Fiscal Note
No appropriation is required.
Title
Amending Section 8.41 of the Madison General Ordinances to re-focus the charge of the Downtown Coordinating Committee.
Body
DRAFTER'S ANALYSIS: This amendment re-focuses the charge of the Downtown Coordinating Committee. Previously, the Committee was responsible for coordinating communication between the City, downtown businesses, downtown residents and students, Madison Area Technical College, The Overture Center, the University of Wisconsin, and members of the general public. This amendment will focus the committee's responsibility on providing a forum for public information and stewardship regarding the use of public space in the Downtown Area and periodic review of regulations and policies affecting the Downtown Area, with particular emphasis on State Street and the Capitol Square as a high-quality urban space for pedestrians in an environment that promotes healthy businesses.
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The Common Council of the City of Madison do hereby ordain as follows:
Section 8.41 entitled "Downtown Coordinating Committee" of the Madison General Ordinances is amended to read as follows:
"8.41 DOWNTOWN COORDINATING COMMITTEE.
(1) Purpose. The Common Council finds that it is in the public interest to create a Downtown Coordinating Committee to coordinate communications among the City, downtown businesses; downtown residents and students; Madison Area Technical College, The Overture Center, the University of Wisconsin, and members of the general public regarding certain issues affecting the "Downtown Area," as well as providing a public forum for the discussion of said issues, described in Subsection (5) of this ordinance. provide a forum for public information and stewardship regarding the use of public space in the Downtown Area, and to periodically review regulations and policies affecting the Downtown Area, with particular emphasis on State Street and the Capitol Square, as a high-quality urban space for pedestrians in an environment that promotes healthy businesses. For purposes of this ordinance, the "Downtown Area" shall be defined as all geographical areas within the jurisdiction of the City of Madison between Blair Street, Lake Mendota, North Park Street, Regent Street, Proudfit Street, North Shore Drive, and Lake Monona. This geographical definition of the Downtown Area shall be for the sole purpose of guiding the issues to be considered by the Downtown Coordinating Committee under this ordinance.
(2) Composition and Appointment of Members. The Downtown Coordinating Committee shall consist of thirteen (13) nine (9) voting members and two (2) alternate members. Membership shall include two (2) alderpersons. The remaining eleven (11) seven (7) members and two alternates shall be citizens eligible to vote and residing within the City of Madison. At least one (1) of the citizen remaining eleven members shall be a permanent resident of the Downtown area, and one shall be a representative of the downtown business community. Appointments shall be made by the Mayor, subject to the approval of the Common Council.
(3) Terms. Alderperson members shall serve for terms of two (2) years, expiring with the respective Aldermanic term. Citizen members shall serve for three (3) years. Any vacancies shall be filled by the Mayor, subject to approval of the Common Council, for a term filling out the remainder of the vacated member's term.
(4) Officers and Staff. The members of the Committee shall annually elect a chairperson and vice chairperson from among its membership. An alderperson may serve as either chairperson or vice chairperson, but alderpersons shall not serve in both positions. The Committee shall be staffed by the Superintendent of Parks or designee Director of the Department of Planning and Community and Economic Development or designee, who shall be a non-voting member and shall serve as Secretary to the Committee. Staff support will be provided by other Divisions as needed.
(5) Duties and Responsibilities. The Downtown Coordinating Committee shall:
(a) Consider ongoing issues of operation, design, safety, maintenance and use of the Downtown Area; and provide advice on the development, implementation, and revisions to plans for improvements to be made in the Downtown Area; through periodic review of the implementation and enforcement of policies, regulations and city services that affect the quality of State Street and the Capitol Square as a high-quality urban space for pedestrians in an environment that promotes healthy businesses. This includes policies, regulations and city services that affect pedestrians, including people with disabilities; bicyclists; Mall Concourse maintenance; parking for bicycles, mopeds and automobiles; loading and unloading; motorized vehicles; signage and advertising; vending; sidewalk cafes; and streetscape items such as benches, planters and other street fixtures.
(b)(c) Consider any proposed ordinance amendments or new ordinances or resolutions regarding planning in the Downtown Area; or impacting upon the ongoing operation, safety, maintenance, enjoyment, use of, and scheduling and operation of special events in the Downtown Area.
(c) Coordinate communications among the City, downtown businesses; downtown residents and students; Madison Area Technical College, The Overture Center, the University of Wisconsin, and members of the general public regarding the above duties and issues of concern in the Downtown Area.
(d) Serve as a forum for sharing information and providing advisory recommendations regarding the above duties and issues of concern in the Downtown Area.
(6) Rules of Procedure. The Committee may adopt rules of Procedure not in conflict with these Ordinances and which may from time to time be amended by the Committee. The Committee may delegate powers and responsibilities to a subcommittee or subcommittees as allowed under Section 3.3033.01(4) of the Madison General Ordinances. At any meeting in which a member has a personal or financial interest in the issue being discussed, that member shall abstain from participating in any discussion or voting on any matter concerning that issue, shall not be counted for purposes of determining a quorum, and the minutes of any such meeting shall reflect the abstention accordingly.
(7) Compensation. Members of the Committee shall serve without compensation."