Fiscal Note
The Planning Division’s 2026 Adopted Operating Budget includes approximately $60,600 for area plan processes within the Purchased Services and Supplies majors expenditure categories, and additional funding for area planning in 2027 is included in the Division’s 2027 Operating Budget request. Beyond staff time, costs associated with plan development, including public participation activities, are included in the Planning Division and other agencies’ operating budgets. City costs associated with eventual implementation of Plan recommendations will be included in future operating and capital budgets subject to Common Council approval. No additional City appropriation required in 2026.
Title
Authorizing the Planning Division to lead the preparation of the North Area Plan and Adopting a Public Participation Plan (District 12 and District 18)
Body
WHEREAS, a planning framework with 12 area plans was approved by the Common Council on August 2, 2022 (RES-22-00577, File #71147); and
WHEREAS, RES-25-00445 identifies the North Area as the sixth area plan to be undertaken; and
WHEREAS, the North Area is generally bounded by the Yahara River and Cherokee Marsh on the north, Dane County Regional Airport on the east, the Village of Maple Bluff and Aberg Avenue on the south, and Lake Mendota on the west (see Exhibit A); and
WHEREAS, there are four previously adopted city plans that cover portions of the North Area: Brentwood Village-Packers-Sherman Neighborhood Plan (adopted in 1996), Cherokee Special Area Plan (2007), Northport-Warner Park-Sherman Neighborhood Plan (2009), and Oscar Mayer Special Area Plan (2020); and
WHEREAS, the North Area planning process will include a review of the recommendations in these previously adopted plans for consistency with the scope/level of detail established for area plans, current stakeholder priorities, and adopted citywide plans and policies, such as the Comprehensive Plan; and
WHEREAS, recommendations in previously adopted plans that are found to be consistent as described above will be considered for incorporation into the North Area Plan and previously adopted plans will be archived; and
WHEREAS, the North Area Plan will be an interagency effort, with collaboration and contributions from many City of Madison agencies, including but not limited to Parks, Engineering, Community Development, Economic Development, Transportation, Streets, Forestry, Water Utility, Public Health, Fire, and Police; and
WHEREAS, Plan recommendations will focus on guiding changes to the physical aspects of the North Area that occur incrementally over decades, such as development initiated by the private sector and infrastructure improvements typically carried out by the public sector; and
WHEREAS, areas with over 50% low- and moderate-income households, shown on Exhibit B, are eligible for the use of federal Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding to support physical improvements, with any proposed use of CDBG funding determined as Plan recommendations are developed; and
WHEREAS, Plan recommendations will be based on public input, the City’s Comprehensive Plan, and other City policies, focusing on issues that are specific to the North area; and
WHEREAS, Wisconsin Comprehensive Planning Law (Sec. 66.1001 Wis. Stats.) requires adoption of written procedures fostering public participation since eventual Area Plan recommendations will update the City’s Comprehensive Plan; and
WHEREAS, consistent with the planning framework, the attached Project Scope, Schedule and Public Participation Plan (Exhibit C) emphasizes gathering feedback from areas that include higher percentages of residents from Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) and those living with lower incomes; and
WHEREAS, the attached Project Scope, Schedule and Public Participation Plan (Exhibit C) outlines anticipated issues and coordination with initiatives that affect the North area.
NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the City of Madison Planning Division is authorized to lead the preparation of the North Area Plan; and
THEREFORE, BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED that the attached Project Scope, Schedule and Public Participation Plan (Exhibit C), which complies with Wisconsin Comprehensive Planning Law (Sec. 66.1001 Wis. Stats.) for amending the City’s Comprehensive Plan, is adopted as a guide that proactively and equitably engages and informs residents, businesses, property owners, and other stakeholders within the North Area.