Updates & Week of Nov. 14 Meetings of Interest for District 2

District 2 Updates and Meetings of Interest

City meetings are mostly virtual with details listed in City Meetings of Interest below. Common Council meetings are hybrid so the public can attend in person or via Zoom.

 

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

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There are three sections to this week's update:

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

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1. DISTRICT 2 UPDATES

 

 

• Street Closures--Madison Marathon - The Madison Marathon races will take place Sunday, November 13, starting at 7:00 a.m. at the Capitol. More Info Below.

• Info, Resources, and a Calendar of Important Dates for Those Considering Running in the Spring 2023 Common Council Elections

• Put Your Pumpkins in Your Leaf Piles

• Yard Waste & Leaves Collection Ending Soon - Residents have just one scheduled set-out date left for 2022

• Alternate Side Parking Begins November 15 - If you park on the street within the Snow Emergency Zone, you only need to follow the alternate side parking rule when a Declared Snow Emergency is in effect. Note that all of District 2 is in the Snow Emergency Zone. 

• 2022 & 2023 Trash & Recycling Schedules Updated - Residents with a Monday collection day should download new calendars

• World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims

• From the Mayor:

  • New Sustainability and Resilience Website is Live

  • Support for Community Facilities Now Available - "Non-profits serve a vital role in Madison, filling gaps that government can't with cultural and community connections that make them uniquely qualified to serve residents"

 

• Nov. 14 Airport Noise Meeting: The Dane County Regional Airport is in process of updating its noise mitigation plan as result of the 115th Air National Guard transitioning from F-16s to F-35s. The FAA Part 150 process is used to determine eligibility for and fund sound mitigation inside the airport's mapped noise contours. The second open house of the noise study will be held Monday, Nov. 14, from 6-8pm at the airport. Information about the study process, materials from the first open house, and the upcoming meeting are here.

• Madisonians who are bird curious can check out a Birding Backpack from Madison Public Library for up to one week. Backpacks include binoculars and field guides for one adult and one child, as well as a local birding guide that highlights locations close to each library.

• On Nov. 15, Madison Public Library will host an event in collaboration with Madison Audubon to highlight the connections between race and birds with Brigitte Fielder at Meadowridge Library. The UW-Madison professor will weave together the historical context of antislavery imagery, African American folklore, children's stories about abolitionist views, and more, as she illuminates human-animal relationships that illustrate Black people's resistance to oppression.

• Saturday, Nov. 19, the Seasonal Lighting Celebration - Shine On Madison returns with a Madison Winter Night Market. The Seasonal Lighting Celebration is at 6:08pm - Join Santa & Mrs Claus and all the area Mascots. The giant outlet is plugged in and all the lights come on at 6:08pm! The Madison Night Market is from 4-8pm.

• Save the Date: Downtown Holiday Open House, Friday, Nov. 25 to Sunday, Nov. 27 (9am - 4pm)
  
   

Madison Marathon To Impact Driving and Cycling Routes on Sunday, Nov. 13

The Madison Marathon is happening on Sunday, Nov. 13. There are no changes to the annual marathon and half marathon course from past years, but there is an added 10K route. The 10K route is mostly on roads they have used for past marathons with some exceptions. Course maps for all the races are here.

In District 2, Gorham Street, Mifflin Steet, and University Avenue will see runners at various times of the day for all the routes, so roads could be closed and traffic will be impacted. Drivers are encouraged to plan ahead if traveling around the race route as crossing the route will only be permitted when there are sufficient gaps in the runners.

The Marathon starts at 7:00am with the Half Marathon at 7:15am and the 10K at 7:30am. All start and end on W. Mifflin on the Square. All races will start by going down the 100 block of State Street and then north/eastbound on the outer loop of Capitol Square on Dayton Street and N. Webster Street where outbound runners will turn onto E. Mifflin towards the Yahara River.

Due to the Marathon, Metro routes 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 13 detour on Sunday until 3:10 p.m. and timing vary throughout the morning and early afternoon - detour details available here.

 

Common Council to Vote on 2023 Operating and Capital Budgets This Week

The city's budget for 2023 will be debated, amended, and adopted by the Common Council on November 15, 16 and possibly 17. Details on watching the meetings and/or giving real-time or written public comment are listed at the top of the meeting agenda for Nov. 15. If public hearings are closed during the course of the Nov. 15 meeting, which is very likely, real-time public comment will not be taken at the subsequent budget meetings. You are always welcome to email me at any time with your budget input (district2@cityofmadison.com).

