In an effort to make the city of Madison’s bus system — including the forthcoming bus rapid transit (BRT) routes — more accessible and serve more people, city leaders are considering changes to zoning rules to encourage more housing, including on properties currently located in registered historic districts, according to a report from the Wisconsin State Journal.
Tonight, the City Council will consider an ordinance to initiate a “Transit Oriented Development Overlay District” covering all areas within a quarter mile of BRT routes, except downtown and the UW–Madison campus.
The key changes to the overlay district include:
- Allowing more residential units as a permitted use in residential, mixed-use, and certain employment zoning districts.
- Allowing additional building height as a permitted use in some residential and mixed-use districts.
- Removing usable open space requirements for residential units.
- Removing minimum vehicle parking requirements and adding tighter maximum parking limits.
- A minimum two-story building height, with some exceptions, in multifamily residential, mixed-use, and employment districts.
