Updates March 7, 2021

In this update:

• Street sweepers working overnight hours starting March 7
• Neighborhood development 
• City news
• Meeting highlights
• Community
• Events
• COVID
• City meetings schedule

Street sweepers working overnight hours starting March 7

Spring cleanup begins. Starting the evening of March 7, 2021, Streets Division street sweepers will be operating on Madison roadways 16-hours a day collecting the sand, salt, and other accumulated grit from the roads.

Neighborhood Development

Save the date - March 23 at 6:30 pm for a neighborhood virtual (Zoom) meeting: Land use application for 6321 Town Center Drive Concept Plan to be submitted to the city. Meeting invite will be shared as soon as it's available. 

Knothe Bruce Architects plans to submit a Land Use Application on March 31, 2021 for the development of multi-family residences in the currently vacant lot directly across from Madison Fire Station #13, located on the south side of Town Center Dr, along Metro Terrace. If approved, they would construct building #2 in the above graphic - the far west building, which would have 23 units. Construction of the other two buildings would happen later and timing would be based on market conditions. These are market-rate units with a mix of studio, one and two bedrooms, and the buildings would be three stories. They were originally approved back in 2005, but never constructed.

Final plat for 6602 Commercial Ave at Monday's Plan Commission meeting

At the Plan Commission on Monday, the Commission will consider approval of the final plat of Eastwood Springs, which includes creating six lots for future multi-family development, one lot for future mixed-use development, one outlot for future development, one outlot to be dedicated for public parkland, and one outlot to be dedicated for public stormwater management.

The preliminary plat received approval in 2019. 

Meeting details

Meeting agenda

Register for public comment

Recording of March 1 Community Q & A on Proposed Housing Changes to Zoning

On Monday, March 1 there was a Community Q & A Session regarding the proposed Zoning Ordinance amendments related to allowing greater residential densities and adjusting conditional use thresholds. You can watch a recording of that session here.

Planning Division Director Heather Stouder and Zoning Administrator Matt Tucker answered many excellent questions from residents who attended.

• Read the proposed amendments

• Read the Staff Report/Memo

• Explore the city's zoning map, including the ability to see the parcels where the changes are proposed.

City news

Angela Trudell Vasquez reads "Dispatches from Radar Hill" at March 2, 2021 Common Council meeting

At the March 2 Common Council meeting, District 3 resident and Madison's Poet Laureate, Angela Trudell Vasquez shared a new poem to commemorate those we've lost from COVID-19. 

Dispatches from Radar Hill
By Angela Trudell Vasquez

For the bus driver on his shift who left and never came back.

For the nurse who beat breast cancer but not Covid.

For her colleagues who remember that every time a Billy Joel song came on

she'd pump her fist in the air and scream 'Billy" with joy and pure fan fury,

for the receptionist who carries on with the fist pumping and shouts in her name.

For her co-worker who told the story to us at her virtual funeral.

For our elders in nursing homes who gave and gave to their friends and family, their community buying all the Girl Scout cookies on the block, saving money for their grandkids' birthdays – who will miss their own        in 2021.

For the teachers who taught until they could not, for their students who struggled

to learn with them online.

For the parents who remain after, after so hard without your best friend, ally, accomplice there with you by your side      an island snoring each night.

For those who lost their best friend and never got to say goodbye,

or goodbye was a 2x4 inch screen, this the last time you saw them alive.

For the widows who take poetry workshops three days after their love dies.

For those who remain carry the name, the people who remember their words,

wit, wisdom, how they were scratch cooks, made chicken curry and rice,

fry bread and pinto beans, sweet potato pie, peach cobbler,

took turns driving the kids to practice, stomped puddles in rain...

Remember, remember, light a candle, say a prayer, a blessing

some funny thing they said when alive when you laughed so hard you cried,

but you didn't,        that was a road trip a family vacation when the back seat

smelled less than fresh after a drive through the desert without air conditioning.

These are the days of our lives and to those who loved and lost. This poem is for you,

for me.

Let us mourn all those we loved who no longer breathe this spring air, or get to see their first Robin this season. The world is a lovely place when you care and have skin in the game, and harbor a secret love in your heart for all things full of color, sound and feathers, soft sheets, chocolate ice cream, puppy breath, baby chuckles, your face in the morning, in the mirror smiling back                so alive.

Video: referendum questions on the spring ballot

A new episode of District Reports has been posted which gives an overview by City Attorney John Strange of the non binding referendum questions that you find on the April 6 ballot.

City Engineering showcasing their women staff during Women in Construction Week

This is the second year City Engineering will be highlighting the work of five women with profile write ups, a podcast episode and social media videos. Starting March 8, 2021, the Engineering Division will post on the City and Engineering website a profile sharing the story of each woman's journey to Engineering, projects they've worked on, experiences they've had in the construction industry and their approach to their work.

MEETING HIGHLIGHTS FOR THE WEEK OF MARCH 7, 2021

Attend a Metro Bus Stop Planning Hearing - March 10

On Wednesday, March 10 at 5 pm, Metro Transit and the City of Madison Transportation Commission will be reviewing the planned bus stop changes occurring in 2021. Changes include bus stops closing, opening, the addition of concrete bus stop pads and/or the addition of an amenity.

Meeting details

Meeting agenda

Register for public comment

Body-Worn Cameras and Restorative Justice Programs

The Public Safety Review Committee will discuss the final report and model policy of the Body-Worn Camera Feasibility Review Committee, a resolution on restorative justice programs, and receive a presentation from the Black Officer Coalition at its meeting on Wednesday.

