Parks Pilot Program allowing licensed and permitted dogs, on-leash (6' or less), on paths in the following parks:

Acewood Park, Baxter Park, Blackhawk Park, Door Creek Park, Garner Park, Greentree - Chapel Hills Park, High Point Park, James Madison Park, Norman Clayton Park, North Star Park, Richmond Hill Park, Walnut Grove Park and Wingra Park.

Barriques Public Information Meeting

Wednesday, March 30 at 7pm
Water Utility Conference Room, 119 E Olin Ave

Barriques is applying for a conditional use permit to continue coffee roasting operations on-site. You can find their application and information here. Please note the Plan Commission review date has been moved to April 18 to accommodate this public information meeting.

Here is some background information, as well as the formal channels for providing input to the Plan Commission (the decision making body for this application):

• In the city's zoning codes, there are certain "permitted uses" and "conditional uses" of property based on the type of zoning district. Permitted uses may occur without special permission. Conditional uses require approval from the city's Plan Commission.
• When the city adopted new zoning codes in 2012, much of Park Street, including Barriques, was zoned as a Traditional Shopping Street (TSS) district. This zoning did not include limited production and processing of food as either a permitted or conditional use. This oversight put many operating businesses in the TSS out of compliance with the zoning code. Barriques has been roasting on-site since they opened in April 2011.
• In 2015, the city amended the code to allow for conditional small scale food production permits in the TSS. The information on this change can be found here.
• In December 2015, Barriques notified me and the neighborhood association that they intended to file for such a conditional use permit to come into compliance with the zoning code. You can find their application and information on the city approval process here.
  • Comments to be included in the staff report should be sent to Tim Parks.
  • There will be a public hearing at the Plan Commission on April 18 prior to their deliberations on the application. Please attend and share your thoughts directly with the decision-makers.
• I will continue to review feedback from neighbors until the April 18 Plan Commission meeting to ensure all relevant feedback is taken into consideration by the Plan Commission.

Please feel free to send me any comments on this conditional use request directly (district13@cityofmadison.com) and indicate if you would like me to share your comments with the Plan Commission.

Neighbors –

Please see below for updates relevant to our district.

Events

ZuZu Café Expanded Liquor License                     

Neighborhood Public Information Meeting: Tuesday, March 15, 7pm at ZuZu

• I will not be able to attend the neighborhood meeting, as I have a Council meeting on Tuesday night. However, if you have thoughts on this request, please feel free to email me directly (district13@cityofmadison.com).

City Alcohol License Review Committee (ALRC) Public Hearing and Recommendation to Council: Wednesday, March 16, 5:30pm at 210 Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd. Room 201 (City-County Building)

• ZuZu is requesting a change of liquor license conditions to remove conditions prohibiting sale of beer or alcohol on-site. You can find their application and meeting information here.
• Letter from the Applicant:

Dear Neighbors,

When ZuZu opened almost 11 years ago, we aimed to promote neighborhood happiness through unique, local, fresh food, made from scratch, and served in a homey, welcoming environment. We wanted a place where friends, neighbors, and colleagues could gather for both inspired thought as well as to relax and enjoy each other's company.  At the time, we self-restricted our liquor license and only offered beer and wine.  Our experience serving beer and wine has been entirely positive, and we have never had any alcohol-related disturbance.

Over the last 11 years, while our goals have remained the same, our menu has expanded to include special breakfasts, tapas, and dinner specials.  To complement this, we have now decided to change our license to offer a well-defined menu that includes other types of alcohol. For example, we want to offer Mimosas and bloody Marys with weekend brunches, hot toddies on chilly afternoons, and specialty treat drinks drawn from local distilleries to accompany dinner and tapas.  In fact, we would love your creative ideas for yummy drink concoctions, and we'd like names drawn from neighborhood characters and lore.

ZuZu will never turn into a loud sports bar or crazy drinking bar, or stay open too late.  We only hope to improve upon what we have built.

Thank you as always for your support.
Sincerely,

Bobby, Kate and Sabri

There are other events on the events tab.

Updates

Emerald Ash Borer: I am sad to report that further infestations of EAB have been confirmed in neighborhoods previously not impacted – it is clear that we need to assume now the entire city is impacted. See the press release, infestation map, and mitigation plan here.

South District MPD: Captain John Patterson, our new South District Police Captain, has been doing a great job of providing updates through their email list. You can sign-up here. The linked update provides incident data for our area.

Wingra School Construction Update: The summary of work in February and update for March can be found here.

UW Master Plan: The updated Master Plan newsletter can be found here. The next public open house to present the 'Revised Preliminary Master Plan' is scheduled for April 13, 2106 in the Signe Skott Cooper Hall (School of Nursing) auditorium.

Spruce Street Reconstruction: This work is scheduled to begin in late March. The letter to affected property owners, linked here, provides information on project scope and project contacts.

That's all for now. Please stay in touch!

Best,

Sara

PUBLIC MEETING: SCONNIE BAR LIQUOR LICENSE APPLICATION

Thursday, March 10 - 7:00 p.m. Big 10 Pub (back room) - 1330 Regent Street

Sconnie Bar LLC, dba Sconnie Bar, is applying for a Class B Combination Liquor and Beer License and Entertainment License at 1421 Regent Street. This license will eventually replace the current Class B Combination Liquor and Beer License and Entertainment License No. 76559-88479 held by Lucky's Madison LLC, dba Lucky's Bar & Grille.

Please join me to hear from the applicants, ask questions, and share thoughts/concerns. Thanks!

Neighbors –

As always, there is a lot happening in the city. Please see below for updates relevant to our district.

Events

1603 – 1609 Monroe Street Redevelopment Meeting

Wednesday, February 10, 7pm at HotelRED

• The proposed 1603-1609 Monroe Street redevelopment project will consist of demolition of the current office building at 1603-1605 Monroe Street and a residential rental house at 1609 Monroe Street. The proposed structure will include first floor retail/office/ commercial use; three floors of upscale residential apartment homes; and top floor of owner-occupied condominiums. Parking will be underground and consist of 1:1 ratio of parking for apartments, 2:1 parking condominiums, and 14 stalls of public parking. The anticipated time frame is to begin demolition and construction in early summer 2016 with completion in spring/summer 2017.

Alcohol License Review Committee, Tobacco Plus

Wednesday, February 17, 5:30pm at the City-County Building rm 201

• As I have shared on the listserves, the owners of Tobacco Plus have applied for a license to sell beer and cider. You can view their application here. Please note that the application makes it seem that there will be a restaurant on premise, but they are not proposing food. The ALRC is a public hearing. Please feel free to come in person to share your feedback with the committee or share it with me directly and I will convey it to the commission.

There are other events on the events tab.

Updates

Polling Location Change: Remember that there is an election on February 16, 2016. If you live in Dudgeon-Monroe and usually vote at Wingra School, you will be across the street at the Glenwood Moravian Community Church, 725 Gilmore. This change is due to construction at the school.

Neighborhood Grants: Madison is now accepting applications for 2016 neighborhood grants. Find out more here.

More updates another time. Please stay in-touch and stay warm!

Best,

Sara

Neighbors - There have been many reports of thefts from automobiles throughout District 13 over the past few weeks - in almost every neighborhood (most recently Dudgeon-Monroe). Please remember to lock your cars and hide/remove valuables. Here are some tips from our South District Captain on how to prevent this from happening - they will also be increasing patrols through the neighborhoods overnight as possible:

Theft from Auto Prevention

January 26, 2016 4:34 PM

There have recently been a number of overnight thefts from autos in the South District and a majority of the incidents have involved cars that were left unlocked.  Crime prevention requires a team approach with efforts from both the police and the community.  Please consider the following:

• Always lock your car doors and keep the windows closed.
• Never leave your vehicle running if unattended.
• Limit the amount of personal information kept in the glove box or console to avoid identity theft.
• Remove, or at a minimum, conceal anything of value in your car.  Popular items stolen are – purses, wallets, loose change/money, CD's, radar detectors, portable GPS units.  Please - never leave valuables in plain sight.
• Never leave your keys in your car.
• If you park outside of your house and garage, don't leave a garage door opener in your car (this is essentially a key to your home).
• Back into a parking space if possible.
• Lighting in general may help deter people.  Motion lights are a good deterrent.
• Keep your garage door closed even when you are home.

Please report all thefts, attempted thefts and suspicious behavior. This type of information can really help guide our efforts and it gives our officers more ability to be "surgical" with their patrols.  People can never overload us with information on what is occurring and what they are seeing!

Thefts from cars are difficult to investigate.  Often our best opportunities emerge with tracking stolen goods.  Please record your model numbers and serial numbers of valuable items.  We use LeadsOnline to track pawned items and have had success with locating stolen goods.  Citizens can enter information about their property to the database as well, which can assist police with recovery efforts.  Please take a look at the link here: https://www.reportit.leadsonline.com/

Neighbors - many in the Gregory Street area have asked about reconstruction timeline. The image below details the current plans from City Engineering. As always, residents are informed prior to street reconstructions and there are multiple opportunities to learn more and have questions answered.

Neighbors – A couple meetings regarding proposals for Monroe Street are coming up. Please attend to share your input or feel free to email it to me directly if you are not able to attend.

1935 Monroe Street Alcohol License Application for Tobacco Plus

Tuesday, January 26, 7pm at HotelRED

• The applicants are applying for an off-premise consumption license for beer and cider. You can find their application in the city file here. At the meeting they will be able to describe their application and answer any questions. I am also looking for neighborhood feedback at this meeting.

1603 – 1609 Monroe Street Redevelopment Meeting

Wednesday, February 10, 7pm at HotelRED

• The proposed 1603-1609 Monroe Street redevelopment project will consist of demolition of the current office building at 1603-1605 Monroe Street and a residential rental house at 1609 Monroe Street. The proposed structure will include first floor retail/office/ commercial use; three floors of upscale residential apartment homes; and top floor of owner-occupied condominiums. Parking will be underground and consist of 1:1 ratio of parking for apartments, 2:1 parking condominiums, and 14 stalls of public parking. The anticipated time frame is to begin demolition and construction in early summer 2016 with completion in spring/summer 2017.

Neighbors – Happy New Year! I hope your 2016 is starting out well!

As always, there is a lot happening in the city. Please see below for updates relevant to our district.

Events

8Twenty Park

Wednesday, 1/13, 4:30pm: Urban Design Commission

• Seeking Final Design Approval

Tuesday, 1/19, 6:45pm: Common Council

• Seeking Final Approval

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Observance

City-County Observance, 5:00pm Sing-Along, 6:00pm Event

• Rotunda and Overture Center's Capital Theater

1603 – 1609 Monroe Street Redevelopment Meeting

DATE CHANGE: Wednesday, February 10 at 7pm at HotelRED

• The proposed 1603-1609 Monroe Street redevelopment project will consist of demolition of the current office building at 1603-1605 Monroe Street and a residential rental house at 1609 Monroe Street. The proposed structure will include first floor retail/office/ commercial use; three floors of upscale residential apartment homes; and top floor of owner-occupied condominiums. Parking will be underground and consist of 1:1 ratio of parking for apartments, 2:1 parking condominiums, and 14 stalls of public parking. The anticipated time frame is to begin demolition and construction in early summer 2016 with completion in spring/summer 2017.

There are other events on the events tab.

Updates

Snow: It's always a challenge to predict snow and the city street crews do their best to keep up. Learn more about our plowing, salting, and sanding policies here.

We can all do our part for our lakes this winter as well - use less salt!  Most people use five times the amount of salt needed to be effective.  Using more salt doesn't make your sidewalks safer.  Once used, salt doesn't go away it accumulates in our freshwater.  One 12-ounce container, like a coffee cup, is all you need.  That amount is sufficient to salt 60 to 70 feet of sidewalk. Wisconsin Salt Wise Partnership, which is a new coalition of cities, including Madison, county agencies, educators and environmental groups, is working to get the word out about responsible salt use.  For helpful tips on reducing sidewalk salt and strategies for combating slippery walkways, residents are encouraged to check out the Homeowners Handout on Wisconsin Salt Wise's web site, Wi.SaltWise.com. 