Both the Capital and Operating Budgets, as submitted by the Mayor and subsequently amended by the Finance Committee, will be the starting points for the Council's consideration. Alders have submitted 8 proposed Capital Budget amendments with a cumulative total of $7,018,000 of additional General Obligation borrowing to fund various items. This type of borrowing is commonly referred to as the city's debt and we pay interest on our debt. Interestingly, our interest payments on our debt are part of the Operating Budget rather than the Capital Budget, so when we increase borrowing, we consequently increase the Operating Budget in future years.

If all 8 Capital amendments are approved, a grand total of $188,052,774 would be authorized for borrowing for 2023. Another $6,050,000 worth of capital funding is proposed by these alder amendments that would be obtained from non-borrowing sources, e.g., grants, transfers from other projects, and Tax Incremental Financing Districts. You can find all eight proposed Capital Budget amendments here, including their sponsoring alders, impact on the Capital Budget, and analyses.

On the Operating Budget side, alders are proposing 16 amendments. If all 16 amendments were to be adopted, the city would be in violation of state law because we would be exceeding our Maximum Allowed Levy for 2023 of $273,684,407. Each year, this Maximum is set by the State of Wisconsin for each municipality. As earlier amended by the Finance Committee, the city proposes to spend $273,413,811 leaving just $270,596 in potential additional spending before reaching the Maximum. The 16 amendments would result in cumulative additional operating expenditures of $824,588, so it is clear that some of these amendments cannot move forward. Alders will be debating and choosing which of the sixteen amendments, if any, will pass. You can find all sixteen proposed Operating Budget amendments here, including their sponsoring alders, impact on the Operating Budget, and analyses.

Note that as the city spends more in the Operating Budget (while staying under the Maximum Allowed Levy), real estate taxes generally increase for residents unless other sources of revenue are identified, e.g., fees for city services and grants. Each of the proposed budget amendments includes an approximate expected increase in Taxes on the Average Value Home (TOAH). The Operating Budget increases that could be adopted by alders this week can't go over a total of $270,596, which pales in comparison to the total spending that will come from real estate taxes ($273,413,811 as proposed by the Mayor and Finance Committee), so the impact of the amendments is relatively small, but every penny counts for our residents.

Alders can also offer budget amendments from the floor of this week's meetings, but that is not a typical occurrence because Finance staff, staff from the impacted agencies, and alders, don't typically have sufficient time to fully assess late-arriving amendments. That said, there could be changes to the already offered amendments during the budget meetings, which is not as unusual.

For more information about the budget and budget process, I suggest watching one of the virtual community sessions on the budget hosted by City Finance staff. They provided background information on the city's capital and operating budget process, including highlights of the 2023 Executive Budget. You can watch a recording of the Oct. 14 Virtual Community Session here.

 

Updates on District 2 Redevelopment Proposals

Below are details on several redevelopment proposals in District 2. If you have input or questions about any of these proposals, feel free to contact me at district2@cityofmadison.com or contact the neighborhood steering committees as noted below. I'll publish more details about all considerations of these proposals in my Alder Update the weekend prior to any city committee's consideration of these items.

------ Campus-State Street Parking Garage on Lake Street

At their Nov. 9 meeting, the Urban Design Commission gave initial approval to the design for this proposed redevelopment of the Campus-State Street Parking Garage at 415 N. Lake St. The City continues to negotiate with Mortenson Development and other stakeholders concerning this large student-focused apartment building proposed for above a new city-owned parking garage that will include a new intercity bus terminal. Note that the development agreement between Mortenson and the city is expected to be submitted to approving city bodies later this month.

UDC is an approving body for buildings with public components such as this, so the development team will need to return to UDC for final approval. Commissioners had many questions and suggestions related to the exterior design and the proposed usage and redesign of Hawthorne Court, many of which will need to be addressed before the proposal returns to UDC, likely after Plan Commission's Nov. 21 consideration.

The UDC also discussed the apartment buildings proposed projection above the Capitol View Preservation height limit. The current design proposes an elevator shaft that would project about 8' above the Height Limit. The UDC is advisory to the Plan Commission on this matter and did recommend to Plan Commission that the proposed elevator shaft be removed.

Materials for Plan Commission's Nov. 21 consideration of the applications for demolition, the Conditional Use related to the elevator overrun, and the Planned Development Zoning, will be housed in various legislative files, including here, while UDC materials are here. I'll publish more information in next weekend's Alder Update concerning the applications. Because the project includes public components, City Engineering also has a website for the project. 