Meeting details

Meeting agenda

Public comment

For additional information about meetings scheduled for this week, please consult the City Meeting Schedule.

COMMUNITY

The River Food Pantry Needs RSVP Volunteers to Deliver Groceries

After launching a free food delivery program, called River Delivers, last fall, The River Food Pantry has experienced unprecedented numbers of grocery delivery requests from local households who are unable to pick food up in person.  

RSVP volunteers seniors and people with disabilities, offering $.56 cents/mile mileage reimbursement and additional liability insurance.

If you are interested in volunteering, contact Mary Schmelzer, RSVP Driver Services Co-Manager, at 608-441-7896 or mschmelzer@rsvpdane.org.

Submissions being accepted for the 2021 Bus Lines Poetry contest 

Metro Transit and Madison's Poet Laureate invite you to send short poems, haiku, prose poems, or excerpts from longer poems, 3-15 lines total, to the 2021 Bus Lines open call for poetry. Entries are due Monday, March 15.  

Renter assistance

Are you a Dane County renter in danger of eviction due to COVID-19?  You may be eligible for rental assistance from Dane CORE Emergency Rental Assistance Program. See if you're eligible.

If you need in-person assistance to complete the Dane CORE rental assistance online application, Tenant Resource Center (TRC) staff is available to help. Check the online scheduler to schedule an appointment or call the TRC main line at (608) 257-0006. 

Driver License recovery info clinics

The YWCA is currently offering virtual info clinics for individuals who are experiencing licensing issues in the Dane County area. Appointments can be made on their website or contact Aneesha Mitchell at (608) 395-2188 or amitchell@ywcamadison.org.

Neighborhood beautification grant opportunity - applications due March 15

Last call to apply for a neighborhood beautification grant. Applications are due to the Planning Division's 2021 Neighborhood Grant Program on March 15.

Learn more and apply.

Project Recovery is a cost-free resource for managing COVID-19 stress

Counselors with Project Recovery, Wisconsin's implementation of the FEMA Crisis Counseling Program, are providing cost-free and over-the-phone crisis counseling focused on non-judgmental listening and helping folks navigate their emotions and reactions to stress caused by the COVID-19 public health crisis. Anyone can be connected by dialing 211 or, by contacting Project Recovery 

Family shelter progress

You may have seen City Engineering working with Community Development and other City agencies and partners converting the former Karmenta Nursing Home, 4502 Milwaukee Street, into a new shelter for families. Watch a video about the work that's underway on the new shelter. The target opening date for the facility is set at March 15.

Families were moved from the East Washington Ave Salvation Army facility to hotel rooms last spring to allow for social distancing, using CARES Act funding. The current facility was then reconfigured to continue to provide shelter to single women. Improvements to and expansion of the East Washington Ave Salvation Army facility were approved last year by the Plan Commission and will be underway soon. For all of these reasons, an interim location is needed for homeless families. 

December 2020 community meeting on Karmenta

Presentation slides 

EVENTS

Wisconsin Book Festival events online

Check out the Wisconsin Book Festival free events. You can also watch past events online, including the recording of Heather McGhee talking about her book The Sum of Us. 

Podcast and brief on housing discrimination

UW-Madison's Institute for Research on Poverty (IRP) is sharing a podcast and Fast Focus brief on the history and consequences of housing discrimination from Jacob Faber, an Associate Professor of Sociology and Public Service at New York University and a former IRP Emerging Poverty Scholar Fellow. 

Women in Construction Roundtable 

Join WRTP/BIG STEP via Zoom this  Wednesday, March 10, at 4pm. Hear from a panel of women who have found success in the construction industry, including personal stories; advice on how to have a successful career in construction; Q&A; and representation from several union trades.  

Register  

If you have any questions, please call WRTP/BIG STEP at (608) 255-0155 or email WRTP at southcentral@wrtp.org. 

Family winter activities

1000 Friends of Wisconsin and Healthy Kids Collaborative have put together a guide for beating cabin fever.  The Cabin Fever Survival Guide is a family-friendly activity guide for the last of the winter months during the pandemic.

COVID

Public Health Releases New Measures for Assessing Progress, Order #14

On March 2, Public Health Madison & Dane County released new measures for assessing progress and Emergency Order #14, which takes goes into effect March 10, at 12:01am and will be in effect for 28 days.
 

The timetable for vaccinating Dane County educators has been moved up

School and childcare staff vaccinations at the Alliant Energy Center start March 9.  

COVID resources

• Data Dashboard

• Financial Navigators hotline

• Close Contacts Now have Quarantine Options

• UW-Madison's rapid testing

• WI Dept. of Health Services Cases by Neighborhood (Census Tract)

• Madison COVID-related news and service updates, Español: COVID-19 and Hmoob: COVID-19

• COVID-19 recovery dashboard, a tool to track local indicators in order to better understand how our residents and community are doing throughout the pandemic.

• Public Health Madison and Dane County COVID data and orders

• Dealing with job loss

• Childcare, food, jobs, housing and low-cost internet access 

• Community-aggregated COVID resources

• From the City's Economic Development Division: Business & Non-profit Information Covid-19

City meetings schedule

City weekly meeting schedule

The Mayor's meeting schedule

The County weekly meeting schedule

Special note from Lindsay: Due to a determination by the WI Elections Commission, alders running for reelection in the April 2021 election are advised not to use city resources to communicate with constituents using mass emails and posts. For that reason, emails are not being sent when I post these updates. I typically post an update here weekly by Monday night each week.