Common Council passes third Housing Forward package of 2025
For Immediate Release
December 9, 2025
City of Madison Alders approved two more housing-focused ordinances during its December 9 meeting, capping off a year of impactful policy changes to make it easier to build more homes across Madison.
The latest proposals will make more efficient use of Madison’s busiest transit corridors and allow more housing in those areas. The initiatives also create another neighborhood-scale housing option in the form of “cottage courts,” a collection of no more than eight homes gathered around a shared courtyard on a single lot.
I’m grateful for the robust support from my colleagues on the Council. We’re making real progress on creating more housing opportunities in Madison and it’s very encouraging to see how this is a shared priority of our community and our elected leaders. There is still work to be done to ensure every resident can find a home in Madison that works for their family. I’m looking forward to continuing to improve our policies and procedures in 2026.
Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway
The proposals adopted by the Common Council on Tuesday evening will:
Allow four-home structures to be built in residential areas along major transportation corridors.
Limit drive-through windows along major transportation corridors unless they are incorporated into larger, multi-story buildings that also provide housing opportunities.
Prohibit the creation of new low-density uses like car washes, auto sales businesses, and standalone private surface parking lots along major transportation corridors. Surface parking lots that serve other buildings, like a parking lot associated with a business or residential development, are still allowed.
Allow the building of “cottage courts,” which could be a collection of condominium homes, homes on their own individual lots, or homes on a single lot with a single owner.
