Fiscal Note
The Planning Division’s 2025 adopted Operating Budget includes $50,000 for area plan processes within the Purchased Services major esxpenditure category, and additional funding for area planning in 2026 will be included in the Division’s 2026 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 2025.
Title
Authorizing the Planning Division to lead the preparation of the Downtown Area Plan and Adopting a Public Participation Plan
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, on August 5, 2025, the Common Council approved a resolution (File #89107) revising the Area Plan sequence, which identifies the Downtown Area as the fifth area plan to be undertaken; and
WHEREAS, the Downtown Area Plan is generally bounded by Lake Mendota on the north, Blair Street on the east, Lake Monona on the south, and Park Street on the west, (see Exhibit A); and
WHEREAS, the current Downtown Plan was adopted by the Common Council in 2012, and has guided hundreds of millions of dollars of public and private investment, including the construction of over 5,000 new housing units, and prioritizing the concept of the Madison Lakeway; and
WHEREAS, in addition to the 2012 Downtown Plan, there are nine adopted City plans that cover portions of the Downtown Area, including: Triangle Monona Bay Neighborhood Plan (2019), Mifflandia Neighborhood Plan (2019), Downtown Retail Assessment (2016), Report of the Lamp House Block Ad Hoc Committee (2014, amended 2025), Regent Street South Campus Neighborhood Plan (2008), Park St...
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