As the Foster Street developers, adjacent property owners, and presumably city officials continue to evaluate proposals, the Historic Madison Coalition – not wanting to interfere – awaits like everyone else in town the outcome of the negotiations.
That does not mean that the Coalition has changed its opinion regarding the Foster Street development, or any other area in Madison’s Historic District, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, that is threatened by housing density. The Historic Madison Coalition believes that the current R-2 zoning of the Foster Street property should determine the number of housing starts allowed by the developer and therefore continues to oppose any requests for rezoning to higher density (such as R-4) or the introduction of Planned Residential Developments (PRDs) in this 200-year old neighborhood. (Despite the fact that the ordinance has not been updated, PRDs were eliminated as a tool for developers in the residential areas of the Historic District over a year ago.)
If the number of houses that could be built in accordance with current R-2 zoning is to be increased to reach a reasonable compromise, it is incumbent on city planners and officials to work hard with the neighbors and developers to ensure that any necessary variances carry with them the conditions required to protect the integrity of the property, the neighborhood, the Historic District, and the zoning ordinance, both as to these owners and any subsequent owners. If the city chooses to compromise to resolve the future of this property, frustration that PRDs – a modern urban planning tool – are not available in the residential areas of the Historic District should not prevent or excuse the planning department or city officials from working with neighbors and developers using traditional, recognized zoning tools.
If an appropriate compromise cannot be accomplished, the answer is not to give this owner a rezoning to R-4 or absurdly proffer that only PRDs can protect this property. The answer is and always has been that the owner should – for the first time since owning the property – bring forward a plan that comports with the requirements of the zoning ordinance. Not once have they shown why that cannot be done, as is required.
The rezoning decisions by mayor and council last year were among the most damaging ever made to Madison’s famed Historic District. Ignoring the requests of homeowners and the standards imposed by law, and with no input from the Historic Preservation Commission (HPC), elected officials voted to rezone R-1 property at the northern gateway into the Historic District, making it R-2 to increase housing density for two individuals. Then, ignoring the recommendations of the HPC and Madison’s Planning and Zoning Commission, the city council voted to erode the R-1 boundary along Third Street by approving one family’s request for R-2 zoning in this fragile open area to the west. Unless stopped, such steady encroachment of housing density portends the slow decline of Madison’s Historic District. One need only visit the old neighborhoods in Covington, Athens, and Marietta to see how infill kills.
Over his many years of service, recently retired District 2 Councilman Bobby Crawford recognized and staunchly protected the precious resource of this city that is the Historic District, and for that we thank him. Many other elected officials, too, have seen the importance of – and voted to protect – the Historic District over the years. It is hoped that this council will do likewise. Whether a member represents this old neighborhood directly or not, all must recognize its value to Madison and work to protect the integrity of our highly prized National Register Historic District.
This matter will be heard at the next meeting of the Mayor and Council, February 12, 2018, at 5:30 pm, Meeting Hall, 160 N Main St., Madison.
