Title
An Ordinance to Amend Sections 5.15, 5.16 and 5.37 of Chapter 55 (Unified Development Code) of Title V of the Code of the City of Ann Arbor (Banquet Hall, Personal Services, Veterinary Uses) CPC Recommendation: Denial (5 yes, 0 no) (ORD-23-37)
Memorandum
Amendments are proposed to define and permit Banquet Hall use in all mixed-use districts as well as related amendments to better align the O district with other mixed-use districts.
A petition was submitted to define and permit "event space" as a primary use in the O (Office) district. Staff found there is a perceived gap in the land use regulations, but that the term banquet hall is the most widely used term in zoning and building code regulations and that any changes should apply to all mixed-use zoning districts. Banquet Hall use is proposed to be defined in Section 5.37 and proposed to be added as a permitted use in all mixed-use zoning districts in the Primary Use Table (Section 5.15.1).
Additional amendments beyond the petition for "event spaces" are proposed to the O district to better align its permitted uses with the remaining mixed-use districts, including: allowing all types of personal services in the O district; allowing fraternity/sorority, student cooperative housing, club headquarters, community center, religious assembly, private [K-12] schools and indoor recreation as primary (rather than special exception) uses in the O district; separating veterinary offices from veterinary, kennels and animal boarding, allowing veterinary offices as primary uses in mixed use districts and continuing kennels and animal boarding as currently permitted; and allowing trade/industrial schools as primary uses in the O district.
Six of the nine members of the City Planning Commission were present at its June 6, 2023 meeting. One member recused himself on this agenda item, leaving five members to discuss and vote on the proposed amendments. Although all five of the remaining members voted to approve th...
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