Proposed Code Changes

A2D2 Zoning and Parking Amendments

The Planning Commission recommended approval of the A2D2 zoning and parking amendments on March 3, 2009.  For background on the development of the amendments, visit the A2D2 Implementation Status page. 

The draft amendments revise fourteen sections of the Zoning Ordinance (Chapter 55) and two sections of the Off-Street Parking Ordinance (Chapter 59).  The proposed zoning map amendments create two downtown zoning districts, nine downtown character overlay zoning districts and three building frontage designations for downtown properties. 

Updates on City Council consideration of the amendments are provided in the section below.

Updates: Zoning and Parking Amendments

10/13/09 update

The public hearing on the A2D2 zoning and parking amendments originally scheduled for October 19, 2009 has been rescheduled to Monday, November 16, 2009 at 7 pm in the Council Chamber (2nd floor, City Hall).   Updated notices will be resent.  Procedures for speaking at the public hearing, providing written comments, and questions about the change or the proposed amendments remains the same.

10/5/09 Update

City Council will hold a public hearing on the A2D2 zoning and parking amendments on Monday, October 19, 2009 at 7 pm in the Council Chamber (2nd floor, City Hall).  On October 2, 2009, a notice of the public hearing was mailed to owners and occupants within the A2D2 rezoning area and 1000 feet outside of the rezoning area (see link below). 

Interested persons may speak at the public hearing for up to three minutes. Written comments may be directed to the City Clerk's Office, 2nd floor, City Hall, 100 N. Fifth Avenue, Ann Arbor, MI 48107-8647 or emailed to jbeaudry@a2gov.org.  

• Public hearing notice and rezoning address list (pdf)

9/11/09 Update:

At its meeting of September 8, 2009, City Council passed 1st reading of the downtown zoning amendments.  A public hearing and 2nd reading is scheduled for Monday, October, 19, 2009 (7 pm, Council Chamber, City Hall).  Links to the current proposal are provided below: 

• Proposed ordinance amendments (pdf) - July 6, 2009 Draft
• D1 and D2 Base Zoning Districts (pdf) - June 22, 2009 Draft
• Character Overlay Zoning Districts (pdf) - June 29, 2009 Draft
• Building Frontage Map (pdf) - June 22, 2009 Draft

To view the staff report and other communications to City Council, visit the City's Legislative Information Center, Item 09-0227. 

7/13/09 Update:

At its meeting of July 6, 2009, City Council postponed 1st reading of the downtown zoning amendments to July 20, 2009 (7 pm, Council Chamber, City Hall).  Council members indicated they needed additional time to consider staff comments regarding the Downtown Development Authority's recommended changes to the proposal.  Links to both documents are provided below:

• DDA Recommendations regarding A2D2 Proposal (pdf) - June 3, 2009
• Staff Memorandum on DDA Recommendations (pdf) - July 5, 2009

7/2/09 Update: 

At its meeting of June 15, 2009, City Council approved the amended Downtown Plan, as adopted by the Planning Commission (see Downtown Plan Amendments section below for a link to the approved plan). 

In approving the Downtown Plan, City Council directed staff to revise the proposed downtown zoning map to be make it consistent with the approved Downtown Plan.  City Council also requested that the proposed downtown zoning amendments, which originally had been scheduled for a public hearing and 2nd reading on July 6th, be brought back to Council for 1st reading instead.  

The revised downtown zoning map and ordinance changes are now scheduled for 1st reading at City Council on Monday, July 6, 2009 (7 pm, Council Chamber, City Hall).

On June 15, 2009, City Council also approved a contract with Winter & Company for consulting services to revise the draft downtown design guidelines.  The link to the proposed scope of work is provided below:

• Winter & Company Design Guidelines Revisions Project (pdf)

6/12/09 Update: 

City Council will hold a public hearing on the amended Downtown Plan, as adopted by the Planning Commission, on Monday, June 15, 2009 (7 pm, Council Chamber, City Hall).  City Council will consider approval of the plan at this meeting.  Links to the Council transmittal and Downtown Plan are provided below:

• Council Transmittal and Attachments - June 15, 2009
• Downtown Plan (3 MB pdf) - As adopted by Planning Commission on May 19, 2009

City Council also will consider approving a contract with Winter & Company at its June 15, 2009 meeting.  This contract will provide consulting services to revise the draft downtown design guidelines document in response to comments from the A2D2 Steering Committee and the public. The contract also will cover revisions to the draft historic preservation design guidelines document.

5/17/09 Update:

Materials for May 19, 2009 Planning Commission public hearing on Downtown Plan amendments:

• Staff Report (pdf) - May 15, 2009
• Draft Downtown Plan (3MB pdf) - May 15, 2009

5/8/09 Update:

Staff report to the Planning Commission for the May 12th working session:

• Additional Amendments to Downtown Plan (pdf)

4/24/09 Update:

On April 20, 2009, City Council sent the Downtown Plan back to the Planning Commission with recommended revisions.  The revised review schedule is:

• May 12, 2009 (7 pm) - Planning Commission working session discussion on Downtown Plan revisions
• May 19, 2009 (7 pm) - Planning Commission public hearing and action on Downtown Plan revisions
• June 15, 2009 (7 pm) - City Council public hearing and action on Downtown Plan
• July 6, 2009 (7 pm) - City Council public hearing and action on downtown zoning and parking amendments (Second Reading)

Staff reports and the revised plan and ordinance drafts will be posted on this page as they become available. 

4/10/09 Update:

City Council reviewed the draft A2D2 amendments at First Reading on April 6, 2009 and made the changes listed below.  Second Reading of the Revised Draft Amendments (pdf) is tentatively scheduled for July 6, 2009.

Map changes

• The South University area outside of DDA boundary was changed from D1 to D2 zoning: South University Map (pdf)
• The East Huron character overlay district was subdivided into East Huron 1 and East Huron 2: East Huron Map (pdf)
• The building frontage designations for portions of Washtenaw Avenue and Forest Avenue area were changed: Washtenaw/Forest Map (pdf)
• The D2 boundary was extended to include 322 E. Kingsley.

Text  changes

• Height limits were added or changed in several character overlay districts (Tables 5:10.20A and C) , as follows:
• East Huron 1 – 150 feet maximum
• East Huron 2 – 180 feet maximum
• Liberty/Division – 180 feet maximum
• Main Street – 180 feet maximum
• Midtown – 180 feet maximum
• South University – 150 feet maximum
• State Street – 180 feet maximum
• A 40-foot rear and side setback requirement from residential was added to the South University character overlay district for the newly identified D2 zoning (Table 5:10.20C).
• A description of the D2 area was added to the South University Character Overlay District in Section 5:10.20(1)(a).
• The maximum building diagonal requirements were deleted (Tables 5:10.20A and C).
• The “active use” requirements for street-level uses on retail streets were deleted from Section 5:10.19 (2)(b) and Table 5:10.19A.
• Massing standards for the newly identified East Huron 1 character overlay district were added, as follows:

• Section 5:40(1)(f) was revised to remove gender-specific references.
• The penalty formula for failure to achieve the LEED certification commitment was revised in Section 5:65(2)(c).

Downtown Plan Amendments

The Planning Commission held a public hearing and adopted the amended Downtown Plan on February 19, 2009.   On April 20, 2009, City Council sent the Downtown Plan back to the Planning Commission for further revisions. 

On May 19, 2009, the Planning Commission held a public hearing and adopted amendments in response to City Council comments.  The City Council approved the amended Downtown Plan on June 16, 2009. 

• Downtown Plan (3 MB pdf) - Adopted May 19, 2009

Updated October 5, 2009