D6 Items of Interest Week of July 31, 2023

Atwood Avenue will be completely closed between Fair Oaks Avenue and Oakridge Avenue/Sugar Avenue for the final phase of street reconstruction starting Monday, July 31. The full closure is expected to last approximately one month. Two-way traffic will be maintained between Walter Street and Olbrich Botanical Gardens. Atwood Avenue reconstruction

I had a meeting last week with Mike Cechvala, Metro Capital Projects Manager, about BRT construction. He informed me that station construction on E Washington between 1st and 4th will begin August 2, to be followed by station construction at Blair, Paterson, and Baldwin starting August 14. Sign up for BRT Project Updates

There are two neighborhood meetings scheduled for First Settlement regarding the redevelopment of the Essen Haus properties (August 9) and the future of the Brayton Lot (August 22/23), more details at the end of the blog.

If you are a Tenney Lapham resident, please fill out the survey by August 16 regarding the proposal for 702 E Washington prepared by the TLNA Council and posted on the Tenney list serve. Thanks if you have already completed it. I am hoping to read 100 comments from Tenney residents!

On Tuesday, the Council is taking up the implementation of the Body Worn Camera Pilot Program which may generate debate. The question is whether the pilot meets the goals and preconditions established by the 2021 Feasibility Report and the 2022 Council Resolution to implement a pilot. If you want to submit comments, send them to allalders@cityofmadison.com.
 

Monday July 31 - Finance Committee - 4:30p Finance Agenda 07.31.23

9. 79205 Discussion of Request to Refinance Increment Guarantee Payments for a TIF Loan to 25 West Main Parking LLC (Urban Land Interests)

Noticed for Closed Session: Deliberating or negotiating the purchasing of public properties, the investing of public funds, or conducting other specified public business, whenever competitive or bargaining reasons require a closed session.
 

Tuesday August 1 – Common Council Executive Committee – 4:30p CCEC Agenda 08.01.23

3. 72568 Boards, Commissions, and Committees (BCC) Structure

Council leadership and CCEC are continuing to address how to make city boards and committees more efficient and effective at serving and representing the diversity of residents as well as reviewing the powers and duties of the Common Council. This effort began in 2018 with the Task Force on Government Structure aka TFOGS. CCEC is continuing to review the approximately 100 BCCs. As a result of the TFOGS, the two transportation related committees were recently consolidated into one Transportation Commission. Also, on the Council agenda this week is a referral (instead of placing on file without prejudice) to combine the City-County Homeless Issues Committee, Landlord and Tenant Issues Committee, and Housing Strategy Committee which does not make any sense to me.

If you have experience serving on a BCC or attending BCC meeting as an applicant or participant and have observations or suggestions for improvement to share, please let me know.
 

Tuesday August 1 – Common Council – 6:30p CC Agenda 08.01.23

2. 79102 Recognizing August 19, 2023, as Africa Fest Day in the City of Madison

7. 78677 Public Hearing - New License Sunrise Gas LLC • dba Sunrise Gas 1130 Williamson St • Agent: Amanprit Dhanoa Class A Beer Police Sector 408 (District 6) 7/19/23 ALCOHOL LICENSE REVIEW COMMITTEE RECOMMEND TO COUNCIL TO GRANT WITH CONDITIONS - The conditions are:

• 1. No sale of single cans or single bottles of beer.
• 2. No sale of 40-ounce bottles of fermented malt beverages.
• 3. Beer will be limited to one 15 square foot section of cooler.
• 4. No fermented malt beverages to be sold in less than a 6 pack, malt-based coolers not to be sold in less than a 4-pack, does not apply to microbrews and imports.

25. 78825 Temporary Class B Retailer License Concurrent with Street Use Permit Marquette Neighborhood Association Event Location: Orton Park, 1103 Spaight St Event Date: 8/25/23 5 - 9pm, 8/26/23 11:30am - 10pm, & 8/27/23 9am - 8pm Police District: 408 (District 6) Event: Orton Park Festival

28. 78831 Temporary Class B Retailer License Concurrent with Street Use Permit Schenk's Corners Art Society Inc Event Location: 1900 Block of Atwood Ave Event Date: 8/18/23 5pm - 10pm & 8/19/23 2pm - 10pm Police District: 410 (District 6) Event: Schenk's Corners Block Party

34. 78839 Business Name Change Teasider LLC • Current dba: Macha Teahouse Gallery 823 E Johnson St Class B Beer, Class C Wine (District 6) New dba: Teasider

40. 78780 Approving plans and specifications and authorizing the Board of Public Works to advertise and receive bids for Well 15 PFAS Treatment Facility (District 12).

41. 78781 Awarding Public Works Contract No. 8587, Tenney Park Beach Shelter. (District 6)

60. 78341 Authorizing the Implementation of the Body-Worn Camera Pilot Program. There are nine attachments to read to get up to speed including the 2021 BWC Feasibility Report, 2022 Resolution Implementing BWC Pilot Program Legistar 68625,  Chief Barnes memo outlining policy questions addressed in the pilot and text of the MPD Body Worn Camera Pilot.The 2022 Resolution that was adopted contains public comments that reflect the range of debate. While I have outstanding questions about the cost of data storage, the cost of the officer’s time filing BWC related reports, and who has access to the footage, if I am persuaded that the pilot meets the goals and preconditions, I would support the pilot.

