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File #: 20-0500    Version: 1 Name: 4/20/20 - Pre-Entitlement - 415 W Washington
Type: Resolution Status: Passed
File created: 4/20/2020 In control: City Council
On agenda: 7/6/2020 Final action: 7/6/2020
Enactment date: 7/6/2020 Enactment #: R-20-272
Title: Resolution to Direct the City Administrator, Ann Arbor Housing Commission, and Planning Commission to Create Proposed Application Materials, Review and Recommend Development Entitlements to the City Council for 415 W. Washington to Support the Development of Affordable Housing in the City
Attachments: 1. Housing and Affordability ylot 415 OPTIONS summary-S.pdf, 2. 415 W Washington Pre Entitlement Update Memo.pdf, 3. Treeline Conservancy to Ann Arbor city Council re 415 W. Washington FINAL.pdf, 4. Ann Arbor Houisng + Affordability 415 W Wash 05.21.20 Public Presentation.pdf, 5. Ann Arbor Houisng + Affordability 415 W Wash Council Presentation-JULY.pdf, 6. Ann Arbor Housing + Affordability 415 W Wash 2-Page Summary.pdf, 7. Ann Arbor Housing + Affordability 415 W Wash May-June Engagement Summary-FULL.pdf, 8. Ann Arbor Housing + Affordability 415 W Wash October-April Engagement Summary-FULL.pdf, 9. Ann Arbor Housing + Affordability 415 W Wash May-June Engagement1000ft only.pdf, 10. City of Ann Arbor FORM_Demographic_Survey_rev_2020-02.pdf, 11. Demographics Census Tract & Block for 415 W Washington.pdf
Related files: 19-1497, 19-2023, 23-0277
Title
Resolution to Direct the City Administrator, Ann Arbor Housing Commission, and Planning Commission to Create Proposed Application Materials, Review and Recommend Development Entitlements to the City Council for 415 W. Washington to Support the Development of Affordable Housing in the City
Memorandum
On April 1, 2019, Ann Arbor City Council adopted Resolution R-19-138 which directed the City Administrator and Ann Arbor Housing Commission to provide analysis on the feasibility of City-owned properties as potential locations for Affordable Housing, including 415 W. Washington (the "Site"). On August 19, 2019, the City Council approved a contract with SmithGroup, Inc. to conduct public engagement, develop potential building concepts, and perform evaluation of the feasibility of these concepts for the Site.

415 W. Washington poses numerous challenges toward the realization of Affordable Housing:

* The property is impacted by floodplains, which both limits the potential building envelope and the use of federal funding to support the development of affordable housing.
* The property is adjacent to the railroad, which further renders the site ineligible for federal affordable housing funding.
* Methods to potentially preserve chimney swift habitat could become a limiting factor of site development.
* Unknown environmental impacts to be addressed.

There are numerous positive attributes of the site to support the development of housing as well:

* The eventual dedication of a portion of the site, likely consistent with floodplain, to support the Treeline non-motorized pathway.
* The potential for Downtown Development Authority support, based on the project's location.

Based on the feasibility of development and feedback from the community, it is recommended that this site progress to pre-entitlement phase. This phase would occur through partnership with the Ann Arbor Housing Commission as applicant, and City as reviewer/property owner, to pre-entitle the prope...

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