City Meetings and Updates Week of Sept 22

• City Meetings: Housing Policy Committee 9/25
• Fall Leaf Collection Begins in October, Dates Available
  • How do I get the fall yard waste set-out dates for my home?
  • What will yard waste crews collect?
  • How should I put out my yard waste for collection?
  • Consider composting your leaves instead!
• Neighborhood Indicators Project Updated with 2024 Data
• Events & Announcements

City Meetings: Housing Policy Committee

The Housing Policy Committee meeting will take place on Thursday, September 25, at 4:30 p.m. in virtual format. Agenda items include reviewing and making an advisory recommendation to the Plan Commission for three Fall 2025 Housing Forward zoning code proposals. Following the Housing Policy Committee’s vote on Thursday, these three proposals are planned to go to the Plan Commission on October 6th and Common Council on October 7th.

• Item 2: reduce minimum lot width and lot area within certain zoning districts and to reduce the rear setback for alley loaded one-story attached garages; here’s the staff presentation
• Item 3: update the existing step-down rules for larger buildings when adjacent to a residential district; here’s the staff presentation
• Item 4: allow detached Accessory Dwelling Units to have two units and not be included in maximum permitted use accessory structure size; here’s the staff presentation

Meeting info:

• Meeting Details
• Meeting Agenda
• Register for Public Comment
• Watch Online

Fall Leaf Collection Begins in October, Dates Available

The fall  yard waste and leaves collection of 2025 begins in October. Your address will receive three guaranteed curbside set-out opportunities for leaf and yard waste pickup this fall. The exact dates when you should set out your leaves will depend on where you live. For some neighborhoods, the first set-out opportunity will be Sunday, October 5, 2025.  Others have a different first set-out date. You need to use the yard waste website, or contact the Streets Division, to learn when you should set-out yard waste for pickup at your home. More information is available in this news release from the Streets Division.

How do I get the fall yard waste set-out dates for my home?

Go to our  yard waste webpage. Then, enter your address into the  form on the site. You will see the upcoming set-out date for your neighborhood.

What will yard waste crews collect?

Yard waste crews collect leaves, weeds, pumpkins, and other plant debris you have raked or pulled from your lawn or garden. Yard waste is not the same as  brush. Stacks of brush and piles of yard waste mixed together will not be picked up by the yard waste collection crews.

How should I put out my yard waste for collection?

Place the leaves and yard waste at the street edge or on the terrace. Do not place yard waste into the street – these won’t be picked up and they leach phosphorous into our lakes, degrading water quality. Keep the material at least four feet from obstructions. Street signs, utility poles, mailboxes, trees, stumps, and parked cars get in the way of crews.

If you bag your leaves and yard waste, please use compostable paper leaf and lawn bags. Keep your bags open so crews can see what is inside. Other bags are acceptable if they are kept open, too. Crews may need to rip or slice open plastic bags to get the yard waste out. Crews will leave the split bags behind at the curb.

Consider Composting your leaves instead!

Leaves are a very handy (and free!) mulch material. You might consider mowing them down into your lawn to improve turf health and water retention next year, or gathering them in a pile for composting in your garden – this is what we do at our house.

Here’s some information about composting yard waste in the fall, shared by the University of Wisconsin Horticulture-Division of Extension.

Neighborhood Indicators Project Updated with 2024 Data

Madison’s Neighborhood Indicators Project (NIP) is now updated with the latest data for 2024. A collaboration between the City of Madison and the UW-Madison Applied Population Lab, NIP offers detailed, neighborhood-level insights across more than 50 variables in seven key topic areas: Census, Housing, Public Safety, Health, Education, Economy, and Transportation. The NIP tool will show you information like neighborhood-level population totals, housing characteristics, and student mobility—drawing from local, state, and federal sources data sources.

Image credit: Neighborhood Indicators Project

New in the 2024 Edition:

• Median Rent
• Areas of Limited English Proficiency
• Alternative Transportation to Work

This year also introduces a major upgrade: users can now track indicator changes over time, thanks to the 2022 shift to census geographies. Explore the data at the this Neighborhood Indicators Project webpage.

