Fiscal Note
Fiscal Note: There is no fiscal impact associated with the adoption of the plan. However, implementing specific recommendations within the plan will have fiscal impacts in the future and will require Common Council approval at that time.
Title
Adopting the Southwest Neighborhood Plan and recommendations contained therein as a supplement to the City's adopted Comprehensive Plan. Ald. Districts 1, 19, & 20.
Body
WHEREAS the City of Madison's Comprehensive Plan adopted January 17, 2006 (Substitute Ordinance No. 02207) recommends the adoption of neighborhood plans for established residential neighborhoods within the City; and
WHEREAS the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Commission has designed the Southwest area (selected of portions of census tract 4.04 and 5.01) as a CDBG Concentration Neighborhood for the purposes of providing planning assistance and CDBG funding for eligible neighborhood improvement projects;
WHEREAS the Southwest Neighborhood Steering Committee (SWNSC) guided the preparation of the plan with input from the Greentree, Meadowood, Prairie Hills, and Orchard Ridge Neighborhood Associations as well as neighborhood residents, business community and other interested stakeholders; and
WHEREAS the SWNSC prioritized the top six overall plan recommendations, summarized in priority order: 1) Assign additional police services/resources to the Bettys-Theresa-Hammersley, Balsam-Russett and Park Ridge areas; 2) Expand Meadowridge Library at or near its present location and provide additional programs/services for youth and adult residents, with an added emphasis on programs dealing with education and employment resources; 3) Promote a variety of home ownership and rehabilitation programs, loans and services focusing on Bettys-Theresa-Hammersley, Balsam-Russett, Park Ridge, and Schroeder-Berkshire areas; 4) Increase programming for youth, adults and seniors, such as ESL classes, GED, tutoring, and after-school and summer educational/recreational activities; 5) Develop communication mechanism between Madison Police, property owners and neighborhood associations to address neighborhood-related issues jointly; and 6) Purchase ambulance for Fire Station No. 7.
WHEREAS the Plan recommendations have been reviewed by City Department/Agencies and approved by the appropriate City boards and commissions; and
WHEREAS this is a mid-range plan where City Departments/Agencies are expected to work with neighborhood associations, property owners, and other pertinent stakeholders to assist in the implementation of Plan recommendations over a ten-year time frame.
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Common Council does hereby adopt the Southwest Neighborhood Plan as a supplement to the City's Comprehensive Plan.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the changes to the Comprehensive Plan's Generalized Future Land Use Plan Map recommended in the Southwest Neighborhood Plan be considered for adoption during the next annual Comprehensive Plan evaluation and amendment process.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the following specific recommendations have been organized according to the agency responsible to take the lead for implementation with plan recommendation listed in priority order by implementation agency.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that prior to the commencement of the annual budget process, the Department of Planning & Community & Economic Development will prepare a status report on the implementation of the neighborhood plan recommendations and forward said status report to City agencies for consideration in establishing future agency work plans and budget submittals.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that for those plan recommendations with capital budget implications, the Department of Planning & Community & Economic Development will forward this information to the Capital Improvement Review Committee (CIRC) for their consideration as part of annual capital budget review process.
BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED that the appropriate City agencies be requested to consider assigning priority in future work plans to proceed with the implementation of the highest priority projects and activities in the Plan.
Neighborhood Preservation & Inspection
1. Conduct training sessions for landlords, tenants and potential buyers in order to promote quality tenants and good property management practices. As part of the training: 1) Develop a checklist for local residents to use to assess building code violations and the steps to report suspected code violations to the Neighborhood Preservation & Inspection Unit and 2) Provide information on existing programs, such as Dane County Housing Authority Home Ownership Counseling, YWCA Second Chance Tenant Education Program, to building and repairing credit, financial planning, finding and maintaining housing, understanding landlord/tenant and fair housing laws, communicating with landlords and understanding notices and contracts associated with renting.
2. Conduct systematic inspection of housing and monitor repairs at least quarterly to ensure code violations are corrected in a consistent, timely manner. Develop a tracking system to monitor property code violations for district alderpersons, building inspection and neighborhood associations to use. Focus of Bettys-Theresa-Hammersley, Balsam-Russett, Park Ridge and Schroeder-Berkshire sub areas.
3. Encourage single-family, multifamily property-owners, and commercial property-owners to install lighting and other security improvements.
