Local

MIDDLETON–The Middleton Common Council reviewed a draft report regarding parks and public facility needs in the city at their meeting on Sept. 5. As the city continues to grow in population and density, land for parks and public access is becoming more limited. The report will be given a public hearing on Oct. 3 before the council takes any action.

The city worked on the report over the last 18 months to complete a public facility needs assessment, include updates for statutory changes, and provide an analysis of current parkland and improvement needs. The report was prepared by Carla Gogin of Baker Tilly accounting firm.

MADISON–A huge electronic billboard erected along the Beltline Highway without city permits may have to come down.

According to an Aug. 7 order from Dane County Judge Nia Trammell:

In May 2022, Adams Outdoor Advertising Ltd. installed a two-sided, 48-foot-wide, 14-foot-high digital sign, mounted on a 35-foot-high pedestal just west of Beltline and south of Nursey Drive

Months before, the city declined to grant Adams a sign permit as the property, zoned Planned Development District, doesn’t allow outdoor advertising structures without a variance.

The ordinance allows signs to be displayed on buildings but not signs that aren’t an accessory to the property’s principal use.

Since the Adams’ billboard is a permanent stand-alone structure not associated with the property on which it is built, the city considers it a prohibited off-premises sign.

MIDDLETON–Real estate developer Terrence Wall is questioning modern burial practices involving embalming the deceased and sealing them in concrete casks. Wall plans to begin selling plots at what would be the second natural burial cemetery in the state next year and possibly creating more sites throughout the state through his nonprofit the Wisconsin Foundation.

Natural burial is the interment of the body of a dead person in the soil in a manner that does not inhibit decomposition but allows the body to be naturally recycled. It is an alternative to typical contemporary Western burial methods and modern funerary customs.

When Wall’s father passed away in 2017, he began thinking more about the typical burial methods used in the US and it didn’t sit right with him. He says it’s gross, but it is also terrible environmentally. 

MIDDLETON–The Middleton Fire District held an open house on the afternoon of Aug. 26 at Fire Station 1 in City of Middleton.

Long lines formed for both the kids fire truck rides and all ages aerial fire truck rides, and the popular event also offered a firefighting obstacle course, a bounce house and food trucks. In addition, there was a vehicle extraction demonstration as well as a fire demonstration using the department’s fire training trailer. 

Fire Chief Aaron Harris spoke before the fire demonstration and answered question afterward. Harris explained that a fire ignition team would go in first and light the fire, followed by a group of firefighters, who would take the call, ride in on a truck and put it out. 

He said that although the firefighting gear was hot when worn outside a fire, it keeps firefighters cool for a few minutes while they are inside a fire. 

MIDDLETON–The 60th annual Good Neighbor Festival may have been the best yet. Sunday’s parade capped the three-day fest featuring 72 entries. Bands, cloggers, race cars and floats traveled the nine-block route along Franklin Avenue.

This year, the Middleton High School March Band was awarded the Best Overall Entry, with LSM Chiropractic taking the Best Business Entry, Vennelag Lodge of Mount Horeb was the Best Non-Profit Entry, the Middleton Wranglers 4-H Club won the Best Youth Group Entry and the Madison Pipes & Drums took the Best Entertainment category.

Adrianne Machina, Katy Nelson, and Jim Wexler served as parade judges and Perry Hibner emceed the event.

Chek out some of the fun with these pictures from throughout the weekend, starting off with family fun might.

TOWN OF MIDDLETON–Two residents were honored Monday with the “Friend of the Town” award for their efforts on behalf of the Town of Middleton’s safety and municipal operations.

Dr. Beth Neary, a pediatrician, was made a co-friend for 2023 for her efforts to inform and educate the town board and residents on the harmful effects of lead exposure to children, said Town Chair Cynthia Richson.

Neary proved to be a valuable resource as Richson began to dig into the impact on residents and schoolchildren from airborne lead emissions emanating from the exhaust of airplanes using leaded aviation gas at Middleton Municipal Airport-Morey Field.

“It was a pleasure to work with Cynthia whose an advocate for health care,” Neary told the board Monday.

MIDDLETON–The Middleton Common Council approved a $12 million developer financed TIF agreement and city/developer agreement for phase one of a planned neighborhood of development with health, wellness and sustainability aspects integrated throughout the project at 4887 Parmenter St. north of Graber Pond.

The general implementation plan (GIP) for the first phase of the Belle Farm development was approved by the common council in late 2021. The proposal calls for four phases of development and a possible fifth phase based on market conditions when the earlier phases are completed.

The plan includes construction of 730 multifamily units and 150 single family homes across 44 acres with a variety of housing types including apartments, condos and townhomes and single-family homes ranging from carriage homes, cottage homes, and nest cottages to shotgun homes and estate houses with up to 3,000 square feet. 

MIDDLETON–The City of Middleton has announced the following cooling centers will be available as heat and humidity is anticipated throughout the week.

Cooling Centers:

Middleton Police Department, 7341 Donna Dr. (24 hours daily)

Middleton City Hall, 7426 Hubbard Ave. (Mon-Fri 8 a.m.-4 p.m.)

Middleton Senior Center, 7448 Hubbard Ave. (8 a.m.-4:30 p.m.)

Middleton Public Library, 7425 Hubbard Ave. (Mon-Thurs 9 a.m.-8 p.m., Fri 9 a.m.-6 p.m., Sat 9 a.m.-5 p.m.)

Middleton Fire Department located at 7600 University Avenue (24 hours daily) 

Extremely high or unusually hot temperatures coupled with high humidity can have serious effects on health, such as heat exhaustion or heat stroke. Here are some important precautions you should take to avoid serious health consequences related to this extreme heat:

MADISON–Administrative Law Judge Dave Albino has issued a proposed final decision on a pedestrian railroad crossing, known as the Aurora Crossing, which links Middleton Center Phase I and Phase II at Aurora Street in downtown Middleton. Before a final decision is made, the public will have a chance to weigh in on the subject through public comment period.

There has been debate between the city and Wisconsin & Southern Railroad (WSOR) for the past several years regarding whether the right of way where the path crosses the railroad tracks is public or private property. 

The area was established as a public crossing in 1981 by the Transportation Commission of Wisconsin. The city purchased the land that the crossing sits on in 1982 from Middleton Farmers’ Coop and began improvements to the area.