The Downtown Pedestrian Protection Ordinance would impose a time limit of one hour on the use of public benches and prohibits sitting, lying or lodging on public sidewalks and right-of-ways during most hours of the day. That prohibition would run from 5:30 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. for any city office properties, and from 5:30 a.m. to 1:00 a.m. for the rest of the downtown.

Madison Police would be required to give a verbal warning to anyone violating the ordinance, but after that violators would be subject to a fine of $100 for a first offense and $250 for a second or subsequent offense within one year of the first.

Via Mayor Soglin proposes sweeping ordinance aimed at homeless population.