City of Madison - File #: 39502

• File #: 39502
• Version: 2
• Name: Limitations on use of public areas in the downtown area
• Type: Ordinance
• Status: Filed
• File created: 7/28/2015
• In control: PUBLIC SAFETY REVIEW COMMITTEE
• On agenda: 10/5/2015
• Final action: 10/6/2015
• Title: SUBSTITUTE Creating Section 23.60, renumbering current Section 23.60 to Section 23.70, and amending Section 1.08(3)(a) of the Madison General Ordinances to impose a time limit on use of public benches, to prohibit sitting or lying or lodging in the public sidewalks and rights of way and specified other public places, during specified hours in the Central Business District, and establish a bail deposit schedule for violations thereof, to be known as the Downtown Pedestrian Protection Ordinance.
• Sponsors: Paul R. Soglin

Date	Ver.	Action By	Action	Result
10/6/2015	2	COMMON COUNCIL	Adopt with the Recommendation(s)	Fail
9/17/2015	1	DOWNTOWN COORDINATING COMMITTEE	Return to Lead with the Recommendation to Place on File	Pass
9/10/2015	1	PUBLIC SAFETY REVIEW COMMITTEE	RECOMMEND TO COUNCIL WITH THE FOLLOWING RECOMMENDATIONS - REPORT OF OFFICER	Pass
9/3/2015	1	COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT COMMITTEE	Return to Lead with the Following Recommendation(s)	Pass
8/20/2015	1	DOWNTOWN COORDINATING COMMITTEE	Referred	Pass
8/13/2015	1	EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES COMMISSION
8/11/2015	1	PUBLIC SAFETY REVIEW COMMITTEE	Re-refer
8/5/2015	1	PUBLIC SAFETY REVIEW COMMITTEE	Referred
8/5/2015	1	PUBLIC SAFETY REVIEW COMMITTEE	Referred
8/5/2015	1	PUBLIC SAFETY REVIEW COMMITTEE	Referred
8/4/2015	1	PUBLIC SAFETY REVIEW COMMITTEE	Referred
8/4/2015	1	COMMON COUNCIL	Refer	Pass
7/28/2015	1	Attorney's Office/Approval Group	Referred for Introduction

Fiscal Note
No appropriation required. The Police Department anticipates a couple of weeks of focused time by officers for education and enforcement which can be covered with existing resources.
Title
SUBSTITUTE Creating Section 23.60, renumbering current Section 23.60 to Section 23.70, and amending Section 1.08(3)(a) of the Madison General Ordinances to impose a time limit on use of public benches, to prohibit sitting or lying or lodging in the public sidewalks and rights of way and specified other public places, during specified hours in the Central Business District, and establish a bail deposit schedule for violations thereof, to be known as the Downtown Pedestrian Protection Ordinance.
Body
This ordinance creates new limitations on use of certain public areas in the Central Business District. The ordinance finds that the ability of pedestrians to move about freely in the Central Business District is essential to the health of the City’s businesses and other commercial enterprises, including the numerous entertainment venues, restaurants, and taverns. Persons who occupy sidewalks, benches and other public areas for uses not intended harm the public welfare in the Central Business District. The ordinance establishes a time limit that an individual may use a public bench for the storage of property within the Central Business District. Exceptions are created for individuals that may need to sit longer for medical reasons and for events where people will sit on benches for longer than the time limit in order to participate or observe the event. The ordinance prohibits, with exceptions, any person sitting or lying or lodging on public sidewalks or other public rights of way, in the Central Business District, or on any parcel of real estate containing City offices. It also prohibits lying on public benches.
The ordinance limits these restrictions to the Central Business District between the hours of 5:30 am to 1:00 am (11 pm for City offices), the time ...