The site plan had been recommended unanimously for approval by the Ann Arbor planning commission at its April 17, 2012 meeting. The commission also granted a special exception use for the project.

The project entails building a one-story, 929-square-foot addition onto the west end of an existing 3,111-square-foot preschool building, for a new total of 4,040 square feet. The preschool has an agreement with the Korean Methodist Church at 1526 Franklin Street to use eight parking spaces at the church lot. On-street parking is available on Miller Avenue and Franklin Street.

The special exception use is required because the project is located on a site zoned R1C (single-family dwelling district). According to a staff memo, the preschool includes programs for children up to 5 years old, with one or two afternoon enrichment classes serving children up to 8 years old. The programs will have a maximum of 14 students each (with 8 for young children attending with their parents) and one or two staff members teaching the programs. The preschool programs will be held mornings on Mondays through Thursdays, with enrichment classes held in the late afternoons. The number of children at the preschool will increase from 25 to 42, with a maximum of 50 in the future.

In December 2010, the planning commission had previously granted special exception use and recommended site plan approval for a project proposed by the preschool at a different location. That plan had called for demolishing the existing building and constructing a new 1,101-square-foot preschool building in a residentially zoned district at 1515 Franklin St. The preschool subsequently decided to pursue a different project.

The site plan (but not the special exception use) required approval by city council.

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]

Eric Mahler, chair of the Ann Arbor planning commission. (Photos by the writer.)

Approval was given for (1) zoning changes allowing an expansion of the Shell station’s retail store at Ann Arbor-Saline and West Eisenhower Parkway, (2) a site plan and special exception use for the Allen Creek Preschool, located at 2350 Miller Ave.; and (3) a slight revision to the special exception use for the Michigan Alpha Chapter of Sigma Phi Epsilon house at Tappan and Hill – increasing by one the number of beds allowed at the fraternity.

The brevity of recent planning commission meetings will be offset by packed agendas anticipated in May. The May 1 agenda items will likely include: (1) review of a possible revision to the city’s medical marijuana zoning ordinance, as directed by city council at their April 2 meeting; (2) update of the city’s capital improvements plan (CIP); (3) a master plan review; and (4) reconsideration of the Maple Cove project, after it was discovered that notices hadn’t been mailed out to all nearby residents for the previous planning commission meeting.

Two other major items that have been in the works since 2009 will be making their way back to planning commissioners soon. A draft report from the R4C/R2A zoning district advisory committee is nearly completed and might be reviewed as soon as the commission’s May 8 working session. Also, a consultant’s report on a zoning ordinance reorganization effort known as ZORO will be presented to planning commissioners in the coming weeks. Rampson told commissioners that the consultant described Ann Arbor’s current zoning ordinances as some of the worst he’s seen – complex, convoluted, and conflicting.

After being briefed on upcoming topics at an April 10 working session, planning commission chair Eric Mahler quipped, “The days of the marathon meetings are back.” Commissioner Diane Giannola gave this advice to the newer commissioners: “Come prepared with snacks.”

At least one new member will be joining the commission this summer. Following the April 17 regular meeting, commissioner Erica Briggs told The Chronicle that because of other time commitments, she would not be seeking reappointment when her term ends this July. She said she wanted to alert others who might be interested in applying for the position.

Shell Station

The Ann Arbor planning commission was asked to consider a request from owners of the Shell service station at the northeast corner of Ann Arbor-Saline and West Eisenhower Parkway – to revise the zoning regulations associated with the parcel.

Owners of the station are asking for revisions to the site’s planned unit development (PUD), which would allow them to build additions onto the existing 1,000-square-foot convenience store. The new additions would total 4,089 square feet, including 2,189 square feet to the north and east of the store. Their plan also calls for converting the 900-square-foot carwash area into new retail space. The existing access drive to the carwash would be landscaped, and the parking lot would be reconfigured for a new total of 16 spaces.

According to a staff memo, the PUD revisions were recommended because they are seen as providing an overall benefit to the city, by: (1) supporting the continued viability of retail options for the surrounding neighborhood; (2) creating job opportunities from this expansion; and (3) controlling the architectural design standards of this building as a gateway into the city.

The commission had postponed action on this item at its March 6, 2012 meeting. Planning staff had recommended postponement because additional information and analysis was required. That information was provided, and planning staff recommended approval at the April 17 meeting.

