D6 Items of Interest Week of February 26, 2024
postedAt Plan Commission Monday, there are proposed changes that affect a range of zoning districts regarding parking and site standards in response to the court case regarding 3722 Speedway. There is also a proposal by Hovde Properties to demolish properties on W Mifflin St to facilitate staging for the construction of the Wisconsin History Museum. At UDC on Wednesday is a presentation about the Lake Monona Waterfront Master Plan, an amendment to UDD 8 regarding street terrace width, and request for final approval for 929 E Washington. Also Wednesday, the Transportation Commission gets their annual look at the Transportation Improvement Plan and will hold a discussion about e-bikes and speeding policy. Thursday is the second public input meeting for plans for the Garver North Plat, registration details below.
Rutledge St reconstruction update: At the February 21st meeting of the Board of Public Works, Option 1C was selected for Rutledge St. The Board approved the plans, specifications, and assessments. The Board recommended Option 1C because it maintained the street at 28’ for flexibility in future transportation needs and provided traffic calming with street parking on both sides. The Council has final approval and will vote on the design and plans/specs/assessments on March 5.
Prescribed Burns coming: This year, City of Madison Engineering Division staff will be conducting prescribed burns on areas of existing native vegetation. Prescribed burns are an important management tool for Wisconsin’s native plant communities. The timeline for these burns to occur will be between March 11 and May 31. The correct conditions for prescribed burns can be difficult to predict, so it is not usually possible to provide exact dates of burn(s). Burns may not occur at all if correct weather conditions do not occur.
Hancock St rain garden tubs, S Hancock St between E Washington Ave and E Main St
Capital City Trail @ Russell St rain garden
The prescribed burn Project Manager will be mailing postcards to residents to notify them about the prescribed burn in their neighborhood. All burns are being conducted by certified staff with approval by Madison Fire Department. The burns will only take place under specific weather conditions in order to manage smoke and minimize impacts to neighbors. In addition, the burn professionals will install appropriate road signage on the day of the burn. A list of project contacts and more information is on our website at:
Community Survey and Call for Artist at Bakers Place @ 849 E Washington: The Madison Public Art Project is working with the Neutral Project for the art mural that will be located on the building at the new Bakers Place development. They are conducting a community survey https://form.jotform.com/232686422280153
In addition, they are seeking artists to create two large scale murals. Here is the RFQ link. Feel free to share the link with any artists who may be interested to apply. https://www.madisonpublicartproject.org/artistcall Artist applications are due March 15th 11:59pm CST.
Passenger Rail Station: I will be working with MNA and Council staff to organize a neighborhood meeting about the potential Amtrak passenger rail station locations. More details to come.
F-35 update: In case you missed my blog WI Dept. of Military Affairs F-35 feedback, the WDMA has new information on their website Madison F-35 Community Connection including a Frequently Asked Questions document and feedback they gathered from recent listening sessions.
2025 Budget Outlook The Council will have another budget discussion on March 5. At this point the Council and the Mayor are grappling with how to approach the 2025 budget with cuts to the operating budget and/or a combo of cuts and a referendum to exceed the state-imposed levy limits. Please take a look at the link, it has comprehensive information provided by our Finance Department.
Campus/downtown/isthmus alders are planning a public discussion on the budget to share info and get your feedback. Stay tuned.
Monday February 26 – Finance Committee – 4:30p FC Agenda 02.26.24
You can send comments on agenda items to financecommittee@cityofmadison.com
6. 81906 Providing Golden Vibes Counseling Center or its assigns a $200,000 loan to purchase a commercial property at 825 Williamson Street through the Commercial Ownership Assistance program under the Small Business Equity and Recovery Program (SBER) using the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA) aid Local Fiscal Recovery funds and authorizing the Mayor and City Clerk to sign an agreement with Golden Vibes Counseling Center or its assigns for that purpose. (District 6)
The proposed resolution authorizes the use of $200,000 of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds remaining the in Small Business Equity & Recovery 13072 (Munis Project 13658).
