Landmarks considering ADU in University Heights Monday; Meadow Lane closure; Small area of Spooner to be resurfaced; New property values available - open book period this week, and More!

Hello neighbors,

The Landmarks Commission will be considering the appropriateness of adding a duplex accessory dwelling unit (ADU) at 1722 Regent Street in the University Heights Historic District on Monday, May 4 at 5pm. You may register to speak, or send comments to landmarkscommission@cityofmadison.com.

Meadow Lane is closed to through traffic just south of University Avenue to allow the crane that's needed for the building to operate safely. The closure will remain in place as long as the crane is required on site. Pedestrian access from Meadow to University is in place.

Due to the upcoming reconstruction of Regent Street next year, I requested the Engineering Department consider resurfacing Spooner between Regent and Monroe, due to its poor pavement condition, and the understanding that this will become a major cut-through when Regent Street is under construction. Remarkably, they were able to fit this project in this year, and will require closure of that section of Spooner for just a few days this summer. There will be a minor assessment for the houses from the bridge to Regent Street due to this resurfacing. 

Updates and Notices

• Spring Yard Waste Collection Ending Soon: Don't miss out on your yard waste pickup chance. Get the date when you should put out yard waste for pickup on the Streets Division's website.
• Recycle Better:  Last call to sign up for the Recycle Better class with Sustain Dane. Help yourself and your neighbors be better recyclers! Classes start next week. More details are on the Sustain Dane website.

Public Information Meetings (PIMs)

• Southwest and Southeast Area Plan Final Review Processes Begin May 5!: Final review and approval processes will begin next week for the Southwest and Southeast Area Plans. Drafts can be accessed here: Southwest Area Plan and Southeast Area Plan.  
• MPD Community Conversation - Central District, Monday, May 4: Meet the officers serving the downtown area of Madison during this town hall discussion. Central District Captain Kipp Hartman and Madison Police Chief John Patterson will be available to answer questions and address community concerns about public safety.
• West Towne Pond Improvements, Tuesday, May 5: The project consists of improvements to the existing West Towne Detention Basin on Madison's west side.  The primary goal of these improvements is to increase the stormwater storage capacity of the detention pond, thereby reducing future peak stormwater flood elevations in the area. Registration is required.

Announcements and News Releases

• 2026 Property Tax Base of the City of Madison: The 2026 property assessment notices will be mailed on May 1, and is live on our webpage. The open book period will be from May 4 – 8 with an additional week offered to file appeals from May 11 – 15. The first Board of Review will be on May 18th.
• Mayor Rhodes-Conway Signs Haymarket Declaration: Announced on May Day in Chicago, the accord is a joint commitment to use the power of cities to defend democracy, worker's rights, and the livelihoods of our residents. 
• Dane County Residents Exceed 10,000-Trip Goal in Spring Roll Challenge: Dane County residents and commuters logged more than 10,700 car-free and carpool trips during RoundTrip Greater Madison's Spring Roll Challenge in April, saving over $13,900 and avoiding 22 tons of CO₂ emissions. 
• Snowy Winter Leads to Twice as Many Sidewalk Clearing Complaints: Several impactful snowstorms during the 2025-2026 winter season led to an increase in the number of sidewalk shoveling complaints received and citations issued.
• MPD releases Annual Report: The Madison Police Department is pleased to present its 2025 Annual Report. The report highlights our commitment to community outreach while providing high-quality police services. 
• Madison Fire Seeks Community Input During Hiring Process: The Madison Fire Department is hiring the next class of Firefighter/EMT recruits, and community involvement is an important part of the process! Sign up to be a part of our Combined Oral Board interview panels.
• Please share your perspectives about what you want to see in community programming in the Destination Madison Survey!
• Please be on the lookout for invasive fig buttercup, and remove whenever possible.

Please visit the City news webpage to find additional news and announcements and to subscribe to receive notification of news releases as they are posted.

