Ann Arbor Council OKs Design Guidelines

At its Feb. 7, 2011 meeting, the Ann Arbor city council approved a program of design guidelines for downtown buildings as the final piece of its A2D2 rezoning project. The program was long in the works but the item was a late addition to the Feb. 7 agenda. [Previous Chronicle coverage: "Ann Arbor Hotel First to Get Design Review?"] The resolution does not yet incorporate a mandatory process of design review into the city’s ordinances, but instead creates a framework for eventual incorporation of such a mandatory process. Compliance with the recommendations of a permanent design review board would be voluntary. For now, developers will be asked to participate voluntarily with the process, with recommendations coming from an interim recommending body that was appointed as a part of the council’s resolution.

This brief was filed from the boardroom in the Washtenaw County administration building, where the council is meeting due to renovations in the city hall building. A more detailed report will follow: [link]