Title
Resolution Directing the Planning Commission to Study and Update the South State Street Corridor Plan (adopted by City Council July 15, 2013) Including Examining the Feasibility to Accommodate a Future Transit Supported Development Zoning District
Body
Whereas, A resolution was introduced by City Council on April 6th to direct the Planning Commission to create a Transit Supported Development District (Legistar File 20-0438);
Whereas, City Council voted to lay the resolution on the table because COVID-19 made it impractical for public engagement to be held at that time;
Whereas, Under Council Rule 16, the resolution is demised because it was not taken up again within 6 months;
Whereas, The City of Ann Arbor and its citizens have learned to use technology to permit meaningful virtual public engagement;
Whereas, There has been lack of definition and insufficient public engagement and dialogue on the topic of transit supported zoning districts, their cost, or effectiveness;
Whereas, The South State Street Corridor has been studied regarding transportation options with The South State Street Corridor Plan, adopted by City Council July 15, 2013, that includes corridor specific transportation recommendations and The South State Street Corridor Study (December 2017);
Whereas, The South State Street Corridor Plan suggests that the feasibility of transit improvements would be high;
Whereas, The South State Street Corridor Plan also states that with its concentration of high-activity uses, proximity to downtown, the University of Michigan south athletic campus, and the highway, South State Street is poised for future growth and redevelopment; and
Whereas, Further analysis of the South State Street Corridor should be conducted in order to determine the feasibility of signature/high-quality transit improvements per The South State Street Corridor Plan;
Whereas, an increase in residential density in this area could take advantage of the proximity to two I-94 interchanges and provide an opportunity to create a transit station, or hub, along with innovative parking solutions; and
Whereas, The South State Street Corridor would be an ideal place to encourage improved transit and integrated land use with the creation of mixed-use development to increase economic activity and improve interconnectedness with the downtown and the main campus of the university;
RESOLVED, That the Ann Arbor City Council refers the study and update of the South State Street Corridor Plan to the City Planning Commission, as the place to first examine the cost and effectiveness of such a transit supported development district;
RESOLVED, That the Planning Commission compile a list of changes that have been made to this area as a result of recommendations found in the 2009 Transportation Plan, The Capital Improvements Plan, the PROS Plan, the WATS 2035 Study, and the South State Street Corridor Plan;
RESOLVED, That the Ann Arbor City Council requests that the City Planning Commission forward an updated South State Street Corridor Plan (an element of the City Master Plan) that accommodates a transit supported zoning district to increase mixed-use development, affordable housing, sustainability, and transit solutions compliant with Transit Supported Development best practices matching density to existing as well as planned and funded public transportation nodes and stations;
RESOLVED, That the Ann Arbor City Council directs the City Planning Commission to conduct a robust public input process;
RESOLVED, That the Ann Arbor City Council encourages the City Planning Commission to examine solutions within the South State Street Corridor, such as:
• Increasing allowable Floor Area Ratio (FAR) along transit corridors in this Plan's Area
• Decreasing and/or eliminating parking requirements for new development at hubs along transit corridors in this Plan's Area
• Requiring mixed use development
• Decreasing height and increasing setbacks near pre-existing residential areas
• Encouraging development that supports the goals of the city’s A2 Zero Plan, and
RESOLVED, That the Ann Arbor City Council directs the City Planning Commission to include development aspects - such as sustainability measures, affordable housing, and public open space - as both requirements and incentives, with specific enforceable criteria and formulas; and
RESOLVED, That the Ann Arbor City Council requests recommendations by June 15, 2021.
Sponsored by: Councilmember Hayner