Public Safety: Many of you may have heard about an armed robery that happened over the holidays on Emerald Street. This was initally reported in the media as a random act, but Madison Police confirmed that it was a targeted, drug related robbery. You can stay informed from the Madison Police Department by signing up for the south district alerts and reporting any non-emergency crime information on their website. Additionally, welcome to our new South District Police Captain John Patterson! And happy next stage in retirement Captain Joe!

Neighborhood Grants: Madison is now accepting applications for 2016 neighborhood grants. Find out more here.

Capital Region Values Survey: Please take this survey from the Capital Area Regional Planning Commission to share your opinion about growth and priorities for our region.

Smart Transportation: Madison is competing for a $50 million smart transportation prize – find out more and share ideas here.

Green Madison Multifamily Energy Audits: 4+ units are being offered free energy audits through 2016 by Green Madison, flyer and info sheet linked.

Alder Chris Schmidt Resigns, District 11 Vacancy: I am very sad to report that my colleague has resigned, effective January 31. He has served the city for the past six years as a strong, smart, and talented leader. We will miss him greatly. We will need to fill his seat and more information on the vacancy and appointment process will be made available soon. Here is the council press release. If you have friends in the 11th district who would be interested in serving, please encourage them to apply.

General City Highlights

• Last week, the Council approved a family-supportive housing project on Tree Lane that will provide housing and supportive services for homeless and formerly homeless families, by Heartland Housing and the YWCA. I'm proud that we continue to support this needed housing development in our city.
• Congratulations to everyone – Madison's annual water usage was below 10 billion gallons for the first time in 47 years! Here is the press release. Keep up the conservation work.
• I am proud to serve on the Madison Metropolitan Sewerage District as a new commissioner. We are moving forward on adaptive management, which is a collaborative, watershed-based approach that allows phosphorus sources to work together to achieve the phosphorus water quality criteria in the most economically efficient manner, taking into consideration the contributions of phosphorus from point and nonpoint sources in a watershed. The city and other parties are now signing a memorandum of understanding with the Sewerage District. See the resolution here and a Powerpoint outlining the strategy here.

More updates another time. Please stay in-touch and stay warm!

Best,

Sara

The city uses Legistar, a legislative records management system for committees, agenda, legislation, and more. You can sign-up for alerts if you are interested in particular actions. Find out how through this step-by-step guide.

Neighbors –

This past week we passed the city budget. As you know, city budgets are tight. My priorities were: 1. passing a budget that maintains basic city services, including public safety and infrastructure, and 2. ensuring that the budgetary road forward is realistic, sustainable, and accountable.

I serve on the Board of Estimates (BOE), the city budget committee, and was privileged to be a part of a comprehensive budget process led by our Council President Denise DeMarb. Over the summer, the BOE took a "deep dive" into our capital budget (Capital Improvement Plan, CIP) to ensure that we have a five-year plan for capital projects that is achievable and spreads out the costs-impacts to taxpayers. The projects prioritized by this process were part of the final adopted budget.

The final $290.1 million budget requires a tax increase on the average value home in Madison of 3.49 percent. There are items in this budget that I did not vote for, urging my colleagues to lessen the impact on taxpayers, but overall I believe that the passed budget represents many compromises and is likely the best outcome I could work for in my first year on BOE.

Here is an update on some of the key projects in the budget:

• Monroe Street: Back into the CIP, scheduled for reconstruction in 2018 and pedestrian improvements in 2016.
  • The Mayor's proposed budget moved Monroe Street reconstruction from the scheduled 2017 out of the five year CIP, with only $200,000 for patchwork in 2016. I am committed to a path forward for Monroe Street that can be achieved, providing residents and businesses the opportunity to plan for the impacts of reconstructing the major artery of our neighborhood. This meant proposing pedestrian improvements in 2016 and reconstruction in 2018. I also passed a resolution calling for the planning process to start now for the "Greening of Monroe Street." This directs staff to work with the many stakeholders, including neighbors, on planning so that we do not continue to push the schedule for this critical project. This CIP and resolution was passed unanimously by Council. I will be in-touch in early 2016 with more on this planning process – please stay tuned!
• Midtown Police Station: Back on-schedule for construction in 2016 and 2017. The final amendment shifted out some operating costs to save money in the 2017 budget. This station will help with capacity to adequately meet the demands of our growing city. It will be located on Mineral Point Road, right outside of District 13.
• Neighborhood Traffic Management: The Council restored this funding to just above the 2015 level. This is important funding for neighborhood-driven traffic calming investments and major street improvement's for enhancements of pedestrian infrastructure and safety. Learn more about this program here.
• Pinney Library: This relocation of the Pinney Branch library in the Royster Corners development is back on-schedule for 2016 and 2017 construction.
• Downtown Park: The funding for land acquisition for a downtown park on Mifflin Street was originally in the BOE budget, but was removed due to potential alternatives for land acquisition. I voted against this proposal to condemn apartments for a new park downtown. We have ample open space downtown for public enjoyment, so this was not a use of city funds that I could support.
• Judge Doyle Square: The Council is back to RFP responses on Judge Doyle Square, due to Exact Sciences' decision to expand at Research Park. The funding for a development, including the reconstruction (underground) of Government East Parking Ramp and a hotel, at this location remains in the 2016 capital budget. I will keep you informed as this project progresses.
• Public Market: With the Mayor's urging, the Council voted to move the public market back into the budget, after the Mayor excluded it from the CIP in his original executive budget proposal. This project includes moving city fleet services, fire maintenance, and the radio shop from First Street in 2017 and 2018, with design work in 2016. The $14 million public market funding includes both city and anticipated other funding sources. The Council passed an amendment on the floor making city funding contingent on receipt of other funding sources. I voted against the proposal to put the public market and other associated project expenses back into the early years of the CIP. Though I am generally supportive of the idea behind a public market, this funding is not essential to city services and I do not believe that it is a project that the city can afford.

The operating budget also included key decisions, including:

• City Staff Pay Increase: 1.15 percent pay increase for all city employees (except the bargaining units) effective July 1, 2016. City employees are critical to city operations, and they overwhelmingly do an exemplary job serving our city. Though this raise is small, considering general costs of living and health care increases, it is important to support the work of our city staff.
• Day Resource Center Support: The city has committed $80,000 annually to support the operations of the County Day Resource Center. Prior to opening the center, the funding will be used for gap services for homeless residents in our city.
• Youth Jobs: The Council added $125,000 to the youth jobs program, bringing the city support to $200,000. This is an evidence-based strategy to engage youth in productive summer employment, particularly targeting youth from the Neighborhood Intervention Program of Dane County.
• Various Community Services Contracts: The Council funded additional "B List" contracts as recommended by the Community Development summer funding process. One agency, the Tenant Resource Center, came to us at Council for an additional $50,000. This particular request was not one I could support because it was outside the city process for funding. It failed. The Tenant Resource Center receives funding from the city for their critical services, and I believe that adding to their funding outside of our process would be unfair and inequitable.
• Housing First Street Team: This initiative passed the Council. I did not support this item, as I believe that that the services as outlined by the Mayor in the funding proposal are duplicative. As a city, we have limited resources and have to leverage funding from other sources, including county and federal funds. Housing First is a successful program because it focuses on housing, knowing that individuals often cannot take advantage of services until they are stabilized in housing. It is housing that Madison is struggling with and we need to continue to fund and build housing as a city, not more services with city-specific funding at this time.

There were many other important decisions, projects, and programs funded in the 2016 budget. However, this update was long enough, and I hope it provided you with some helpful additional information.

Please do not hesitate to contact me directly if you have further questions. I do my best to balance the challenges inherent in budget decisions that impact us so directly.

Thanks again for the opportunity to represent you on the Council. I am privileged to serve.

Best,
Sara

Neighbors –

There are many items of interest on the city calendar this week. Please note the selected district-related items below:

Monday, Plan Commission at 5:30pm

• Double SS BBQ Conditional Use: Please find my comments to Plan Commission here. The city staff report and the Public Health memo are also in the record and hyperlinked in this update.
• The Green Project, 1906 Monroe Street: This project, as previously proposed, has been cancelled. The application for conditional use on the Plan Commission agenda will be placed on file without prejudice at the request of the applicant. This means that it will not be discussed on Monday night.

Tuesday, Common Council Meeting at 6:30pm

• Please note that the 11/10/15 Council meeting will include a public hearing on both the Capital and Operating Budgets. The Council will be voting on the budget the evening of 11/10, or 11/11 and 11/12 if needed.

Thursday, 820 South Park Street Neighborhood Meeting at 6:30pm at Neighborhood House (29 South Mills Street)

• If possible, please review the revised submitted plans, linked on my development website prior to the meeting. This will allow us more time for Q&A and feedback.

There are other events on the events tab.

Greetings Neighbors –

This week has many potential meetings of interest to residents of District 13. Here are my notes and updates on items that I believe are particularly relevant:

Monday: Plan Commission, 5:30pm

• 8. 40231 Creating Section 12.138(14) of the Madison General Ordinances to reduce commuter parking impact and promote the use of off-street parking.
  • I am happy to be sponsoring this ordinance change that would update the parking standards such that multi-family units would not be eligible for residential parking stickers. This has been a condition of approval of many projects in our district, due to the parking impact and need to ensure that multi-family building residents are making use of provided on-site parking to mitigate the impact on the street parking.
• 10. 39089 REVISED - Consideration of a conditional use to allow an auto repair shop at 1313 Regent Street; 13th Ald. Dist. to be converted into a restaurant-brewpub and reception hall with outdoor eating area and a conditional use parking reduction.
  • I have been working with staff and the applicant to draft conditions of approval that address many concerns regarding the use of this facility. Please see the full description in the staff report. They include:
  • • Parking facilities must be available at all times, and shall not be shut down for any events. • Limit the hours of operations of the reception hall/room to closing at midnight. • Maximum capacities to be approved by the Director of Building inspection but shall not exceed: - 208 for brewpub (number of available seats, plus staff, plus a reasonable number of people waiting for seats) - 58 for patio (chairs & tables-drive capacity number) - 155 for reception hall/room when furniture, tables and chairs are present (fixed-seat capacity) - 450 for reception hall/room when no tables or chairs present (general assembly capacity) • The reception hall/room may be used with the general assembly capacity for Wisconsin Badger Home Football games, capacity will be limited to 155 all other days/events (fixed-seat capacity). • The reception hall space shall not be used as expanded capacity for the brewpub. In no event shall the reception hall be used as a music venue other than music provided in conjunction with private events such as weddings, receptions, private parties (retirement, birthday, holiday, reunion, or other special occasions including private events hosted related to Kohl Center and Camp Randall sporting events and concerts). The doors are required to be closed and locked to reception hall space but for when it is being used for separate events.
• 14. 40042 Consideration of a demolition permit and conditional use to allow demolition of offices in a converted residence and construction of a mixed-use building with 6,500 square feet of commercial space and 2 apartments at 1906 Monroe Street; 13th Ald. Dist.
  • The project architect will be making slight adjustments to the building to meet the requirement for the "rear yard height transition" to the residential property behind the site. With a reconfiguration of the square footage of the building, expected changes will include the loss of one parking stall, a slightly smaller third floor, and a smaller fourth floor resulting in a change in one of the apartment units from a two-bedroom to a one-bedroom unit. Staff anticipates receiving revised plans on October 19, and will make the plans available at this link: http://www.cityofmadison.com/dpced/planning/1906-monroe-street/1717/. The proposal is now scheduled to be heard by the Plan Commission on Monday, November 2.

