District 20 Weekly Summary

1.Agenda Item #88866 

Presentation of the 2025 Reverend James C. Wright Human Rights Award by the City of Madison Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC) and the Department of Civil Rights – Equal Opportunities Division (EOD) to Edward (Ed) L. Murray, Jr. The 28th Annual James C. Wright Human Rights Award goes to Ed Murray, a founding member of the 100 Black Men of Madison and a dedicated member of the Dane County branch of the NAACP. Known for his humble and selfless character, Ed Murray has dedicated over fifty years to serving those in Madison’s community who were most in need, reflecting Reverend James C. Wright’s character and legacy as a dedicated public servant.

5.Agenda Item #88717 Report of Plan Commission | Creating Section 28.022-00718 of the Madison General Ordinances to assign SR-C1 (Suburban Residential-Consistent 1) District zoning to property located at 60 White Oaks Lane. (District 20) Sponsors: Planning Division: Assign SR-C1 Zoning to a single-family residence attached to the City in May 2022. Staff Recommendation: Approval. No fiscal impact.  (passed)

6. Agenda Item  | 88735 (Substitute) 

Amending Sections 28.135 and 16.23(6)(d) and creating 28.031(7) of the Madison General Ordinance related to Deep Residential Lots to facilitate easier development. (passed)

7. Agenda Item | 88736 (Substitute) 

Amending various tables within Chapter 28 of the Madison General Ordinances to permit two-family twin and two-unit buildings in all districts where single-family dwellings are also allowed. (passed)

8. Agenda Item | 88737  

Amending Sections in Chapter 28 of the Madison General Ordinances related to downtown and Urban Districts to allow more permitted uses within the districts.  (passed)

41. Legislative File No. 88832 

Authorizing the Mayor and the City Clerk to execute an agreement with the Madison LakeWay Partners, Inc, as the non-profit charitable partner to support the redevelopment of the Madison LakeWay and transfer $25,000 to make payment to the partners. (passed)

43. Legislative File No. 88867 – Authorizing the City of Madison ‘s Economic Development Division to award up to $500,00 of Building improvement Grants to the Madison Public Market merchants, using funding available within the existing Madison Public Market budget.  (passed)

11. LEGISLATIVE FILE #8846 (MGO 8.35(3)(F) EXCEPTION 

DRAFTER’S ANALYSIS:    This ordinance would create an exception to the preservation of shoreline parks ordinance to allow the City to proceed with the Madison LakeWay Project in Olin Park (northwest of Wingra Creek), along the John Nolen causeway, and in Brittingham and Law Parks. Under the ordinance, any change in the legal status of, or major construction in, a shoreline park must be approved by City-wide referendum. The Madison LakeWay Project is a major project that, by the time of its construction, will have been the subject of years of planning and public discussions. Exempting this project from the ordinance will allow implementation of the Master Plan to proceed without the need of a referendum. (substitute passed)

Registrants Registered to Speak/Communications sent to ALL Alders. 

 A previous Common Council saw fit to require, by ordinance, that any change in the legal status of, or major construction in, a shoreline park be approved by a City-wide referendum. Just because the City decided to go ahead with years of planning and public discussion should not exempt the Council from abiding by its own laws.  

If residents are behind the plan, they will vote to pass it through a referendum. I urge you to vote no and don't take our lawful right away. 

District 11 Resident/Name withheld/sent to ALL ALDERS 

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Thank you so much for sharing where you are at this moment with regard to this request for exemption for this project as well as for sharing the project staff memo. I participated in reviewing some of the early designs and ideas and am personally in favor of the goals and dreams for this project. However, I do NOT support their request for exemption for the reasons below: 

1. The design review sessions I participated in were small and likely not representative. Not the same as voters going to polls for a referendum. And Boards, Commissioners, City Offices, Parks Division, Common Council, etc are also not the same as VOTERS VOTING. I don't expect these busy folks to know how I, or other voters, would actually vote.  Some of the emails I've received say the writers had not heard about this project until yesterday.  So I think it is critical for the team to bring the VOTERS up to speed on the benefits of the project, the timeline of different elements, the costs of those elements, etc.  AND then put it to referendum.  

