Title
Resolution to Approve Veridian at County Farm South (Thrive) Site Plan and Development Agreement, 2270 Platt Road (CPC Recommendation: Approval - 8 Yeas and 0 Nays)
Memorandum
Approval of this resolution will allow for the construction of 99 homes including detached, attached, and apartments, and community buildings on an 8.4-acre site with advanced sustainability and efficiency.
Petition Summary:
• This site plan is part of a 3-piece project: a petition to rezone a 12.8-acre site from PL (Public Land) to PUD (Planned Unit Development) with Supplemental Regulations for a mixed-type residential development with community spaces, accessory retail, and advanced sustainable construction methods, including a significant percentage of affordable housing. [Below, “project” refers to all three components, site plan and “development’ refers to only this piece.]
• The petition to rezone has been submitted to Council separately and passed first reading on September 21, 2020.
• The site plan proposes to construct a variety of residential units and accessory retail use. The development includes 16 “village” homes, 42 townhouse homes, 30 walk-up flats, and 11 “nest” micro-unit apartments. It also includes a farmhouse building for use by a retail farm store, a barn, garden shed and bike shed. The site layout features interconnected sidewalks, some directly connecting with the path in the surrounding County Farm Park, front porches, front doors facing streets and greenways. A private main drive runs through this development and continues through the adjacent, sister development, with a pedestrian activated crossing signal installed on Platt Road at the intersection (one of two for the project).
• A traditional conflicting land use buffer is provided along the west side of the site, and an alternative conflicting land use buffer, having a wider average width and specifically a dense hedgerow for screening, is provided along the south side adjacent to the existing single-family neighborhood.
• The development has committed to all electric utilities, with no gas supply to the site and no gas-powered appliances, utilities or equipment, and will generate renewable energy on site. A storm water management system is proposed to infiltrate all stormwater into the ground through interconnected rain gardens and bioswales and a significant amount of pervious pavement. Power supplies and storm water management are outside of the scope of the proposed PUD district and Supplemental Regulations but the system is demonstrative of the proposed development’s commitment to sustainability.
• The development is required to provide a minimum of 15% of its dwelling units affordably to lower income households. Three options are available to satisfy this requirement, by providing the units on-site, off-site on the adjacent development, or by a contribution in lieu. At this time, the 15 required units are proposed off-site on the adjacent development (Veridian at County Farm North (Avalon) Site Plan. If it turns out that construction of this development is far ahead of Avalon’s construction schedule, another option may be chosen as permitted in order for this development to receive its final certificates of occupancy and remain in compliance with the PUD zoning regulations.
• A development agreement has been prepared to address performance standards as well as construction coordination in addition to typical provisions.
The City Planning Commission, at its meeting of August 5, 2020, recommended approval of this site plan and development agreement with the condition that a land division is approved prior to issuing any permits.
Attachments: August 5, 2020 Planning Staff Report
August 5, 2020 Planning Commission Minutes
October 2, 2020 Development Agreement
Staff
Prepared By: Alexis DiLeo, City Planner
Reviewed By: Brett Lenart, Planning Manager
Derek Delacourt, Community Services Area Administrator
Approved By: Tom Crawford, Interim City Administrator
Body
Whereas, The Thrive Collaborative has requested site plan approval in order to develop 99 dwelling units and accessory retail in coordination with a sister project that redevelops the former County juvenile detention site into a residential development with community spaces, accessory retail, and sustainable construction methods;
Whereas, A development agreement has been prepared to address performance standards and construction coordination with its sister development;
Whereas, The Ann Arbor City Planning Commission, on August 5, 2020, recommended approval of the site plan;
Whereas, The development would comply with the proposed PUD Supplemental Regulations established pursuant to the requirements of Chapter 55, and with all applicable local, state, or federal laws, ordinances, standards and regulations;
Whereas, The development would limit the disturbance of natural features to the minimum necessary to allow a reasonable use of the land, applying criteria for reviewing a natural features statement of impact set forth in Chapter 55; and
Whereas, The development would not cause a public or private nuisance and would not have a detrimental effect on the public health, safety and welfare;
RESOLVED, That City Council approve the Development Agreement, substantially in the form of that attached, dated October 2, 2020;
RESOLVED, That the Mayor and City Clerk are authorized and directed to sign the Development Agreement after approval as to substance by the City Administrator and approval as to form by the City Attorney; and
RESOLVED, That City Council approve the Veridian at County Farm South (Thrive) Site Plan dated July 27, 2020, upon the condition that 1) a land division is approved prior to the issuance of any permits, 2) the Development Agreement is signed by all parties, and 3) all terms of the Development Agreement are satisfied.