McGrath Project Neighborhood Meeting, ALRC Considers New Liquor Store

HI Everyone,

Here are this week's updates:

McGrath East Olin Ave Project Neighborhood Meeting Scheduled for Monday, March 14

McGrath Property Group is proposing to build a 200 unit, 12-story mixed-use development at 222-232 East Olin Ave. The Coliseum Bar would be demolished, but the Wonder Bar would remain at its current location.

Residents interested in learning more are invited to a Zoom meeting:

When: Mar 14, 2022 06:30 PM Central Time

Register in advance for this meeting:

https://cityofmadison.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZUrcu2srzspGNWSLIuohvcbOtyD_MxNlSTG  

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

ALRC Meeting This Wednesay, March 16

Om's Liquor and More appeared before ALRC last month seeking a prmit to open a specialty liquor store in the newly-constructed Emerson building on S. Park St. in Bay Creek. Several D13 residents spoke in opposition. The matter was referred to this month's meeting to see if the business owners and neighbors could work out an acceptable compromise.

I reached out to the business owners with an offer to facilitate such a meeting, but so far none has occurred. I do not know the owner's intent, but it's noteworthy that this meeting has not happened and that there are issues yet to be resolved. Here is the agenda to this Wednesday's meeting, which includes details on how to regiseter to speak. You may send written comments on this agenda item to licensing@cityofmadison.com.

Rent Abatement Policy

The Landlord and Tenant Issues Committee will be continuing discussion on rent abatement at its meeting on Thursday. Click here for meeting details.

Vision Zero

The Transportation Policy and Planning Board will discuss adopting the Vision Zero Action Plan, at its meeting on Monday. Click here for the meeting details.

In The News

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• City and County Announce Location of Permanent Men's Shelter
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• City of Madison Complete Meeting Schedule
• City of Madison Calendar of Events

Lastly...

Parker Palmer is one of my favorite thinkers. I find his writing to be irenic, infused with the grace notes that ring true in my soul. 

His recent Facebook post on Ukraine is worth reflecting on. Here it is, copied in its entirety:

My heart is broken by what's happening in Ukraine AND I'm profoundly inspired by the people of that war-torn country. They are driven by a fierce love of life--their children's lives, their neighbors' lives, the life of their democracy. They make me wonder, again, about myself and my country.

Do we love everyone's life enough to push back on evil for the sake of the common good? Or do we blink the evil done to others as long as our personal lives are going well?

The opposite of loving life isn't hating life--it's fearing life. Authoritarians everywhere fear life's diversity, complexity, exuberance, unpredictability, and creativity, the kind that challenges old orthodoxies. They feel safe only when they have the power to force the world into a form that meets their needs. What they love is death--the death that leaves the world unchanging as the grave.

We in the U.S.A. have Putin's kin among us, and I don't mean merely the fools who praise him on Fox News. I mean people who are afraid of life in an increasingly diverse society, including that messy form of life called "democracy." These people want to "tame" our democracy by perpetuating the Big Lie, making it harder for certain people to vote, denying students a chance to learn about race in America, and banning books about sexual orientation.

In every realm from religion to politics, they will do whatever is necessary to get unruly life "under control." In the long run, they will fail, of course: life always overcomes. But God help those who have to live "in the meantime."

So, a Memo to Self: As you watch the news from Ukraine, go beyond your broken heart: learn and follow. Get in touch with your fierce love of life, everyone's life, and if you find it missing, blow on the embers and rekindle it. Push back on the fearful who want to tamp life down. Work hard to deny power to those who are in love with death. As Ukrainians will tell you, that's a purpose worth living for.

Take care and stay safe.

Tag