A Transportation Department memo was submitted addressing various issues and questions that have been raised by the Campus Area Neighborhood Association steering committee for the proposal, nearby business and property owners, and other stakeholders. UDC discussed these matters, but they are more in the purview of Plan Commission, although the actual design of Hawthorne Court itself will be in the Board of Public Work's realm. That said, discussions of the planned vehicular (including bus) and pedestrian circulation, deliveries for businesses, and related matters will continue.

CANA has an active steering committee evaluating the proposal. If you'd like to participate, contact canamadison@gmail.com.

------- 668 State Street 

The proposal by 668 State LLC to construct a four-story addition atop the existing two-story commercial building at 668 State St. was also at the Urban Design Commission last Wednesday. Note that this proposal was submitted in 2017 and was fully approved, but the project did not move forward at that time. The property owner is submitting the same project as was approved in 2017.

In its advisory findings, the UDC gave final approval to this proposal. They unanimously approved the requested Conditional Use for a building of this size and the project's conformity with the Downtown Urban Design Guidelines. Plan Commission is expected to consider the proposal at our Nov. 21 meeting.

The ground floor is the current location of UW Credit Union, which is expected to remain, and a new front facade along State Street is proposed. The proposed addition will contain 24 student-oriented apartments on floors 3-6 with floors 5 and 6 set back approximately 30' from the front façade. The project plans, the UDC staff report, and other materials can be found here. while the Plan Commission materials are here.

------- St. John's Lutheran Church at 322 E. Washington Ave.

On Nov. 9, the Urban Design Commission received an informational presentation from St. John's Lutheran Church at 322 E. Washington Avenue and their development partners, Urban Land Interests (ULI) and Potter Lawson, on their new Planned Development Zoning request. Materials for that meeting can be found here. At their Nov. 30 meeting, UDC is expected to focus on initial and/or full approval of the rezoning request, compliance with Urban Design District #4 guidelines, and related design matters. There is some possibility that these items could be at the Dec. 14 UDC meeting instead, but I'll be sure to publicize any revisions as the date draws closer. Note that Plan Commission's consideration of the proposal is now expected on Jan. 9.

UDC provided informal input on the exterior materials and design, as well as the landscaping and entrances. They generally seemed unconcerned about the Planned Development Zoning request that is the developer's attempt to address issues with the ground floor and first floor designs. From the developer's point of view, meeting the current UMX Zoning District requirements would be difficult to achieve, so the developers are now requesting a change in the zoning from UMX to Planned Development in order to accommodate the lower floors' current design.

St. John's proposes to demolish the current St. John's church and construct worship and social service/community spaces on the first floor of a new building with 9 stories of mostly affordable and workforce apartments above, and underground parking below. A neighborhood steering committee from the James Madison Park District of Capitol Neighborhoods, Inc., has been meeting with the development team to evaluate the proposal and provide input. If you'd like to participate please email bob.klebba@gmail.com.

------- 428-444 State Street

JD McCormick Properties' proposal to redevelop 428 to 444 State Street is expected to be back before the Urban Design Commission on Dec. 14 and at Plan Commission on Jan. 9, assuming UDC approves of revisions to the proposal. At their June 29 meeting, UDC referred the proposal to a future meeting rather than making recommendations to Plan Commission due to various concerns about the proposed building. The report from that meeting can be found here. The newly revised project plans and related materials can be found here.

UDC raised concerns about the proposal's impact on the adjacent Lisa Link Peace Park, the height and massing of the building's front facade, and establishing the precedent of replacing State Street buildings. If the UDC eventually does make a recommendation, Plan Commission will consider the Demolition Permit and requested Conditional Uses. 

The steering committee of the Mansion Hill District of Capitol Neighborhoods, Inc. (CNI) that has evaluated the redevelopment proposal submitted a report to UDC, and may submit a separate report to Plan Commission as their consideration draws nearer.

Back on Jan. 31, 2022, the Landmarks Commission considered the requested demolitions of the three buildings. The city staff report on these buildings is here. As with all proposed demolitions in the city, Landmarks provide advisory findings to Plan Commission who will make the decisions on demolitions. For the building at 440-444 State Street Landmarks found that (paraphrased) it has historic value related to the vernacular context of Madison's built environment, but the building itself is not historically, architecturally or culturally significant. For 432-436 and 428-430 State Street (2 buildings) the Commission found that (paraphrased) the buildings have historic value based on architectural significance, cultural significance, historic significance, and/or its status as a contributing structure in a National Register Historic District.

