A Long History of Green Living

Building a more livable and sustainable community doesn’t happen overnight. We would be remiss if we didn’t acknowledge the incredible efforts of Village staff and residents that were fighting the good fight long before the Sustainability Plan was adopted and the Green Team formed. We are here today because of these people and their efforts. The following represents a brief overview of their accomplishments grouped by the five sustainability goals in the Sustainability Plan. Additional information on many of these efforts can be found on the Village website.

Clean and Well-Managed Water

Stormwater Management

  • Adopted a stormwater management ordinance

  • Established a stormwater utility

  • Formed an Ad Hoc Stormwater Committee

  • Joined the Madison Area Municipal Storm Water Partnership

  • Installed water conveyance facilities

  • Maintains rain gardens for water infiltration

  • Designs curbs to help manage rainwater

  • Conducted a permeable pavement trial

  • Considered green roofs for at least one prior development

Phosphorus Pollution Reduction

·       Joined the Yahara WINS program

·       Maintains a robust street sweeping program

·       Requests that residents do not deposit yard waste in streets

Salt Pollution Reduction

·       Maintains a salt use reduction policy

·       Recognized for its salt reduction efforts

Other Pollution Reduction

·       Installed a Med-Drop box at the Village Hall

 

Healthy People

Traffic Management

·       Adopted a 20-mph speed limit ordinance

·       Installed narrow street widths

·       Installed a partial signal at Ridge Street and Hilldale Way

·       Zoning requires traffic management & studies for redevelopments

Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety

·       Started a Safe Routes to School program

·       Started a Walk and Bike to School program

·       Installed sidewalks on the east side of Village

·       Installed three Madison B Cycle stations

·       Installed bike lane extensions and repair stations

·       Planning a bike overpass along University Avenue

·       Utilizes community service officer for bike patrols

·       Completed the multi-use path along University Avenue

Noise, Light, and Air Pollution Reduction

·       Adopted a noise ordinance

·       Adopted a dark sky ordinance

·       Adopted a smoke free facilities ordinance

Development Requirements

·       Adopted a floor area and building height limit ordinance

·       Requires mixed-use developments

·       Utilizes Planned Unit Development Zoning

·       Requires that redevelopment projects include sustainable features

·       Requires affordable housing in most redevelopments

·       Requires structured parking

Other Actions

·       Provides living wages and benefits to employees

·       Offers community gardens

·       Educates with a monthly bulletin

·       Supported a Dementia Friendly Community initiative

Thriving Green Spaces

Tree & Park Management

·       Manages 9 parks covering 21 acres

·       Established a Parks Committee

·       Maintains a tree inventory

·       Maintains a tree ordinance

·       Recognized as a Tree City

·       Offers a native tree sale program to residents

·       Maintains a robust invasive species removal program

·       Adopted invasive species ordinance

·       Adopted a tree disease management ordinance

·       Installed a public fruit tree orchard

Lakefront Management

·       Regulates a lakefront setback

·       Requires conditional use permits for all projects on Lake Mendota

Recreation Programs

·       Established a Recreation Committee

·       Offers a variety of recreation activities for residents of all ages

·       Installed playgrounds, including a nature-based playground

Domestic Animal and Wildlife Management

·       Recognized as a Bird City

·       Allows chicken and bee keeping

·       Requires licenses and vaccinations for cats and dogs

 

Less Waste

·       Offers a refuse and recycling program

·       Offers an annual electronics recycling event

·       Offers an annual spring cleanup and metal recycling event

·       Offers Dane County “Clean Sweep” hazardous waste program

·       Installed MedDrop boxes

·       Maintains a leaf and brush pickup program

·       Maintains a water loss control plan

·       Member of the Metropolitan Refuse District

 

Carbon Neutral Energy Use

·       Participates in MG&E’s Green Power Tomorrow program

·       Endeavors to replace equipment with high efficiency units

·       Replaced all gasoline powered equipment with diesel vehicles

·       Passed a climate change resolution

 

Climate Resiliency

·       Formed an Ad Hoc Stormwater Committee to examine the causes of the 2018 flood and recommend actions to prevent future catastrophic flooding events.