The Development Review Process

The following is the City of Ann Arbor development review process for most types of projects, including:  annexation, zoning, area plans, site plans, plats, land divisions, and street vacations.   

1.  Meet With Staff

The Planning Department maintains a supply of ordinances, regulations and petition forms, many of which are also available on-line.  You should contact the Planning Department to obtain the necessary information and petition forms, or to discuss your proposal with a Planning staff person.  Staff will determine whether a petition is considered "regular" or must be also reviewed by the Advisory Development Committee.  (Note, filing deadlines are different for regular and ADC projects.  Fees and the approval process, however, remains the same.)  

2.  File Petition

Once petitioners have obtained the above information and prepared their petition, they must meet with a Planning staff person in a pre-submittal meeting to review the petition materials at least a day or two before the filing deadline.  Completed petitions, including plans, forms, additional materials and fees, are due by noon of the deadline day.  A Planner will be assigned to coordinate the petition review process. 

3.  Petition Circulated to Reviewing Departments

Planning staff will route copies of the petition to other City departments and agencies for their review and comment.  Reviewers are asked to return comments within two weeks.  

3a.  Advisory Development Committee (ADC) Meeting

If a petition is determined to be particularly complex, a meeting will be scheduled with the Advisory Development Committee.  This is a committee of at least one member from each City department and agency which reviews plans, who discuss preliminary comments in-person with the petitioner.   

4.  Comments to Planning Department

The assigned Planner will forward all comments to the petitioner or their designated agent.  Petitioners are allowed approximately two weeks to revise plans according to the comments received, if necessary.  Revised plans are again reviewed by City departments and agencies, and additional comments are prepared if needed.  A written staff report to City Planning Commission is prepared by the assigned planner.  

5.  City Planning Commission Review

In the written staff report, Planning staff will make a recommendation to City Planning Commission for action.  Following a public hearing, City Planning Commission will approve, deny or table Site Plans for City Planning Commission Approval, or will make a recommendation to City Council for all other petitions.  The Planning Director and City Clerk will schedule the petition for City Council review and approval as soon as Council rules and the calendar permits.  If a petition needs a variance from the Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA), Council action is delayed until ZBA has acted.

6.  City Council Review

Following City Council action, the Planning Department will notify petitioners and, if approved, related City departments.  If approved, the necessary construction and engineering drawings may be prepared to the appropriate City departments for the necessary permits.

7.  Permits Issued

Before building permits may be issued for buildings that have been shown on an approved site plan or planned unit development site plan, the Building Department sends a notice to other appropriate departments requesting that written reasons be returned by a specific date if a permit should be withheld.  Final or conditional approval will then be made prior to the issuance of the building permits.;

Note:  Some City departments, such as Assessor, Fire, Police and Utilities, are most interested in annexations for the purpose of determining when a parcel is officially brought into the City.  To provide this information, the City Clerk will route to interested departments all communications received by the Secretary of State's office or the State Boundary Commission, who notify the City when properties have been annexed to the City.