Plan Implementation
Northeast Area Plan and West Area Plan
City-Initiated Rezonings
Planning Division staff worked to change the zoning for several properties in the City as part of the Housing Forward initiative. The Northeast Area Plan and West Area Plan recommended changing the zoning of many of these parcels. The rezones were also consistent with land use recommendations in the Area Plans.
Ten properties located along North Whitney Way, University Avenue, Sheboygan Avenue, Gammon Place, South Gammon Road, Mineral Point Road and South Rosa Road were rezoned to Regional Mixed-Use (RMX). The ten properties total 39 acres of land. The RMX zoning district is the City's most intensive zoning district outside of Downtown and supports high-density, residential and mixed-use development. Eight properties located along Lien Road and East Washington Avenue were rezoned to Commercial Corridor – Transitional (CC-T). The eight properties total nine acres of land. The CC-T zoning district also allows for high density, residential and mixed-use development.
Northeast Area Plan
Community Action Strategy Implementation
Staff worked to implement the recommendations in the Northeast Area Plan's Burke Heights and Sandburg Community Action Strategies (CAS). This year the City approved $125,000 in federal Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds for lighting improvements at Sycamore Park in Burke Heights. The community identified a need for lighting during the planning process. The City plans to utilize $125,000 in CDBG funds in 2026 for similar improvements at Sandburg Woods Park. Both projects improve safety and usability. This helps make sure that residents have equitable access to high-quality outdoor spaces and well-preserved natural assets.
South Madison Plan
Equitable Access
Significant progress has been made on the Equitable Access strategies in the South Madison Plan. The City has supported the redevelopment of two vital cultural hubs. The Center for Black Excellence & Culture received $250,000 in City Small Business Equity and Recovery funds. The funds will support its mission of fostering Black leadership and business development. City facilitated a $400,000 loan and relocation support for Centro Hispano. This helped ensure the construction of a modern community facility to better serve the area's residents. To address critical childcare shortages, the City transferred the former Fire Station No. 6 property on Badger Road to Madison College for $1. This will help with the expansion of the Goodman South Campus' Early Learning Center. Fire Station No. 6 operations are temporarily on Fish Hatchery Road. A permanent replacement will be included in a proposed redevelopment project at the corner of Park Street and Badger Road.
Studying Perry Street Beltline Connection
The City is working to improve regional connectivity through strategic investments in the transportation system. The South Madison Plan recommends connecting Perry Street across the Beltline. The City has secured a $1,000,000 grant for the planning and design of the Perry Street Beltline connection. This potential connection would create a critical multi-modal link for all forms of transportation. It would provide South Madison residents with safe and convenient access to economic opportunities and businesses located south of the Beltline.