The west area plan appears to be stealthily moving ahead with what seems like two goals: to proactively remove possible homeowner zoning objections to ever-more apartment density, and to make life more difficult for autos by narrowing streets and adding bicycle lanes. The latter seems to be part of a city effort to put us on — catch this insulting euphemism — a “road diet.”
Now, I can predict the blowback. Yes, my house is within walking distance of the Hill Farm Swim Club. We were once members. I will be called a selfish, not-in-my-backyard oldster. That same criticism came when I wrote skeptically about the massively disruptive and expensive bus rapid transit project.
My point is that whether the housing shortage is any more a “crisis” today than it has been through previous decades, the views of homeowners should not be so quickly dismissed.
Think the city’s approach is even-handed? Consider this.
In my view, city government has come to be dominated by a worldview hellbent against car drivers and single-family homeowners in a way that feels generational. Older, property-owning Madisonians are to be patronized, condescended to, and dismissed as NIMBYs. Their objections are ignored or belittled.
Groups such as the Greater Madison Chamber of Commerce and Downtown Madison Inc. are cheerleading for more apartment density to accommodate an expected influx of young workers.