2. This project team had to be aware of the requirement for a referendum long before now. They could easily have added their referendum to the ballot on any of the last several elections. Not much cost or extra effort to do that.  So I do not buy the argument that actually following the ordinance requirements is a burden either economically or time-wise.  

3. The fact that other much smaller projects were given exemptions is NO reason this HUGE EXPENSIVE project that directly INCLUDES the shoreline should be given an exemption. 

4. Finally, there has been a sea change in federal funding and states, counties, and cities are expected to have to find ways to educate, feed, house, and protect our neighbors. I STRONGLY OPPOSE any open-ended commitment to such a huge project without understanding how it fits into this new reality we are all in.  If the Council is leaning toward exemption, PLEASE add an addendum so that it is clear the exemption ONLY applies to the FIRST, 2025-26, reconstruction of John Nolen Drive, part of the plan. All future stages DO have to go to referendum!  I do not see this as unwieldly. I see it as democratic and responsive to the community's values and concerns at that time.   

Thanks for listening, 

Resident/Name withheld (Sent to ALL Alders) 

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There was much discussion last night regarding Item 11. Council adjourned at 11:00 p.m. 

 Recommendation: Register for the Public Meeting scheduled Monday, July 21, 6:30 p.m. for a virtual public meeting to review the ongoing design development for the Madison LakeWay improvements.  

Last night, the Madison City Council voted to bypass a city ordinance that would have required voters to approve the first phase of construction. The majority of the City Council voted to exempt the project from Madison’s longstanding law that mandates voter approval of decisions related to major construction in open spaces like beaches and parks. (CAP TIMES/GOVERNMENT: City leaders block voter referendum for Lake Monona shoreline overhaul). 

The City Council has made 5 similar exceptions in the past: 

Public Meeting Announcement: 

You're invited to a Virtual Public Meeting on the first phase of the Madison LakeWay! 

Join us on Monday, July 21 at 6:30 PM for a virtual public meeting to review the ongoing design development for upcoming Madison LakeWay improvements. The project area is a 0.6-mile stretch of Lake Monona’s shoreline adjacent to John Nolen Drive. We’re inviting community members to review the progress and share input on proposed lakeshore features. 

What to Expect: 

• A look at the design progress since the completion of the schematic phase earlier this year 

• An overview of the proposed lakeshore amenities 

• Update on project next steps 

• Opportunities to provide feedback and ask questions 

Project Timeline: 

• Schematic design completion: Early 2025 

• Design development: Through August 2025 

• Construction documents: Late 2025 – early 2026 

• Public Works bidding: Fall 2026 

• Construction start: Anticipated in 2027 

Madison Parks is working in close coordination with other City agencies, including City Engineering, to align the LakeWay improvements with the planned reconstruction of John Nolen Drive. 

Please register below to attend the meeting. We look forward to hearing from you! 

Meeting Registration: Madison LakeWay - Design Develpoment PIM 

This is a virtual meeting and registration is required. Here is the link for more information: https://www.cityofmadison.com/parks/events/2025-07-21/public-input-meeting-madison-lakeway 

For more information on our non-profit partnering organization, please visit: Madison LakeWay Partners 

THIS PUBLIC INFORMATION MEETING MAY BE OF INTEREST TO YOU. THE VOTE TO EXEMPT THIS PROJECT WAS ON THE COUNCIL AGENDA LAST NIGHT FOR A VOTE.  Exempting this project from the ordinance would allow implementation of the Master Plan to proceed without the need of a referendum. 

Existing Ordinance: Per MGO 8.35(3)(f), “City of Madison public parks bordering on lakes or navigable waterways shall be protected as public open space. Voter approval by city referendum shall be required for any change in the legal status of and before beginning or continuing major construction in any of these public parks.” However, the only time that a referendum (RES-09-00099) has actually been sought was related to Garver Feed Mill, and that site was later exempted (ORD14-00164). 

 THERE WILL BE OPPORTUNITY FOR PUBLIC COMMENT. THE QUESTION IS WITHIN THE PROCESS OF EXEMPTION FROM MGO 8.35(3)(f).