7. 81929 Dissolving Tax Incremental District (TID) #39 (Stoughton Road), located in District 16. (District 16)
The estimated tax increment collected in the final year of the TID for affordable housing is approximately $4.8 million.
16. 82064 Authorizing the use of up to $424,000 of Emergency Rental Assistance funds to award to Lutheran Social Services to support rental assistance and support services for residents living at 7933 Tree Lane and 715 Rethke Avenue and authorizing the Mayor and City Clerk to enter into a contract with LSS. (District 9 and District 12)
The proposed resolution authorizes the allocation of $424,000 in Emergency Rental Assistance (ERA) funds to Lutheran Social Services (LSS) to provide rental assistance and housing stability services to several tenants at Tree Lane and Rethke Terrace Apartments. It further authorizes the Mayor and City Clerk to enter into a contract with LSS to provide such services. The contract will be funded by remaining Emergency Rental Assistance (ERA2) funds authorized in the 2024 Adopted Operating Budget (Munis project #76121).
20. 81915 A Resolution amending the Metro Transit Operating Budget to provide additional contracted services for regional partners.
Metro partners are growing rapidly and are seeking additional transit services to meet their needs. Specifically, the following services have been requested: The University of Wisconsin has increased the number of buses on Route 80 to improve on-time performance and increase capacity. Verona has requested additional short-turn trips between Epic and the end of Route B in Fitchburg. Monona has requested to join as a Metro partner and establish a new route to serve their city. Partners will be paying for 100% of the costs of these services, but Metro will need to receive and expend the funding through the budgeting process to provide this service.
Monday February 26 – Plan Commission – 5:30p PC Agenda 02.26.24
You can send comments on agenda items to pccomments@cityofmadison.com. Comments received after 3:00 p.m. on the day of the meeting may not be added to the public record until after the meeting.
6. 81556 REVISED: 115-125 W Mifflin Street (District 4): Consideration of a demolition permit to demolish five commercial buildings.
Staff Report The owner applicant originally requested approval to demolish five single-story commercial buildings addressed 117, 119, 121, 123, and 125 West Mifflin Street and a three-story building addressed as 15 North Fairchild Street. The applicant subsequently amended the demolition permit request to remove consideration of 15 North Fairchild Street (also addressed 115 West Mifflin Street).
The applicant states in the original letter of intent and its addendum, that after consultation with three contractors and consultants, the applicant determined that due to the site constraints for the construction of the adjacent Wisconsin Historical Society (WHS) museum, the demolition of the five Mifflin Street buildings is necessary to maintain the life safety standards and functionality of the adjacent Churchill Building. ... The applicant has not provided any documentation from MFD, MPD, or Building Inspection.
The applicant also states in the addendum that by allowing WHS to use the post-demolition Mifflin Street site for construction staging, impacts on the Mifflin Street plaza, including tree removals and pedestrian access, may be reduced.
According to the letter of intent, the applicant intends to undertake demolition in spring 2024. The applicant notes that they expect to redevelop the site into a “high-quality, mixed-use project,” but details of said proposal are not provided.
Alder: There are several public comments in legistar from WHS, Capitol Neighborhoods Inc and the Madison Trust. I oppose the proposal by Hovde Properties to demolish this intact historic arcade building.
9. 81963 Amending Chapter 28 of the Madison General Ordinances to Clarify Various Underground and Site Parking Requirements.
DRAFTER’S ANALYSIS: This proposed ordinance change clarifies the existing parking requirements city-wide in order to make the City of Madison Zoning Code (Chapter 28) more user-friendly. Throughout Chapter 28, there are references to where parking can be located on a site but without cross-referencing other sections it may be unclear to the reader. This change clarifies all instances in the code where a provision in the code was intended to be specific to surface parking and adds “surface” to the definition of “Parking Lot.” It adds consistent language in various parts in the code where surface parking is not allowed between the building and a street and clarifies how primary street is determined on lots with multiple street frontages by adding a definition for primary street.
