Madison City Council Regular Meeting – June 22, 2026

The Madison City Council held its regular meeting on Monday, June 22, 2026, beginning at 6:00 p.m. in Council Chambers (Agenda No. 2026-12-RG). Mayor Ranae Bartlett presided and a quorum was present. The council approved prior minutes and the consent agenda, postponed two withdrawn property applications, adopted a comprehensive zoning update, approved two short-term rental ordinances, and disposed of department resolutions.

Call to Order, Invocation, Pledge, and Agenda

• The invocation was led by a pastor from the Madison Interfaith Council, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance and roll call.
• Agenda amendment: items 7A and 7B, the Madison Police Department Life Saving and Public Safety Awards, were removed and moved to a later agenda.
• Minutes No. 2026-11-RG, dated June 8, 2026, were approved. No written minutes were included in the source materials.

Public Comments (Non-Hearing)

• Rod Matthews (District 3) reported that the Main Street Madison consumer survey had 670 responses, thanked the public, and said tomorrow, June 23, is the last day to complete it.
• Margie Daly, a Madison resident, opposed Resolution 2026-227-R appointing the Redevelopment Authority Board. She alleged that all appointees had donated to Mayor Bartlett's campaign, described the appointments as 'pay to play,' said she had obtained records through FOIA/state filings, and urged council to vote no.

Consent Calendar and Finance Committee Report

• Finance Committee Chair David Beer reported the committee had reviewed monthly expenditures and recommended approval. The following consent items were approved:
  • Resolution 2026-221-R: declaring surplus obsolete Facilities and Grounds equipment (described as out-of-date lawnmowers) and authorizing disposal.
  • Resolution 2026-228-R: accepting a $3,500 grant from the Ruth & Lyle Taylor Endowment Fund 2026 for Mayor's Youth Council program expenses.
  • Resolution 2026-229-R: accepting an AMIC insurance settlement of $19,390.19, less a $1,000 deductible, for a police vehicle collision on April 2, 2026.
  • Resolution 2026-230-R: accepting an AMIC insurance settlement of $2,115.72, less a $1,000 deductible, for a city vehicle collision on April 30, 2026.
  • Acceptance of a $40,000 appropriation from Madison County District 2 Commissioner Steve Haraway for Animal Shelter camera system, network cable, and/or software upgrades.
  • Acceptance of a $1,000 donation from GRAMI (Getting Real About Mental Illness) for Crisis Intervention Team training and materials.

Presentations and Council Reports

• Mayor Bartlett reported on Armed Forces Week, the home builder scholarship dinner, and the Mayor's Youth Council funded by the approved grant. She announced a children's parade and free concert on Thursday as part of America 250 at Home Place Park, and a ribbon cutting on Monday, June 29 at 10:00 a.m. at the new locker rooms behind Toyota Field.
• David Beer (District 2) encouraged residents to take the Main Street survey, praised the joint city/Board of Education work session on growth policy, and said the short-term rental issue had been studied for months. He asked residents to consider what has happened with existing STRs, not just what might happen.
• Billie Goodson (District 3) reported on the downtown 'Third Thursday' event and a Madison County EMA train derailment exercise involving more than 120 participants and 10 agencies.
• Michael McKay (District 4) announced office hours on Wednesday, June 24, from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. in Conference Room 130 at City Hall.
• Alice Lessmann (District 5) noted the Main Street survey ends June 23, thanked the Huntsville Hospital Foundation Emerald Society, and said Celebrate Madison vendor applications are open.
• Kenneth Jackson (District 7) announced a Beautification and Tree Board meeting Tuesday, June 23 at 6:00 p.m., and an art reception by Sean Donahue at the library.

Board and Committee Appointments

• Resolution 2026-227-R, appointing the Board of Directors of the Redevelopment Authority of the City of Madison, was approved on a motion by Beer, seconded by Lessmann, despite Daly's public opposition.

Public Hearings

Ordinance 2026-168 – Zoning of 35.6 Acres (withdrawn)

• The applicant, Madison Land Resources, LLC, requested withdrawal of the proposed R-1C zoning for 35.6 acres west of Hardiman Road and south of Madison Branch Boulevard. After opening the hearing, the council voted to postpone the item indefinitely on a motion by Goodson, seconded by Jackson. A related annexation request (Ordinance 2026-169) was later postponed indefinitely as well.

Ordinance 2026-173 – Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance Update

• Staff reported the Planning Commission unanimously supported the update after six public meetings, an open house, and an online comment period. Notable changes include collapsing R1B into R1A, creating a new RC1 single-family conservation district, eliminating the medical center district and unused R1C district, increasing open space requirements, adding code enforcement and Redstone Arsenal/Huntsville Airport compatibility language, adding uses such as doggy daycare, and restricting car washes in B2 zoning.
• Margie Daly spoke against the update, arguing it contained overreach on demolition authority, manufactured homes, solar panels/windmills, storage of unlicensed vehicles, and veterinarian boarding. Staff responded that demolition authority applies only to unsafe nonconforming structures, the manufactured home and vehicle storage sections were existing provisions, and veterinarian boarding was already limited.
• Motion by Beer, seconded by Goodson; the ordinance passed 7-0. Council thanked the Planning Commission.

