Ann Arbor Approves Design Review Fee

At its July 5, 2011 meeting, the Ann Arbor city council approved a fee for its new design review process, which is now a part of the city’s code. The application fee was to have been set at $1,000 – to cover estimated mailing costs of $500 and about five hours of city staff time. But the council amended that amount to $500 at the urging of Marcia Higgins (Ward 4). The staff were directed to track the staff time used for actual reviews.

The vote on the fee was postponed at the council’s June 20 meeting. Projects in Ann Arbor’s downtown area, zoned D-1 and D-2, are now subject to a mandatory process of design review, but compliance with the board’s recommendations is voluntary. At its June 20 meeting, the council also had confirmed the nominations for initial membership of the design review board: Tamara Burns, Paul Fontaine, Chester B. Hill, Mary Jukari, Bill Kinley, Richard Mitchell, and Geoffrey M. Perkins.

This brief was filed from the city council’s chambers on the second floor of city hall, located at 301 E. Huron. A more detailed report will follow: [link]