Shell Station: Public Hearing

Brad Cousino, the project engineer for this expansion, spoke briefly at the public hearing. He noted that the owner and the owner’s family were at the meeting, and everyone was glad that the planning staff had recommended approval.

Shell Station: Commission Discussion

Bonnie Bona referred to a letter from the owner that responded to various concerns, including one that she had highlighted at previous meetings regarding outdoor sales. The letter had indicated that there would be no outdoor sales in front of the building after the addition is completed, she said. Currently, there are ice coolers and propane tanks on the front sidewalk. Bona said her intent was not to require that those items be removed completely, but that the sidewalk should not be obstructed.

From left: Planning commissioners Diane Giannola and Erica Briggs. Terms for both commissioners end in July, and Briggs has announced her intent not to seek reappointment.

The station’s owner, Abe Ajrouch, told commissioners that the reason those items are located outside is because the current store is so small. Bona replied that she wasn’t sure he’d want to have the propane tanks inside the store, even if there was room. She asked staff whether the PUD’s supplemental regulations could include a statement indicating that there won’t be outdoor sales in certain areas, to ensure a clear pedestrian walkway.

Bona said she wasn’t trying to be rigid, but this location is a gateway to the city. Having that merchandise located outside on the side of the building wouldn’t be a big deal – it’s the front that’s more important, she said. Bona added that this was one of the nicest designs she’s seen for a gas station.

Ajrouch said his intent was not to simply make it the best gas station in Ann Arbor, but maybe in all of Michigan.

Erica Briggs raised the issue of vehicle access between the site and Cranbrook Shopping Center – at previous meetings, she has expressed interest in finding a way to make that happen. City planner Chris Cheng explained that because of a severe grade change between the Shell site and Cranbrook, a cut-through wouldn’t be possible.

Outcome: Commissioners voted unanimously to recommend approval of revisions to the Shell station’s planned unit development (PUD) zoning. The request will next be considered by city council.

Allen Creek Preschool

The planning commission considered a site plan for the Allen Creek Preschool, located at 2350 Miller Ave., as well as a special exception use for the project.

Aerial map of Allen Creek Preschool site provided in the April 17 meeting packet. The large east-west road in this image is Miller Avenue. (Links to .pdf of larger map)

The project entails building a one-story, 929-square-foot addition onto the west end of an existing 3,111-square-foot preschool building, for a new total of 4,040 square feet. The preschool has an agreement with the Korean Methodist Church at 1526 Franklin Street to use eight parking spaces at the church lot. On-street parking also is available on Miller Avenue and Franklin Street.

The special exception use is required because the project is located on a site zoned R1C (single-family dwelling district). According to a staff memo, the preschool includes programs for children up to 5 years old, with one or two afternoon enrichment classes serving children up to 8 years old. The programs will have a maximum of 14 students each (with 8 for young children attending with their parents) and one or two staff members teaching the programs. The preschool programs will be held mornings on Mondays through Thursdays, with enrichment classes held in the late afternoons. Hours of operation would be limited to between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. on weekdays. The number of children at the preschool will increase from 25 to 42, with a maximum of 50 permitted.

Before building permits are issued, the preschool will be required to pay $257.74 into the city’s street tree escrow, based on the site’s street frontage.

In December 2010, the commission had previously granted special exception use and recommended site plan approval for a project proposed by the preschool at a different location. That plan had called for demolishing an existing building and constructing a new 1,101-square-foot preschool building in a residentially zoned district at 1515 Franklin St. The preschool subsequently decided to pursue a different project.

The only person who spoke during a public hearing was Mark Pascoe, a senior project manager with Stantec, saying he was available for questions.

Allen Creek Preschool: Commission Discussion

Tony Derezinski asked where the nearby vacant gas station was located, in relation to the preschool. It’s at the corner of Miller and Maple, city planner Chris Cheng replied, west of the preschool. Did that pose any hazards for the children? Derezinski asked. Cheng indicated that he wasn’t aware of any possible hazards – the properties are separated by a chain-link fence.

From left: Chris Cheng of the city's planning staff talks with Mark Pascoe, a senior project manager with Stantec, who's working on the Allen Creek Preschool project.