Tuesday: Common Council, 6:30pm

• Operating Budget Public Hearing

5pm Tennant Association Voting

• Residents of the Triangle Neighborhood, 755 Braxton Place

Wednesday: Alcohol License Review Committee, 5:30pm

• New Alcohol and Entertainment License for Lucky's 1313 Brewpub
  • Based on the conditions approved at the Plan Commission on Monday, I will recommend that appropriate and associated conditions of use are applied to these licenses.
• Three of the applications for alcohol licenses in my district on Wednesday night have not reached out to discuss their application with me or hold a neighborhood meeting for public input. Due to this process issue, I have requested referral of these applicants until such outreach has happened. They include:
  • 40244 Hong Kong Chili
  • 40245 Tobacco Plus
  • 40250 Ramen Station

Thursday: Double SS BBQ Demonstration and Public Neighborhood Meeting, 7:30pm

• The applicants will be demonstrating use of their BBQ Pit in the alley behind their restaurant at 1835 Monroe Street. They will be cooking meat all day and neighbors are welcome to walk by to view the smoker in action. However, please note that the operators will be cooking meat for consumption, so they will not be able to talk with neighbors at the smoker during the day. Please bring questions to the meeting at 7:30pm.
• Meeting Agenda
  • Welcome: Objectives and Ground Rules
  • Applicants Outline Proposal
  • City Staff Outline Process, Zoning, Public Health Impacts
  • Q&A: Clarifying Questions First, Issues/Concerns/Support Second
  • Next Steps/Timeline
• This proposal will be before the Plan Commission on 11/2.

Neighbors –

Happy fall! Budget season has hit the city. Below you will find an update on the budget and on development projects in the district.

Capital Budget

• Monroe Street: The Mayor's proposed budget cut Monroe Street reconstruction from the capital improvement plan (CIP), and instead includes $200,000 in 2017 for patchwork to give the street an estimated 6 more years of life in fair shape, according to the City Engineer. I proposed an amendment at the Board of Estimates that was supported by my colleagues to move Monroe Street back on scheduled for 2017 full reconstruction. I also proposed two back-up amendments that would improve key pedestrian crossings and move full reconstruction of the Leonard to Regent portion (the section in worse shape) of Monroe to 2019.
  • Road reconstruction is a basic city function that you should be able to count on the city to fund with our tax dollars.
  • Please email the Mayor and All Alders to share your opinions on the budget decision.
• Operating Budget: The Mayor's proposed operating budget will be released this week. The Board of Estimates will review it on 10/12.
• At the Capital Budget deliberations of the Board of Estimates, I stated that as a Council I do not believe that we have fully done our work on the budget. The city addresses the capital and operating budgets sequentially in committee, rather than finding savings and addressing the budgets together. Therefore I consider my votes on Capital Budget amendments at the Board of Estimates to be priorities for funding in the CIP, knowing that my votes may change when we get to the Council vote.  I look forward to working with my colleagues and Council leadership to have a comprehensive budget plan prior to that Council vote in November, one that considers the need to put back in the five year Capital Budget key infrastructure projects, like Monroe Street and the Mid-Town Police Station, while balancing the overarching debt load of the city.

Development Projects

• Wingra School: The school is proposing a new entrance and renovation, which requires an amendment to their current Planned Development Zoning. They will be before the Plan Commission on 10/5 and the Common Council on 10/20.
• The Green Project, 1906 Monroe Street: The project proposes a four story building that steps back from Monroe Street on the fourth floor. It includes an Underground Food Collective concept, The Fit, The Knight Foundation, and apartments. The public neighborhood meeting on the project generally displayed support, though concerns about four stories on Monroe were also expressed. The Plan Commission public hearing and decision on approval of this project will take place on 10/19.
• Lucky's 1313 Regent Street: The project has changed from the original proposal. It sill includes renovation of the Foreign Car Specialist building into a brew pub and banquet hall space, but at this time no longer includes apartments on Bowen Court. The Plan Commission will be reviewing outdoor patio space and a parking waiver on 10/19 and the Alcohol License Review Committee will be reviewing the liquor license proposal on 10/21. I have concerns about the large space and capacity, and will be proposing conditions of approval that will limit the capacity and hours and total days of operation of the banquet facility.
• Double SS BBQ: This restaurant has proposed use of an outdoor cooking smoker behind their restaurant at 1835 Monroe Street. There will be a public meeting and demonstration of the cooking operation on 10/22. The applicants will be smoking meat during the day, welcoming neighbors to come by and experience the cooking, and the public meeting will begin at 7:30pm in their restaurant. The Vilas Neighborhood Association will be promoting an online survey to help provide feedback on this proposal. They will be before the Plan Commission for a public hearing and requesting approval on 11/2.
• JTK Affordable Housing Project (820 South Park Street), Next Neighborhood Meeting: Thursday, November 5th from 6:30-8:30pm
  • The current development proposal has been amended from the original proposal. You can view the new plans on my development website. It includes:
    • A 5-story affordable housing property on the church supply store site and extending back along Delaplaine Ct.;
    • A 4-story affordable housing property along Haywood St. behind the auto repair shop;
    • The 5 single-family homes along the 800-block of S. Brooks will remain, though the current homes on Delaplaine and perhaps Haywood will replace 2-4 of the homes to preserve the highest quality homes, and an alley with surface parking will be constructed behind those homes;
• The developer is aiming to submit applications this week in hopes of having the project approved before the end of January to submit for affordable housing tax credits.
• Judge Doyle Square: On September 29, the City Council voted 12 to 6 to invest in the proposed Judge Doyle Square development project, which includes a headquarter office building for Exact Sciences, a replacement public parking ramp for Government East, and a new hotel. After lengthy and informative debate, I voted for this project because previous investments of this kind have demonstrated success in increasing our tax base to stem the tide of increasing residential property taxes, rejuvenated our downtown, and brought well-paying jobs to Madisonians who need them. This project will do the same.
  
  Some argue that the funding that we are reinvesting from the healthy Tax Increment District should be used to pay for immediate needs. While that may bring some short-term relief, this project looks strategically to the future to correct the root causes of those more immediate needs and resolve them for future generations.
  
  I appreciate all the information and opinions you shared with me on this project. We are better by being an active and engaged city with diverse opinions. This project will continue to move through the city land entitlement process over the next few months.

Events

I have a new intern from UW helping me to populate an events tab on my site that will keep you informed as city permits are granted for events impacting our district. Thanks in advance to Kara and the UW for this partnership! In the meantime...

• Play Cool Choices! It's an easy way to play a game online that helps promote sustainability and further Madison's chances of winning the Georgetown Energy Challenge. GreenMadison.org
• Attend the Monroe Street Festival on Saturday 10/10
• Fall Leaf Collection begins today

Thanks!

Neighbors –

Happy fall! Budget season has hit the city. Below you will find an update on the budget and on development projects in the district.

Capital Budget

• Monroe Street: The Mayor's proposed budget cut Monroe Street reconstruction from the capital improvement plan (CIP), and instead includes $200,000 in 2017 for patchwork to give the street an estimated 6 more years of life in fair shape, according to the City Engineer. I proposed an amendment at the Board of Estimates that was supported by my colleagues to move Monroe Street back on scheduled for 2017 full reconstruction. I also proposed two back-up amendments that would improve key pedestrian crossings and move full reconstruction of the Leonard to Regent portion (the section in worse shape) of Monroe to 2019.
  • Road reconstruction is a basic city function that you should be able to count on the city to fund with our tax dollars.
  • Please email the Mayor and All Alders to share your opinions on the budget decision.
• Operating Budget: The Mayor's proposed operating budget will be released this week. The Board of Estimates will review it on 10/12.
• At the Capital Budget deliberations of the Board of Estimates, I stated that as a Council I do not believe that we have fully done our work on the budget. The city addresses the capital and operating budgets sequentially in committee, rather than finding savings and addressing the budgets together. Therefore I consider my votes on Capital Budget amendments at the Board of Estimates to be priorities for funding in the CIP, knowing that my votes may change when we get to the Council vote.  I look forward to working with my colleagues and Council leadership to have a comprehensive budget plan prior to that Council vote in November, one that considers the need to put back in the five year Capital Budget key infrastructure projects, like Monroe Street and the Mid-Town Police Station, while balancing the overarching debt load of the city.

Development Projects

• Wingra School: The school is proposing a new entrance and renovation, which requires an amendment to their current Planned Development Zoning. They will be before the Plan Commission on 10/5 and the Common Council on 10/20.
• The Green Project, 1906 Monroe Street: The project proposes a four story building that steps back from Monroe Street on the fourth floor. It includes an Underground Food Collective concept, The Fit, The Knight Foundation, and apartments. The public neighborhood meeting on the project generally displayed support, though concerns about four stories on Monroe were also expressed. The Plan Commission public hearing and decision on approval of this project will take place on 10/19.
• Lucky's 1313 Regent Street: The project has changed from the original proposal. It sill includes renovation of the Foreign Car Specialist building into a brew pub and banquet hall space, but at this time no longer includes apartments on Bowen Court. The Plan Commission will be reviewing outdoor patio space and a parking waiver on 10/19 and the Alcohol License Review Committee will be reviewing the liquor license proposal on 10/21. I have concerns about the large space and capacity, and will be proposing conditions of approval that will limit the capacity and hours and total days of operation of the banquet facility.
• Double SS BBQ: This restaurant has proposed use of an outdoor cooking smoker behind their restaurant at 1835 Monroe Street. There will be a public meeting and demonstration of the cooking operation on 10/22. The applicants will be smoking meat during the day, welcoming neighbors to come by and experience the cooking, and the public meeting will begin at 7:30pm in their restaurant. The Vilas Neighborhood Association will be promoting an online survey to help provide feedback on this proposal. They will be before the Plan Commission for a public hearing and requesting approval on 11/2.
• JTK Affordable Housing Project (820 South Park Street), Next Neighborhood Meeting: Thursday, November 5th from 6:30-8:30pm
  • The current development proposal has been amended from the original proposal. You can view the new plans on my development website. It includes:
    • A 5-story affordable housing property on the church supply store site and extending back along Delaplaine Ct.;
    • A 4-story affordable housing property along Haywood St. behind the auto repair shop;
    • The 5 single-family homes along the 800-block of S. Brooks will remain, though the current homes on Delaplaine and perhaps Haywood will replace 2-4 of the homes to preserve the highest quality homes, and an alley with surface parking will be constructed behind those homes;
• The developer is aiming to submit applications this week in hopes of having the project approved before the end of January to submit for affordable housing tax credits.
• Judge Doyle Square: On September 29, the City Council voted 12 to 6 to invest in the proposed Judge Doyle Square development project, which includes a headquarter office building for Exact Sciences, a replacement public parking ramp for Government East, and a new hotel. After lengthy and informative debate, I voted for this project because previous investments of this kind have demonstrated success in increasing our tax base to stem the tide of increasing residential property taxes, rejuvenated our downtown, and brought well-paying jobs to Madisonians who need them. This project will do the same.
  
  Some argue that the funding that we are reinvesting from the healthy Tax Increment District should be used to pay for immediate needs. While that may bring some short-term relief, this project looks strategically to the future to correct the root causes of those more immediate needs and resolve them for future generations.
  
  I appreciate all the information and opinions you shared with me on this project. We are better by being an active and engaged city with diverse opinions. This project will continue to move through the city land entitlement process over the next few months.

Events

I have a new intern from UW helping me to populate an events tab on my site that will keep you informed as city permits are granted for events impacting our district. Thanks in advance to Kara and the UW for this partnership! In the meantime...

• Play Cool Choices! It's an easy way to play a game online that helps promote sustainability and further Madison's chances of winning the Georgetown Energy Challenge. GreenMadison.org
• Attend the Monroe Street Festival on Saturday 10/10
• Fall Leaf Collection begins today

Thanks!

