Fiscal Note
On March 23, 2020, the Mayor issued an Emergency Proclamation based on the increasing transmission of the COVID-19 virus within the City of Madison. The proposed resolution would waive the time limit to review appeals of decisions made by the Zoning Administrator under the sign code, and to defer sign code matters until a meeting of the Urban Design Commission can be held. No fiscal impact is anticipated.
Title
Waive the sixty(60) day requirement in Madison General Ordinance Section 31.043(1) that mandates the Urban Design Commission make a final decision on an appeal from the Zoning Administrator under the sign code, and authorize the Secretary of the Urban Design Commission to refer or defer sign code matters that must be reviewed by the Urban Design Commission under Madison General Ordinance Sections 31and 33.24, until a meeting of the Urban Design Commission can be scheduled pursuant to Madison General Ordinance Section 33.01(10) (c).
Body
WHEREAS, on March 23, 2020, pursuant to Madison General Ordinance Section 3.19, the Mayor issued an Emergency Proclamation, based on the increasing transmission of COVID-19 within the City of Madison; and
WHEREAS, on March 24, 2020, the Governor of Wisconsin issued Emergency Order #12 ordering individuals to remain home except for Essential Travel; and
WHEREAS, as part of the Governor’s Order all Nonessential Businesses are required to close; and
WHEREAS, the closure of numerous businesses throughout the City has the potential to have significant negative financial impact on residents; and
WHEREAS, the limitation on board, commission and committee meetings pursuant to Madison General Ordinance Section 33.01(10)(c) makes it difficult for the Urban Design Commission to meet deadline requirements contained in Chapters 31 and 33 of the Madison General Ordinances. This resolution provides authority to the Urban Design Commission, in consultation with the City Attorney, to waive aforementioned time limits on a case-by-case basis.
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that effective immediately and until the time that the Director of Public Health Madison and Dane County and the Governor of Wisconsin determine to end the emergency actions that they have taken to combat the coronavirus pandemic, the Urban Design Commission’s sixty (60) day time limit to review appeals of the Zoning Administrator’s decision under the sign code is hereby waived and also allows for the Secretary of the Urban Design Commission, in consultation with the City Attorney on a case-by-case basis, to refer or defer sign code matters that must be reviewed by the Urban Design Commission until a meeting of the Urban Design Commission can be held in compliance with Madison General Ordinance Section 33.01(10)(c).