Short-Term Rentals – Ordinances 2026-175 and 2026-201

• Staff presented the two ordinances together. Ordinance 2026-175 would make short-term rentals a conditional use in residential, mixed-use, agricultural, and traditional neighborhood development districts, but not in business or industrial districts; define short-term as up to 180 days; and allow accessory dwelling units to be rented. The Planning Commission had recommended the approach 5-2.
• Ordinance 2026-201 would create companion regulations: a citywide cap of 190 permits (0.75% of the housing supply), a $350 non-refundable application fee plus a separate business license (about $150), annual inspection, 90 days for existing operators to comply, a local contact person available within 30 minutes, parking based on one space per bedroom, no overnight street parking, no exterior signs or exterior alterations identifying the STR, permit numbers on listings, HOA attestation, neighbor notification, insurance requirements, revocation grounds, and a three-strike enforcement system (6-month suspension, 1-year suspension, permanent revocation) with appeals to the City Council.
• Public comments were extensive and divided:
  • Opponents, including Madison Olson, Richard George, Frank Tatum, Leslie Kelly, Diane Milliken, Carol Hervius, Margie Daly, and Dan Walter, opposed allowing STRs in single-family neighborhoods, citing noise, parking, parties, marijuana smoke, safety, property values, trash, and loss of neighborhood character. Eric, a petition organizer, cited a city survey showing 75% opposition to STRs in single-family neighborhoods and 70% opposition even with restrictions; he presented a petition with 648 signatures, 77% from Madison ZIP codes, and asked for a six-month moratorium and stronger anti-clustering rules. Frank Tatum said he and 33 neighbors had complained since February 2025 and urged a Huntsville-style ban in single-family districts.
  • Supporters and STR operators, including Richard Chandler, Mary Howard, Daniel Von Jawan, Chastity McMillan, Jonathan Chandler, and a statement from John and Julie Fellows read by Michael Parker, said regulated local owners screen guests, maintain properties, serve displaced families and visitors, and pay taxes. Richard Chandler said he is a 5.0-rated superhost with 55 reviews, pays about $1,700 in property taxes plus $2,910 in occupancy taxes, and may convert to long-term rental if the ordinance is too burdensome. Jonathan Chandler argued STRs are not reducing housing supply or raising prices, questioned the 190 cap, and said the registration fee felt like a disguised tax.
• Council discussion:
  • Beer said the ordinance adds accountability and enforcement, that existing operators must pay back taxes, that the fee is cost-based rather than a tax, and that the city faces a budget deficit exceeding $9 million annually while police and fire need radios costing about $850,000 each and police cars cost $70,000-$80,000.
  • McKay said he opposed allowing new STRs in single-family neighborhoods, supported grandfathering existing operators, and would prefer STRs in B1, mixed-use, TND, and R4 areas; he also raised clustering concerns.
  • Jackson said his own outreach found 83% of respondents in non-HOA subdivisions opposed STRs in single-family districts and expressed concern about concentration; he wanted a future density amendment.
  • Mayor Bartlett said state law prevents the city from restricting out-of-state property owners, noted the 30-minute local contact requirement, and committed to studying density rules and improving enforcement.
• Vote: Ordinance 2026-175 passed on a motion by Beer, seconded by McKay, with Councilmembers McKay and Jackson voting no. Ordinance 2026-201 passed on a motion by Beer, seconded by Goodson; McKay and Jackson voted yes while noting they wanted clustering/density amendments.

Department Reports

• Building: Ordinance 2026-210, amending Certificate of Occupancy fees (second reading), passed.
• Facilities and Grounds: Resolution 2026-223-R, authorizing Change Order No. 1 with Nola | Van Peursem for architectural design services for the Animal Control Facility and increasing the fee to $46,284, passed.
• Human Resources: Resolution 2026-208-R, approving a new Environmental Specialist position in the Engineering Department, passed.
• Information Technology: Ordinance 2026-217, adding Chapter 15 to the Personnel Policies and Procedures for computer and artificial intelligence use policies, was introduced on first reading and is expected to return on July 13, 2026.
• Planning: Ordinance 2026-169, assenting to annexation of the 35.6-acre Hardiman Road/Madison Branch Boulevard property, was postponed indefinitely.
• Police: Resolution 2026-224-R, authorizing a no-cost Master Services Agreement with ThisGen911 for a cloud-based dispatcher skills assessment platform, passed.
• Police: Resolution 2026-220-R, authorizing a Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation application for $23,766.24 for Automated External Defibrillators with no matching funds, passed. Chief Gandhi said six AEDs are currently in supervisor vehicles and the grant would expand deployment to uniform officers.
• Recreation: Resolution 2026-225-R, authorizing an addendum to the professional services agreement with Valerie Harp and Joshua Harp Dream Vacations, d/b/a Vacations by Val Travel Group, passed.
• Revenue: Resolution 2026-226-R, exempting proceeds from the sale of hearing instruments from Madison sales and use tax and updating the resolution for the Alabama Department of Revenue, passed; the resolution is effective through 2029.

Key Outcomes

• Police awards presentations were moved to a later agenda.
• Minutes, consent agenda, and the Redevelopment Authority Board appointment were approved.
• Ordinance 2026-168 and Ordinance 2026-169 were postponed indefinitely after the applicant withdrew.
• Ordinance 2026-173 (comprehensive zoning update) passed 7-0.
• Ordinance 2026-175 (STR zoning amendment) passed; McKay and Jackson voted no.
• Ordinance 2026-201 (STR regulations) passed, with council discussion about future anti-clustering amendments.
• Departmental ordinances and resolutions passed as listed; only Ordinance 2026-217 was left at first reading.
• The meeting adjourned.