Community Development Block Grant
1. Develop Employment and Training Strategy for Southwest neighborhoods. As part of the strategy, develop relationships with major local employers and provide employment training or other classes that provide skill building to underemployed labor force. As part of the strategy, address reentry of ex-offenders into the job market
2. Promote a variety of home ownership and rehabilitation programs, loans and services that promote neighborhood stability. Focus on Bettys-Theresa-Hammersley, Balsam-Russett, Park Ridge, and Schroeder-Berkshire sub areas. Provide materials and workshops in multiple languages. Programs to promote include: American Dream Downpayment Assistance, Homebuyer's Assistance Loans, Home-Buy, Deferred Payment Loans, Housing Choice Voucher Program and Rental Rehab Loans.
Community Services
1. Increase programming for youth, adults and seniors within the neighborhood. Such programs include, but are not limited to: ESL classes, GED, tutoring, and after-school and summer educational/recreational activities. Also take advantage of citywide programs and explore methods of transportation. Improve funding through better information on grant programs.
2. Secure youth employment and/or employment skill training with local and regional public and private business sectors.
3. Develop neighborhood-based network and/or a distribution relationship to assemble and disseminate community information about neighborhood events, programs for youth and adults, and social and economic issues. A distribution relationship could include: United Way 211, City of Madison Youth Services, Madison School Community Recreation, Wisconsin Youth and Family Service Center, Joining Forces for Families, the Meadowridge Branch Library, electronic listservs, websites, individual neighborhood associations and schools.
4. Establish a coalition of neighborhood associations (i.e. neighborhood planning council) with representation from the business community, community centers, faith-based organizations, and other stakeholders to work jointly on neighborhood plan priorities and to initiate other agreed-upon activities, services, and programs within the area. As part of the effort, improve communications amongst the stakeholders through electronic system, such as e-Neighbors.
Community Development Authority
1. Explore the development of a new program to allow the conversion/sale of CDA rental housing to affordable homeownership in the Bettys-Theresa Terrace-Hammersley sub area .
Engineering Division
1. Evaluate and proceed according regarding the potential extension of Lucy-Lincoln-Heistand greenway pedestrian/bicycle path to connect with the bicycle path at Hammersley Park and to the greenway pedestrian/bicycle path south of Raymond Road.
2. Work with property-owners to identify and pursue installation of sidewalks at: 1) 5800 block of Balsam Road and 2) south side of Hammersley Road. The neighborhood association will work with property-owners to measure level of support prior to any construction.
3 Consider and plan accordingly on installing a sidewalk curb cut and median cut-through at Raymond Road near the Lucy Lincoln Heistand Park to facilitate pedestrian/bicycle movement along the greenway system.
4. Consider and plan accordingly for constructing a facing bump-out on the south side of Raymond Road at Leland Drive to complete the crossing to the bump-out that will be constructed across Raymond Road at the Meadowood Shopping Center.
Fire Department
1. Explore purchasing a new ambulance and evaluate the placement of the newly acquired ambulance at Fire Station No. 7.
Library Board
1. Explore the feasibility of expanding Meadowridge Library at or near its present location. Provide services and programs for youth and adult residents, with an added emphasis on programs dealing with education and employment resources. Offer bilingual classes in Spanish and Hmong. Use the library as a clearinghouse for programs and services offered for youth and families in the area. A new facility should include adequate meeting space for neighborhood-based groups.
Parks Division
1. Enhance facilities at Elver Park to offer an array of community and recreational opportunities year-round. Future uses to explore: community center, swimming pool, splash park and skiing & snowmaking equipment.
2. Explore developing a fenced dog park in the Southwest Planning Area and act accordingly to pursue installation.
3. Explore and take appropriate actions to develop community gardens at: 1) North of Raymond Road (Lucy Lincoln Heistand Park); 2) South of Hammersley Road (between Loreen Drive and Lynndale Road); 3) Hammersley Park (located adjacent to Falk Elementary School); 4) Meadowood Park (located east of Balsam Road); 5) along the south side of Schroeder Road (east of multifamily apartment complex) and 6) Park Ridge Neighborhood.
4. Develop a fitness trail and walking routes that utilizes the existing parks, greenway and trail systems
5. Improve accessibility, visibility and recreational use of Hammersley Park by: removing underbrush, overgrown shrubs and trees, installing lighting, expanding path systems, and creating a direct relationship of the space with Falk Elementary School. Determine if a splash park would be feasible at this location.
