What is next for ‘Madison on Track 2045’

MADISON – In the next 20-something years, how does Madison need to change? What locations, services and entertainment options does the city need?

To answer these questions, residents are working on Madison on Track 2045 and creating the Madison Comprehensive Plan.

The comprehensive plan for Madison on Track 2045 will be a policy document for use by city leaders, developers, business owners and citizens to decide future growth, development, policy and capital improvements.

The document will serve as a vision for the city that residents developed, based on community-wide values and inputs, Mary Beth Broeren said. Broeren, affiliated with American Institute of Certified Planners or AICP, works as Director of Development Services for the City of Madison.

The plan’s primary objective focuses on engaging the public to create an updated vision for growth, development and ‘re-development’ in Madison. The project will define needed technical information, along with an evaluation and update of goals, policies and objectives.

In addition, the plan will define ways that the City of Madison can position better in anticipating and responding to future needs for public facilities. The project will include preparation of growth projections and an update of parks and open space.

For decades, decision-makers involved with building and maintaining cities have relied on comprehensive plans. Madison on Track 2045 will help city leaders plan strategically for both short- and long-term growth scenarios, with decisions based on sound information, core values and agreed-upon goals, strategies and priorities.

An Alabama statute enabled use of comprehensive plans. Madison’s prospectus will keep perspective as the city envisions 2045, Broeren said.

Defining the Madison Comprehensive Plan will involve an 18-month process. In Phase 1, residents selected their favorite sites in the City of Madison, along with community assets. Individuals suggested new venues and services that would improve the community. For example, a new community center in west Madison was one idea.

“The city held an initial series of public outreach meetings on Feb. 1-3. This included 14 stakeholder group meetings on various topics, such as land use, mobility, parks/open space and other areas,” Broeren said.

In a public workshop, the city unveiled an interactive map that allowed participants to identify assets and opportunities. This workshop served as the first meeting of the Advisory Committee.

“The interactive map was also available via the project website through Feb. 18,” Broeren said. “The primary purpose of these meetings was to introduce the project and take comments from the community.”

Madison on Track 2045 will come together in three district phases:
• “Discovery,” Phase 1 — Includes stakeholder and public engagement, research and diagnostic reports, along with preparation of a community profile, Broeren said.

• “Direction,” Phase 2– Serves as primary opportunity for the community to solidify the vision and select a future growth scenario that best fits that vision and community values.

• “Development,” Phase 3 — Drafting and adopting the plan itself to bring the plan from concept to reality.
City staff and elected officials selected advisory committee members. Selection criteria included knowledge, expertise, geographic representation and board/committee representation. Members will help guide the plan’s direction, give feedback on draft materials and promote and publicize the plan for public participation and representation.

The advisory committee will convene in the intervening months, along with providing guidance on various aspects of the project, Broeren said.

The next series of public meetings will convene this summer, tentatively July, when the committee hosts Planning Week. Before that session, the consultant team will tackle action items: complete a community profile. Release date will be late spring, launch an online survey. finish background research and analysis for the Madison Comprehensive Plan itself.

Advisory committee members for Madison on Track 2045 represent a cross-section of the town, with city employees, nonprofit leads, educators, engineers and community activists: Bonnie Ayers, Dr. Yeqing Bao, Curtis Cook, Jennessa Crosswy, Michelle Eppling, Jenny Evers, Brian Goodwin, Dr. Terri Johnson, Dr. Melissa Lacey, Paul Lambertson, Karen Lawler, Michael McKay, Charles Nola, Tommy Overcash, Mike Potter, Kerry Straub, Terris Tatum, Eric Terrell and Taron Thorpe.

For more information, email MaryBeth.Broeren@madisonal.gov or visit madisonontrack2045.com.