Neighbors –

A special update on the Mayor's Proposed Capital Budget and a development meeting this week:

Capital Budget

• Monroe Street: The Mayor's proposed budget cut Monroe Street reconstruction from the capital improvement plan (CIP), and instead includes $200,000 in 2017 for patchwork to give the street an estimated 6 more years of life in fair shape, according to the City Engineer.
  • Road reconstruction is a basic city function that you should be able to count on the city to fund with our tax dollars. I will question this decision and look for funding that can be trimmed to keep the CIP sustainable, while funding commitments that neighbors and businesses have been counting on – like Monroe Street reconstruction in 2017.
  • Please email the Mayor and All Alders to share your opinion on this decision.
• Timing of other key projects has been pushed, both to trim the high-cost plan in past year budgets and to account for project timelines changing. You can read more about the proposed budget here. There will be many questions and discussions about what we need to prioritize and where we can account for needed savings.
• Board of Estimates Meetings: The city's finance committee, on which I serve, will be meeting at 4:30pm Tuesday and Wednesday evening to review the entire capital budget with staff from departments. You are welcome to attend, send me your questions to ask, and/or watch online/on City Channel. There will be public hearings on the capital budget on 9/15 at the Council. The calendar can be found here.

JTK Low-Income/Senior Housing Project (820 South Park Street)

• Neighborhood Meeting: Thursday, September 10th from 6:30-8:30pm, Bolz Auditorium, across Brooks Street from Meriter Hospital's Main Entrance
• The current development proposal calls for two buildings on the site:
  • A 5-story affordable family housing property, 76 units, on the church supply store site and extending back along Delaplaine Ct.
  • A 5-story affordable senior housing property, around 40 units, along Haywood St. behind the auto repair shop
  • 5 single-family homes along the 800-block of S. Brooks will remain; an alley with surface parking will be constructed behind those homes
• The developer is aiming to submit applications within the next month or so in hopes of having the project approved before the end of January.
• Please join us to have your questions answered and share your thoughts!

Tonight's discussion about Judge Doyle Square/Madison Municipal Building/Exact Science/Government East Parking Ramp is anticipated to be delayed until September 15 (the next Council Meeting).

From Denise DeMarb, Council President:

At tonight's council meeting, I will ask for direct referral of items # 43 and 60 for JDS.  Direct referral is without debate or testimony.  We still have moving parts.  The 5 items that BOE ask for substance/clarification have not been fully vetted.  These are important items and we can't debate what we don't know. 

I understand there will be residents who intend to come to tonight's meeting to speak on this issue.

Please let people know about the referral to 9/15.  I am very sensitive to the public and those who show up to help us make good decisions.  I want to reach as many of them ahead of time.
 

Memo from the Judge Doyle Square Negotiation Team to the Common Council:

As of 3 pm on Monday, August 31st, agreement hasn't been reached by the parties to all of the items included in the August 24, 2015 Board of Estimates motion. While agreement has been reached by the parties on Issues (3) and (4) below, Items (1), (2) and (5) below remain open. Since these matters are not satisfactorily resolved and consistent with the Board of Estimates adopted motion, the Mayor has recommended referral of the matter to the September 15, 2015 meeting.
_____________________________________________________________
On Monday, August 24, 2015, the Board of Estimates considered the Report of the Judge Doyle Square Negotiating Team, the draft Amended and Restated Development Agreement and a Common Council Resolution, Legistar No. 39800. The Board of Estimates recommended approval of the resolution with the addition of the following language:
"The BOE recommends approval of the resolution, subject to satisfactory resolution of these issues prior to September 1:

Language on a Labor Peace Agreement;
Language on the timing and nature of reacquisition by the City of the hotel condominium unit and the future office expansion condominium unit;
Completion of the Real Estate Purchase Agreement;
Removal of the Developer's right of first refusal on leasing of parking utility spaces; and
More information on the TIF jobs grant and the other questions of the TIF Coordinator.

If these matters are not satisfactorily resolved, the BOE recommends referral of the resolution to the Council's September 15 meeting."

Subsequent to the Board of Estimates meeting, the City Negotiating Team conducted an additional negotiating session on Wednesday, August 26 to address the five areas identified in the motion.

A brief summary of the items is provided below.

(1) Labor Peace Agreement
The Developer has engaged in discussions to enter into a Labor Peace Agreement (LPA) with Unite Here, a labor union representing hotel employees. Due to both legal and practical issues, the Developer must negotiate directly with Unite Here in coming to the final terms of the agreement. Unite Here is the only interested union in representing hotel employees and have negotiated LPAs with developers and hotel operators around the country.

While the Developer has provided a workforce development agreement which asserts that it will enter into a LPA with hotel employees, as of 3 pm on August 31st, Unite Here does not find the agreement to be adequate. The agreement permits the Developer to enter into a LPA after the Project Commencement closing. However, this leaves the City with limited ability to enforce the agreement since the City's financing will have already been spent on the Project. Normally, the City could withhold its financing in order to enforce the agreement, but that will not be possible here.

(2) Reacquisition of Block 105 Condominium Units

Hotel Unit
One of the City's high priorities in pursuing the Judge Doyle Square development is to add additional hotel rooms adjacent to Monona Terrace with a room-block agreement to support Monona Terrace. The City and the JDS Development LLC agree that construction on the hotel must commence by May 1, 2017. It is the most efficient timing for the hotel since the construction team will already be mobilized on site and the hotel tower construction can continue without interruption or re-mobilization at a later date. Further, the developer will have posted approximately $17.5 million in equity capital with the commercial lender at the Project Commencement closing in December, 2015. That equity capital isn't in a productive use until the hotel is completed and is operating, which is a significant motivation for JDS Development to move forward on the project in a timely manner.

To the extent that market or financial conditions prevent the hotel project from proceeding by May 1, 2017, there will be an agreement between the parties to permit the developer to extend its deadline and for the City to reacquire the hotel unit in order to complete the hotel if the developer does not.
As of 3 pm on August 31st, there wasn't satisfactory resolution of the preceding provision.
The cost for reacquiring the Hotel Unit is $232,000 which is the proportionate share of the actual price the Developer will pay for the land.

Exact Sciences Office Expansion Unit
The Exact Sciences office expansion site is the third and final phase of the Judge Doyle Square development. Based on the underwriting analysis, the completion of the office building is targeted for 2023 with the property tax payments on the completed facility commencing in 2024. The Amended and Restated Development Agreement provides that in addition to expansion space for Exact Sciences, the site could also include another office tenant, additional hotel capacity or residential use (Section 5.4 (a) of the Amended and Restated Agreement). Given the development schedule to start construction in 2022, the multiple land uses that can be developed on the site and the fact that the site will have the authorized zoning and approvals in place and available parking to support those uses, the City Negotiating Team did not seek a reacquisition option for this development site.

(3) Real Estate Purchase Agreement
At the time the Negotiating Team Report was submitted to the Board of Estimates on August 21, 2015, the Real Estate Purchase Agreement wasn't finalized. That has now been completed and is provided as Exhibit B to the Amended and Restated Development Agreement.

(4) Developer's Right of First Refusal on Leasing Parking Utility Spaces
The Lease Term Sheet included a provision to give JDS Development a right of first refusal (ROFR) on any blocks of spaces in the Public Ramp that the City may wish to make available to any third parties on a long-term basis (e.g. for a year or longer) along with an option to acquire any stalls in the public portion of the ramp that may become available during the lease term in the event the City constructs or secures other stalls for public use in the downtown and no longer desires to maintain all 600 stalls within the ramp.

This provision has been removed from the Lease Term Sheet.

(5) Additional TIF Jobs Grant and Related TIF Questions
JDS Development forwarded additional financial information to the Negotiating Team and City's TIF Coordinator on Thursday, August 27th. One piece of new information presented to the City was an enumeration of the extraordinary costs of locating Exact Sciences at this downtown location. The information provided note that these costs total $12.1 million.

JDS Development also provided revised financial information for the parking structure, office building, and hotel. Of note is a budget of $14,126,000 for Tenant Improvements by Exact Sciences. This is in excess of the $12 million negotiated for Exact Sciences Tenant Improvements. The Negotiating Team wants to insure that the $12 million TIF investment to Exact Sciences is only used for their Tenant Improvements, and as such, is recommending a change within the Restated Development Agreement to protect the City's interest in this regard.

As of 3 pm on August 31st, additional analysis is still being completed.

TIF Grant
There has been debate about the jobs–based TIF grant to Exact Sciences. TIF policy and state TIF law interpretation defines the TIF support as a grant where the property tax increment generated by the project, and by the increment guarantee, will be insufficient during the life of the TID to recover that cost.

Due to the fact that TID 25, the source of the funds, will close in 2023 or 2024 (prior to the recovery of the cost) renders the Exact Sciences financial support a grant. Regarding the guarantee of the property tax increment, the Amended and Restated Development Agreement seeks to address this issue in three ways:

By requiring a corporate jobs guarantee for the Jobs TIF subsidy, rather than a personal/corporate guarantee on the property tax increment (the developer would not agree to the latter).
By requiring a modified corporate property tax guarantee for the $20.8 million TIF subsidy provided for the private accessory parking. That guarantee is a $6.8 million net worth requirement of the JDS LLC along with a property tax increment test in 2032, with any shortfall either being made up by the developer through a cash payment or through assignment of all of the revenues from the private accessory parking to make up the shortfall.
By requiring a $115,000 annual lease payment for the private accessory parking, and a $4 million acquisition payment after 27 years, which offsets some of the $20.8 million in TIF subsidy.

The estimated property taxes generated by the project are projected to cover the entire $42.8 million contribution from TID 25, within approximately 20 years. Those taxes are being paid directly to the taxing jurisdictions rather than TID 25, because TID 25, similar to a sinking fund concept, paid those amounts in advance in lieu of issuing debt and repaying with interest through a new TID. The end result is the same; the project recovers the subsidy within the usual maximum statutory lifespan of a TID. The net effect on the taxing jurisdictions is a net positive – the property value is placed on the tax rolls in 2023/2024 rather than 2037 (or later), interest costs are avoided, and a portion of the parking revenues, including sale of the ramp, are returned to the City.

Greetings Neighbors –

Please link to the read the full update on projects, events, and Council business.

Updates on in-district projects:

• Project at 820 Park Street: J.T. Klein Company is proposing an affordable housing development on the block bounded by Delaplaine, S. Brooks, Haywood, and South Park Streets – including market rate, low-income, and senior housing.
  • Neighborhood Meeting: Thursday, September 10, from 6:30-8:30pm at Bolz Auditorium, Meriter Hospital Education Center (McConnell Building) at 124 S. Brooks Street.
  • The development team hopes to submit their application to the city on October 7, to trigger the formal city review process and meet the January 31 deadline for the WHEDA tax credit application.

• Double S BBQ: The owners of the Double S BBQ at 1835 Monroe Street have notified me, city staff, and the neighborhood association of their intent to file an application for conditional use to approve an outdoor smoker/BBQ pit behind their restaurant. The soonest they could formally file an application with the city is September 2, which correlates to an October 19 Plan Commission meeting for formal city review and approval/disapproval.
  • I will be helping to organize a demonstration of the smoker/pit in the location that they hope to operate. We have gained city permission for a one-day demo, however, we need to wait until their kitchen is completed – so the date is still TBD. There will be formal, written notice of this public meeting/demonstration mailed to immediate neighbors and I will send the date in my update as soon as it is scheduled. It will be an opportunity to see what the owners are proposing and provide feedback.

• 1906 Monroe Street/The Green Project: The development team intends to submit their proposal for a four story building this week. The updated plans are on my developments page.

• Lucky's 1313 Brew Pub and Banquet Facility: I held a public meeting on this 25-unit apartment development project and proposed alcohol license for the Brew Pub in June. The applicant, Rod Ripper (current manager of Lucky's Bar and Grille), intends to appear for approval of the class B liquor license at the Alcohol License Review Committee meeting on September 16 and has submitted plans for the conditional use approvals to go before the Plan Commission on September 21. Please email me any questions or concerns.

