City Council Approves South Madison Housing Plan

Despite calls by some residents to add more single-family homes to a South Madison redevelopment plan, Dean Mosiman reports that the Madison City Council approved the plan unanimously on Tuesday. The original plan, which aims to increase density near public transit and provide more housing options in South Madison, proposes 50 "cottage-style" homes, 54 single-family homes, 16 low- to medium-density units, and 120 units in multi-family buildings, while an alternative proposal "still envisions 50 cottage-style homes but increases the number of single-family homes to 65 on smaller, 3,000-square-foot lots, increases low- to medium-size residential units to 44, and doubles the number of units in mixed-use buildings to 240 while increasing the building height to eight stories." The proposed plan also includes expansion of a local park and transportation improvements.

A previous article by Mosiman describes the tensions between residents and city leaders who insist that encouraging denser construction is the only way to curtail the city's housing crisis. Opponents of the plan expressed concern about the 12-story height limit proposed for John Nolen Drive and displacement that could occur because of new development. According to Ald. Sheri Carter, "The vision is for more single-family housing, not creating a canyon effect on South Park Street, and increasing commercial spaces and business opportunities." But housing advocates say density does not have to prevent homeownership, and making housing more affordable will give more residents the opportunity to buy homes.