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2. COVID-19 RESOURCES & INFORMATION

From Public Health Madison & Dane County:

• 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 - for rental and utility assistance.

Free COVID Tests at Home - It's still possible to get free at-home COVID tests mailed to you.

Visit the City's Coronavirus Website for Madison's COVID updates, responses and resources.

Dane County Food Pantry Network from Community Action Coalition.

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.

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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 an 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.

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Transportation Policy and Planning Board: Details

5:00pm, Monday, Nov. 14, 2022

 

AGENDA ITEMS

 

Agenda Item 2

Complete Green Streets

 

Agenda Item 3

Passenger Rail Introduction

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Common Council: Details

5:30pm, Tuesday, Nov. 15, 2022

 

2023 Budget Deliberations

 

NOTE: This meeting may be recessed and reconvened on Wednesday, November 16 at 5:30 p.m. virtually.

 

The Common Council will address the Capital and Operating Budgets Tuesday, November 15, with public testimony and deliberations. The Common Council may continue addressing the Capital and/or Operating Budget on Wednesday, November 16 (if needed) and Thursday, November 17 (if needed).

 

PUBLIC COMMENT 

 

RECESSED PUBLIC HEARINGS

 

Agenda Item 1

2023 Executive Capital Budget

Recent Legislative History

9/28/22 FINANCE COMMITTEE    RECOMMEND TO COUNCIL TO ADOPT - PUBLIC HEARING

Note: See more on this item above in "District 2 Updates"

 

Item 2

2023 Executive Operating Budget
Recent Legislative History
10/31/22 FINANCE COMMITTEE    RECOMMEND TO COUNCIL WITH THE FOLLOWING RECOMMENDATIONS - REPORT OF OFFICER
Note: See more on this item above in "District 2 Updates"

 

END OF RECESSED PUBLIC HEARINGS

 

BUSINESS PRESENTED BY THE MAYOR

 

Item 3

Adopting the 2023 City Budget authorizing a 2022 general property tax levy of $____ for City of Madison purposes, adopting a supplemental increase of $____ in the allowable property tax levy for 2022, as authorized under §66.0602(3)(f), Wis. Stats., and declaring the City's official intent to issue general obligation and revenue bonds to reimburse for certain expenditures authorized therein.

Legislative History

10/6/22 Attorney's Office    RECOMMEND TO COUNCIL TO ADOPT UNDER SUSPENSION OF MGO 2.055

Adoption Under Suspension of Rules; Common Council (11/15/22)

 

BUSINESS PRESENTED BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE COMMON COUNCIL

 

Item 4

Confirming the Madison Common Council meeting formats through February 28, 2023:

11/16/22 (Budget, if needed) - Hybrid (Virtual & CCB 201)

11/17/21 (Budget, if needed) - In-Person (MMB 215)

11/22/22 - Hybrid (Virtual & CCB 201)

12/6/22 - Hybrid (Virtual & CCB 201)

1/3/23 - Hybrid (Virtual & CCB 201)

1/17/23 - Hybrid (Virtual & CCB 201)

2/7/23 - Hybrid (Virtual & CCB 201)

2/28/23 - Hybrid (Virtual & CCB 201)

Legislative History

10/24/22 Council Office.   RECOMMEND TO COUNCIL TO ACCEPT - REPORT OF OFFICER

 

ANNOUNCEMENTS & INTRODUCTION OF ITEMS FROM THE FLOOR

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Common Council: Details

5:30pm, Wednesday, Nov. 16, 2022

 

2023 Budget Deliberations if needed

 

There will be NO PUBLIC TESTIMONY at this meeting if public hearings were closed at the Tuesday, November 15, 2022 meeting.

 

Please refer to the 11/15/22 Common Council agenda for items continued to this budget meeting if recessed to reconvene.

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Common Council: Details

5:30pm, Thursday, Nov. 17, 2022

 

2023 Budget Deliberations if needed

 

There will be NO PUBLIC TESTIMONY at this meeting if public hearings were closed at the Tuesday, November 15, 2022 meeting.

 

Please refer to the 11/15/22 Common Council agenda for items continued to this budget meeting if recessed to reconvene.

 

Note that the Nov. 17 Common Council meeting, if held, will be in-person only with no virtual attendance option. The meeting will be held in Madison Municipal Building Room 215 rather than in the usual room in the City-County Building.

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