• Wingra Point II: Will be before the Urban Design Commission for final approvals on Wednesday, September 2nd.

• Weeds in Monona Bay: Apologies to all regarding the weed cutting situation in Monona Bay. The City and County staff are working together to try to resolve the access issues for the weed cutters in the main part of Monona Bay – as to not block the bike path when loading/unloading weeds. I am working with County Supervisors and staff to be sure that access is planned and complete well-before the weed cutting is needed again next season.

Highlighted City Business:

• Judge Doyle Square: Many of you have contacted about the current negotiations and final development agreement with JDS Development for their proposal with Exact Sciences at Judge Doyle Square. Thanks for sharing your thoughts. The Council will be voting on this item at our Tuesday evening meeting. This is a public hearing, where you are welcome to come testify. At the Board of Estimates meeting, I voted to recommend approval of the development agreement pending satisfactory resolution of five important issues, including more information on the TIF jobs grant and other questions presented by our city TIF coordinator. While I believe that the opportunity to bring a biotech firm like Exact Sciences downtown is a great opportunity for our city, I still need to be convinced that the investments of our city funding is necessary and setting appropriate policy precedent before I can vote to support the agreement on Tuesday night. I will keep you informed about my final vote and rationale after Tuesday's Council meeting.  
  • This website provides updates and includes a link to all proposals.

Other in-district events:

• Alliant Energy Center Events
• The Madison Area Transportation Planning Board's draft Bicycle Transportation Plan for the Madison Metropolitan Area & Dane County and draft Public Participation Plan, are now available for review and comment. Click here for more information on the bicycle plan, including ways to provide feedback, and to view the draft plan report. Click here to view the draft public participation plan. A public hearing on the draft public participation plan is scheduled for the Board's Wednesday, September 2 at 6:30 p.m. at the City-County Building, 210 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Room 354.
• 9/7 Safe Harbor's Labor Day Dash at Vilas Park
• 9/13 Dog Paddle

• 9/15 and 9/16 UW Master Plan Public Open Houses: The consultant team will be presenting their analysis information as well as the framework plan which will guide alternative development of the 2015 Master Plan Update. Attendees will have an opportunity to provide feedback and ask questions of the consultant team.  Refreshments will be provided.
  • September 15, 2015 7-9PM, Health Sciences Learning Center (HSLC) Room 1325
  • September 16, 2015 7-9PM, Gordon Commons, Sonata Room
• 9/19 Edgewood Hosting Game Day Tailgate from 11am-2pm (same day as Badger Game)
• 9/29 - 10/3 World Dairy Expo at Alliant Energy Center
• 10/7 at 5pm: Madison Policy Department Community Corral (Police Horses) at Midland Park, 1005 Midland Street
• 10/10 Monroe Street Festival
• 10/10: Aruna 5K Run for their Freedom at Vilas Park
• 10/24 from 8am-12pm: Mayor's Neighborhood Roundtable, Warner Park Community Recreation Center, 1625 Northport Drive
• MG&E Community Conversations: Please check out their webpage and take part in our community's energy future!

Congrats to St. James School on the opening of their new Early Care and Education program. They had a great ribbon cutting event this past week. And best wishes for a great school year to all students, parents, and teachers in Madison!

It's a pleasure to serve you! Please stay in touch.

Thanks,

Sara

Greetings Neighbors –

Please link to the read the full update on projects, events, and Council business.

Updates on in-district projects:

• Project at 820 Park Street: J.T. Klein Company is proposing an affordable housing development on the block bounded by Delaplaine, S. Brooks, Haywood, and South Park Streets – including market rate, low-income, and senior housing. There will be robust opportunities for public input in coming months. A project steering committee of neighborhood residents has been convened to help guide the process and provide feedback. This will not replace the public meetings related to the project, but Urban Assets has been hired to convene this group for more robust feedback from the Greenbush and Bay Creek Neighborhood Association. If anyone wants to attend these meetings, as they are open to anyone, please contact Zia at Urban Assets.  I will be participating in this Steering Committee.
  • The development team hopes to submit their application to the city on October 7, to trigger the formal city review process and meet the January 31 deadline for the WHEDA tax credit application.

• Double S BBQ: The owners of the Double S BBQ at 1835 Monroe Street have notified me, city staff, and the neighborhood association of their intent to file an application for conditional use to approve an outdoor smoker/BBQ pit behind their restaurant. The soonest they could formally file an application with the city is September 2, which correlates to an October 19 Plan Commission meeting for formal city review and approval/disapproval.
  • I will be helping to organize a demonstration of the smoker/pit in the location that they hope to operate. We have gained city permission for a one-day demo that will take place in September. There will be formal, written notice of this public meeting/demonstration mailed to immediate neighbors and I will send the date in my update as soon as it is scheduled. It will be an opportunity to see what the owners are proposing and provide feedback.

• 1906 Monroe Street/The Green Project: The development team is currently working on their proposal and they will keep me updated on the plans. I will share when they are updated. The overall concept remains the same, in terms of participating businesses, as originally proposed.

• 101 South Mills: This project was approved by the Plan Commission on 7/27. In response to neighborhood and city Traffic Engineering concerns, tenants will not be eligible for RP3 permits for on-street parking.

• Lucky's 1313 Brew Pub and Banquet Facility: I held a public meeting on this 25-unit apartment development project and proposed alcohol license for the Brew Pub in June. The applicant, Rod Ripper (current manager of Lucky's Bar and Grille), intends to appear for approval of the class B liquor license at the Alcohol License Review Committee meeting on August 19. Please email me any questions or concerns for the applicant.

Highlighted City Business:

• Judge Doyle Square: The Common Council authorized the city team to begin negotiations with JDS Development/Exact Sciences regarding their proposal for Judge Doyle Square. A development agreement has been signed. It will come to the council for approval after further issues are worked out by September 1. This website provides updates and includes a link to all proposals.

• Homelessness and the Downtown: Many of you may have seen news reports regarding the Mayor's proposal to limit time spent on city benches/sidewalks in the downtown. A group of Alders and some business representatives had a productive conversation with the Mayor about this proposal on Friday afternoon. We discussed one key concern I have at this meeting; that this ordinance does not address the root cause of the Mayor and many resident's concerns regarding some behaviors downtown. The ordinance does not provide housing or supportive services to individuals experiencing homelessness, mental health, and substance abuse issues. This is an issue that we must work collaboratively with Dane County on addressing- we cannot have wait lists for human services and opening day shelter is only part of the solution. I am in favor of expecting and enforcing respectful, lawful, and safe behavior in our city. However, I am not in favor of penalizing individuals for being on the streets when we do not have alternatives to offer them, in the form of supportive services to help them get back on their feet. We need to call on all partners, including the city, county, business community, and service providers, to come together to solve the root causes - and we must do so with haste. It's already been far too long. I'm getting involved in ensuring that this collaboration happens.

Other in-district events:

• Alliant Energy Center Events
• 8/3 – 8/13 Community Walks, 12-1pm: Meet at the South Madison Public Library (Goodman) to take an informational lunchtime walk around Park Street to discuss the history and talk about the future. Questions can be sent to Tom Pearce.

• 8/5 Our Lady Queen of Peace, 6-7:30pm: Community Meeting on the Design of the Midtown Police Station
• 8/8 South Campus Madison College Open House, 10am-2pm
• August Moving Days: City Streets has information on this annual event on their website, with great resources for donation stations.
• 8/16/15 DMNA Nature and History Trail Event, 6-8pm: Start at either Dudgeon Monroe Prairie at Odana or Prospect Ramp Gardens
• 9/13 Dog Paddle
• The Madison Area Transportation Planning Board's draft Bicycle Transportation Plan for the Madison Metropolitan Area & Dane County and draft Public Participation Plan, are now available for review and comment. Click here for more information on the bicycle plan, including ways to provide feedback, and to view the draft plan report. Click here to view the draft public participation plan. A public hearing on the draft bicycle plan is scheduled for the MPO Board's Wednesday, August 5 meeting at 6:30 p.m. at the Madison Water Utility, 119 E. Olin Avenue, Room A-B. Depending upon comments received prior to and at the August 5 hearing, the MPO Board may take action on the plan at the August meeting. A public hearing on the draft public participation plan is scheduled for the Board's Wednesday, September 2 at 6:30 p.m. at the City-County Building, 210 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Room 354. Depending upon comments received prior to and at the September 2 hearing, the MPO Board may take action on the public participation plan at the September meeting.

It's a pleasure to serve you! Please stay in touch.

Thanks,

Sara

Greetings Neighbors –

Please link to the read the full update on projects, events, and Council business.

Updates on in-district projects:

• Project at 820 Park Street: There will be a new development proposal for the blocks of Delaplaine, Brooks, Haywood, and South Park Streets – including low-income and senior housing. There will be robust opportunities for public input in coming months. A project steering committee of neighborhood residents is being convened. Please let me know if you are interested in serving.

• Street Reconstruction Update: I have been receiving questions from neighbors in the Dudgeon Monroe Neighborhood about pavement marking on streets. I met with City Engineering staff this week to get an update on their process. The areas that are being considered for reconstruction in future years are being surveyed now – that's the marking you're seeing. You can find the DMNA schedule map here.
  • When this construction season winds down, engineering staff will look at street survey results and make a recommended plan for reconstruction for streets scheduled in 2016. Those plans will be reviewed with residents for feedback in a neighborhood public information meeting – I will notify you of those here and you will receive a mailing if you live on an affected street. If you have particular questions about streets affected, please do not hesitate to reach out to me or Christy Bachmann in engineering.
  • Spruce Street residents should have been notified by mail, but reconstruction has been pushed back to spring 2016 due to bidding timelines and contractor schedules. Here is a copy of the notice.

• 101 South Mills: This project will be before the Plan Commission on Monday, July 27th. The updated plans are on my development website. The development team is looking for support of RP3 permits for this location – this means that tenants would be eligible for residential parking stickers. Please let me know if you have reactions to this project generally or to this specific request for residential parking permits. I have also asked City Traffic Engineering make a recommendation regarding RP3 permits.

• 1906 Monroe Street/The Green Project: A neighborhood meeting was held with about 30 people on Thursday evening. The development team plans will be on my site ASAP. This project includes: 1st floor Underground Food Collective, 2nd floor The Fit, 3rd floor The Fit/The Knight Foundation, and 4th floor set-back apartments. They are aiming for a Plan Commission date the week of September 19th. Please email me your questions/concerns and I will share them with the development team.

