Title
Resolution to Direct Planning Commission Following Stadium/Maple Rezoning toTC-1
Body
Whereas, Through Resolution R-20-439 in November of 2020, the City Council directed the Planning Commission to create a Transit Supportive Development District;
Whereas, Resolution R-20-439 identified that allowing more housing to be built, especially near transit corridors, improves affordability community wide;
Whereas, The addition of housing near transit corridors increases opportunities for residents to access more destinations through modes and trips that reduce or eliminate vehicular miles traveled;
Whereas, The City Council adopted Ordinance 21-19 in July of 2021 that established the TC1 Transit Corridor Zoning District through incorporation into the Unified Development Code;
Whereas, The City Council subsequently rezoned 68 lots in the State/Eisenhower Corridor and 190 lots in the West Stadium/Maple Corridor from other mixed-use and special purpose zoning districts to TC1;
Whereas, The space between curb and lot line along Stadium/Maple corridor has constrained widths (i.e. 7 feet in many areas) and is currently inadequate for facilitating comfortable nonmotorized and transit travel;
Whereas, Ann Arbor desires to provide safe and comfortable pedestrian environments, as well as supportive public amenities to increase walking and transit use (e.g. bus shelters, bike racks, appropriately sized sidewalks, street trees, benches);
Whereas, A staff memo dated April 1, 2021 to the Planning Commission pertaining to the development of the TC-1 district notes that “the use specific standards of the TC1 district are inspired by the form-based standards of the D1 (Downtown Core), D2, and nine Character overlay districts. transition in transportation”, however D1 and D2 allow by special exception use commercial uses that were not permitted in the final draft of TC-1;
Whereas, Residents living in the neighborhoods abutting the Stadium/Maple corridor place high value on the mix of commercial uses, particularly local businesses, that currently populate the area and are within close walking/distance of their homes (e.g. grocery stores, restaurants, auto-repair facilities, bookstores, and other retail establishments); and
Whereas, Some automobile-related commercial uses (I.e. car rental and repair) located in close proximity to housing are supportive of the goals of TC1 Zoning District but currently aren’t permitted by special exception use;
RESOLVED, That the Ann Arbor City Council directs the Planning Commission to evaluate and recommend amendments to the TC1 Zoning District or Unified Development Code (UDC) that:
• Incorporate limited automobile-related uses into the TC1 District, excluding drive throughs and gas stations
• Address constraints of existing narrow rights of way
Sponsored by: Councilmembers Briggs, Disch, Cornell and Akmon
As Amended and Approved by Ann Arbor City Council on December 5, 2022