Title
An Ordinance to Amend Sections 5.17, 5.27 and 5.28 of Chapter 55 (Unified Development Code) of Title V (Building Design Requirements on Primary and Secondary Streets, Design Review Board, and Design Review) and to Repeal Section 1:239 of Chapter 8 of Title I of the Code of the City of Ann Arbor CPC Recommendation: Approval (7 Yes, 2 No)
Memorandum
In April of 2024, City Council enacted R-24-109 Resolution to Direct the City Administrator to Implement New Processes and Programs for Housing Development at all Income Levels to Support Housing Affordability.
In response to this direction, Planning Services staff has prepared several ordinance amendments to advance numerous directions from the resolution above. This proposed ordinance responds to the following direction:
"Hearings before the Design Review Board shall no longer be required by ordinance, and a review of the Design Review Standards for each project will become a city planning staff function."
In response, proposed modification language was presented in draft to the Planning Commission on September 10, 2024. At this working session, the Planning Commission expressed the following:
* Support for the proposed modifications to eliminate the Design Review Board and incorporate the comparison of developments as a city planning staff function.
* Support for additional modifications beyond the City Council resolution that provides additional flexibility for building materials where such standards are applicable. Specifically, the proposed changes will allow Exterior Insulation Finishing Systems (EIFS), which were previously prohibited. These systems have a reputation of appearing inexpensive or not having the durability of other finishes at times but have the added benefit of adding insulation value to a building.
* Opposition to the concept of eliminating the Downtown Design Guidelines altogether.
On February 19, 2025, the Planning Commission considered proposed modifications that were shaped b...
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