Wendy Rampson, the city’s planning manager, reported that the city has received an application for a new Speedway gas station at that location. The plan – which she said wasn’t yet ready for consideration by the planning commission – calls for tearing down the existing station and building a new one.

Bonnie Bona asked about the parking requirements, in relation to the number of students at the preschool.

Chapter 55 of the Ann Arbor city code (Section 5:10.2) allows child care centers to operate with a special exception use, but with certain conditions. As described in a planning staff memo, the parcel must have a minimum of 7,500 square feet of gross lot area, one off-street parking space for each caregiver required to staff the facility at its state licensed capacity, and two off-street or on-street parking spaces – plus one additional space for each 20 children, for drop-off and pick-up use within 250 feet of the preschool.

Cheng clarified that the current preschool site has the minimum number of parking spaces for its size (9) plus another eight spaces at the Korean Methodist Church lot, as well as nearby off-site parking on Franklin and Miller.

Diane Giannola asked whether there was a typo in the staff report regarding the hours of operation – a 7 a.m. start time seemed early to her. Andy Boschma, the preschool’s board treasurer, stepped up to the podium to answer Giannola’s question. Although no children are at the preschool until 9 a.m., staff could be there as early as 7. Most of the classes are held in the morning, but there is also an enrichment program that runs in the late afternoon for children who are 6-7 years old.

Wendy Woods asked about the parcel of public land that’s located east of the preschool site, at the corner of Franklin and Miller. That’s a small neighborhood “pocket” park, Cheng said.

Outcome: Commissioners unanimously recommended approval of the site plan, and unanimously voted to grant the special exception use. The site plan (but not the special exception use) also requires approval by the city council.

Sigma Phi Epsilon Special Exception Use

The Michigan Alpha Chapter of Sigma Phi Epsilon was requesting a slight revision to its special exception use – increasing by one the number of beds allowed in its house at 730 Tappan. The change would allow for 45 beds, including an additional separate bedroom for the required in-house manager.

The commission had granted the original special exception use more than a year ago, at its March 1, 2011 meeting. That had allowed the fraternity to convert a church at the northwest corner of Tappan and Hill into a fraternity house. The building previously had been the home of the Memorial Christian Church, which is now located at 5141 Platt Road. The fraternity didn’t acquire the property until earlier this year, and began interior renovations in March 2012.

The site is zoned R4C (multi-family dwelling district), which allows for fraternities if given special exception use approval. Based on the city’s zoning code, a parcel used for a fraternity must have a minimum of 350 square feet per occupant. According to a planning staff memo, this site’s 22,400-square-foot parcel could support up to 64 occupants, if granted permission by the city.

Sigma Phi Epsilon Special Exception Use: Public Hearing

Jonathan Kucera, the project’s architect, was the only person who spoke during a public hearing on the item. He said he was there to represent the owner. The project had been developed based on an assumption that all 44 beds within the house would be income-producing, he said – that is, that the 44 beds would be used by paying members of the fraternity. Realizing that they needed another bed for the required resident manager, the design was altered to add an extra room – but that required a revision to the special exception use that the fraternity was requesting.

Kucera offered to answer any questions from commissioners. There were none.

Outcome: Without discussion, planning commissioners unanimously approved the special exception use revision.

Commissioner Reappointments

After the April 17 meeting, Erica Briggs told The Chronicle that because of other time commitments, she would not be seeking reappointment to the planning commission when her term ends this July. She said she wanted to alert others who might be interested in the position.

From left: Planning commissioners Tony Derezinski and Evan Pratt. Derezinski also represents Ward 2 on Ann Arbor city council.

Candidates for planning commission are nominated by the mayor and confirmed by the city council. Briggs was appointed by mayor John Hieftje in 2009 for a three-year term.

Terms for two other planning commissioners – Diane Giannola and Kirk Westphal – also end in July. Westphal told The Chronicle that he hopes to be reappointed. Giannola said she has not yet given it serious consideration.

Another planning commissioner, Evan Pratt, plans to run for the office of Washtenaw County water resources commissioner. The primary for that office is in August, followed by an election in November. His current term on the planning commission ends June 30, 2013.

May 1 Meeting

Although Tuesday’s meeting was relatively brief – lasting about 45 minutes – commissioners expect a much longer session on May 1, when they face a packed agenda. At an April 10 working session, planning manager Wendy Rampson had briefed commissioners on upcoming meeting agendas, noting that while there’s recently been a quiet period for the group, several major items will be coming their way soon.