Alder: There are 19 pages of adjustments to the zoning code (TR-P, TSS, NMX, MXC, CC-T, RMX, DR-1, DR-2, TE, SE and TOD Overlay District, et al) in response to the legal issues raised by the 3722 Speedway court case to clarify parking and site standards. It is a lot for the public to absorb. I hope the Plan Commission carefully reviews these changes.
Upcoming Matters – March 11, 2024
- 529 University Avenue - Demolition Permit and Conditional Use - Demolish restaurant-tavern to construct a 12-story mixed-use building with 1,450 square feet of commercial space and 33 apartments. (This item is at UDC on Wednesday).
- Amending MGO Section 33.24(15)(e)5.a. related to Urban Design Landscaping and Open Space to remove the minimum terrace width requirement with Urban Design Dist. 8 (This item is at UDC on Wednesday).
- Zoning Text Amendment - Amending MGO Sections 28.151 and 28.211 to allow Accessory Dwelling Units for properties with up to eight dwelling units and remove owner-occupancy requirement for ADUs - Zoning Text Amendment - Amending Sections within MGO Chapter 28 related to drive-through windows
- Zoning Text Amendment - Amending MGO Section 28.185 related to Approval of Demolition and Removal to expand considerations for properties with historic value or significance.
- 428-444 State Street - Demolition Permit and Conditional Use - Demolish three buildings to construct six-story tall mixed-use building adjacent to Lisa Link Peace Park with up to 6,445 square feet of commercial space and 26 apartments
Upcoming Matters – March 25, 2024
- Lake Monona Waterfront Master Plan
- 3722 Speedway Road - Conditional Use - Construct four-story mixed-use building with approximately 760 square feet of commercial space and 31 apartments
Wednesday February 28 – Urban Design Commission –4:30p UDC Agenda 2.28.24
You can send comments on agenda items to urbandesigncomments@cityofmadison.com. Comments received after 3:00 p.m. day of meeting may not be added to the public record until after the meeting.
5. 81653 Adopting the Lake Monona Waterfront Master Plan (District 4, District 13, District 14)
6. 81908 Amending Section 33.24(15)(e)5.a. of the Madison General Ordinances related to Urban Design Landscaping and Open Space to remove the minimum terrace width requirement with Urban Design District No. 8.
DRAFTER’S ANALYSIS: This proposed change removes the requirement under MGO Sec. 33.24(15)(e)5.a.v. that terraces in Urban Design District No. 8 have a minimum width of ten (10) feet to accommodate growth of canopy trees. This requirement is no longer needed with the adoption approval and adoption of the Complete Green Streets Policy and guide, which outlines street design parameters, including provides for updated desired terrace measurements for the promotion of canopy trees. In addition to Complete Green Streets, the City Forester reviews items related to tree planting and can assesses the correct width to support healthy tree growth.
Alder: At the January 22 Plan Commission meeting when 702 E Washington project was approved, I was shocked to learn that City Engineering/CE has never required 10' terraces per the adopted UDD 8 ordinance which covers E Wash from Blair to First St that was adopted c2007/8. The conditions of approval for 702 E Washington included an 8' terrace and Plan Commission Chair Ledell Zellers noted the discrepancy with UDD 8 requirements and asked staff for an explanation.
Apparently, the city has never enforced this requirement of the UDD 8 ordinance. Instead, Engineering has approved 8' terraces for 15+ years. Wow.
I have subsequently learned that most if not all the new developments built in the Capitol Gateway corridor have 8’ terraces. I don't believe it was ever mentioned during discussions about these developments that Engineering, and the Board of Public Works, have authority over street terrace designs, not the Urban Design Commission or Plan Commission.
