Madison’s city Council’s decision to approve a new comprehensive zoning code, representing five years of planning, was met with applause from both Council members and city staff Tuesday.
Effective January 2013, the updated zoning code designates land use for every property in the city and will streamline new development projects.
“The existing 1966 code has been outdated for years and years,” Ald. Mike Verveer, District 4, said. “It’s a cumbersome code requiring special exceptions for development.”
Verveer said the new zoning code allows for greater density downtown, specifically in the Mifflin Neighborhood, and will permit developers to construct multi-use buildings instead of solely residential buildings.
The zoning code also allows new developments to be up to six stories in height, according to Verveer.
Although the changes will not happen immediately, Verveer said the Mifflin neighborhood will be the most “dramatically” changed in the future.
While Council members unanimously approved the zoning code, some city officials had reservations regarding the document as a whole.
Ald. Satya Rhodes-Conway, District 12, said while the newly adopted zoning code is an improvement, the council may have missed opportunities such as placing a greater emphasis on sustainability.
“I feel like after spending four years on something, there’s a lot of stuff I wished we had a better result on,” Rhodes-Conway said.
But council members refer to the zoning document as “living,” meaning the document can and will be developed over time, according to Plan Commission Chair Nancy Fey.
