North and Near West Area Plans to Kick Off in November

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Map of Madison highlighting the North and Near West areas

Work on Madison's next two area plans, the North Area Plan and the Near West Area Plan, is underway and the City of Madison is inviting residents and stakeholders in those areas to get involved with the process with a series of kickoff events in the coming months. 

These plans will be the sixth and seventh of 12 Area Plans created under the City's Planning Framework. Work on the North and Near West Area Plans will continue through 2027 and into early 2028. Previous Area Plans approved under this framework are the West Area Plan (2024), Northeast Area Plan (2024), Southwest Area Plan (2026) and Southeast Area Plan (2026). Work on the Downtown Area Plan in conjunction with Downtown Madison, Inc. as part of the Envision Downtown Madison joint effort is ongoing and is expected to be completed in late spring 2027. 

Community Participation Opportunities

Public engagement in the North and Near West Area Plan processes will begin with a series of events in November 2026. Both Area Plans offer two virtual kickoff meeting dates in addition to an in-person meeting. The content of these meetings will be the same, but multiple dates, times, and formats are being offered so interested community members can attend the meeting that best fits their schedule. 

Interpretation and translation services or other accommodations can be requested by contacting the Planning Division by phone at 608-266-4635 or by emailing the appropriate project team (northplan@cityofmadison.com or nearwestplan@cityofmadison.com). Childcare will be provided at the in-person meetings for both Area Plans.

North Area Plan Kickoff Events

Near West Area Plan Kickoff Events

Other Ways to Get Involved

Public involvement in this process will not be limited to these meetings, as both Area Plan teams are working on additional outreach efforts. The Near West Area Plan team is looking to hire several Student Outreach Assistants to connect UW-Madison and Edgewood University students with the planning process. The North Area Plan team will hire Community Partners to engage community members who tend to be underrepresented in City processes, including Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) residents and people whose primary language is not English. 

A pair of interactive commenting maps have also been set up, allowing residents to mark spots on the map they would like to see improved or addressed in the future. 

North Area Plan – Your Ideas Map

Near West Area Plan – Your Ideas Map

About the North Area

  • ~18,800 Residents
  • 36% Identify as BIPOC or Hispanic/Latinx
  • 9,600+ Jobs
North Area Planning area within City.

Boundaries

The North Area is generally bounded by the Yahara River and Cherokee Marsh to the north, Dane County Regional Airport to the east, Aberg Avenue and Maple Bluff to the south, and Lake Mendota to the west.

Alder Districts

Get Web Updates

North Area Plan Website

About the Near West Area

  • ~37,300 Residents
  • 26% Identify as BIPOC or Hispanic/Latinx
  • 52,000+ Jobs
Simple map of the Near West Area Plan boundary.

Boundaries

The Near West Area is generally bounded by Shorewood Hills and Lake Mendota to the north, Park Street and Monona Bay to the east, Arboretum Drive/Haywood Drive/the Beltline to the south, and Midvale Boulevard to the west.

Alder Districts

Get Web Updates

Near West Area Plan Website

About Area Plans

An Area Plan is a long-term vision to guide changes in the physical aspects of our community, such as development initiated by the private sector and infrastructure improvements typically carried out by the public sector. Plan recommendations are guided by adopted City policies, including the Comprehensive Plan, and feedback from the community. Plans help prioritize what investments the community wants to pursue with limited resources.

Departments:

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