Category: wiggies

Much like the Streetery program for restaurants and bars, the city is allowing us a temporary use while we go through the full zoning process to create another tiny house village like the one we have at 304 N 3rd St.

This is the resolution that the Mayor and Alders Syed Abbas, Grant Foster and Tag Evers are sponsoring that is being introduced at the city council meeting on Tuesday for approval that evening.  (Recommendation in Legistar: RECOMMEND TO COUNCIL TO ADOPT UNDER SUSPENSION OF RULES 2.04, 2.05, 2.24, & 2.25 – MISC. ITEMS)

Allowing for the temporary establishment and regulation of a tiny house village at 1901 Aberg Avenue, in order to provide additional shelter to the increasing number of Madison residents experiencing homelessness during the COVID-19 pandemic and the coldest and most dangerous months of the year.

Here are the rules and regulations that will apply for the temporary use:

this Resolution also establishes the following rules and regulations that will apply to the temporary tiny house village at 1901 Aberg Avenue:

• Occupy Madison, Inc. must provide a 20-foot wide fire lane located in accordance with the fire code as approved by the MadisonFire Department.
• Occupy Madison, Inc. must provide and locate fire extinguishers as approved by the Madison Fire Department.
• Occupy Madison, Inc. shall ensure that each sleeping unit must contain a working smoke alarm.
• If the sleeping units are heated with electric heat, no Carbon Monoxide (CO) detectors are required.  If the sleeping units are heated with any other heat source, Occupy Madison, Inc. shall ensure that CO detectors are provided in each sleeping unit.
• If the property is secured by a perimeter fence, the operator must provide the Madison Fire Department with an approved key vault to allow 24/7 access.
• If the property contains a fire ring, the fire ring must be located fifteen (15) feet from all combustibles, buildings, and property lines, and must be covered with a spark arrestor.
• Occupy Madison, Inc. shall provide and regularly empty dumpsters for solid waste disposal, trash and recycling.
• Occupy Madison, Inc. shall ensure that city water is provided from inside the existing principal structure on the property in compliance with building codes.
• Occupy Madison, Inc. shall ensure that the existing principal structure on the property provides at least three (3) women’s toilets (3 stools) and three (3) men’s toilets (2 stools and 1 urinal).  There shall be no on-site compostable or camping toilets.  If necessary, porta-potties may be used to satisfy this requirement while permanent facilities are under construction but must be removed as soon as permanent facilities are available.  Occupy Madison, Inc. must ensure that construction begins as soon as possible.
• Occupy Madison, Inc. shall ensure that the existing principal structure on the property includes functioning handwashing sinks.
• Occupy Madison, Inc. shall ensure that the existing principal structure on the property includes at least one (1) shower for every ten (10) occupants of the tiny house village.
• Occupy Madison, Inc. shall ensure a minimum of ten (10) feet between tiny houses.
• Occupy Madison, Inc. shall ensure there is an emergency telephone accessible at all times for all occupants of the tiny house village.
• Occupy Madison, Inc. shall ensure there is an appropriate registration process for on-site occupants.
• Occupy Madison, Inc. shall ensure that no alcohol or drugs are consumed or possessed on the premises of 1901 Aberg Avenue during its temporary use as a tiny house village.
• Occupy Madison, Inc. shall submit a site plan and operational plan to the Zoning Administrator showing compliance with all of the above requirements. The site plan and operational plan must be approved prior to placing any sleeping units on the property.
• Occupy Madison, Inc. shall ensure that the site complies with all other relevant and applicable ordinances and statutory requirements, including applicable building code, health code, and fire code regulations.

Additionally

• The Madison Fire Department, Public Health Madison Dane County, and the Building Inspection Department shall be allowed to inspect the property in order to ensure initial and continued compliance with the above regulations
• The Madison Fire Department, Public Health Madison Dane County, and the Building Inspection Department may as necessary modify the above rules and regulations
• The above rules and regulations are enforceable by the Madison Fire Department, Public Health Madison Dane County, and Building Inspection Department and citations may be issued, if necessary to achieve compliance with the above regulations, utilizing bail deposits established in M.G.O. § 1.08(3)(b)
• Failure to follow the rules and regulations of this temporary approval could result in the Common Council ending this temporary approval at any time by passing a subsequent Resolution
• Resolution and any approvals allowed pursuant to it will expire on June 1, 2021

Here at Occupy Madison, we are 100% volunteer driven and reliant on community funding and support.  Up to this point, we have not had any government money in our project.

COSTS TO BUILD NEW VILLAGE

In order to build this new village, we know we will need some further support.  We estimate we will be putting in $387,000 in cash ($138,000) and sweat equity/volunteer time ($249,000) and still we will need $450,000 from Dane County to support the project.  It will cost us $250,000 to purchase the property, $125,000 to renovate the building for the temporary use and $50,000 to build the houses.

Want to help?  Donate here.

COSTS TO OPERATE THE NEW VILLAGE

We estimate it will costs approximately $50,000 a year to operate the new village.  This includes the cost of electricity to the homes, as well insurance, water, gas and electric for the building, cleaning supplies, internet, village maintenance, etc  We will be receiving no government funding for this part of the project.

Want to help?  Donate here.

OTHER THINGS WE NEED

• • New truck
  • Passenger Van
  • Indoor space (2,000-5,000 sq ft) for October – December so we can build the houses indoors and safely socially distance.
  • Chop Saw
  • 2 new cordless drills
  • Nail gun
  • Bolt cutter
  • Welcome kits (sheets, blankets, pillows, household items – no kitchen supplies please)

To donate items, email occupymadisoninc@gmail.com

WE COULD USE VOLUNTEERS!

We could use volunteers for some very specific tasks:

• • Pictures/Video of the creation of the village
  • Help us create our on-line store
  • Help us create an on-line auction
  • Carpenters with teaching skills to volunteer weekly to run a volunteer shift
  • Help with fundraising
  • Social media and blogging about our journey
  • Volunteers to help create items for our on-line store (woodworking, jewelry, using the loom, hand sewn items and other crafts)
  • Help scheduling volunteers
  • Help scheduling people who want to get houses
  • Help purchasing materials for building homes
  • Help with thank you notes to all our donors.

If interested, please email occupymadisoninc@gmail.com.

We will also need volunteers to help build the houses once our funding is secured.  Stayed tuned for that.   You can sign up to volunteer here.

(Posted on October 12)

Occupy Madison has a 2 step plan for the property at 1901 Aberg Ave.

PHASE ONE – TEMPORARY USE

For the winter of 2020-2021 Occupy Madison plans to place 28 “tinier” (60 sq ft) Conestoga Style huts on the property.  These huts are cheaper and faster to building than the “tiny” homes (98 sq ft) we have at 304 N. 3rd St.  These huts would be occupied primarily by people currently sleeping in tents in parks and other areas around Madison

For this phase we would also renovate the inside of the building to include showers, laundry and a non-commercial kitchen for resident use.

PHASE TWO – PERMANENT USE

Phase 2 would involve getting a planned development zoning approval from the city of Madison.  The second phase would have fewer houses and we would transition to our larger “tiny” houses.  With the second phase we would also determine what additional uses may go with the property (coffee shop, retail store, bakery, etc.)

Want to help?  Donate here.

(article posted on October 12)