Accessory Dwelling Units, notices, events

Hello neighbors,

In case you haven't been following the news, both the City and County passed 2022 budgets. Notably, the Monroe Street library will be able to return to 5 day/week service by March, 2022.

Upcoming issues of interest:

Accessory Dwelling Units, or ADUs, are second dwelling units on properties with single-family homes. These can be an opportunity to provide additional housing options in neighborhoods across our growing city. ADUs have been allowable in Madison since 2013, but only through conditional use, meaning there was a significant review and approval process. Based on recommendations in the Comprehensive Plan, recent housing reports, and the Mayor's 2021 Housing Forward Initiative, there is a proposal to change the City's Zoning code to help make the construction of Accessory Dwelling Units easier by allowing them as a permitted use. ?

The Plan Commission received information on the proposed zoning changes to update our ADU regulations. You can watch this 15-minute video (start right around the 10 minute mark) of the presentation to the Plan Commission to learn more about the proposal.

The Plan Commission is expected to take up the item along with a public hearing on Monday, November 22, at 5:30pm, and their recommendation will be in front of the Common Council on Tuesday, December 7.

Important notices:

• Alternate side parking is in effect each night from November 15 - March 15 and is enforced between the hours of 1-7am daily.
• City administrative offices are closed on November 25 and 26. Emergency services will be open; please call 911. Use Report a Problem for non-emergencies.
• Friday, November 26 has been proclaimed Ho-Chunk Day. Please take a moment to express gratitude for our land and the people who walked upon it before us as you are enjoying family, friends, shopping, or other activities.
• Streets Division drop-off sites hours are changing soon. The winter hours officially begin on Monday, November 29. This also means the final Saturday hours for 2021 at the Streets Division drop-off sites will be Saturday, November 27.
• Please be aware that researchers from UW Madison will once again be trapping and releasing foxes and coyotes, beginning this week at Odana Golf Course and Hoyt Park.  This research has been ongoing for several years in various Madison parks.  

• Non-lethal traps are placed in areas that are used infrequently by people
• Signs are posted nearby to inform park users
• Traps are checked each morning
• Trapped animals are measured, tagged with a GPS transmitter, and released.

Events, and items of interest:

• Madison Children's Museum is hosting free, pop-up COVID vaccination clinics at the museum on Monday, November 22, 1–7 pm and Monday, December 13, 1–7 pm.
  • Families will be able to get children ages 5–11 vaccinated with the pediatric Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine. Older family members, including unvaccinated children and adults—needing a first dose, second dose, or booster—will also be able to get their vaccinations.
  • To take the sting out of the vaccination process, kids can enjoy free playtime on the museum's second floor after their vaccinations.
  • All vaccinations are free. Admission to the museum is free for anyone getting vaccinated or accompanying a family member getting vaccinated. The museum will only be open for those participating in the vaccination clinic

• MOM is holding a Holiday Art Fair December 4-5 at FCI, 2551 Paramenter Street, Middleton.
• Blessed Sacrament’s outdoor Christmas Market is also December 4-5.
• As the City works to plan reconstruction of John Nolen Drive, an iconic passage into the City of Madison, you may wish to listen to this Everyday Engineering podcast, where Engineering Public Information Officer Hannah Mohelnitzky hosts Madison historian and author David Mollenhoff to talk about what ideas and designs were initially planned for the city’s most well-known street.

Best wishes,

Regina Vidaver