For the next regular meeting on May 1, agenda items will likely include: (1) review of a possible revision to the city’s medical marijuana zoning ordinance, as directed by city council at their April 2 meeting; (2) update of the city’s capital improvements plan (CIP); (3) a master plan review; (4) reconsideration of the Maple Cove project; and (5) a site plan and rezoning of the Chalmers Place parking lot.

Two other major items that have been in the works since 2009 will be making their way back to planning commission soon. A draft report of from the R4C/R2A zoning district advisory committee is nearly completed and might be reviewed as soon as the commission’s May 8 working session. Also, a consultant’s report on a zoning ordinance reorganization effort known as ZORO will be presented to planning commissioners in the coming weeks. Rampson told commissioners that the consultant described Ann Arbor’s current zoning ordinances as some of the worst he’s seen – complex, convoluted, and conflicting.

After being briefed on upcoming topics at the April 10 working session, planning commission chair Eric Mahler quipped, “The days of the marathon meetings are back.” Commissioner Diane Giannola gave this advice to the newer commissioners: “Come prepared with snacks.”

Present: Eleanore Adenekan, Bonnie Bona, Erica Briggs, Tony Derezinski, Diane Giannola, Eric Mahler, Evan Pratt, Kirk Westphal, Wendy Woods.

Next regular meeting: The planning commission next meets on Tuesday, May 1, 2012 at 7 p.m. in the second-floor council chambers at city hall, 301 E. Huron St., Ann Arbor. [confirm date]

The Chronicle relies in part on regular voluntary subscriptions to support our coverage of public bodies like the city planning commission. If you’re already supporting The Chronicle, please encourage your friends, neighbors and coworkers to do the same. Click this link for details: Subscribe to The Chronicle.

The project entails building a one-story, 929-square-foot addition onto the west end of an existing 3,111-square-foot preschool building, for a new total of 4,040 square feet. The preschool has an agreement with the Korean Methodist Church at 1526 Franklin Street to use eight parking spaces at the church lot. On-street parking is available on Miller Avenue and Franklin Street.

The special exception use is required because the project is located on a site zoned R1C (single-family dwelling district). According to a staff memo, the preschool includes programs for children up to 5 years old, with one or two afternoon enrichment classes serving children up to 8 years old. The programs will have a maximum of 14 students each (with 8 for young children attending with their parents) and one or two staff members teaching the programs. The preschool programs will be held mornings on Mondays through Thursdays, with enrichment classes held in the late afternoons. The number of children at the preschool will increase from 25 to 42, with a maximum of 50 in the future.

In December 2010, the commission had previously granted special exception use and recommended site plan approval for a project proposed by the preschool at a different location. That plan had called for demolishing the existing building and constructing a new 1,101-square-foot preschool building in a residentially zoned district at 1515 Franklin St. The preschool subsequently decided to pursue a different project.

The site plan (but not the special exception use) requires approval by city council.

This brief was filed from the second floor city council chambers at city hall, 301 E. Huron, where the planning commission holds its meetings. A more detailed report will follow: [link]

Chris Cheng, left, of the Ann Arbor planning staff talks with Jon Svoboda, co-owner of Arbor Dog Daycare. (Photos by the writer.)

Several conditions were added, including requirements related to the number of dogs allowed outside, and action to be taken if there’s continuous barking. Noise concerns had been a reason cited by commissioners who previously voted against the request.

Also at Tuesday’s meeting, the commission granted a special exception use and approved the site plan for Allen Creek Preschool, which plans to tear down an existing house and build a larger one at its Franklin Street location.

Commissioners also heard several updates and communications, including a request for feedback on a draft resolution regarding a proposed development agreement between the city and the Ann Arbor Downtown Development Authority.

Arbor Dog Daycare Gains Approval

The owners of Arbor Dog Daycare, Jon and Margaret Svoboda, have come before the planning commission several times, dating back to December 2009. They’ve been seeking approval for a special exception use that would allow the business to expand. A special exception use is needed because the business – located at 2856 S. Main St., near the corner of Eisenhower – is in an area zoned for offices. It is surrounded by residential areas, and the commission’s main concern has been noise issues associated with barking dogs disturbing the neighbors.