6. Explore constructing an accessible pedestrian path across the drainage way from Park Ridge Neighborhood to Greentree-Chapel Hill Park. An accessible path would improve access to residents to the parkland and existing bicycle path.
7. Upgrade Meadowood Park (east of Balsam Road) by replacing the former ice rink with a soccer field and/or community garden.
8. Work with Parks Division to address the issue of noise occurring at Elver Park from individuals without approved amplification permits.
9. Improve the existing tennis courts at Norman Clayton Park.
Police Department
1. Assign additional police services/resources, such as, but not limited to, neighborhood officers, in the Balsam-Russett, Bettys-Theresa-Hammersley, and Park Ridge sub areas.
2. Work with the State Department of Corrections, Madison Police Department, and nonprofit organizations to address issues related to probation and parolees living in Southwest neighborhoods.
3. Develop communication mechanism between Madison Police, property owners and neighborhood associations to address neighborhood-related issues jointly. Part of the communication mechanism would deal with improved information flow and coordinated responses by all parties. Work with Madison Police Department to develop and implement a standardized reporting form for neighborhoods to use to report incidences occurring within the Southwest Neighborhoods (includes residential, commercial, and public spaces).
Traffic Engineering
1. Explore strategies to improve traffic flow while enhancing pedestrian/bicycle safety by considering installing traffic signals at the following intersections and consider linking other projects to increase priority: 1) Raymond Road at Whitney Way, 2) Schroeder Road at Struck Street, and 3) McKenna at New Washburn Way.
2. Evaluate and pursue recommended actions regarding installing lighting in public and private places to increase illumination. High priority areas include, but not limited to: 1) Install street lighting on the 5700-5800 blocks of Russett Road; 2) 5800 block of Balsam Road; 3) Along Raymond Road between Cameron Drive and Westbrook Lane; and 4) and segments of Schroeder Road (Struck Street to Forward Drive). Work with property owners to install improved front entrance lighting and parking lot lighting in the Bettys-Theresa-Hammersley, Balsam-Russett, and Park Ridge sub areas.
3. Explore and act accordingly on the installation of traffic calming or other options for improved pedestrian and bicycle movement and safety along Russett Road and Dorsett Drive and at the intersections of: 1) Russett Road and Dorsett Drive; 2) Gammon Lane at Gammon Road; 3) Odana Road at Segoe Road; 4) Schroeder Road at Frisch Street, Saybrook Road, and Schroeder Court; 5) Whitney Way at Piping Rock Road, Hammersley Road, and Schroeder Road; 6) Hammersley Road at Barton Road, Rae Lane, McKenna Boulevard, and Prairie Road; 7) Schroeder Road at Hathaway Road and Forward Drive; and 8) Hammersley Road at Hammersley Park and Falk Elementary School, Theresa Terrace and Loreen Drive.
4. Work with Wisconsin Department of Transportation, in conjunction with Traffic Engineering, to explore alternative crossings of the West Beltline at viable locations (Forward Drive/Watts Road, Grand Canyon Drive and/or Schroeder Court) to improve motor vehicle, transit and bike and pedestrian traffic flow. Work with WisDOT to mitigate adverse community impacts.
5. Work with Wisconsin Department of Transportation, in conjunction with Traffic Engineering, to explore and plan accordingly for the feasibility of installing an underpass or overpass at the West Beltline Highway and Kessel Court for pedestrian and bicyclists to improve the linkage to West YMCA and West Beltline interchange.
6. Evaluate the need for and plan accordingly for additional bike paths and evaluate the condition of existing facilities for future funding to upgrade the bike path system where needed. Explore where lighting is needed in key locations along the bike paths and purse funding and installation.
7. Evaluate the need for and plan accordingly to mark additional bike lanes at: Grand Canyon Road, Schroeder Road, Struck Street, Frisch Street, Piping Rock Road, Hammersley Road, Baron Road, Watts Road, Whitney Way, and Odana Road.
8. Explore and pursue/implement selected strategies for improving left-turn movements for drivers traveling south on Prairie Road and turning left onto westbound Raymond Road and improve bicycle connections.
Madison Metro
1. Explore and act/plan accordingly regarding the possible extension of express bus routes from the Southwest Neighborhood area to downtown and develop a better means of communicating transit options to riders
2. Explore and act accordingly on the possibility of adding rider ship amenities to the bus stop at Prairie/Hammersley Road such as a shelter and/or benches.
3. Explore and act accordingly regarding the potential for adding a park and ride facility at the Metro West Transfer station on adjacent land.