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Plan Commission recommends easing conditional‑use thresholds in downtown and urban districts
Summary
The commission recommended amending downtown and urban zoning districts to increase the size threshold for conditional‑use review, making more mid‑sized downtown projects permitted uses while retaining closer review for sites on State Street and King Street and for very large projects.
The Madison Plan Commission on July 7 voted unanimously to recommend a zoning text amendment that raises conditional‑use thresholds in several downtown and urban zoning districts so that more mid‑sized projects would be processed as permitted uses rather than as conditional uses requiring Plan Commission review.
Staff said the change applies to the DC and UMX districts by raising the conditional‑use threshold from projects of four stories or about 20,000 square feet to projects exceeding six stories; projects fronting on State Street or the 100 block of King Street would retain the lower threshold. Staff also proposed raising thresholds in DR‑1 (from more than four units to more than 12 units) and DR‑2 (from more than eight units to more than 36 units) to align review in these districts with other growth‑priority areas.
Staff noted that permitted projects still must satisfy downtown design standards and other review processes (landmarks, Urban Design Commission, Board of Public Works and engineering where applicable). The change is intended to make review thresholds more consistent with other growth areas in the comprehensive plan and to reduce the number of smaller downtown projects that require conditional‑use hearings.
Commissioners asked about interactions with Landmarks Commission and Urban Design Commission reviews, particularly for projects adjacent to landmarks or in local historic districts. Staff said projects within local historic districts or involving designated landmarks would continue to require Landmarks Commission review and that Landmarks would remain responsible for preservation decisions; Landmarks provides advisory input on adjacency that informs UDC and staff reviews.
Commissioner Solheim moved approval; Commissioner Heck seconded. The commission’s unanimous recommendation will be forwarded to the Common Council.
