Community Connections

The Planning Division and representatives from the Madison Metropolitan School District engaged in new coordination, data sharing, and communication efforts.  MMSD provided an update on their upcoming attendance area review process at a Plan Commission meeting. There were also regular meetings between District and Planning leadership, two bus tours to view recently approved and potential development projects and MMSD school facilities.  Attendees included the Superintendent, School Board members, City Alders and Plan Commissioners, along with other community representatives

The Town of Westport submitted a petition to incorporate into a village in late 2024. The Town pursued a Cooperative Plan to help meet State requirements for incorporation Review Board. A Cooperative Plan is a contract between municipalities that can define boundaries, land use, services, and other factors. Planning staff worked with the City Attorney's Office and Mayor's Office to contribute to the Cooperative Plan. It is a five-party agreement between Madison, Westport, DeForest, the City of Middleton, and Waunakee. The City's Comprehensive Plan identifies the Yahara River as the City's growth boundary to the northwest. The Cooperative Plan process provides an avenue for discussion of issues of regional importance and to change its boundary to be more consistent with the Comprehensive Plan. This includes absorbing some City-owned land that is in the Town and a few small Town “islands" southeast of the Yahara River. The final draft of the Cooperative Plan will need to be approved by the governing bodies of all the municipalities in 2026.

Neighborhood Grants help residents:

• Beautify public space
• Create gathering places
• Strengthen neighborhood organizations 

In 2025, the Common Council awarded $26,514 for nine projects. Grantees used their awards in a variety of creative and meaningful ways:

• Arbor Hills Neighborhood Association distributed its newsletter to a wider audience. This encouraged many more people to participate in free community events, especially renters.
• Bay Creek Walking Group hosted a workshop series “Connecting Neighbors for Community Empowerment". The series was held at Lakeside Street Coffee House.  In general, participants were impressed with the breadth of information shared. They hoped that the workshops would continue.
• Hiestand Park Neighborhood Association was restarted by a small group of community-minded residents. They want to rebuild their collective voice around issues and improve connections with each other.
• Junction Ridge Neighborhood continues to enhance Junction Ridge Park. They enlarged the prairie they have been creating. They planted a savanna and installed a community art project.
• Allied Wellness Center hosted a learning garden at Marlborough Park. They also held educational workshops and planting days. Sixty residents participated. They harvested 300 pounds of produce. They shared the produce with a nearby apartment building, the Allied Food Pantry, and others. 
• Arboretum Neighborhood Association painted a community mural at the Lake Forest Water Co-op next to Harvey E. Schmidt Park. The mural fosters connections among residents. It also draws attention to the unique natural landscape. And it enhances the sense of place in an area that was recently absorbed from the Town of Madison.
• Eastmorland Community Center (ECC) is moving. To celebrate the move, they hosted a building farewell celebration. Neighbors painted murals on the soon-to-be demolished walls and created art for ECC's new home.
• Sandburg Neighborhood and Sandburg Elementary Parent-Teacher Organization planted a pollinator-friendly garden. The garden is in an underused part of Sandburg Park. They adorned the garden with stepping stones and art. Neighborhood volunteers will provide ongoing watering and maintenance of the garden.

• Kennedy Heights Community Center is creating a Mobile Peace Mosaic. The mosaic represents community resilience, healing, and dialogue. They also plan to create raised community garden beds to improve food security.