• Brittingham Park: Parks staff provided this lengthy update:
• The Brittingham Park playground replacement project has included a lengthy public meeting process beginning back in November with our first meeting at the city's Water Utility Building.  This meeting had just 4 attendees, which was surprising given that we worked with both Alder Verveer and Alder Dailey to schedule and promote the meeting in addition to mailing over 4300 postcards to residents within a 1-mile radius of the park.   At that meeting, we presented information regarding the proposed improvements at Brittingham Park playgrounds – to expand the play area at Brittingham Beach (where the boat rental operation is located) and provide what would be Madison's first fully accessible playground in the main park area.  At this meeting we discussed what would be our standard playground options for the Beach Park location and explained how the fully accessible playground would differ in both equipment type and surfacing.  Feedback that we received from attendees at this meeting included a strong preference for holding subsequent meetings at a location within the Triangle Neighborhood so that residents there would have easier access to the meetings, providing interpretive services in Hmong and Spanish languages and expanding our meeting notification outreach to attract more attendees.
• Our second meeting, in January 2015, was held at the Bayview Center and had at least 27 people attend per the sign-in sheet.  We worked with the Bayview Center to help promote the meeting and met in advance with Andy Heidt, who recommended physical flyer locations within the Triangle and also recommended contacting Officer Kim Alan and Sally Spaeni to assist with posting them in the lobbies of surrounding buildings.  Additionally, we worked with Jason Glozier, the city's Disability Rights Specialist, to conduct a site visit to the park and discuss the Disability Pride event at Brittingham and gaps in accessible playground offerings in the area.  At this meeting a vote was held for the equipment to be installed at the Brittingham Beach location and the concept for the accessible playground area was presented.  Following the meeting discussion and subsequent communications we received via email and phone, Parks staff recognized that the attendees were interested in seeing a revised concept at the next meeting to discuss the project – particularly one which addressed the concerns of keeping the playground area away from the bike path and shoreline.  Additionally, it seemed that there was concern that a plan for the area where the main playground is currently located was called for – attendees did not want to see this area vacated after the playground equipment was removed.
• At the 3rd meeting on April 20th, also held at the Bayview Center, we utilized the same approach for promoting the meeting but had just 8 attendees– although many more "regrets" from folks who knew that they would be unable to attend were very interested in receiving updates.  Several families associated with the Disability Pride event typically held at Brittingham Park were able to attend and they provided valuable insight on what works and what doesn't in accessible equipment. We also had many of the attendees from the original meeting at this last session so it was nice to see that continuity and ongoing commitment to the project from the neighborhood.  At this meeting, staff presented a revised concept for the accessible playground including a new location proximate to the parking lot off of W. Washington Avenue.  This concept (which is attached for your reference) includes significant changes to the layout of the current lot, offering the opportunity to open access between the east and west sides of the park while creating a space for the playground that provides visibility from the existing shelter in response to interest expressed at previous meetings to establishing site lines between the shelter and play area.  The revised concept also keeps the playground off of the commuter bike path and away from the shoreline.  We also presented a concept for the future of the current playground area next to the community gardens after the equipment is removed that will include earthen mounds, pea gravel, boulders and low-mow turf, offering an addition to the park landscape that would provide a different opportunity for play.  We received very positive feedback on the concepts at the meeting including requested changes and additions to the accessible equipment shown to the group (also attached) – primarily to make the offerings even more universally accessible, which we are working with the manufacturer on now.  The information from this meeting and the others that we have held to-date is up on our Parks website at: http://www.cityofmadison.com/parks/parks/park.cfm?id=1139.
• After the third public meeting the Parks Division was contacted by representatives of Freedom Inc. regarding the proposed park improvements. The group's primary concern is the project's potential impact on minority families that live adjacent to the park. The Parks Division is currently working with the Department of Civil Rights and the Racial Equity and Social Justice Initiatives Team to begin the equity analysis process of this project as a whole.  More information regarding the project's next steps will be provided as the process continues; improvements to the playgrounds at Brittingham Park are on hold pending the outcome of this process.

Upcoming in-district meetings:

• South Madison Planning Council: Monday 7/20 at 6pm: Village on Park St Community Room: Our presenter for Monday's meeting is Mary Solinger and Greg Banks. They will update us on Nehemiah's Field of Dream project located on the former car wash property. Bring your questions and comments regarding this project to the meeting. 

Highlighted City Business:

• Judge Doyle Square: The Common Council authorized the city team to begin negotiations with JDS Development/Exact Sciences regarding their proposal for Judge Doyle Square. A development agreement has been signed. It will come to the council for approval after further issues are worked out by September 1. This website provides updates and includes a link to all proposals.

• Capital Budget: The Board of Estimates (the City's finance committee on which I serve) has taken the time in a series of extra meetings to deep dive into the capital budget.  We understood at the end of 2014 the capital budget was inflated, too many projects that couldn't be completed because of time and money constraints.  The charge of the BOE was to unravel the budget by large projects and then make recommendations to the Mayor based on the BOE priorities on what to move out in years and/or taken beyond the years of the capital budget.  The capital budget is the plan for City spending on projects from streets to fire stations; it looks out 5 years. The BOE has finished our special meetings and has prioritized recommendations for continuing basic city services to the Mayor. There is more work to do this fall.  The Council is scheduled to receive the Mayor's capital budget for 2016 on September 1st. The work also positions the BOE to take on a new way of budgeting.  In January we are scheduled to start working on Priority Based Budgeting.  I am excited to begin this work. More to come on this update item!

• Greenbush Vilas Partnership: The first loan of our Small Cap TIF program in the Greenbush neighborhood is being utilized! See information on the program here, and the loan resolution here.

Other in-district events:

• Alliant Energy Center Events
• 7/25 Brittingham Park: Disability Pride Festival
• 7/25 Capital Square to Goodman Park for Pool Party, 6:30-9PM: Capital City 5K for Organ, Tissue, and Eye Donation 
• 8/5 Our Lady Queen of Peace, 6-7:30pm: Community Meeting on the Design of the Midtown Police Station
• The Madison Area Transportation Planning Board's draft Bicycle Transportation Plan for the Madison Metropolitan Area & Dane County and draft Public Participation Plan, are now available for review and comment. Click here for more information on the bicycle plan, including ways to provide feedback, and to view the draft plan report. Click here to view the draft public participation plan. A public hearing on the draft bicycle plan is scheduled for the MPO Board's Wednesday, August 5 meeting at 6:30 p.m. at the Madison Water Utility, 119 E. Olin Avenue, Room A-B. Depending upon comments received prior to and at the August 5 hearing, the MPO Board may take action on the plan at the August meeting. A public hearing on the draft public participation plan is scheduled for the Board's Wednesday, September 2 at 6:30 p.m. at the City-County Building, 210 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Room 354. Depending upon comments received prior to and at the September 2 hearing, the MPO Board may take action on the public participation plan at the September meeting.

It's a pleasure to serve you! Please stay in touch.

Thanks,

Sara

Neighborhood Meeting

Thursday, July 16th at 7pm at HotelRED 

From the development team, "It is the intention of The Green Project to build a state of the art construction at 1906 Monroe Street.  The project will combine the best of current green technology, materials reclaimed from the deconstruction of the current building and an innovative schematic design into a building that houses two great business, a foundation with a sustainability mission and three high-end neighborhood residences.  Although the footprint will be small and the building will only encompass 12,000 square ft., we plan to replace what is currently an easy to miss building and plot of land with a more noticeable and appropriate building for the location. The building will have commercial space for current Monroe Street entities, the Knight Foundation, and The Fit.  It will also house a lunch counter/ butcher / bakery proposed by the underground food collective.   The apartments will be comfortable fourth floor dwelling with sett backs that overlook Monroe St. and the adjacent commercial space."

Please join us tomorrow night to learn more.

Greetings Neighbors –

Please link to the read the full update on projects, events, and Council business.

Updates on in-district projects:

• Regent Street Road Work: Capitol Underground will replace mainline sanitary sewer on Regent Street between Monroe Street and Randall Street.  The work will be completed between 7:00 a.m. on Monday, July 6th, and 5:00 p.m. on Sunday, July 12th. 
  • During this time, both directions of traffic will be in the existing westbound lanes of Regent Street.  As this will cause significant travel time delays especially during the morning and afternoon rush hours, drivers are encouraged to use alternate routes.
• Wingra Point II: The Council approved this project with a multitude of conditions. You can find detailed comments on the ways that the conditions accommodated requests and concerns of the neighborhood on my development page, along with a copy of my email to Bay Creek post-approval.
• Rockhound Brewing Company: The city approved a liquor license for the commercial space in the former Lane's Bakery building on South Park Street. This brewpub is anticipated to open in early 2016.
• Olin Park and Brittingham Park: Parks staff have not had the capacity to initiate future planning this year for Olin Park. I will post updates as we have them on this comprehensive process as it begins. Brittingham play structure improvements have been put on hold while an equity analysis is done about uses in the park – including the current play structures by the community gardens and the desire to locate a fully-accessible playground in the downtown.
• Project at 820 Park Street: There will be a new development proposal for the blocks of Delaplaine, Brooks, Haywood, and South Park Streets – including low-income and senior housing. There will be robust opportunities for public input in coming months.
• Pilot Dogs in Wingra Park Program: City Parks Staff is moving forward a pilot program until April 15, 2016, to evaluate and inform future policy decisions about policy around dogs in city parks. Wingra is the only D13 park on the pilot list (survey results showed that 82% of people who took the survey selected Wingra as a park most of interest for the pilot). Dogs will only be allowed on-leash in designated areas (paved trails or within six feet of them). There will be a communications, signing, and monitoring plan from the Parks operations staff team prior to implementation.
  • The plan is to have the pilot program introduced at the Council meeting on 7/7, reviewed at the Board of Parks Commissioners meeting on 7/15, and then come back to Council with a recommendation on 7/21.  If you have comments, please share them with me and let me know if you would like me to share them with the Board of Parks Commissioners.
• Edgewood High School Parking Lot: The Edgewood Liaison committee has been discussing parking concerns in the Dudgeon Monroe Neighborhood, brought by residents on Keyes Ave. The High Schools has responded with a plan to add 50-60 spaces (about half of which are currently approved in their master plan). Further developed plans will be reviewed by the liaison committee and then go to the neighborhoods and city for approval of a master plan amendment to build the extra spots. We are hopeful that this process will be resolved this summer while construction is already happening at Edgewood. (Updates on that work at edgewood.edu/construction.)  
• Street Reconstruction Update DMNA: I have been receiving questions from neighbors in the Dudgeon Monroe Neighborhood about pavement marking on streets. I will be meeting with Traffic Engineering for a full update on street reconstruction planning in D13 in the next few weeks and will provide further updates or neighborhood meetings as needed. For now, you can find the DMNA schedule map here.

Upcoming in-district meetings:

• Upcoming Public Meetings on Water Quality Improvement Initiatives for Lake Wingra Watershed: The Lake Wingra Watershed in collaboration with Friends of Lake Wingra have developed initiatives to improve water quality in Lake Wingra. Efforts include: reducing the amount of phosphorus reaching the lake; reducing road salt reaching the lake; and increasing opportunities for rainwater infiltration. Public meetings will be held to discuss the initiatives and solicit feedback. Info here.
  • Tuesday, 7/14, 6:30 to 8 p.m., UW-Madison Arboretum, Visitor Center-Auditorium
• The Green Project: July 16th at 7pm at HotelRED: From the team, "It is the intention of The Green Project to build a state of the art construction at 1906 Monroe Street.  The project will combine the best of current green technology, materials reclaimed from the deconstruction of the current building and an innovative schematic design into a building that houses two great business, a foundation with a sustainability mission and three high-end neighborhood residences.  Although the footprint will be small and the building will only encompass 12,000 square ft., we plan to replace what is currently an easy to miss building and plot of land with a more noticeable and appropriate building for the location. The building will have commercial space for current Monroe Street entities, the Knight Foundation, and The Fit.  It will also house a lunch counter/ butcher / bakery proposed by the underground food collective.   The apartments will be comfortable fourth floor dwelling with sett backs that overlook Monroe St. and the adjacent commercial space." Please join us in July to learn more.

Highlighted City Business:

• Billboards: After much discussion last session, the Mayor and Alder Schmidt have introduced a revised billboard "cap and replace" ordinance to allow existing billboards to be removed for the purposes of redevelopment and replaced on another site. New advertising signs are still prohibited by ordinance in the city of Madison.
• Judge Doyle Square: The Common Council authorized the city team to begin negotiations with JDS Development/Exact Sciences regarding their proposal for Judge Doyle Square. This website provides updates and includes a link to all proposals.
• Capital Budget: As a member of the Board of Estimates (the city budget committee), our board is undergoing a comprehensive review of the Capital Improvement Plan to work on sustainability and realistic expectations for our capital budget into the future. We will be formulating recommendations to the Mayor and city staff prior to the normal BOE and Council approval process in the fall.
• Metro Audible Alerts: Will be discontinued as staff identify alternative methods to ensure safety. Their press release explains in more detail.

