Steering Committee members and staff have been working together to arrange and give presentations about A Greater Madison Vision around the region. The purpose of the presentations is to increase awareness and support for the initiative.

A Greater Madison Vision’s strategy for community engagement set a goal of reaching between 200 to 500 “stakeholders” through presentations and conversations. A stakeholder is someone who has an interest in the outcome of a regional plan for growth.

As of June 12, a total of 565 people have attended various presentations. According to Larry Palm, Steering Committee Co-Chair, “Steering Committee members played an important role in opening doors and making connections so we could share the message with as many leaders across the region as possible." Mr. Palm is also Executive Chair of the Capital Area Regional Planning Commission, the agency facilitating the initiative.

A Stormwater Technical Advisory Committee (TAC), chaired by Professor Ken Potter, presented its final recommendations to a joint meeting of the Capital Area Regional Planning and Dane County Lakes and Watersheds Commissions on May 11th. The TAC’s recommendations focused on decreasing flood risks by reducing the stormwater volume reaching waterways.

Last summer, the Stormwater TAC – comprised of consultants and staff from municipalities, Dane County, the Regional Planning Commission, UW-Madison and WDNR – was tasked with developing recommendations for improving stormwater runoff volume controls. They examined existing standards and the feasibility of achieving no net increase in runoff volume from new development, compared to pre-development conditions.

Increased flood risk and channel erosion has spurred a shift of stormwater management from conveying runoff to facilitating “stay-on” (the portion of stormwater remaining in a location). Reductions in the volume of stormwater run-off can be accomplished through a variety of practices that promote infiltration and/or evapotranspiration. Current Dane County standards require 90% of pre-development stay-on to remain after development. This allows new development to discharge additional runoff volume to the region’s waterways. The net increase from pre-development runoff volumes can result in increased flooding. A requirement of 100% pre-development stay-on would remove this additional stress, resulting in no net runoff volume increases from new development.

For the first time, homebuyers in Wisconsin will have the option of purchasing a new house with the capability of producing as much electricity from solar power as it consumes. Developed by Pewaukee-based Neuman Companies and designed by Madison-based Tim O’Brien and Pewaukee-based Sunvest Solar, homes in the Red Fox Crossing Subdivision located in New Berlin, Wisconsin will all feature solar electricity systems.  When fully built, Red Fox Crossing hopes to become Wisconsin’s first so-called “net zero” community, which means it produces at least as much renewable energy as it consumes.

The subdivision’s developer, Neumann Companies, will give a presentation on the project to the Sustainable Madison Committee on Monday, June 19 in Room 351 of the City-County Building at 4:30pm. 

The American Planning Association’s Wisconsin Chapter will be hosting a one day workshop to engage planners, public health, and economic development professionals to learn about partnerships, processes, and policies that improve the health of our communities.

Register Now

Planners4Health Workshop
Tuesday, June 20th, 2017, 9am to 3pm
Goodman Community Center
149 Waubesa Street
Madison, WI 53704