Updates & Week of Nov. 29 Meetings of Interest for District 2

District 2 Updates and Meetings of Interest

City meetings remain online only with details listed in City Meetings of Interest below; all have virtual public participation options.

Stay in touch with your neighbors through either Capitol Neighborhoods, Inc., Tenney-Lapham Neighborhood Association, or Campus Area Neighborhood Assoc.

____________________________

There are three sections to this week's update:

1. COVID-19 Resources & Information
2. Other District 2 Updates
3. City Meetings of Interest to District 2

____________________________

1. COVID-19 RESOURCES & INFORMATION

From Public Health Madison & Dane County:

• Dane County Continues Face Covering Order Until January 3, 2022
• COVID-19 vaccine webpage
• Learn about the many testing sites in Dane County (in Spanish)
• COVID-19 Data Dashboard
• The latest Data Notes

Dane CORE is a partnership between Dane County, the City of Madison, Urban Triage, Tenant Resource Center, Community Action Coalition and other community partners. The goal is to assist eligible households in need of rental and utility assistance with funding to ensure those bills can be paid.

For information on Madison's COVID responses and resources, visit the City's Coronavirus Website.

From Community Action Coalition: Dane County Food Pantry Network

State of Wisconsin COVID-19 resources and information from state agencies, including the State Dept. Public Health

Info on UW-Madison's response to the pandemic at this site

____________________________

2. OTHER DISTRICT 2 UPDATES

• From the Streets Division: Drop-off Sites Hours Changing for Winter

• From the Mayor: Update on City Progress Addressing Unsheltered Homelessness

• Alternate side parking began on Nov. 15. In District 2 and most of the city center, Alternate Side Parking rules are in effect only during a Declared Snow Emergency. The City of Madison winter website has all the resources you need.

• Save the Date: Dec. 15 - Wisconsin Youth Symphony Orchestra Proposal Expected at Urban Design Commission

• Save the Date: Thursday, Dec. 16 - Madison Night Market on State Street

St. John's Redevelopment Proposal at UDC on Dec. 1

St. John's Lutheran Church continues to move towards redevelopment of their property at 322 E. Washington Ave. On Wednesday, Dec. 1, the Urban Design Commission will see an informational presentation on the proposal and provide initial feedback. While the proposed demolition of their current structure and the subsequent construction of their new building is not expected to begin until 2023, they are beginning the city approval process this winter. St. John's is starting early in part to provide time to refine the building's form and function and to get preliminary budget pricing in order to confirm the feasibility of this project.

Eventually, formal UDC and Plan Commission approval will be required. You can see the proposal materials, staff comments, and other materials for the UDC meeting here. See "Details" for the UDC meeting below in "City Meetings of Interest" for participation and viewing options.

St. John's proposes to construct worship and social services space on the first floor of a new building with nine stories of mostly affordable apartments above and underground parking below. Of the 126 apartments that are proposed, 105 will be set aside for those earning below 60% of the County Median Income (CMI). The proposed affordability levels are:

-  29 units for those earning 30% of CMI or lower

-  44 units for those earning 50% of CMI or lower

-  32 units for those earning 60% of CMI or lower

-  21 units at market rents

The project intends to be financed using Wisconsin Housing & Economic Development Authority (WHEDA) tax credits, incorporating both federal and state low income housing tax credits. Additional sources of funding are likely to include City of Madison Affordable Housing Funds and Madison Development Corporation's Dane Workforce Housing Funds. Those financing options are expected to be pursued during 2022.

St. John's and their development partners have been working with a James Madison Park District Steering Committee, so if you'd like to participate in future steering committee meetings or simply join their email list, please email co-chairs mariahrenz@gmail.com or bob.klebba@gmail.com. I encourage you to engage with the Steering Committee, especially early in the process when collaboration between neighbors and a development team are often most productive.

Medallion Hunt in City Parks December 1 through 10!

Madison Public Library is hosting a Native American Storyteller-in-Residence program led by Ho-Chunk Nation member and storyteller Andi Cloud. From Dec. 1 to Dec. 10, Cloud invites Madison residents to hunt for a hand-made medallion in City of Madison parks.

The clear, acrylic medallion has the Great Seal of the Ho-Chunk Nation engraved and is hidden within a City of Madison public park. Clues are published here, starting Wednesday, Dec. 1, 2021. A new clue will appear daily through Friday, Dec. 10, 2021, unless the medallion is found before that date. The medallion is above ground, so there is no need to dig (unless there's snow!) or use metal detectors. The person who finds the medallion first will be able to take it home as a prize, in addition to a $50 gift card. Get more details here.

Proposed Zoning Changes to Support Accessory Dwelling Units at Common Council Dec. 7

As mentioned in past Alder Updates, I have been working with Alders Foster and Evers, as well as city staff, on updating our ordinances to support the building of Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs). ADUs are second dwelling units on properties with single-family homes and can be a great opportunity to provide additional housing options in neighborhoods across our growing city. The proposed changes are expected to be before Common Council for approval at our Dec. 7 meeting.

