City-County Building
Common Council

Week of June 8, 2026

posted 

Dear neighbors,

As we move into the heart of summer, Madison is filled with opportunities to engage with our community, enjoy our parks, provide input on important city initiatives, and stay informed about projects impacting our neighborhoods. I encourage residents to take advantage of the many events, meetings, and engagement opportunities happening throughout the coming weeks.

🚸City Budget Engagement Session – Public Facilities & Services

One of the most important opportunities for residents to help shape Madison's future is through the annual budget process.

The second of three City Budget Engagement Sessions will focus on Public Facilities & Services.

When: Thursday, June 11, 2026, from 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

Where: Vel Phillips Memorial High School

This session provides residents an opportunity to:

  • Learn about the City budget process
  • Speak directly with City staff during an open house
  • Hear a presentation from Finance Director Dave Schmiedicke
  • Participate in a Q&A session with Alders
  • Share priorities and feedback for future budget decisions

Featured departments include:

  • Assessor's Office
  • Clerk's Office
  • Engineering
  • Fleet Services
  • Human Resources
  • Information Technology
  • Madison Public Library
  • Monona Terrace
  • Parks Division
  • Streets & Urban Forestry
  • Water Utility

I encourage District 7 residents to attend and help shape our community priorities.

🏡Planned Development (PD) Rezoning Project

The City is exploring rezoning a number of single-family and two-family Planned Development (PD) properties into conventional zoning districts.

The City of Madison is hosting two virtual Public Information Meetings on its Planned Development Rezoning project. Residents interested in attending one of the meetings will need to register ahead of time to receive a link to the virtual meeting. Meetings will be held on:

This effort seeks to:

  • Create more equitable opportunities for property owners
  • Make zoning regulations easier to understand
  • Standardize development requirements
  • Streamline permitting processes
  • Allow neighborhoods to evolve over time
  • Expand opportunities for Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) and two-unit homes where allowed

Many District 7 properties are included in this review.

🏛️ Help Shape the Future of Transportation in the Greater Madison Area

What should transportation in the Greater Madison region look like in 2050?

That's the question the Greater Madison Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) is asking residents as it launches Pathways to 2050, a long-range Regional Transportation Plan update that will help shape transportation priorities across the Greater Madison area over the next 20–30 years.

As Dane County continues to grow, the plan will guide future decisions related to roads, public transit, walking and biking infrastructure, accessibility, and safety and help inform how federal transportation funding is prioritized throughout the region.

Residents are encouraged to get involved throughout the planning process in several ways:

Take the Public Survey

Residents can complete a 10-minute survey, available in  English(external) and  Spanish(external), to share transportation needs, priorities, and challenges across the region. 

Participants can also use an  interactive comment map(external) to identify areas of concern, highlight transportation challenges, or suggest improvements in specific locations.

Residents who would like to take the survey in a language other than English or Spanish can complete the survey by phone at (608) 266-4336.

Attend a Public Involvement Meeting

The MPO will also host a series of public involvement meetings throughout the planning process, beginning in June. The first meeting will be offered on two dates and times for scheduling flexibility:

Both meetings will be held virtually and include an overview of the planning process, regional transportation trends and data, draft goals, and opportunities for public feedback.

🌿 Madison Police Summer Traffic Safety Initiative

Residents concerned about speeding and traffic safety in their neighborhoods can utilize the City's Speeds & Speeders Hotline.

In an effort to reduce speeding and dangerous driving, the Madison Police Department is once again launching a summer traffic safety initiative.

The proactive safety program will run now until Sept. 1, 2026. As in past years, officers will focus on speeding, reckless driving and violations at traffic lights and stop signs.

"When we looked at our data from last year to this year, we had a reduction in traffic crashes overall. But we've seen an increase in more serious injuries," said Madison Police Assistant Chief Matt Tye.

Drivers will see more speed enforcement waves as a result of this safety plan. Officers will concentrate enforcement in areas where crashes and dangerous driving are most common, such as the Beltline, East Washington Avenue, Mineral Point Road and the intersection of Gammon and Watts roads.

MPD leadership will also review crash data weekly and make any necessary enforcement changes based on that information. These newly identified areas would then receive extra patrols and additional enforcement.

“We've had an increase in community members reaching out concerned about traffic safety. This program was designed after hearing their concerns," Tye said. "We need everyone to do their part, make good decisions and slow down when you are behind the wheel."

Research consistently shows citations are more effective than warnings in improving driving behavior.

Community members are encouraged to share their traffic concerns with officers online at the Madison Police Department website.

View full news release

🌱 Updates and Notices

🏛️ 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, June 9, at 6:30 p.m. in hybrid format. Agenda items include honoring resolutions for Juneteenth and Pride Month, as well as approving roadway geometry for Regent Street. 
  • Board of Public Works: The Board of Public Works meeting will take place on Wednesday, June 10, at 4:30 p.m. in virtual format. Agenda items include approval of various street improvements and contract approvals. 
  • Plan Commission: The Plan Commission meeting will take place on Thursday, June 11, at 5:00 p.m. in Room 215 of the Madison Municipal Building at 215 Martin Luther King Jr Blvd. Agenda items include an update on the data center moratorium. 

  • Madison Metropolitan Sewerage District Commission Meeting

    • Date: Thursday, June 11, 2026
    • Time: 8:00 a.m.
    • Location: Maintenance Facility Training Room, 1610 Moorland Rd, Madison
    • Hybrid attendance options are available for the public.
    • Agenda materials and meeting details are available through the MMSD Commission meetings webpage:
      MMSD Commission Meeting Agenda & Information

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

📰 Announcements and News Releases

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.

🎉 Community Events

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

💬 Looking Ahead

I appreciate everyone who continues to engage in city government, attend meetings, share concerns, and participate in community events. Your input helps guide decisions that affect our neighborhoods and strengthens District 7 and the City of Madison as a whole.

As always, please don't hesitate to reach out with questions, concerns, or ideas. I look forward to seeing many of you at upcoming meetings and community events.

Sincerely,
Badri Lankella
Alder, District 7
City of Madison

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Portrait of Alder Badri Lankella

Alder Badri Lankella

District 7
Contact Alder Lankella

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