Include historic districts in TOD
Madison Common Council
As Madison prepares to implement Bus Rapid Transit, the city is also proposing Transit Oriented Development (TOD) to make it easier to build housing along bus lines with frequent service. TOD also removes parking mandates that help drive auto-oriented development. Given Madison's need for housing and the global need to reduce carbon emissions, the city must make it easier to build near public transit. Historic districts make up around 10% of the area in the proposed TOD overlay, and the original proposal set forth by the city excludes these areas, meaning these areas won't see the pro-housing zoning changes seen by the rest of the TOD overlay. We are asking that historic districts be included in TOD, which is in line with the recommendation made by the Transportation Policy and Planning Board.
The causes and effects of climate change do not stop at the boundaries of historic districts, and the city should strive to reduce emissions everywhere in the city. Cars and trucks are responsible for approximately 20% of greenhouse gas emissions in the US. TOD presents an opportunity to reduce those emissions by making it easier for people to live car-free and near transit.
In addition to the climate crisis, Madison is facing a housing crisis. Vacancy rates are low, and rents are high. Opening up the opportunity for duplexes via TOD will give a small increase in new units, and give people the opportunity to stay in Madison.
We think it's important to include historic districts in TOD because those districts are part of our city, and right now we are facing the twin crises of climate change and rising housing costs. It is important for all of us to pitch in together to tackle these crises. Including historic districts in TOD is one way for us to make a difference on both of these issues.
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Madison Common Council
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Our reasons for wanting to include historic districts are simple and straightforward:
- Landmarks and Plan Commission already review all demolition permits, which provides protections to these districts
- In most of these districts, TOD allows someone to build a duplex. This is a very gentle change, and not one that is likely to affect the historic integrity of these neighborhoods
- Many of these historic districts had development that was enabled or accelerated by street car lines. Look at the city website, and at least four of the national historic districts mention street cars, and many others, such as the King Street and Dayton historic districts, were served by streetcars even if it isn't mentioned in their description. TOD changes like focusing on public transit and eliminating parking minimums are more of a return to the historical conditions that created these districts than the current zoning
- The pattern of single-family zoning that dominates many of the historic districts is also linked with a history of exclusion. Opening up lots in these districts to building types other than detached single-family homes will also give more people an opportunity to live in these areas, and can help address historic inequalities
- BRT is a multi-million dollar investment that has the potential to change our city. It simply makes sense to make it easier to build housing near the BRT line
- The city needs more housing, and building housing near public transit is one of the most effective ways the city can combat climate change.
In cases where someone proposes demolishing or altering an existing historic structure in a historic district, there are protections for that structure. But there are also buildings and lots in these areas that could be redeveloped to increase housing, and excluding these structures out of a duty for historic preservation is misguided. Historic preservation is about building community by linking people in Madison living today with our history. And people living in Madison today need places to live, and ways to move around. Building housing near transit will make it possible for us to achieve abundant housing and a better city. Please vote to include historic districts in TOD.