NEIGHBORHOOD MIXED-USE DISTRICT.
Madison General Ordinances § 28.064
in effect28.064 - NEIGHBORHOOD MIXED-USE DISTRICT.
(1) Statement of Purpose.
The NMX District is established to encourage and sustain the viability of commercial nodes that serve the shopping needs of residents in adjacent neighborhoods. The district is also intended to:
(a) Encourage pedestrian, bicycle and transit use as a means of accessing these commercial areas.
(b) Encourage diversification of uses, including residential, commercial, and civic uses, in order to enhance the vitality and appeal of these areas.
(c) Facilitate preservation, development or redevelopment consistent with the adopted goals, objectives, policies, and recommendations of the Comprehensive Plan and of adopted neighborhood, corridor or special area plans.
(2) Permitted and Conditional Uses.
See Table 28D-2 for a complete list of allowed uses within the mixed-use and commercial districts.
(3) Dimensional Requirements.
Requirements represent minimums unless otherwise noted. Dimensions are in feet unless otherwise noted.
Neighborhood Mixed Use District
Front yard setback | 0' or 5' 0' if the distance between the curb and property line is equal to or greater than 15'. A no-build easement may be used to achieve the 15' distance. 5' if the distance between the curb and property line is less than 15'. See (a) below
Street side yard setback | 0' or 5' 0' if the distance between the curb and property line is equal to or greater than 15' or shown on the Setback Exceptions Map. A no-build easement may be used to achieve the 15' distance. 5' if the distance between the curb and property line is less than 15'. See (a) below and Downtown Setback Map and Setback Exceptions Map.
Side yard setback: Where buildings abut residentially-zoned lots at side lot line. | Minimum side yard required in the adjacent residential district
Side yard setback (for exclusive residential use) | 5
Side yard setback: other cases. | 0
Lot area (for exclusive residential use) | 500 sq. ft./unit
Rear yard setback. | 20
Rear yard setback if rear property line adjacent to a lot or right-of-way with a publicly-owned multi-use path within 100' | 5
Maximum lot coverage. | 75%
Maximum height. | 3 stories/40 See (d) below
(a) Front Yard Setback. For buildings and additions exceeding fifty percent (50%) of floor area, the maximum front yard setback shall be twenty-five (25) feet unless designated otherwise on the zoning map. Front yard setbacks on the zoning map may be designated as a specific location (build to line) or as a range.
(b) Additional Height. Building height exceeding the maximum may be allowed with conditional use approval.
[image omitted; see the official code]
Figure D9: Maximum Front Yard Setback in NMX District unless designated otherwise on the zoning map
Figure D10: Where designated on the zoning map, properties may have a maximum setback of 10 feet in the NMX district.
[image omitted; see the official code]
[image omitted; see the official code]
(c) (Rep. by ORD-17-00054, 6-19-17)
(d) Rear or Side Yard Height Transition to Residential Districts. Where the NMX District abuts a residential district at the rear or side lot line, building height at the rear or side yard setback line shall not exceed the maximum height in feet allowed in the abutting district as a permitted use. From this point, building height may increase at a ratio of one foot of rise to one foot of horizontal distance away from the property line, (a 45º angle) up to the maximum allowed height. Transitions exceeding this height and/or ratio limitation require conditional use approval. (See Figure D12) (Am. by ORD-25-00067, 10-16-25)
[image omitted; see the official code]
Figure D12: Rear or Side Yard Height Transition
(4) Site Standards. The following standards shall apply to new buildings and additions exceeding fifty percent (50%) of original building's floor area.
(a) For the Single-Family Attached, Small Multi-Family, Large Multi-Family, and Courtyard Multi-Family Building Forms, surface parking shall not be located between any street and the plane of the principal building's corresponding street-facing facade. If located on the side of the building, parking facilities shall occupy no more than twenty-five percent (25%) of the frontage along the primary abutting street. For Large Multi-Family Buildings, structured parking at ground level shall not be visible on the front façade of the building.
(b) For all Building Forms other than (a) above, surface parking shall not be located between the primary street and the plane of the principal building's primary street-facing facade. Surface Parking abutting the primary street frontage is limited to seventy (70) feet in width or fifty percent (50%) of lot frontage, whichever is less.
(5) Site Standards: New and Existing Development.
(a) All business activities shall be conducted within completely enclosed buildings, except:
1. Off-street parking and off-street loading.
2. Outdoor display.
3. Vending machines.
4. Outdoor eating, cooking, and service areas associated with food and beverage establishments. (Am. by ORD-13-00178, 10-23-13)
5. Auto service stations.
6. Bicycle-sharing facilities.
7. Walk-up service windows.
8. Temporary outdoor events.
9. Solar energy systems and wind energy systems.
10. Yard sales.
11. Agricultural activities.
12. Cemeteries.
13. Composting.
14. Keeping of chickens and keeping of honeybees.
15. Outdoor recreation.
(Am. by ORD-17-00054, 6-19-17; Am. by ORD-21-00028, 3-30-21, Eff. 4-9-21; Am. by ORD-21-00044, 6-14-21; Am. by ORD-25-00011, 3-8-25; Am. by ORD-26-00001, 1-23-26) (Am. by ORD-14-00131, 8-13-14; Am. by ORD-25-00067, 10-16-25) (Am. by ORD-15-00033, 4-8-15; Rpld. By ORD-21-00044, 6-14-21; Am. by ORD-24-00018, 3-20-24)
Source: City of Madison, Wisconsin, Madison General Ordinances (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/wi/madison/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=COORMAWIVOIICH20--31_CH28ZOCOOR_SUBCHAPTER_28DMIECODI_28.064NEMIEDIFetched: 11/1/2026