Public process continues in Ann Arbor's review of downtown zoning
In an effort to refocus standards for the design and construction of future development in downtown Ann Arbor, city officials are taking steps to do their due diligence in the process.
Monday, members of the city's Planning Commission tasked with reviewing the appropriateness of downtown zoning ordinances will receive a summary of the public input that’s been collected within the past week at focus groups and coffee meetings on the subject.
Ann Arbor's changing skyline.
Clearly defining what all of the issues are is important in order for the Planning Commission to be able to draft a list of recommendations on ordinance changes to the Ann Arbor City Council that won’t raise further issues.
At least two highly contested developments have been begrudgingly approved by City Council, the most recent of which was the 413 E. Huron high-rise. The other was the controversial City Place project on South Fifth Avenue.
Although the public may vehemently oppose the projects, the proposed buildings have been designed to the exact standards outlined in Ann Arbor’s downtown zoning ordinance.
The outpouring of public participating during the deliberation of the 413 E. Huron project wasn’t just from the neighborhood adjacent to the property - but from across the city.
“Because the downtown seems to belong to everyone (unlike, for instance, a neighborhood), anyone can feel excited by or confronted by changes in the downtown,” said Council member Sabra Briere, D-1st Ward. “The Council would probably love to have community consensus; since that's not likely on some issues, such as changes in the downtown, making certain that all voices are actually heard as we talk about the tweaks needed in the zoning is valuable.”
Engaging in conversations about the details of zoning so far has left many residents with more questions about why zoning policies are the way they are downtown.
An artist's rendering of the high-rise apartment building planned for 413 E. Huron St. in Ann Arbor.
Humphreys & Partners Architects
The Planning Commission has been tasked with developing a list of recommendations regarding D1 zoning to deliver to City Council by Oct. 1.
D1 zoning is the district that comprises the core of downtown Ann Arbor. It permits buildings up to 180 feet tall in most cases.
There are specific areas City Council has asked the Planning Commission to review to see if D1 zoning is appropriate:
- The north side of Huron Street between North Division and North State, near the 413 E. Huron project
- The south side of East William Street between South Main and South Fourth Avenue
- A parcel of the south side of Ann Street adjacent to the north side of city hall
Additionally, council asked the commission to review the floor area ratio premiums for residential buildings in D1-zoned properties.
The commission’s ordinance review committee of Wendy Woods, Diane Gianola and Bonnie Bona have been assigned that task directly. Kirk Westphal, chairman of the Planning Commission, and Briere have been involved as well.
In the beginning of July, the commission hired the Ann Arbor consultant firm ENP & Associates for $24,000 to provide a more independent, objective public engagement process than commission members believed they could conduct themselves.
“In order to determine whether the standards are clear and understandable, I believe it is important to the council to be confident that the requirements make sense to and meet the needs of developers, builders and the public. If our ordinance language is too complex or confusing, we need to know that,” Briere said.
The Monday workshop meeting with the consultant firm and the members of the ordinance review committee is schedule for 7 to 8:30 p.m. in the basement conference room of the Washtenaw County Building at 200 N. Main St. in Ann Arbor.
The meeting is open to the public and input is encouraged.
Amy Biolchini covers Washtenaw County, health and environmental issues for AnnArbor.com. Reach her at (734) 623-2552, amybiolchini@annarbor.com or on Twitter.
Comments
Vivienne Armentrout
Mon, Aug 5, 2013 : 9:06 a.m.
There are two errors in this sentence: "Although the public may vehemently oppose the projects, the proposed buildings have been designed to the exact standards outlined in Ann Arbor's downtown zoning ordinance." First, in regard to City Place on S. Fifth Avenue: this was not in the downtown. It is in the Central Area, a near-downtown neighborhood. The problem with City Place was the assembly of a number of parcels, which permitted a much larger project than most had envisioned for its zoning (which I think was R4C but have been unable to confirm that on a quick review). The citizen's advisory committee which met for many months on R4C zoning recommended that such assembly of lots should be restricted. The Planning Commission did not include that recommendation in its initial report to Council. A history of the City Place project is here: http://localannarbor.wordpress.com/2011/10/24/heritage-city-place-row/ which has a number of links to news stories. Second, there is disagreement as to whether either of these projects was designed to "exact zoning standards". Some citizens have presented arguments showing that zoning standards and other city ordinances and policies were not adhered to in these developments. Here is a story that links to a booklet that was assembled. http://annarborchronicle.com/2013/05/10/413-e-huron-9-point-booklet/ Some of the zoning standards are subject to interpretation, and staff has generally seemed to favor the developer in that interpretation. So the word "exact" is not appropriate.
DJBudSonic
Sun, Aug 4, 2013 : 5:16 p.m.
I think what Ms. Briere is trying to say is first, planning affects everyone, so if you want to have a say now is your chance; and second, the language of the final planning guidelines should be written as to be understandable by all, to avoid conflicting interpretations. But that is just my guess.
Veracity
Mon, Aug 5, 2013 : 1:47 p.m.
Sensible.
Victor Incognito
Sun, Aug 4, 2013 : 3:02 p.m.
Maybe someone could sneak in a little clause to the new zoning ordinance requiring a restaurant and/or bar at the top of one of these new buildings? Not talking about a private lounge for residents, but somewhere you can go out for dinner or a cocktail and watch the sun set over the town. I'll bet a place like that would do brisk business.
Victor Incognito
Mon, Aug 5, 2013 : 3:52 p.m.
Ah yes, an important lesson to entrepreneurs and innovators everywhere -- if it hasn't happened already, it wouldn't work.
Veracity
Mon, Aug 5, 2013 : 1:46 p.m.
If such a restaurant would be profitable and if the restaurant could be properly located it would have happened already! In the future I hope that buildings will not be as tall as the ones recently built and therefore the panoramic view will not be as impressive.
Victor Incognito
Mon, Aug 5, 2013 : 1:52 a.m.
Just because.
Tano
Sun, Aug 4, 2013 : 4:34 p.m.
Why should the government mandate the type of businesses that MUST be included in any particular building?
Brad
Sun, Aug 4, 2013 : 1:57 p.m.
When voting in Tuesday's city council primary please remember one of the driving forces behind A2D2 - Marcia Higgins. Some quotes/news excerpts from when A2D2 was approved by council in 2009: http://www.annarbor.com/news/a2d2-zoning-changes-get-approval-from-ann-arbor-city-council/ "Council Member Marcia Higgins, the city's foremost leader of the Ann Arbor Discovering Downtown initiative" "Higgins, D-4th Ward, said it was time to act on the A2D2 zoning changes as they stand and trying to change them at this point only undermined the long process of community involvement and steering committee decisions that led to them. She said any revisions that need to be made later could go through the normal channels of planning and come back to the City Council for approval." "I've been working on this for a good number of years," Higgins said. "We are starting to tweak things we have already debated to death at this council floor." Why was there such a big hurry? And so now here we are with a huge monument to their folly to be built at 413 E. Huron. I say let's not involve someone who was the "city's foremost leader" in getting it so wrong last time. Jack Eaton for the 4th Ward and Ann Arbor - Aug 6.
JimmyD
Sun, Aug 4, 2013 : 1:25 p.m.
Thanks for the update Amy. The City has definitely learned from the last building cycle that the old plans were not sufficient. It's time to make them better, but without surrendering to the "I live here now and don't want anything to change" camp.