Madison’s City Council approved a new zoning code that would maintain height restrictions and change downtown density at a Tuesday night meeting, ending years of deliberation on the policy.

Alders debated the new code until about 1 a.m. Wednesday morning, when they voted 18 to 1 to approve the ordinance.

As adopted, the zoning code contains restrictions on cooperative housing and maintains restrictions on height throughout the city.

One of the most contentious discussions came with an amendment to the code that would have relaxed the enforcement of city height restrictions, possibly allowing developers to build taller apartment or office complexes.

For about one hour several alders said they believed Madison’s current height restrictions have caused businesses to avoid developing to the extent the city loses an estimated $5 million to $6 million in tax funds every year, Ald. Michael Schumacher, District 18, said.

The leniency provided if the height restrictions were relaxed would offer more incentive for developers, Ald. Judy Compton, District 16, said.

“We have recently turned away more businesses and sent them away to other places because of the things that we do during our approval process,” Compton said. “If we have a policy in place that allows people to have a little more flexibility in their plan approval, I don’t see anything wrong with it.”

Downtown area alders, including Ald. Mike Verveer, District 4, and Ald. Julia Kerr, District 13, said the restrictions are necessary, however.

“The downtown design codes that we adopted … I think have served the part of the downtown that they cover quite well, thank you,” Verveer said.

Kerr, who is not running for re-election in her near south side district, said she believed many alders’ attitude toward business development was creating a negative image for the city.

“People are listening to you when you say this,” Kerr said. “You are helping to create the sentiment that Madison is a bad place to do business.”

The council also voted to strike down an amendment that would have made the minimum distance between the lakefront and a new lakefront development 75 feet.

If the amendment had passed, it likely would have legally compromised renovations at the Memorial Union, where University of Wisconsin officials plan to add 4,000 square feet to the Union Theater. The addition would have fallen within the 75 foot limit, along with the redevelopment of Hoofers’ segment of the union, city zoning director Matt Tucker said.

Additionally, the council struck down a proposed amendment that would have relaxed restrictions on cooperative housing units.

Depending on their location in the city, neighborhood associations were split on the value of cooperative housing.

Leslie Fields, a resident of the Greenbush neighborhood on Madison’s Near South Side, said a rise in cooperative housing, especially units targeted at students, would change her neighborhood.

“Some of these proposals strongly impact the character [of Greenbush],” Fields said.

Other residents – mostly from the downtown and Marquette neighborhoods, said cooperative housing provided more affordable living options not just for students but also families.

Brian Jordan, representing the Rochdale International Coop on Gorham Street, said the amendment would have allowed coops to further develop, which he said would be beneficial for the community.

“[Cooperatives] are affordable housing, they foster community building, open-mindedness, community consciousness,” Jordan said. “They inspire active particpation in neighborhoods and political life.”

Another item the council addressed was a collective bargaining agreement for non-unionized city employees, which the council adopted in a unanimous vote. The vote followed a series of emergency council meeting to approve public sector union contracts before Gov. Scott Walker’s budget repair bill is enacted. 

After several months of deliberation, alders also unanimously adopted an ordinance that would create new regulations for elected city officials using third-party funds for travel. The new regulations came after Mayor Dave Cieslewicz traveled to Europe last year, which Trek Bicycles partly funded.

Tuesday’s meeting was the last official meeting for Compton, Kerr, Schumacher and former University of Wisconsin student Ald. Bryon Eagon, District 8. Their seats, along with two other off-campus seats, are open in the April 5 general election.