69. 78675 Declaring the Crowley Station Well and Reservoir Surface at 201 S. Hancock Street to be a City Park, and Authorizing the Parks Division to Improve, Program and Maintain as a Public Park (District 4).

The work of this community led and funded project is cool.

71. 75926 BY TITLE ONLY: Repealing Sections 32.03 and 33.34 and amending Section 33.09(3) of the Madison General Ordinances to combine the City-County Homeless Issues Committee, Landlord and Tenant Issues Committee, and Housing Strategy Committee.

Two of the three committees (Homeless Issues and Housing Strategy) voted this spring to place on file without prejudice and the third committee (Landlord Tenant) apparently has not met or has not taken up the item. AGENDA NOTE: Recommended action is to re-refer to Housing Strategy Committee (11/9/23), Landlord and Tenants Issues Committee (11/16/23), Common Council (12/5/23)

INTRODUCTION OF NEW BUSINESS FOR REFERRAL WITHOUT DEBATE

76. 79072 Amending the Police Department’s 2023 Operating Budget; and authorizing the Mayor and Chief of Police to accept a FY2023 USDOJ Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant for $111,454, and to utilize these funds to support several law enforcement initiatives

Items 80-83 will be on the CDBG Agenda 08.03.23 if you want to learn more.

80. 79127 Authorizing the Mayor and City Clerk to execute a contract amendment with Porchlight Inc. to add up to $260,000 of projected underspent City-administered ESG-CV funds, and extend the contract term to September 15, 2023 (District 12)

81. 79128 Authorizing a loan of up to $400,000 to Bayview Foundation, Inc. from the Community Facilities Loan Program to help finance the construction of community center programming space at 601 Bay View, and authorizing the Mayor and City Clerk to enter into a contract for that purpose. (District 13)

82. 79129 Approving the award of up to $130,000 in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds through Community Development Division’s (CDD) Capital Improvements for Non-profit Housing (CINH) Program to Madison Community Cooperative and authorizing the Mayor and City Clerk to enter into an agreement with the non-profit agency to implement the specified rehabilitation projects. (District 2)

83. 79138 Authorizing an amendment to an existing loan agreement between the City of Madison and Madison Revitalization and Community Development Corporation (MRCDC) to add up to $359,400 of financial support from the Affordable Housing Fund to help finance the rehabilitation and preservation of seven (7) vacant units at separate scattered site properties currently owned by MRCDC, and authorizing the Mayor and the City Clerk to enter into a Loan Agreement.

85. 79085 Public Hearing - New License Red Panda LLC • dba Ahan 744 Williamson St • Agent: Kenneth Brown Estimated Capacity (in/out): 100/20 Class B Combination Liquor & Beer • 30% alcohol, 70% food Police Sector 408 (District 6)

98. 79117 BY TITLE ONLY: Amending Section 23.525 of the Madison General Ordinances to allow miniature pigs bred as companion animals to be kept as pets in the City of Madison.
 

Thursday August 3 - Neighborhood Centers Coalition Open House – 11:45a-1p - 614 Vera Court

Members of the Madison Common Council have been invited by the Neighborhood Centers Coalition to tour the Vera Court Neighborhood Center, meet the participants, and learn about children’s and youth programming offered at neighborhood centers in Madison. Following the tour, executive directors from all the neighborhood centers will be on hand to answer questions and share information. A quorum of the Common Council is possible at this event.

This is the kind of event that fills me up with hope and love but also anxiety because the city doesn’t have enough money to meet all the needs we know exist.
 

Upcoming Meetings

Wednesday August 9 – Neighborhood Meeting: A virtual neighborhood meeting to hear about a proposal to redevelop the Essen Haus parcels is scheduled for Wednesday, August 9, 2023, at 6:30pm. I will send out the link for the meeting soon.

JCAP Real Estate proposes to redevelop the properties at 134, 140, 148, 150 S. Blair Street and 506, 510, 514, 516, 518 E. Wilson Street. This includes the Come Back Inn and Essen Haus buildings on E Wilson and the adjacent parking lot fronting S Blair.

The developer proposes an eight-story residential building along S. Blair Street and a six-story hotel along E. Wilson Street, which meets the downtown height requirement. The Hotel Ruby Marie building will remain as a separate structure on the site. The proposed residential building includes approximately 150 units and will incorporate a portion of the units as affordable housing units (60% AMI), along with step backs and rooftop open space/stormwater management. The hotel is being designed as a full-service hotel with approximately 100 rooms. Parking for all the buildings will be delivered through structured parking within the residential building.
 

Tuesday August 22 - City Meeting: There are two upcoming meetings regarding the current and future use of the Brayton lot, the city owned parking lot at E Washington and S Butler. First will be an in-person meeting, Tuesday Aug 22, at 7p in MMB room 215 followed by a virtual meeting for those unable to attend the in-person meeting, on Wednesday Aug 23 at noon. Staff from various city agencies will update First Settlement and nearby residents about the current use of the lot for BRT construction staging and its future use once the BRT is complete. Stay tuned for more information.