Other in-district events:

• 7/4 Michaels to Wingra Park, 9:30-12:30pm: DMNA 4th of July Neighborhood Parade and Celebration
• 7/18 Olin Park, Isthmus Paddle and Portage, 9 a.m. – 2 p.m.

• 7/25 Brittingham Park: Disability Pride Festival
• 7/25 Capital Square to Goodman Park for Pool Party, 6:30-9PM: Capital City 5K for Organ, Tissue, and Eye Donation

It's a pleasure to serve you! Please stay in touch and have a safe and enjoyable Independence Day!

Thanks,

Sara

Greetings Neighbors –

Please link to the read the full update on projects, events, and Council business.

A few updates on in-district projects:

• Wingra Point II: The most updated plans are now on the Development page of the District 13 website. These were updated and presented to the Urban Design Commission on 5/20, where they received initial approval. They will have to return to UDC for final approval. The Plan Commission unanimously recommended approval of this project to the Council, with conditions. My comments for the Plan Commission can be found here, and my comments to colleagues on the Council can be found here, along with the survey results summary and neighborhood advisory paper. Then the final approval vote will take place at the Common Council meeting on Tuesday evening 6/16. Public comment will be accepted, but are limited to 3 minutes. You can send comments to all alders in advance at allalders@cityofmadison.com
• Rockhound Brewing Company: A public information meeting was held for Rockhound Brewing Company at 444 South Park Street (Lane's Bakery Site) on 6/4 with many neighbors present. The applicant anticipates opening in December or January. They will be before the ALRC on 6/17, where there will be a public hearing on the new alcohol license. You can send comments to licensing@cityofmadison.com for inclusion in the ALRC packet. The applicant has provided this information sheet for your reference.

Upcoming in-district meetings:

• 1313 Regent Street: Monday, June 15th at 6:30pm at 1313 Regent Street, Foreign Car Specialists site: This public meeting will introduce plans to redevelop the current Foreign Car Specialists site into Lucky's 1313 Brew Pub and banquet facility. The applicant is also proposing to redevelop the parking lot into a 25 unit apartment building facing Bowen Court. This is an early meeting on these plans, as they will require multiple city permit, including conditional use approvals and a liquor license. Please join us to learn more.
• Upcoming Public Meetings on Water Quality Improvement Initiatives for Lake Wingra Watershed: The Lake Wingra Watershed in collaboration with Friends of Lake Wingra have developed initiatives to improve water quality in Lake Wingra. Efforts include: reducing the amount of phosphorus reaching the lake; reducing road salt reaching the lake; and increasing opportunities for rainwater infiltration. Two public meetings will be held to discuss the initiatives and solicit feedback. Info here.
  • Wednesday, 6/24, 6:30 to 8 p.m., Sequoya Library, Rooms A&B
  • Tuesday, 7/14, 6:30 to 8 p.m., UW-Madison Arboretum, Visitor Center-Auditorium
• The Green Project: July 17th at 7pm at HotelRED: From the team, "It is the intention of The Green Project to build a state of the art construction at 1906 Monroe Street.  The project will combine the best of current green technology, materials reclaimed from the deconstruction of the current building and an innovative schematic design into a building that houses two great business, a foundation with a sustainability mission and three high-end neighborhood residences.  Although the footprint will be small and the building will only encompass 12,000 square ft., we plan to replace what is currently an easy to miss building and plot of land with a more noticeable and appropriate building for the location. The building will have commercial space for current Monroe Street entities, the Knight Foundation, and The Fit.  It will also house a lunch counter/ butcher / bakery proposed by the underground food collective.   The apartments will be comfortable fourth floor dwelling with sett backs that overlook Monroe St. and the adjacent commercial space." Please join us in July to learn more.

Highlighted City Business:

• Billboards: After much discussion last session, the Mayor and Alder Schmidt have introduced a revised billboard "cap and replace" ordinance to allow existing billboards to be removed for the purposes of redevelopment and replaced on another site. New advertising signs are still prohibited by ordinance in the city of Madison.
• Judge Doyle Square: The Common Council authorized the city team to begin negotiations with JDS Development/Exact Sciences regarding their proposal for Judge Doyle Square. This website provides updates and includes a link to all proposals.

Announcements:

• Common Council Presentation on the Transportation Improvement Plan: Tuesday 6/16 at 5:30pm in Council Chambers (Rm 201 City-County Building). Agenda here.
• Bicycle Transportation Plan: The Madison Area Transportation Planning Board is updating the bicycling transportation plan. The survey and dates for meetings can be found here.
• Madison Economic Strategy: Public input meetings on 6/10 at the Villager on Park Street and 6/15 at the Warner Park Community Center. Info here.
• Chief Koval Community Forums: June quarterly forums. Info here.
• Romnes: Congratulations to the residents of Romnes for being recognized by the CDA as an official resident association, providing access to HUD Resident Participation funds.

Other in-district events:

• Sundays from 9am-1pm Edgewood High School: Dudgeon Monroe Farmer's Market (So successful in the first week that you had to get there early for full pickings!)
• 6/20 Wingra Park: Jazz in the Park
• 6/20 Brittingham Park and Olin Turville Park: Juneteenth Celebration
• 6/20 Lake Wingra – Vilas Park: Capital Lakes DragonFest
• 6/21 All Over Madison: Make Music Madison
• 6/27 Lake Monona/John Nolen Drive Area: Shake the Lake
• 6/27 Vilas Park: Take Kids Fishing Day
• 7/25 Brittingham Park: Disability Pride Festival
• 7/25 Capital Square to Goodman Park for Pool Party, 6:30-9PM: Capital City 5K for Organ, Tissue, and Eye Donation

It's a pleasure to serve you! Please stay in touch.

Thanks,

Sara

Greetings Neighbors –

A few updates on in-district projects:

• Double S BBQ: As mentioned in my last update, the ALRC approved a beer and wine license for Double S BBQ at 1835 Monroe Street. Due to the great concerns of neighbors concerning the original intent of the restaurant to cook outdoors behind the restaurant with a smoker, the approval at ALRC included a condition that prohibits outdoor smoking on the premises. Note that the process for outdoor cooking requires a conditional use zoning amendment, regardless of the action at ALRC. The applicant has not initiated this process at this point, if that happens we will hold subsequent meetings and I will notify the email lists right away.
  • The applicants have agreed to hold a neighborhood meeting to check-in on operations three months after opening. I will work with them to arrange this. They currently expect to open in mid-July.
• Wingra Point II: The most updated plans are now on the Development page of the District 13 website. These were updated and presented to the Urban Design Commission on 5/20, where they received initial approval. They will have to return to UDC for final approval. Meanwhile, Plan Commission will review this project on 6/8 at 5:30pm in Room 201 of the City-County Building. My comments for the Plan Commission can be found here, along with the survey results summary and neighborhood advisory paper. Then the final approval will take place at the Common Council meeting on 6/16.
• Rockhound Brewing Company: A public information meeting was held for Rockhound Brewing Company at 444 South Park Street (Lane's Bakery Site) on 6/4 with many neighbors present. The applicant anticipates opening in December or January. They will be before the ALRC on 6/17, where there will be a public hearing on the new alcohol license. You can send comments to licensing@cityofmadison.com for inclusion in the ALRC packet. The applicant has provided this information sheet for your reference.

Upcoming in-district meetings:

• 101 S. Mills: Thursday, June 11th at 7pm at Arboretum Co-Housing at 1137 Erin Street: The public meeting on the plans for a proposed four-unit multi-family building will be reviewed. As soon as I have updated plans, I'll post them on the development page of the District 13 website.
• 1313 Regent Street: Monday, June 15th at 6:30pm at 1313 Regent Street, Foreign Car Specialists site: This public meeting will introduce plans to redevelop the current Foreign Car Specialists site into Lucky's 1313 Brew Pub and banquet facility. The applicant is also proposing to redevelop the parking lot into a 25 unit apartment building facing Bowen Court. This is an early meeting on these plans, as they will require multiple city permit, including conditional use approvals and a liquor license. Please join us to learn more.

Highlighted City Business:

• Homelessness as a Protected Class: After review by the Equal Opportunities Commission, the Council unanimously passed a resolution that added homelessness as a protected class in the areas of employment, housing, and public accommodations.
• Billboards: After much discussion last session, the Mayor and Alder Schmidt have introduced a revised billboard "cap and replace" ordinance to allow existing billboards to be removed for the purposes of redevelopment and replaced on another site. New advertising signs are still prohibited by ordinance in the city of Madison.
• Officer Involved Shooting: The Common Council passed a resolution "declaring intent to review policies, procedures, culture and training of the Madison Police Department..." I was a sponsor of this resolution because I believe that it is important that the city does what it can to continuously be sure that we are the best city we can be – this includes this first step in response to the tragic death of Tony Robinson. The resolution includes the appointment of an ad-hoc citizen committee. If you are interested, please review the resolution regarding membership of this ad-hoc committee and let me know directly if you have suggestions of individuals who would be well-situated to serve our city in this capacity.
• Judge Doyle Square: The Common Council authorized the city team to begin negotiations with JDS Development/Exact Sciences regarding their proposal for Judge Doyle Square. This website provides updates and includes a link to all proposals.

Announcements:

• Bus Audible Alerts: 6/10 at 5pm, Transit and Parking Committee: The committee will be taking up an item I have heard about from residents – the noise alerts/beeping of the Madison Metro Busses. The agenda is here, and the committee will be taking public comment. Please feel free to email me directly if you have any feedback on this item that I can share with members.
• Bicycle Transportation Plan: The Madison Area Transportation Planning Board is updating the bicycling transportation plan. The survey and dates for meetings can be found here.
• Madison Recycling Program Expanded: Now including cardboard sided cans and metal bottle caps. Details here.
• Madison Economic Strategy: Public input meetings on 6/10 at the Villager on Park Street and 6/15 at the Warner Park Community Center. Info here.
• Chief Koval Community Forums: June quarterly forums. Info here.

Other in-district events:

• Wisconsin Bike Week: 6/8-6/12: Details here.
• Sundays from 9am-1pm Edgewood High School: Dudgeon Monroe Farmer's Market (So successful in the first week that you had to get there early for full pickings!)
• 6/13 Wingra Boats: Duck Dash
• 6/20 Brittingham Park and Olin Turville Park: Juneteenth Celebration
• 6/20 Lake Wingra – Vilas Park: Capital Lakes DragonFest
• 6/21 All Over Madison: Make Music Madison
• 6/27 Lake Monona/John Nolen Drive Area: Shake the Lake
• 7/25 Brittingham Park: Disability Pride Festival

It's a pleasure to serve you! Please stay in touch.

Thanks,

Sara

Greetings Neighbors –

It has been a busy past few weeks on the Common Council.

A few updates on in-district projects:

• Double S BBQ: The ALRC approved a beer and wine license for Double S BBQ at 1835 Monroe Street. Due to the great concerns of neighbors concerning the original intent of the restaurant to cook outdoors behind the restaurant with a smoker, the approval at ALRC included a condition that prohibits outdoor smoking on the premises. Note that the process for outdoor cooking requires a conditional use zoning amendment, regardless of the action at ALRC. The applicant has not initiated this process at this point, if that happens we will hold subsequent meetings and I will notify the email lists right away. The beer/wine license approval also included the following conditions: limit hours of operations to closing at 9pm Sunday-Thursday and 10pm Fri/Sat.; food will be served during all hours of operation; parking plan should include promotion via social media and business internal signage of off-street public parking structures; deliveries will abide by city standards; and no outdoor smoker.
  • The applicants have agreed to hold a neighborhood meeting to check-in on operations three months after opening. I will work with them to arrange this. They currently expect to open in mid-July.
• Wingra Point II: The most updated plans are now on the Development page of the District 13 website. These were updated and presented to the Urban Design Commission on 5/20, where they received initial approval. They will have to return to UDC for final approval. Meanwhile, Plan Commission will review this project on 6/8 at 5:30pm in Room 201 of the City-County Building.
• Bernies Beach Playground Improvements: New play equipment will be installed starting in late July, with completion around 10/15/2015. Non-construction areas will still be available for resident usage.

