Elvehjem Neighborhood Association

10/19/2026

See where the orange is clustered on this map? That's our corner of Madison. 👀

The City is drafting new zoning rules for data centers, and the orange areas show where large ones (up to 100,000 sq ft) could be allowed. The biggest cluster on the map is near us, around the Beltline and Stoughton Road. The map is still a draft, so now is when our input can shape it.

Why now:
- Under the draft rules, a project that meets the requirements could be approved without a public hearing. This may be our best chance to weigh in.
- The proposed buffer from homes and parks is just 300 feet, about the length of a football field.
- Strong support in October could fast-track a final vote to December.

📅 Tuesday, Oct 27, 5:30pm, virtual meeting on Zoom
RSVP: https://cityofmadison.zoom.us/meeting/register/SHtnppAuTSifbDawoXqXeQ

Can't attend? Email Alder Sean O'Brien at [email protected] and share your thoughts.

Let's make our voices heard. Please share! 📢

(Map pictured: Wisconsin State Journal. Areas are approximate and subject to change.)

10/15/2026

Put your yard waste out for pickup on or before THIS SUNDAY. Collection happens sometime during the work week following. 🍂

10/14/2026

A huge thanks to our neighbor Julie Schultz! 👏

Julie has been steadfastly volunteering her time gardening around the neighborhood, and she recently shared her tally: 129 hours.

This includes weeding the playground areas and parking lot "islands" at Ada Deer School, tending Droster Park, Orlando Bell Park, the roundabout, and our Elvehjem neighborhood signs (like the one pictured), plus dozens of hours at MPD East District and many more in spots around Elvehjem.

The next time you pass a tidy flower bed or a sign surrounded by blooms, there’s a good chance you have Julie to thank. We’re lucky to have someone so caring and dedicated in our midst. Thank you, Julie! 🙏

10/13/2026

All-Wheel Spot update!

The Madison Skatepark Fund had another successful pour at the Elvehjem DIY All-Wheel Spot this past weekend. Thanks to money raised through the GoFundMe and brick fundraising campaigns, the crew made tons of progress this summer and the goal is still to have the space open this fall. 👏 👏 👏

That timeline depends on weather, volunteer availability, and funding. A couple of grant applications are pending to get this phase across the finish line, but either way the spot should be open by next spring at the latest.

The work isn't done after that. Once the perimeter of what's built now gets filled in and seeded by the City, the space can open while the crew keeps building out the remaining areas in phases. What's already built will remain open while that happens.

Wanna help? Tax-deductible donations can be made at https://www.madisonparksfoundation.org/community-projects > scroll to select "Madison Skateparks" > add "LVM DIY" in the notes field so your donation goes to our neighborhood.

Questions can go to Pat at [email protected].

Huge thanks to the volunteers who keep showing up out there. ✊

More videos and pictures from the build at: https://www.instagram.com/madisonskateparkfund/

10/06/2026

Heads up, neighbors: Parks is doing a prescribed burn today (Oct 6) at Acewood Conservation Park. 🔥

Ignition is planned for around noon, so if you see or smell smoke this afternoon, that's what it is.

Contact Parks main number (608) 266-4711 with questions or concerns.

09/30/2026

Join your neighbors for an adults-only night out on Wednesday, September 30th, 6:30-8:30pm. 💥 Happy hour specials extended just for us: $3 off drinks and $2 off appetizers.

If you’re feeling brave, throwing bays are discounted to $15 per person. 🪓

We’re also hoping to be out mingling in The Backyard, their casual games area, so bring your ‘Giant Connect 4’ skills and catch up with neighbors.

📍 Closer than you think, by the way. It’s right by the Wendy’s and Subway on the S Stoughton Frontage Rd (~30min walking for those on the south edge of our neighborhood).

No experience needed with anything. 21+.

📸 Photo taken from Madison Axe page

09/12/2026

Good news! The water main rehab project is wrapping up.

Ferris/Woodvale and Woodvale Circle are back in service, and Fer-Pal is reconnecting meters on those streets now. Once everyone is reconnected, the blue temporary bypass line will come out.

Crews are also filling the main on Meredithe/Timothy, with water samples being taken Monday. If results come back safe by Tuesday, meter reconnections will start on those streets too. Fleetwood should be finished by late next week.

Roads in the project area will get permanent hot patch next week. Please keep treating the area as an active work zone, even where barricades have come down.

Once the bypass is removed, Fer-Pal will do a final cleanup of the streets and any leftover millings and debris. The project is expected to be fully complete by the end of the month, weather permitting. 🤞

Water main project update for Elvehjem folks. 🚧

Work is getting underway on the water main rehabilitation project on Woodvale/Ferris, Marg, and Meredithe/Timothy. Fer-Pal Construction is expected to mobilize to the site this week, with excavation work scheduled to begin June 22. Some of y’all may have already noticed utility crews prepping the area.

A few things to know as work gets underway:

- Affected residents should watch for a letter from Madison Water Utility this week with details on what to expect, including the temporary above-ground water system.
- Street parking will be eliminated in work zones during the project.
- A temporary four-way stop will be added at Meadowlark and Woodvale. 🚨
- Fer-Pal may contact affected residents to schedule a short appointment (about 15 min) to remove your water meter. They’ll come in person or leave a door hanger.

Construction is expected to wrap up in October. Full project details: https://www.cityofmadison.com/water/projects/water-pipeline-rehabilitation-project-east

09/09/2026

Neighbors, there's a Safe Gun Disposal event coming up nearby on Saturday, October 17, from 9am-12pm at Messiah Lutheran Church, 5202 Cottage Grove Rd.

St. Paul A.M.E. Church, Messiah Lutheran, and Focused Interruption are partnering on this as part of the national Guns to Gardens movement. Unwanted fi****ms are collected and destroyed rather than resold, then forged into tools and art. Their first event this past March removed 26 guns from the community. A public forging demonstration follows from 12-12:45pm.

Gift cards for gas or groceries are offered to those disposing of fi****ms. Details at the link below, contact Kay Corbin at [email protected] with questions.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1aW7OYCdFK--2dD226gGLyHKOFNgzkd7o/mobilebasic

09/02/2026

🚨 The Stoughton Road redesign is up for public discussion this Thursday, September 3.

This is a rare early look at a project that could reshape how our side of town connects, commutes, and crosses Highway 51 for decades. Decisions made now are hard to undo later, so neighborhood turnout is critical.

Alder Sean O’Brien, District 16 and Alder Derek Field of District 3 are hosting a public information meeting from 5:30-7:30pm in the cafeteria at La Follette High School. City Transportation and Planning staff will walk through the trade-offs between the different pieces of the project, with a Q&A to follow. WisDOT staff will also be there to explain their process and how to get your questions and comments to the project team directly.

This is a WisDOT project, and the city is hosting this meeting to get residents informed ahead of WisDOT's own public meetings later this fall. Show up early in the process and your input carries more weight.

Everyone is welcome and light refreshments will be served. Register here:

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/stoughton-rd-redesign-public-information-meeting-tickets-1997856577805

Questions? Alder O'Brien can be reached at [email protected].