Title
Resolution to Establish a Contribution In Lieu of Required Parking Policy as Part of the 2009 Downtown Off-Street Parking Amendments
Memorandum
In November 2009, City Council approved the Ann Arbor Discovering Downtown (A2D2) zoning and parking amendments. One element was the addition of an option for a contribution in lieu of required off-street parking from downtown developers in those instances where parking is required, but the site constraints and/or the economics or goals of a project make the construction of on-site parking infeasible or unattractive. The code states that this payment is to be “consistent with the formula adopted by City Council.” What this Contribution in Lieu formula might look like remained unspecified at the time the code amendments were approved.
The amendments to Chapter 59 proposed for approval on April 2, 2012 are intended to provide clarity about the Contribution in Lieu option and also improve flexibility by adding an option for developers to meet their off-street parking requirements through execution of a contract for parking permits within the City’s public parking system and spreading out the contribution in increments over a set time period.
The Ann Arbor Downtown Development Authority (DDA) has operated the Ann Arbor public parking system since 1992, and during that time has managed parking contracts approved by City Council with downtown developers. Given this experience, there was DDA interest in assisting with the development of recommendations for a Contribution in Lieu option for downtown Ann Arbor. Members of the DDA met with the Planning Manager to learn about the various in lieu policies around the country, and they then spent time considering the ways an in lieu policy might be shaped for this community.
After several months’ discussion, at the July 2010 DDA meeting the following elements were put forward by the DDA as a recommendation for the framework of a Contribution in Lieu to implement the A2D2...
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