District 19 News and Notes for March 10

So much news to catch up on! Here's what's happening.

South Point yard waste site restored

Last month I was pleased to co-sponsor a budget amendment restoring service at the South Point yard waste site for 2013. The site will open for the season on March 30.

Private wells grandfathered

The 200 or so owners of private residential water wells can now keep them until they sell the property or the well becomes unsafe. In 2011, the Council ended the private well program and required all homes to connect to city water after their existing permit expired. After nearly a year of negotiation and advocacy by well owners, compromise was reached and last month I sponsored an ordinance change to bring back the private well program. There are nearly 40 private wells in district 19 alone, most of them holdovers from before the homes were annexed into the city.

Fire Station 2 reopening

The year-long rehab of Fire Station 2 on Grand Canyon is complete! The crews are moved in and the station is fully operational. Please join us for a grand re-opening and hose uncoupling ceremony on April 25 at 1:00.

Proposed liquor store

Lakhvir Kaur is applying for a license to operate a full-service liquor store at 6640 Mineral Point Road in the Clock Tower center. A public hearing on the proposal will be held before the Alcohol License Review Committee on March 20, and the Common Council on April 16.

Siren testing

Dane County Emergency Management is in the process of upgrading the countywide outdoor warning siren system.  Part of this process involves configuring and individually sounding each of the sirens as they are brought on-line on the new system.  This configuration and testing is different from the first Wednesday of the month tests that we usually run. 

Throughout the month of March, the sirens will be sounded one-by-one, for approximately 60 to 90 seconds in duration.  Most of this work will be done during normal business hours, but there may be a need to work on Saturdays as well.  The sirens will not be sounded before 9:00 am or after 5:00 pm.

If a threat of severe weather exists, the upgrading will be postponed until the threat has passed.

Development news

• Phase 1 of University Crossing, the UW Heath Digestive Health Center, is nearing completion and will open in April. Phase 2 (offices, retail and abatements) is coming along well and will open later this year.
• A two-tenant retail building with drive-through has been approved for the foamer Good & Loud site on University Avenue. Demolition and construction will probably move forward later this year.
• The former Gordie Boucher car dealership on Odana Road has been demolished. A new Carmax dealership will start construction later this year.
• Russ Darrow Kia is proposing to rebuild their dealership on Odana Road. The new building will occupy the same footprint as the current one. (Application not yet filed.)
• Wynwood Senior Living on S. Yellowstone is expanding. They will be renovating their existing two-story facility and adding a three-story addition.

Thanks for reading and staying in touch!

-Mark C.

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I welcome your questions and comments about this or any other city issue. Please contact me at district19@cityofmadison.com or 608-695-5709.

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