Southwest Area Plan - Adopted by Common Council | June 23, 2026

"This Plan creates a framework to guide changes in the Area in the coming years while continuing to value the features that make Southwest Madison Special" |  Executive Summary: Southwest Area Plan

Plan Highlights: 

• Support local job creation by "potential" Tax Incremental Financial Districts (TIDS).
• Elver Park prepare master plan, increase access and connections.
• Hammersley Road shared-use path extension to Elver Park.
• Opportunities for mixed-use development at key locations.
• Many actions in the Plan can be implemented over the next decade, but some actions either have an uncertain timeline or may take longer than a decade to implement. Implementation of actions in this plan are dependent on funds being available through future City budgets or other services.
• It is anticipated that the Plan will be updated approximately every 10 years.
• nINA Collective: The City contracted with the nINA Collective for  Community Feedback: hosting a series of focus groups to inform the development of the area plan for neighborhoods in both the Southeast and Southwest Area Plans. | Spring 2025 - 10 focus groups (30 participants SE Area Plan) (57 participants for the Southwest Area Plan) conducted to inform the Southwest and Southeast Madison Plan. 
• Southwest Area Plan (SWAP) community focus groups held at: Elver Park Neighborhood Center, Reach Dane on Red Arrow, Meadowridge Library, Theresa Terrace Neighborhood Center, Zavala's Market & Tapueria.
  • Transportation: Residents voiced consistent concerns about the inefficiency and limited reach of public transportation.
  • Housing: Affordable, safe accessible house emerged as a top priority,
  • Jobs & Economic Security: : Limited Opportunities, Job Training, Nontraditional Employment Pathways (youth employment opportuities, summer jobs, business incubators), 
• Safety & Wellbeing: Policing, environmental safety, Health Access.
• Community Spaces: Community gathering spaces, Welcoming Events (especially missing the Elver Park Fireworks which used to be a community event where people of all backgrounds celebrated together.

• Community Enrichment: Investing in driving schools to support youth & adults.

  People reported feeling most welcome during inclusive community events and in spaces that acknowledged their cultural and linguistic diversity. Residents requested of the City to ensure that planning, programs and public spaces reflect and celebrate the diversity of the community. Building on examples like: fireworks at Elver Park, Luna's Grocery Store, Allied Wellness Center, neighborhood schools and libraries...the City has the opportunity to integrate welcoming and inclusive spaces into all of their planning in both the Southeast AND Southwest areas.

  Facilitators asked the top level question:  

  What's important to you regarding: Transportation, Housing, Jobs and Economic Opportunities, Health and Safety,  in your neighborhood? 

  What are some of the activities, events, places in your neighborhood that make you feel safe? 

  f you could make a wish for one infrastructure project (something physical that can be built or installed) that would really benefit your community, what would that be?

  STAFF REPORT

  Southwest Area Plan - Phase 2 Community Feedback Summary (January 16, 2026). A total of 437 public comments were received between June 2025 through January 2026. A full list of ALL comments is available for review in the raw data report. 

  LAND USE, TRANSPORTATION, NEIGHBORHOODS AND HOUSING, ECONOMY AND OPPORTUNITY, CULTURE AND CHARACTER, GREEN AND RESILIENT, EFFECTIVE GOVERNMENT, HEALTH AND SAFETY, COMMUNITY ACTION STRATEGY.

  Tremendous appreciation to the Southwest Area Plan Project Team: Ben Zellers, Urvashi Martin: Tim Parks, Kirstie Laatsch, Linda Horvoth, Angela Puerta.

  SOUTHWEST AREA: Population: 37,094 | City of Madison: 274,730 | RACIAL & ETHNIC COMPOSITION: Residents: 10,000  - 

  Racial and Ethnic Composition: Southwest Area

  White: 63.3% | Black: 10.3% | Asian: 8.4% | Other race/two or more races: 5.1% | Hispanic: 12.9%

  Racial and Ethnic Composition: Madison

  White: 68.8% | Black: 7.3% | Asian: 9.4% | Other race/two or more races: 5.5% | Hispanic: 9.0% |

  The full Southwest Area Plan can be downloaded at www.cityofmadison.com/southwestplan.  Both the Southeast Area Plan (SEAP) and the Southwest Area Plan (SWAP) was adopted by the Madison Common Council June 23, 2026. 

  District 20 Residents review the SWAP and continue to contact the  Alder regarding additional comments.  It is anticipated that the Plan will be updated approximately every 10 years. Review Common Council Meeting, June 23. Additional comments by Alder Harrington-McKinney on the Southwest Area Plan will be posted to Legistar.