The sponsors are proposing to amend the UDD 8 and to delete the requirement for 10' terraces in the name of consistency with the Complete Green Streets/CGS standards which say 8' terraces are sufficient to grow canopy trees.
Planning staff have indicated they believe that Complete Green Streets is the more restrictive ordinance. In general, I agree with the concept of applying the most restrictive ordinance when there are policy conflicts. It has been a useful tool when trying to balance zoning and historic preservation. But I never envisioned it as a way to undermine an adopted plan and zoning ordinance devoted to the revitalization of this prominent corridor with one of its major focuses on planting canopy trees and creating a grand boulevard.
Renderings in the adopted Capital Gateway BUILD Plan (see pages 28, 45, and 46) show canopy trees on both sides of the avenue and the median planted with canopy trees. MGO 33.24.(15)(e).5.a. ii-vii addresses requirements for canopy trees in UDD 8, including 33.24.(15)(e).5.a. v. which is proposed to be deleted which says, “Terraces shall have a minimum width of ten (10) feet to accommodate growth of canopy trees”.
I’m not convinced that CGS is more restrictive than UDD 8 which has the general goal of “The street face shall be dominated by canopy trees in both the building setback and the public right of way” and detailed criteria regarding tree placement and caliper size. Check pages 25-26 of Complete Green Streets Guide for standards for street typologies. While the Capitol East corridor is not in the tree priority overlay identified in CGS, it is covered by an adopted plan and ordinance intended to create a streetscape of canopy trees.
Unfortunately, it may be a moot point since the bulk of redevelopment has established the 8' terrace pattern. I understand an 8'-foot terrace is likely sufficient to grow canopy trees. But I'm very disappointed that no one caught the lack of application of this adopted ordinance sooner, including me, before so much development happened.
I’m not sure what is the rush to amend the ordinance, since as far as I know there are no new proposed projects, and starting this spring the Urban Design Commission will be undergoing a comprehensive review of all Urban Design Districts. Why not just wait?
8. 80425 929 E Washington Avenue - Major Alteration to a Previously Approved Project in Urban Design District (UDD) 8. (District 6) Owner: Curt Brink, Archipelago Village Applicant: Doug Hursh, Potter Lawson Final Approval is Requested UDC is an Approving Body
Alder: The development team has addressed the outstanding questions from the last UDC meeting regarding the public parking which is tied to the bonus stories and treatment of the internal drive aisle to enhance the pedestrian experience. I support the proposal.
9. 78638 529 University Avenue - Mixed-Use Building in UMX Zoning. (District 2) Owner: Kevin Carey, the Carey Group Applicant: Jeremy Frommelt, Iconica Initial/Final Approval is Requested UDC is an Advisory Body
The proposal to construct a twelve-story, mixed-use building containing ground floor commercial space and 33 residential units (110 beds) has reappeared after a long hiatus. The site is a .11 acre lot. The existing building was built in 1927 as a gas station. It has since been used as a laundromat, a wholesale seafood business, and is currently the Vintage Spirits and Grill.
Wednesday February 28 – Transportation Commission – 5p TC Agenda 2.28.24
8. 82194 E-Bike Speeds and Speed Policy on Shared Use Paths
9. 82195 Transportation Improvement Plan (TIP) Review
Map and presentation in the link.
Thursday February 29 – TIF Review Board – 12p TIF Review Board Agenda 02.29.24
2. 82165 RESOLUTION APPROVING THE AMENDMENT TO THE PROJECT PLAN FOR TID 36 (CAPITOL GATEWAY)
Requesting additional support for the Public Market - $1.64M
Thursday February 29- Garver North Plat Public Info Meeting #2- 6-7:30p
REGISTER IN ADVANCE Parks staff will present the updated plan, answer questions, and listen to feedback. Parks received 2,197 responses to the public survey which was open from November 2- November 26, 2023. View Survey Results
Alder Marsha A. Rummel
District 6
Contact Alder Rummel