District 19 in the Southwest Area Plan

Overview

Madison's area planning is a systematic process for developing detailed plans for the entire city by 2031 before beginning the cycle again. The previous neighborhood planning process was missing too many areas of the city. There are twelve defined areas. The area planning process takes about two years, with two or three area plans launched each year. As area plans are adopted, they are incorporated into Madison's Comprehensive Plan.

The majority of District 19 was covered by the West Area Plan, which was launched in 2023 and adopted by the Common Council in 2024. The remaining portion of District 19, bounded by the Beltline, S Gammon Rd, Whitney Way, and Schroeder Rd, is included in the Southwest Area Plan. It launched in late 2024 and is scheduled for adoption in late June, 2026.

These are long-range plans. They contain many recommended actions in nine categories. Individual actions must be authorized in separate Common Council actions. Some may be implemented quickly, most will take place over many years, and some will never take place.

Many of the recommended actions would benefit the entire area or even Madison as a whole. Below, I list those recommended actions that would specifically benefit District 19. I also show the page number of the final draft plan where you will find the recommended action.

Image credit: Madison Planning

Plan Highlights

• Create opportunities for mixed-use development at key locations – two along Schroeder Rd (page 3)
• Support local job creation by potential creation of new tax incremental finance districts – including in District 19 (page 3)
• Improve pedestrian and bicyclist safety and connectivity, especially in the Schroeder Rd corridor (page 3)

Land Use

• Note generalized future land use (GFLU) allows for future additional mixed-use (including multi-family) development in District 19, with building heights of five to eight stories allowed throughout the District 19 area (page 13).
• Rezone some properties near Schroeder Rd and Whitney Way with a community mixed-use (CMU) generalized future land use (GFLU) from suburban residential-varied 2 (SR-V2) to commercial corridor – transitional (CC-T) to encourage mixed-use redevelopment with new street configuration (pages 13-14).
• Future re-development of Vitense Golfland might allow a re-design of the Schroeder Rd intersection with Whitney Way. The Plan gives an example of the multi-use and commercial development that could then take place just south of the current intersection (page 15).

Transportation

• The Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) PEL draft plan for Beltline improvements includes some recommendations to which the city objects. Madison supports the possibility of an additional non-interchange crossing (over-pass or under-pass) between Odana Rd and Kessel Ct and between Grand Canyon Dr and the Seybold/Struck intersection (pages 18 and 23).
• Additional bicycle/pedestrian beltline over-pass or under-pass (page 19).
• Further development of a shared-use path/two-way bike facility on Struck Rd.
• Development of on-street road/protected bike facilities on Watts Rd, Forward Dr, and Kessel Ct (page 19).
• Undertake the grant-funded Safe Streets for All review of Schroeder Road to develop a detailed list of improvements to reduce speeding and improve safety for drivers, pedestrians, and bicyclists. Improvements may include such things as narrowing the street at select locations, traffic calming, reviewing Rayovac Drive and Forward Drive for the potential addition of an all-way stop or traffic signal, and adding flashing beacons at frequently used pedestrian crossings (page 22).

Neighborhoods and Housing

• Work with developers to encourage larger apartment units and to preserve units large enough to support larger families (three or more bedrooms) in proximity to schools (page 25).
• For new housing partially funded by the City (through the City's Land Banking program, Affordable Housing Fund, or Tax Increment Districts), work with partners to distribute housing at costs affordable to a variety of households throughout the Southwest Area, with a focus on the transit corridors of . . . Schroeder Road, South Whitney Way, South Gammon Road, and . . . (page 25).
• Work with area recreational facilities in and near the Southwest Area (John  Powless Tennis Center, Madison Ice Arena, Odana Golf Course, Ridgewood Swimming Pool, Vitense Golfland, Westside Swim Club, YMCA) to increase access to recreational opportunities by securing scholarships for area youth (page 26).

Economy and Opportunity

• As Town of Middleton properties in the Seybold/Watts area (islands in District 19) transfer to the City for redevelopment, work with TIF staff to discuss amendment(s) to TID boundaries and project plans to assist with non-assessable infrastructure improvements and other necessary investments into former Town areas. These islands lack sidewalks, curb and gutter, stormwater management, and street trees (page 31).

Culture and Character

• Establish placemaking that builds neighborhood identity and pride through signage, landscaping, public art, and community storytelling projects. Possible locations include underpasses of the Beltline at . . .  Struck Street . . .  (page 34).
• As part of the citywide Urban Design Code update, evaluate whether the boundary and standards for Urban Design District #2 should be updated to focus on guiding redevelopment at Schroeder Road and Whitney Way (page 34).

Green and Resilient

• No specific District 19 recommendations.

Effective Government

• If areas along Schroeder Road redevelop with higher intensity uses, extend sanitary sewer west on Schroeder Road to the Madison Metropolitan Sewerage District Interceptor located near Struck Street (page 40).

Health and Safety

• Conduct Vision Zero speed analyses, increase traffic enforcement and explore traffic calming improvements like road diets, speed bumps and other measures on the following streets (see Speed and Safety Analysis Map which includes Schroeder Rd) (page 42).
• Where not already required by State regulations, the City should encourage any new residential buildings within 200 feet of the Beltline to use materials and insulation to reduce interior noise levels below 52 decibels, consistent with State Code. Sites should be designed to shield outdoor spaces from noise levels above 67 decibels. Developments near the Beltline should follow setback and noise regulations outlined in Wisconsin Admin Code and City Ordinances (page 42).

Community Action Strategy

• Provide information to property owners and tenants in areas such as . . . Schroeder Road on how to request and prepare for building inspections, including timelines, procedures, and available City resources to support compliance and maintenance (page 46).
• During the area plan outreach effort, residents placed a high priority on public art for the Struck Street/Beltline underpass (page 46).