Madison Reporter

The City of Madison Common Council approved the West Area Plan and the Northeast Area Plan on Tuesday night, marking the first two Area Plans under the city’s new Planning Framework. The approval came with few changes beyond those already proposed by city boards, committees, and commissions.

The West Area Plan was passed unanimously after incorporating previous changes, including a revision to consider rather than design an All Ages and Abilities shared-use path in the Sauk Creek Greenway based on detailed engineering data.

The Northeast Area Plan was approved with an amendment removing a recommendation to "preserve the opportunity to extend and connect Nakoosa Trail through Sycamore Park in the future." Other proposed changes from city entities were accepted by the Common Council.

City staff will now integrate these final modifications into both plans for publication as part of Madison's Comprehensive Plan. According to the Planning Framework schedule, these Area Plans will be revisited every decade for potential updates.

Work on the Southwest Area and Southeast Area Plans is set to commence this fall following authorization from the Common Council. City staff have initiated outreach efforts to community stakeholders in preparation for these plans. Further information regarding public engagement events for these areas will be available in the coming weeks.

Residents can access maps of the upcoming planning areas and subscribe for email updates via their respective websites.