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Meeting and Event Highlights for the Week of December 15, 2025

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Friends and neighbors,

As we move through December, our local government continues important work on housing and infrastructure that shapes our community's future. This week brings significant developments worth your attention.

A Unanimous Step Forward for Housing

Last week, the Common Council unanimously approved creating a new housing type called "cottage courts" in Madison's zoning code. All 20 Alders voted yes on this Housing Forward initiative, recognizing that our housing crisis demands creative solutions that respect neighborhood character while expanding options for people who call Madison home.

Cottage courts are small clusters of homes arranged around a shared courtyard or common area. This housing type offers a middle ground between single-family homes and larger apartment buildings, creating community-oriented spaces that can fit naturally into existing neighborhoods. When all 20 of us vote together for housing solutions, it reflects our shared understanding that Madison needs more housing of all types, and that well-designed density can strengthen rather than threaten our neighborhoods.

Raemisch Farm Moving Forward

District 18 residents should note that the Raemisch Farm Development final plat comes before Plan Commission this Monday, December 15. This represents years of community planning and collaboration to bring thoughtfully designed housing to our area. The Plan Commission meeting begins at 5:30 p.m. in virtual format - you can find meeting details, registration for public comment, and the watch link below.

   Updates and Notices

Envision Downtown Madison kick-off meeting materials are now available! Thanks to the approximately 175 people who attended the Envision Downtown Madison kick-off meeting on December 2nd.  If you missed the meeting, you can still participate as all meeting materials are now available on the Downtown Area Plan webpage. This includes the meeting video, presentation slides, and digital versions of the engagement activities. A summary of comments will be prepared and shared in early 2026. See the Spanish version of the video recording here. If you have any questions, or would like to schedule a conversation or presentation with City staff, please reach out to downtownplan@cityofmadison.com

John Nolen Drive Project: Get current information about road closures and construction updates for John Nolen Drive.

Boards,Commissions, and Committee Meetings

Note: This is not a complete list of meetings for this upcoming week. All meetings and their details can be found at the Meeting Schedule page.

If you would like more information about becoming a member of a City board, commission, or committee, please visit the page linked here.

Announcements and News Releases

Love Our Lakes: City Strategies to Maintain and Improve Lake Health: The City of Madison Common Council will host a focused discussion titled “Love Our Lakes: City Strategies to Maintain and Improve Lake Health.” This conversation will highlight both ongoing and future initiatives to protect, restore, and enhance the…

Affordable Housing Fund to Support 400+ New Homes. The City of Madison's Common Council has approved nearly $14 million from the Affordable Housing Fund to support the creation of approximately 425 new rental homes across the City, with more than 260 of those offering permanent affordability. 

Streets Division Drop-off Sites on Winter Hours until April 11, 2026 (https://www.cityofmadison.com/news/2025-12-08/streets-division-drop-off…. The Streets Division drop-off sites at 4602 Sycamore Avenue and 402 South Point Road are now on winter hours. The winter hours began on Friday, December 5, 2025. The last day for winter hours is Friday, April 10, 2026. posted December 8, 2025

Please visit the City news webpage to find additional news and announcements and to subscribe to receive notification of news releases as they are posted.

Events

Additional upcoming events can also be found on the City events calendar

As we approach the winter holidays, I want to acknowledge that this time of year can be challenging for many in our community. Local government might seem distant from daily struggles, but the work happening at Plan Commission, in budget deliberations, and through Housing Forward policies directly impacts whether people in our community have stable, affordable homes. That infrastructure of mutual support matters now more than ever.

As always, please don't hesitate to reach out if you have questions, concerns, or just want to talk about what's happening in District 18 or across our city.

In community,

Alder Carmella Glenn

 

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District 18 - Alder Glenn

Portrait of Alder Carmella Glenn

Alder Carmella Glenn

District 18
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