The City of Madison Planning Division offers free NIP workshops for local organizations. To learn more or schedule a session, contact Urvashi Martin at  umartin@cityofmadison.com or call (608) 266-4635.

Events & Announcements

• John Nolen Drive Reconstruction Project, Monday, September 22: The John Nolen Drive Reconstruction project (E Lakeside St to S Broom St) is anticipated to start construction in early-October 2025. In advance of this significant project, the project team will be hosting a public information meeting at 6:30 p.m., Monday, Sept. 22, 2025, via Zoom. Registration prior is required.
• In Memory of Retired Madison Police Horse Xander 1999 – 2025: Xander was a large Missouri Fox Trotter with a thick black coat that was perfect for warming your hands, petting and hugging.   However, his most defining characteristic was his personality; he was a smart, curious and energetic horse who… [posted September 18, 2025]
• Street Closures for Willy Street Fair: Williamson Street will close, between S Livingston Street and S Ingersoll Street, this weekend for the Willy Street Fair. S Paterson Street and S Brearly Street will also be closed between Williamson Street and the Capital City Trail. [posted September 17, 2025]
• Project Update - Capital City Trail Storm Sewer Replacement: Starting Monday, September 22nd, the Capital City Trail Sewer Replacement Project will begin with a full closure of the bike path from S Blount Street to S Brearly Street. [posted September 17, 2025]
• Cheer Team, Community Celebrate Spirit’s Induction into MPD’s Mounted Patrol Unit: Spirit, a 6 -year-old Percheron Gelding, earned his badge this evening and became an official member of the Madison Police Department Mounted Patrol Unit. Under a warm blue sky, the ceremony took place near the fieldhouse at Vel Phillips Memorial… [posted September 16, 2025]
• 30,000 Pounds of Food Scraps Composted at Farmers’ Markets: Closing in on 2025 Food Scraps Recycling Goal: The City of Madison Streets Division is happy to announce that we have collected 30,177 pounds of food scraps for composing at our three farmers’ market drop-off sites. In 2025, our goal is to collect 40,000 pounds of food scraps for composting. That…  [posted September 15, 2025]
• Homebuyer Education Course Part 2 of 3, Tuesday, September 23: This HUD-Certified Homebuyer Education Course assists aspiring homeowners with making informed decisions and to potentially qualify for specialized loan programs.
• Deaf President Now! Film Screening, Wednesday, September 24: Join us for a screening and discussion of Deaf President Now! A student-led protest at Gallaudet University led to the appointment of the university’s first Deaf president, Dr. I. King Jordan, marking a turning point in the fight for Deaf rights.
• Mobile Vaccination Clinic - Sennett Middle School, Saturday, September 27: All vaccines are free for eligible individuals. Children six months and older who lack insurance, are under 19, and are either Alaskan Native or American Indian, as well as those with BadgerCare or most other types of insurance, can receive vaccinations at no cost.
• Bird & Nature Adventures | Edna Taylor, Saturday, September 27: Join a naturalist for an easy, family-friendly walk from Aldo Leopold Nature Center into beautiful Edna Taylor Conservation Park and enjoy a bit of nature education along the way.
• Visit the Greater Madison MPO @ the Dane County Farmers' Market, Saturday, September 27: The Greater Madison MPO is partnering with local communities and organizations to promote Week Without Driving, a nationwide challenge happening Monday, September 29 through Sunday, October 5, 2025, that highlights the importance of accessible, multimodal transportation options.
• Week Without Driving Community Discussion — Madison, Sunday, September 28: The Greater Madison Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) and Capital Area Regional Planning Commission (CARPC), in partnership with UW–Madison Transportation Services and AARP Wisconsin, are hosting a Community Discussion as part of the Week Without Driving.

Please visit the City news webpage to find additional news and announcements and to subscribe to receive notification of news releases as they are posted. Additional upcoming events can also be found on the City events calendar.