Madison Cultural Plan 2011 - City of Madison, Wisconsin

Madison should
improve its
historic
preservation
ordinance.
Madison’s robust historic preservation ordinance relies on language crafted
decades ago when the community lacked experience with how it would or should
work in practice. Now, with substantial experience to hand, Madison is grappling
with the opportunity to update and revise that ordinance to be more sensible,
clearer, and easier to implement. The Landmarks Commission, in collaboration with
the city Preservation Planner, is evaluating the language of the Landmarks
ordinance in an effort to clarify its intent, make it easier to interpret, and make the
regulation process more predictable.
Revisions should focus on improving, not degrading, Madison’s ability to preserve its
historic assets. Nationally, best practices for local historic preservation ordinances
call for locally crafted protection, through zoning regulation, for the historic
character of districts the community deems important to its culture and sense of
identity. See recommendations 19, 21,22, 25, 27, and 28.
Linking historic preservation skills to neighbors and neighborhood plans and creating
positive incentives for preserving private property of historic merit can advance
historic preservation in important ways. In order to take full advantage of Madison’s
historic cultural resources and to support the sense of place engendered by its
traditional neighborhoods, city planners should find ways to support and partner with
organizations who bring technical preservation and conservation assistance to
Madison’s traditional and historic neighborhoods. The city can explore ways to
incentivize the preservation of the historic character of private properties,
augmenting the Landmarks ordinance that currently compels preservation without
offering any rewards or relief. See recommendations 19, 21, 22, 25, 27, and 28.
III.C.5. PUBLIC ART
Across the nation, in communities large and small, public art has become an
important tool in shaping the public’s sense of place. Increasingly, Americans
identify places by association with works of public art. Madison’s residents are no
different and have called time and again for increasing the city’s investment in
both permanent and temporary public works.
With the maturing of Madison’s public art program, success has brought the need
for change. The program’s guidelines, process, structure, and focus should be
updated and clarified. Efficiencies and increased resources are needed to sustain
and grow the program.
Madison Cultural Plan Findings
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