A2D2 zoning changes get approval from Ann Arbor City Council

City Council members take a look at a map of downtown Ann Arbor during a break in Monday night's meeting where the new A2D2 zoning changes were approved 10-1.

Ryan J. Stanton | AnnArbor.com

In the end, the council voted 10-1 to approve the zoning changes with Council Member Stephen Kunselman, D-3rd Ward, objecting.

At one point in the night, one council member's push to limit building height in the South University district to 60 feet was countered by another proposal for a 120-foot cap. Ultimately, both amendments failed, and the 150-foot allowance stayed.

Council members agreed the level of nitpicking was excruciating. Council Member Marcia Higgins, the city's foremost leader of the Ann Arbor Discovering Downtown initiative, raised her voice during the debate to say the last-minute amendments being proposed were "ludicrous."

Higgins, D-4th Ward, said it was time to act on the A2D2 zoning changes as they stand and trying to change them at this point only undermined the long process of community involvement and steering committee decisions that led to them. She said any revisions that need to be made later could go through the normal channels of planning and come back to the City Council for approval.

"I've been working on this for a good number of years," Higgins said. "We are starting to tweak things we have already debated to death at this council floor."

The approved changes to the city's zoning and off-street parking ordinances were developed as part of the A2D2 initiative, but are separate from the new A2D2 design guidelines that await council approval.

For the last several years, the city has been working toward creating special overlay zoning for the downtown that identifies areas of similar character. The goal has been to streamline the development proposal process and incorporate a set of design standards, while pursuing a comprehensive parking strategy for downtown.

Working with the Historic District Commission to clarify criteria for development also has been a goal.

The city's Planning Commission recommended in March that the City Council approve the A2D2 code changes and rezoning.

"This process has gone on too long," said Kunselman, a former council member sworn into office Monday night at his first meeting after a one-year absence from the council.

Kunselman was the one who proposed a 60-foot height limit in the South University district, which was rejected by the council in an earlier vote.

Council Member Christopher Taylor, D-3rd Ward, proposed the 120-foot cap, which was rejected 6-5 in a roll call vote. The only council members to join Taylor in seeking a more aggressive height limit than 150 feet were Kunselman, Sabra Briere, Mike Anglin and Mayor John Hieftje.

Hieftje, however, pushed for a postponement of the A2D2 zoning changes Monday night.

"As long and dragged on as this process has been, we could drag it out for another month," he said. "There are some changes that we could perhaps make that might improve the downtown."

Council members expressed hesitation Monday night about approving the A2D2 zoning changes before the new A2D2 design guidelines are approved.

Wendy Rampson, the city's planning manager, said at least two development projects have been waiting for the A2D2 zoning changes to take effect before plans are submitted to the city for review. She said there is the risk those could come in now and not have to go through a design review process.

"I would be remiss if I didn't say that we would probably take the guidelines that have been drafted," she said. "When we meet with a developer, what we try to do is give them a sense of what the public interest is in making sure that development fits with all of the objectives of the community."

City Council members have asked city staff to revise the A2D2 design guidelines and include a mandatory review process before bringing them back to council for approval. Rampson said Monday night it could take 8 to 12 months for that.

In the meantime, with the new downtown zoning and parking amendments in place, Rampson said city staff will develop a plan for informing local design and engineering firms about the changes and will update site plan submittal requirements. 

In addition, city staff will develop an evaluation tool that can be used to determine if the A2D2 zoning changes produce the desired results, Rampson said.

Ryan J. Stanton covers government for AnnArbor.com. Reach him at ryanstanton@annarbor.com or 734-623-2529.