DCPREZ-0000-06071 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

Mr. Lyman Anderson Page 2 In supporting the Ice Age Trail Junction project,the City of Madison also agreed to recognize the proposed open space corridor in its own planning for the City's future urban development south of McKee Road. The City's Cross Country Neighborhood Development Plan was prepared during the same time period as the Trail Junction project plan,and there was regular communication between City and County staffs as the two projects progressed. As a result, the neighborhood development plan detailing the proposed land uses,roadway and circulation patterns, stormwater management facilities, and other elements of urban development in this area recommends a broad permanent open space corridor virtually identical to that in the Trail Junction project plan. The Cross Country Neighborhood Development Plan was adopted by the Madison Common Council on January 5, 1993. The map from that plan is also attached. Together, the adopted Ice Age Trail Junction Area Project Plan and the adopted Cross Country Neighborhood Development Plan represent a mutual agreement by the City of Madison and Dane County about which lands are designated for eventual acquisition as permanent open space,and which lands are designated for eventual urban development. The lands being proposed for rezoning and use as a youth soccer complex are located within an area designated for future urban residential development(except for a buffer strip along the Cross Country Road frontage), and outside the area identified for preservation as permanent open space. Establishment of a soccer complex at this location would introduce a major sports activity on lands planned for eventual residential development,disrupt the planned street network and circulation pattern within the area, and provide unneeded additional open space in a neighborhood where the amount of planned open space- -for parkland, stormwater management facilities and the Ice Age Trail corridor-- is already substantial. In addition,locating the proposed soccer complex outside the Trail Junction Area project boundary wastes the alternative opportunity to locate these soccer fields within or adjacent to the western edge of the project area,near CTH M, where the use would advance open space planning objectives. It was our understanding that the County Parks Department was proposing a soccer facility at that location,rather than on the subject lands now proposed for rezoning. The subject lands were only recently acquired by Dane County for the purpose of excavating the clay on the site for u se at the adjacent landfill. In discussions with County staff, it has always been represented that these lands would be restored and made suitable for eventual residential development once the clay was removed; and City staff has always made it clear that that was our expectation. The County never indicated to City staff any intention to permanently divert these lands to another County use,or to make them available for uses other than those recommended in the adopted neighborhood development plan. Nor were such alternatives even discussed during either of the planning processes so recently concluded.