City of Ann Arbor - File #: 10-0571

• File #: 10-0571
• Version: 2
• Name: 07/06/10 Amend to Ch 55 & 57 re Timing Staff Report
• Type: Ordinance
• Status: Passed
• File created: 6/1/2010
• In control: City Council
• On agenda: 8/5/2010
• Final action: 8/5/2010
• Enactment date: 7/6/2010
• Enactment #: ORD-10-23
• Title: An Ordinance to Amend Section 5:71(1) of Chapter 55 (Zoning) and Sections 5:121(2), 5:122(3), 5:124(2), and 5:130 (Subdivision and Land Use Control) of Title V of the Code of the City of Ann Arbor Regarding Approval Procedures and Timing (CPC Recommendation: Approval - 7 Yeas and 1 Nay) (Ordinance No. ORD-10-23)

Date	Ver.	Action By	Action	Result
8/5/2010	2	City Council	Held and Closed
8/5/2010	2	City Council	Adopted on Second Reading	Pass
7/6/2010	2	City Council	Approved on First Reading	Pass
6/1/2010	1	City Planning Commission	Recommended for Approval

Title
An Ordinance to Amend Section 5:71(1) of Chapter 55 (Zoning) and Sections 5:121(2), 5:122(3), 5:124(2), and 5:130 (Subdivision and Land Use Control) of Title V of the Code of the City of Ann Arbor Regarding Approval Procedures and Timing (CPC Recommendation: Approval - 7 Yeas and 1 Nay) (Ordinance No. ORD-10-23)
Memorandum
Approval of this ordinance amendment will amend the procedures for recommendations by the Planning Commission and approvals by the City Council for area plans, site plans, plats and planned projects. This ordinance will also amend the general timing requirement for site plans.

Code currently requires the Planning Commission to make a recommendation within 60 days of receiving a staff report, and City Council to take action within 30 to 90 days of receiving the Planning Commission’s recommendation depending on the type of project. Both the Planning Commission and the City Council are permitted to vote to extend these time limits in 30-day increments. Site plans are considered approved if either body does not act within 30 days or vote to extend. The proposed amendments will eliminate the specific number of days the bodies must act and instead require action within a reasonable time following the close of the public hearing and will eliminate the assumption that a site plan is approved without timely action.

The Planning Commission recommended approval of these amendments at their meeting of June 1, 2010, subject to Planning staff tracking time limits at various stages involved in the ordinance and reporting back to the Planning Commission and Council one year from the date of adoption.

In addition, at Planning Commission’s request, staff surveyed several Michigan communities about time limits and found that many do not address time limits at all in their ordinances (including Lansing, Grand Rapids, Traverse City, Canton Township, and Royal Oak). East Lansing requires their City Council to take action within 20 working days from re...