The project came before the commission at its Sept. 21 meeting, when commissioners ultimately rejected the request by a 5-4 vote due to concerns about noise generated by dogs using the outdoor dog run. Then at the commission’s Oct. 5 meeting, the Svobodas returned to ask that their request be reconsidered, and commissioners voted unanimously to take up the proposal again at their Oct. 19 meeting.

The major change between the original request and the one to be reconsidered is that the Svobodas offered to keep only 15 dogs outside at any one time, a decrease from the 25 dogs that have been allowed. They also offered to cut the number of hours that dogs would be permitted outside – on weekdays, for example, the time would be limited to 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

At the commission’s Oct. 19 meeting, the proposal was tabled so that staff could explore possible conditions – such as an annual review or written policy requirement – that could be added to the special exception use to address the problem of continuously barking dogs.

At Tuesday’s meeting, Chris Cheng of the city’s planning staff reported that staff had consulted with the city attorney’s office to seek answers to four questions that commissioners had raised:

• Q: Can the commission add a condition preventing the owners from transferring ownership of the business to another owner? A: No – a special exception use is an approval that is granted to the use on the land, not the owner.
• Q: Can the commission add a condition requiring that the operator’s record of noise violations be reviewed annually to determine whether they are complying with limits on noise coming from the business? A: Yes – however, it would be for informational purposes only. The planning commission could not revoke a special exception use after the original approval.
• Q: Can the commission add a condition requiring the operator to make a report to the commission each year? Yes – however, it would be for informational purposes only. The commission could not revoke a special exception use after the original approval.
• Q: If a special exception use is approved for an expanded number of dogs, how would repeated noise problems be addressed? A: Noise from barking and howling dogs that violates the standards of Chapter 107 (Animals) and Chapter 119 (Noise Control) would be addressed by issuing civil infractions, which could include a fine of up to $500 per instance. Violating the conditions of a special exception use would also be a violation of Chapter 55 (Zoning) and Chapter 57 (Subdivision and Land Use Control), and could be ticketed as a civil infraction.

The definition of a noise nuisance under the animals ordinance is:

Barking, howling, meowing, squawking or making other sounds, frequently or for a continued duration, which annoys, endangers, injures or disturbs a person of normal sensitivities on premises other than that occupied by the owner of the animal. After 10 p.m. and before 7 a.m., animal noises audible beyond the property line of the property where the animal is located are presumed to be an annoyance and disturbance and are presumed to constitute a noise nuisance.

Cheng then described the conditions that staff was recommending for the Arbor Dog Daycare’s special exception use, in response to commissioners’ concerns. There are eight:

1. limiting the size of the operation to a maximum of 10,000 square feet;
2. limiting the hours of operation from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on weekends, and allowing indoor boarding during the hours the day care is closed;
3. limiting the number of dogs in the building to 125;
4. limiting the number of dogs in the outdoor dog run to 15 at one time and limiting the outdoor dog run hours to 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.;
5. requiring supervision of all dogs taken outside of the facility by an employee or employees of the facility or by their owners;
6. requiring compliance with Chapter 119 of the city code (Noise Control);
7. requiring compliance with Chapter 107 (Animals), such that the owner of the dog daycare facility shall be considered the owner of the animal for purposes of enforcement of noise nuisance violations;
8. requiring compliance with fire department requirements for additional fire extinguishers, No Parking Fire Lane signs on site and a future fire department review if the business changes use.

The planning staff recommended granting the special exception use, Cheng said.

Arbor Dog Daycare: Public Hearing

Jon Svoboda, co-owner of Arbor Dog Daycare, was the only person to speak during the public hearing. [His wife and co-owner, Margaret Svoboda, attended the meeting but did not address commissioners during public commentary.] He said they were fine with the proposed conditions, and that their intent was to address the noise concerns. His only question, he said, was whether there were enough commissioners present to vote.

A special exception use requires six votes. Only six commissioners were present at Tuesday’s meeting – including three commissioners who had previously voted against the special exception use: Jean Carlberg, Kirk Westphal, and Diane Giannola. Bonnie Bona, who was absent on Tuesday, also had voted against it.

Eric Mahler, the commission’s chair, noted that with six commissioners present, there was a quorum, which would allow a vote to be taken. “So we’ll see how it goes,” he said.