Events

• Madison Housing Week, May 3-8: Take a Missing Middle housing tour, learn about the latest in the local housing market, hear about zoning reforms, and much more!
• The Madison Metropolitan School District (MMSD) invites families, students, staff and community members to join us for upcoming “Building for the Future" engagement sessions. This important, multi-year effort will guide how we plan for future enrollment, review attendance areas and ensure our schools align with Madison's continued growth. Your voice is a critical part of this process. Upcoming sessions run from May 4-21, with both in-person and virtual options. In our District, there will be a session at West High School on Wednesday, May 6, from 5:30-7:30pm.
• Neighborhood House Community Center (29 S. Mills St) is offering a series of friendly, hands-on technology workshops beginning Monday, May 4th!  Our first session, “Google Discovery," will explore using Google Docs, Slides, Sheets, and Search in everyday life. No experience needed and all are welcome to learn in a small group with Cole Nelson, UW Madison Computer Sciences faculty instructor. All sessions will be from 11:00 AM to 12:30 PM. Session dates:
  • Monday May 4 (Google Discovery Session)
  • Monday June 1
  • Monday July 6
  • Monday August 3

Reach out to info@neighborhoodhousemadison.org or (608) 255-5337 with questions or if you need special accommodations

• Wright Design Series - When a Barn Isn't Really a Barn: Design Through Discovery, Tuesday, May 5: Paula Verboomen will explore how curiosity, deep listening, and iteration reveals clients' true needs. With this understanding, and a holistic approach to design, architectural solutions are a natural extension of the client and offer delight in unexpected ways. Her presentation will focus on a range of projects spanning her career, bringing to life her client-centric and collaborative approach.
• FOOT Madison Irish Set Dance, Wednesday, May 6: Looks like we'll have a little more time to enjoy the wonderful dance floor in historic Normal Hall (the building we've incorrectly been calling the Olin Park Pavilion). Madison's Parks Division has delayed its renovations projects for a while, so we now can have a spring FOOT-Loose Dance Series.
• Open House - Odana Hills Golf Course and Park, Wednesday, May 6 - 6:00pm - 8:00pm and Thursday, May 7 - 11:00am - 1:00pm: The City of Madison Parks Division is excited for the new partnership with Michael and Jocelyn Keiser and the Madison Parks Foundation. Through the Keisers' philanthropic vision and generous donation, we have an opportunity to reimagine, redesign and reconstruct Odana Hills Golf Course.
• Free Homebuyer Education Class (in person), Saturday, May 9: Take the first step to owning a home and join us in this Home Buyer Education Workshop. This FREE Homebuyer Education workshop takes place in-person at a Madison area location to be determined on Saturday, May 9, 8:30 am – 3:30 pm! Lunch will be provided. Our first-time home buying workshops cover the following… 
• Let's Get Growing, Saturday, May 9: Join the Dane County Cancer Coalition for Let's Get Growing, supporting cancer prevention and care programs.
• Bird & Nature Adventures | Owen, Saturday, May 9: World Migratory Bird Day for Kids ~ Join Rebecca Gilman for a Kid-friendly Bird and Nature Walk as we look for migratory birds and learn about ways to help them during migration.  
• UW-Madison graduation is this weekend, May 8-9. Doctoral and MFA candidates will be presented at the Kohl Center on Friday, beginning at 5:30pm, and undergraduates, law, and other masters candidates will be presented at Camp Randall on Saturday, beginning at noon. Please note that brief fireworks will be set off at 12:05 PM, 1:25 PM, and 1:30 PM on Saturday.
• Bird & Nature Adventures | Turville Point, Sunday, May 10: Month of Maying ~ Birds do it, bees do it, even educated fleas do it, let's do it, let's fall in love!  Join Naturalist Kathlean Wolf for a free fun family friendly outing to enjoy Spring birds, bugs, flowers, and the burst of life occurring around you.
• Hoyt Park Guided Bird Walk, September 16, 10am: Please register in advance, as spaces are limited to 20 people. Please bring binoculars.

Additional upcoming events can also be found on the City events calendar.

Boards, Commissions, and Committee Meetings

Note: This is not a complete list of meetings for this upcoming week. All meetings and their details can be found at the Meeting Schedule page.

• Common Council: The Common Council meeting will take place on Tuesday, May 5, at 6:30 p.m. in hybrid format. Agenda items include amending the zoning code to include a new accessory use: “fairground."
  • Meeting Details
  • Meeting Agenda
  • Register for Public Comment
  • Watch Online
• Board of Public Works: The Board of Public Works meeting will take place on Wednesday, May 6, at 4:30 p.m. in virtual format. Agenda items include authorizing engineering services for the Wingra Proper Watershed Study.
  • Meeting Details
  • Meeting Agenda
  • Register for Public Comment
  • Watch Online

If you would like more information about becoming a member of a City board, commission, or committee, please visit the page linked here.

Be well,

Regina Vidaver