ADUs have been allowable in Madison since 2013, and many growing cities across the U.S. are beginning to allow them or to relax zoning regulations to promote more of them. Based on recommendations in the Comprehensive Plan, recent housing reports, and the Mayor's 2021 Housing Forward Initiative, alders, the Mayor, and staff have proposed changes to the City's Zoning code to help make the construction of ADUs easier as another housing choice in Madison (please see Legislative Item 68079).

To find out more about the scope of the proposed changes, please review one or both of these focused resources:

• Brief memorandum from Planning & Zoning Staff, dated Nov. 2, 2021
• 15-minute video of Staff Presentation to Plan Commission on Nov. 8, 2021 (starts at Minute 9:30 in video)

If you have questions and/or comments on these proposed changes, please feel free to submit email alders at: allalders@cityofmadison.com. You are also welcome to email me directly at district2@cityofmadison.com. In next weekend's Alder Update I'll list options for watching and participating in the Dec. 7 meeting.

Run Santa Run to Impact Streets on Sunday Afternoon, Dec. 5

This year's Run Santa Run 5k run will take place the afternoon of Sunday, Dec. 5. Streets marked with dashed green lines in the map above will be closed or partially closed when runners are in the area. After starting at the Square, participants will run down E. Mifflin to N. Baldwin, take N. Baldwin one block to E. Dayton, E. Dayton to N. Blair, and then back up the E. Mifflin hill to the Square. The Run will start at 3:00pm and runners should be off the course by 4:30, but setup and teardown could keep streets partially blocked outside of that window.

There are likely to be temporary no parking signs on much of the route, so those who park on the street should keep an eye out for those bright green signs, typically on wooden stakes.

____________________________

3. CITY MEETINGS OF INTEREST TO DISTRICT 2

Below are some pertinent agenda items from city committees that are meeting this week. If you click on meeting "Details" below, you will find participation and viewing options, and a link to the full meeting agenda. If you click on a item from within an agenda, you will see all documents that relate to that item.

I appreciate hearing from you on any agenda items on which you have a particular interest or concern.

____________________________

President's Work Group on Environmental Justice: Details

3:30pm, Monday, Nov. 29, 2021

DISCUSSION ITEMS

Agenda Item 3

PFAS: Broad Discussion

a. Overview of Issue(s)

b. City vs County Role(s) for Clean-up & Public Health

c. Setting a Drinking Water Standard

d. Update on Well 15 & Water Quality in Madison

__________________

Ad Hoc Landmarks Ordinance Review Committee: Details

5:30pm, Tuesday, Nov. 30, 2021

Agenda Item 2

Draft Historic Preservation Ordinance

Agenda Item 3

Additional Public Engagement 

Agenda Item 4

Discussion of Next Steps and Schedule

__________________

Urban Design Commission: Details

4:30pm, Wednesday, Dec. 1, 2021

INFORMATIONAL PRESENTATIONS

Agenda Item 11

322 E. Washington Avenue - Redevelopment of St. John's Lutheran Church to include 126 Market-Rate and Affordable Residential Units in UMX Zoning Located in Urban Design District (UDD) No. 4. 2nd Ald. Dist.

Owner: St. John's Lutheran Church

Applicant: Mark Binkowski, MRB Holdings

Informational Presentation

Note: See more on this item above in "Other District 2 Updates". Also, see "Details" just above for the full meeting agenda as well as participation and viewing options. UDC and other meetings can also be watched live or streamed anytime on City Channel.

__________________

Public Market Development Committee: Details

5:00pm, Thursday, Dec. 2, 2021

DISCUSSION ITEMS

Agenda Item 3

Public Market Discussion

Project Updates

* Funding updates

* Public Market Design update

* Public Market Foundation updates

* Men's Shelter update

* Next Steps Moving Forward

__________________

Community Development Block Grant Committe: Details

5:30pm, Thursday, Dec. 2, 2021

ACTION ITEMS

Agenda Item 3

SUBSTITUTE: Approving the allocation of up to $500,000 of additional Affordable Housing Funds to Movin' Out Inc.'s Red Caboose housing development and authorizing the Mayor and City Clerk to amend the City's contract with Movin' Out Inc. to reflect that change.

__________________

Task Force on Structure of City Government Ad Hoc Final Report Implementation Work Group: Details

5:30pm, Thursday, Dec. 2, 2021

DISCUSSION ITEMS

Agenda Item 4

Discussion of draft ordinance amendment regarding changes to the Common Council's Order of Business.

Agenda Item 5

Committee of the Whole meeting related to size and shape of Common Council, and appointments and chair of boards, committees, and commissions

__________________