Shelter Updates, Zoning Amendment, Early Voting - D15 Update 3/22/21

Last Week 

Family shelter update (4502 Milwaukee)

Renovation work at the old Karmenta building is wrapping up and staff is anticipating that families can start moving in beginning the first week of April. The plan is to move families in 5 or so at a time to get accommodated to the new space. In case you missed it, you can watch a brief video about the renovation project here.

Proposed men's shelter near East Towne

The Wisconsin State Journal reported last week that a developer has threatened to drop plans for a "400-unit luxury housing project if the city and Dane County move forward in locating a permanent shelter for homeless men in a vacant big-box store near East Towne Mall near the housing project site." Opposition to the new shelter location has been raised by others in the area, including the district alder. 

I am a cosponsor of the resolution to move this project forward and remain committed to making progress on this much needed facility. We need to move forward with providing shelter and associated services for those that need them in our community and this location has the potential to serve those needs well. The proposal will be in front of the Finance Committee on Monday.

In the news:

• Report Analyzing Zoom Recording of September 1, 2020 Common Council Meeting
• Public Health Issues Order #14 Amendment for Dane County
• Learn When to Set Your Trimmed Tree Limbs Out for Collection
• Learn When to Set Out Your Yard Waste for Spring Collection
• Financial Resources Hotline
• Madison Commons, Media Digest

This Week

Zoning amendment at Plan Commission

A proposal to rewrite portions of our existing zoning code will be in front of the Plan Commission on Monday. While staff have described the proposed changes as moderate, common sense changes to make it more predictable for small developers to build 'missing middle' housing, some of the proposed changes could have very significant impacts to our community.

Among those is the move to allow residential-only buildings to replace existing commercial spaces in our mixed-use and commercial districts 'by right'. This would have a very negative long-term impact on the viability of important commercial centers like Cottage Grove Road, Milwaukee Street, and East Washington Avenue in District 15.

Other elements of the proposed changes have the potential to facilitate the loss of currently affordable rental housing in the city and accelerate displacement. While I appreciate the intent behind the proposals, I do not support adopting them without significant review and reworking and I will be asking the Plan Commission to recommend against moving forward with the proposal at this time.

Spring Election

In-Person Absentee Voting Starts Tuesday and Secure Drop Boxes Are Now Open. You can find more information about your Spring Election Ballot here and you can check out my recent blog post about the referendum questions here. The primary contested race on the ballot for D15 voters will be for State Superintendent of Public Instruction.

Other city meetings

There are a number of city meetings not highlighted in this update. You can find a full schedule of city meetings here.

Save the Date

• Spring Election - April 6

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