Upcoming in-district meetings:

• Edgewood Regina Hall Expansion: Wednesday, May 27th at 6pm in Edgewood's Predolin Humanities Center in Room 115A: The college will preview their upcoming construction in Regina Residence Hall. They will also maintain a construction e-newsletter at www.edgewood.edu/construction.
• Open House Greenbush Housing Renovation Program: Thursday, May 28th from 7-9pm at HotelRED: Come hear and ask questions about a program that helps people buy and renovate homes in the Greenbush Neighborhood. More on the website here.
• Rockhound Brewing Company: Thursday, June 4th at 6:30pm at Arboretum Co-Housing at 1137 Erin Street: A proposed brewpub at 444 S Park St - the corner of Park and Drake formerly occupied by Lane's Bakery - is applying for a class B beer and liquor alcohol license. The owner, Greenbush neighborhood resident Nate Warnke, will be on hand to discuss the proposed business and answer questions. The applicant goes before the Alcohol License Review Committee on June 17th, at 5:30 pm, rm 201 in the City-County Building.
• 101 S. Mills: Thursday, June 11th at 7pm at the Village Co-Housing at the corner of Mound and Mills: The public meeting on the plans for a proposed four-unit multi-family building will be reviewed. As soon as I have updated plans, I'll post them on the development page of the District 13 website.

Highlighted City Business:

• Officer Involved Shooting: The Common Council passed a resolution "declaring intent to review policies, procedures, culture and training of the Madison Police Department..." I was a sponsor of this resolution because I believe that it is important that the city does what it can to continuously be sure that we are the best city we can be – this includes this first step in response to the tragic death of Tony Robinson. The resolution includes the appointment of an ad-hoc citizen committee. If you are interested, please review the resolution regarding membership of this ad-hoc committee and let me know directly if you have suggestions of individuals who would be well-situated to serve our city in this capacity.
• Judge Doyle Square: The Common Council authorized the city team to begin negotiations with JDS Development/Exact Sciences regarding their proposal for Judge Doyle Square. This website provides updates and includes a link to all proposals.
• TID 33 Affordable Housing: A closer to home project, the Tax Increment District (TID) that contains Trader Joe's is expected to fully repay the increment to the city in 2015. Due to an option, the city will continue to collect increments for one additional year to dedicate that funding to affordable housing. The Community Development Division considers this to be a very successful TID for the city.

Other in-district events:

• 5/30 Willow Island: Race for the Cure
• 6/7 Ride the Drive Downtown
• 6/20 Brittingham Park and Olin Turville Park: Juneteenth Celebration
• 6/27 Lake Monona/John Nolen Drive Area: Shake the Lake
• 7/25 Brittingham Park: Disability Pride Festival

It's a pleasure to serve you! Please stay in touch.

Thanks,

Sara

Neighbors –

A few quick updates:

• Small Cap TIF Open House Date Updated: Now Thursday, May 28th from 7-9pm at HotelRED.
• Mattress and Box Spring Recycling is back. Details linked here.
• Flower Pot Recycling and On Line Plant Exchange. Details linked here.
• FYI – Planning & Community & Economic Development Newsletter.
• Last May FOOT Free Concert at Olin-Turville Park May 26th at 6pm.
• Please take the 2015 Community Health Needs Assessment survey.

Thanks!

Sara

Neighbors –

There has been a lot of discussion regarding the new BBQ restaurant on Monroe Street. Please see below for updates on process:

• Alcohol License: As noted in my previous email, the applicants will be going before the Alcohol License Review Committee (ALRC) to request a beer and wine license on Wednesday, May 20 at 5:30pm in room 201 of the City-County Building. This will include a formal public hearing with 3 minutes for comment. You can also send written comments to the committee at licensing@cityofmadison.com.
  • The purview of the ALRC is: Madison General Ordinance Sec. 33.02 - Guiding Values: Fair, Consistent, Proactive, Balanced, Cooperative, Efficient, Preventative, Inclusive, Deliberative. Mission: Serve city's residents, businesses & visitors by thoroughly & conscientiously reviewing license applications, establishing & maintaining standards, addressing violations, developing alcohol-related policies & making recommendations to the Common Council. Goals: Promote responsible alcohol-selling -serving practices; enhance public safety & quality of life; consistently apply pertinent laws & conditions; educate citizenry/business community about the ALRC mission & processes; modernize existing business & governmental systems and reduce expenditures on alcohol-related issues; improve overall service delivery.
  • The applicant could open and operate after health department approval of their restaurant operations, as they are zoned TSS. However, they will not be able to cook outside without a conditional use permit or serve alcohol without a license.

• Conditional Use Permit for Outdoor Cooking Smoker: Much of the concerns being raised have to do with the applicant's plan to smoke meat in the alley behind the restaurant space in a ~20ft traditional Texas BBQ wood-fired smoker. The video showing this in operation is linked here. City staff has advised that this will require further permitting and approval through a conditional use zoning process.
  • The applicant will need to provide 30 day notice to myself and the neighborhood association president of their intent to pursue a conditional use. They intend to do this soon.
  • I will help the applicant to organize a demonstration of the smoker, hopefully in the alley behind Monroe Street as a publicly noticed meeting. Neighbors will be able to come see this in action and ask questions/share any concerns.
  • The Plan Commission will have to review the conditional use permit request. This will include a formal public hearing with 3 minutes for individual public comments. Neighbors within 200 feet of the restaurant will be noticed with postcards. I'll send reminder emails as well when this date is set.
    • City staff will review the applicant's plans and advise the Plan Commission on their options: approval, approval with conditions of use, or rejection of the conditional use. They will consider many factors when making their recommendation and have many departments review factors including quality of life from impacts like potential smoke and smell, safety concerns, and more.
    • If the applicant notices the alder and neighborhood soon, this Plan Commission review could take place as soon as mid-August.

More information will be coming on this process and timeline as formal requests are filed. Please know that I will keep you informed and I take your comments and feedback very seriously. You have many opportunities to formally share feedback, particularly at the time of committee and commission reviews.

The applicants can be reached at doublesbbq@gmail.com and you can reach me at district13@cityofmadison.com.

Thanks,

Sara  

Open House 
Greenbush Housing Renovation Program

UPDATED DATE: Thursday, May 28th from 7-9pm
HotelRED

Come hear about and ask questions regarding an exciting new program to help people buy and renovate homes in the Greenbush Neighborhood. The city of Madison's Greenbush Housing Renovation Program offers $80,000 to $100,000 to potential home owners who will buy and restore a rental property and live in the home. Representatives from the city, the Greenbush-Vilas Partnership, contractors and those who have already used the program will be available to answer your questions. 
 

Neighbors –

Double S BBQ has applied for a beer and wine license for 1835 Monroe Street (the J. Kinney space). There was a public hearing at HotelRED on Wednesday evening, May 12. Many neighbors came to ask questions and express their opinions. The applicants will be going before the Alcohol License Review Committee (ALRC) on Wednesday, May 20 at 5:30pm in room 201 of the City-County Building. This will include a formal public hearing with 3 minutes for comment. You can also send written comments to the committee.

The restaurant will likely require further city review through a conditional use zoning process. This is triggered by their intention to smoke meat in an outdoor smoker behind the restaurant. There will be further public meeting and comment opportunities with regard to this request. I will be in touch as I learn more. Here is some information provided by the applicant:

• Video of smoker operating (https://youtu.be/yfVKH-5k9MA)
• We are also working to provide neighbors with a demonstration of the smoker in operation in the alley.

You had requested that we follow up with further information that may have not come out in the meeting and address some comments that were made in meeting. I have listed below several issues that were raised:

1. One person brought up that Austin was having ordinances put in place due to BBQ smoke? Here is a link to google maps that shows every BBQ establishment in the Austin area which are indicated in red dots. As you can see there are well over 25 BBQ establishments in the downtown area and way more if you include the outskirts. So we do not believe this is a reasonable comparison as we would be the only one in our vicinity. https://www.google.com/maps/search/bbq+austin/@30.4064123,-97.7523714,10z
2. Concern over meat waste: We use Sanimax as our grease disposal. We also put all meat waste in a 55 gallon drum sealed with a lid to eliminate odors and pests. I would like to add that Sanimax recycles all of our waste for bio diesel and animal feed. 

Please do not hesitate to contact me or the applicant (Sarah and Shon) with further questions or comments. Again, more information and process will be coming with regard to this restaurant.

Best,

Sara

Greetings Neighbors –

I am honored to serve as your alder here in District 13. I know that we all appreciated the positive local election with many residents engaging deeply in the electoral process. Thank you.

Please stay in touch with me through my alder email account (district13@cityofmadison.com) and at the district webpage (www.cityofmadison.com/council/district13). As you all know, since you're on the list, you can sign up for my email updates, which I plan to send regularly, at that website. Please forward this on to your friends and neighbors so that they can sign-up. Also, remember that you can use "Report a Problem" to get assistance from city departmental staff on specific issues.

There are many upcoming events and meetings regarding District 13. Please find highlights below:

• Monday 5/11, 6:30pm, Baha'i Center: Bay Creek Neighborhood Association Meeting, Wingra Point II development project will be on the agenda
  • If you are a neighbor, and have not yet taken the survey regarding this development, please do so here.
  • Revised dates for Wingra Point II project city review process: 5/20 Urban Design, 6/8 Plan Commission, 6/16 Common Council
• Tuesday 5/12, 7:00pm, HotelRED: Public Meeting on Double S BBQ, proposed alcohol license applicant at 1835 Monroe Street
  • Double S BBQ intends to go before the ALRC on 5/20, application here
• Spring 2015 Dogs in Parks Pilot Program Survey: please share your thoughts via this brief survey

Other updates and events:

• Brittingham Playground Replacement Meeting highlights from 4/20 meeting
• 6/7 Ride the Drive Downtown
• 6/27 Lake Monona/John Nolen Drive Area: Shake the Lake
• 7/25 Brittingham Park: Disability Pride Festival

Thanks,

Sara

by Alder Lucas Dailey

It's that time of year when each of the Madison Police Department districts seeks feedback from residents. Below is a link to this year's online survey. Please take a moments to click on the below link and let us know how you feel about the quality of life in your neighborhood.

Read More or Take Survey

Today the city announced its ability to allow residents to pay their property taxes in four installments. You can learn more about the program at http://www.cityofmadison.com/treasurer/propertytax/fourInstallment/

Gang,

I've submitted an amendment to the capital budget reinstating the reconstruction of Monroe for 2016. We all know the many reasons for the reconstruction: create safer crossings, fix the gaping holes in the roadway (the pavement rating is 3.69 out of 10; under 5 triggers resurfacing), fix the failing sections of water and sewer main, improve the lighting, and improve the overall pedestrian experience.

The move to change the date to 2017, as I'm told, is primarily to prevent the compounding of city-wide traffic problems that will be caused by the reconstruction of monroe at the same time as the reconstruction of the beltline and Verona road which is slated to be complete in 2016. Apparently this is based on a lesson city engineers learned from the the reconstruction of Johnson/Gorham. I certainly don't doubt that there will be some compounded traffic but I'm not yet persuaded that it will be sufficient to justify pushing back this important project.

I asked the city engineer to provide data to back the claim, ideally with some traffic modelling. If the data make a strong case for very significant additional city-wide traffic disruption I will most likely withdraw the motion and let the 2017 date stand. But until then I believe the best direction for the area and city is to move forward with an amendment to restore the 2016 date.

This mirrors the feedback I've received from residents but if you think I'm off-base let me know!

cheers,
Lucas
district13@cityofmadison.com