Design Review Board

Design Review Board

The City of Ann Arbor Design Review Board fosters excellence in the design of downtown Ann Arbor's built environment. It advises developers on how a project can meet the spirit and intent of the Ann Arbor Downtown Design Guidelines. The Design Review Board was established June 6, 2011.

The Board engages in a dialog with potential applicants for any development that is:

in the D1 or D2 zoning district, or located within the DDA boundary zoned or proposed to be zoned PUD
and is not in a historic district
and proposes an increase in floor area
and is a site plan (for City Council approval, for Planning Commission approval, PUD, planned project or administrative amendment to an approved site plan that includes significant building facade changes)

Projects meeting these criteria must meet with the Design Review Board as part of the normal site plan review process. Compliance with the Board's comments is voluntary.

The Design Review Board consists of 7 members, including two landscape architects, two architects, one planner, one developer, and one contractor. Each member is appointed by the Mayor and approved by City Council and serves a three-year term.

Geoff Perkins, Contractor, Chair
Lori Singleton, Landscape Architect, Vice Chair
Tamara Burns, Architect
William Kinley, Developer
Richard Mitchell, Architect
Wendy Rampson, Planner
John Kotarski, Public Art Commission Representative

Apply to serve on the Design Review Board

Design Review Board Bylaws (PDF)

Application Materials

Downtown Character Overlay Districts Map (PDF)
Building Frontage Map (PDF)
Ann Arbor Downtown Design Guidelines (PDF)
Fee: $1,500

Applications must be submitted online using the City's new online permitting system STREAM (stream.a2gov.org).

To Apply to go before the Design Review Board:

Go to STREAM (stream.a2.gov.org)
Select the Apply box
Select the Design Review Board application
Follow prompts to complete the application.

Applications for a meeting are due by noon on the second Wednesday of the prior month. For example, applications for the June meeting are due by noon on the second Wednesday of May.
Contact planning@a2gov.org with any questions.

Meetings and Deadlines

The Design Review Board meets at 3:00 pm on the second Wednesday of each month as needed via Zoom. Meetings are advertised in the lobby of City Hall. Residents and property owners within 500 feet of the proposed development site will also be notified by mail. Meetings are open to the public.

2024 DRB Meeting Calendar

Access the City's Meeting, Agenda, and Minutes Calendar. Scroll down the page to the Design Review Board meeting and click on the Agenda or Meeting Details links.