Arbor Dog Daycare: Commission Deliberations

Jean Carlberg kicked off the discussion by saying she’d become “painfully aware” of the limitations of a special exception use. Legally, once the special exception use is granted, it can’t be revoked – even if the owners don’t meet its conditions. She said she appreciated that supervision of the dogs had been added as a requirement, but was disappointed that there wasn’t any action required to deal with barking dogs. She proposed adding another requirement – to remove dogs from the outside area if they barked continuously for more than three minutes.

Carlberg added that she didn’t want the burden to be on neighbors to file a complaint. There should be some requirement for the owners to take action, she said.

Planning commissioners Jean Carlberg and Tony Derezinski, who also represents Ward 2 on city council.

Kirk Westphal wondered whether they might just apply the existing noise ordinance, but impose the ordinance’s more stringent requirements for longer hours. The ordinance standards prior to 7 a.m. and after 10 p.m. are more strict, he noted, stating that “animal noises audible beyond the property line of the property” are considered to be a nuisance. Could those stricter standards be applied all day long? Tickets for violating the ordinances would be a deterrent, he said.

Carlberg said she believed both approaches would be helpful, but that the first thing should be to get the barking dogs inside. Then there wouldn’t be a need for ticketing, she said.

Diane Giannola agreed with Carlberg, noting that a ticket is a punishment. She’d prefer including an action clause requiring the owners to deal with the barking dogs before it became a problem that required ticketing.

Giannola also expressed concern over the city’s ability to enforce these conditions. How long would a special exception use be in effect? Wendy Rampson explained that there two types of enforcement:(1) issuing tickets, and (2) taking the owners to court, if ticketing isn’t effective. She noted that the city has done this in the past, for property owners that haven’t complied with city ordinances.

Cheng told commissioners that if the city receives complaints, the planning staff can start going out to the business at random times, to check on compliance.

Westphal proposed adding a condition requiring the “mitigation of barking noises such that barking is not audible for more than three minutes at a time.” Eric Mahler expressed concern that this would be overly broad, in that it doesn’t specify whether the dogs are inside or outside – how reasonable was it to expect that condition to be met, given that there would be 125 dogs inside?

Carlberg said she’d visited the business when the door to the building had been open. The sounds of barking dogs on the inside hadn’t been audible from the property line, she said.

Commissioners ultimately reached consensus to amend condition No. 7, adding a requirement to remove barking dogs from the outside area [added language in italics]:

7. compliance with Chapter 107 (Animals), such that the owner of the dog daycare facility shall be considered the owner of the animal for purposes of enforcement of noise nuisance violations; if noise as defined by this ordinance persists for more than three minutes, the owner shall take the dog or dogs inside.

Derezinski pointed out that “500 bucks a whack” would be a pretty effective deterrent. From his seat in the audience section of the room, Jon Svoboda called out, “Yeah!” Derezinski also noted that people would be watching the situation closely.

Outcome: All six commissioners present voted unanimously to approve the special exception use, as amended, for Arbor Dog Daycare. It does not require further approval.

After the vote, Mahler commented to the Svobodas that “perseverance pays off.” They responded by thanking the commissioners before leaving the meeting.

Allen Creek Preschool Project OK’d

In October 2008, the Allen Creek Preschool had been granted a special exception use to hold its preschool in an 810-square-foot residential home at 1515 Franklin Street, north of Miller Avenue. Now, the preschool owners are asking to build a larger house on the site, which would also be used for the preschool. The new 1,101-square-foot building is designed to look like a single-family home and it could be converted into a home in the future. The project requires another special exception use and site plan approval by the city. The existing house would be demolished.

Allen Creek Preschool: Public Hearing

One person – Andrew Boschma, the school’s treasurer and a Brighton resident – spoke at the public hearing. He told commissioners that the existing building is in very poor condition. They had originally thought they could rehab it, but came to realize they’d just be wasting money. The new, larger building would have a more functional layout, he said.

Allen Creek Preschool: Commission Deliberations

Kirk Westphal began by asking about citizen participation – had neighbors been contacted about the project? Chris Cheng reported that a postcard mailing had been sent to neighbors within 500 feet of the property, but there had been no neighborhood meeting. Wendy Rampson, head of the planning staff, explained that no meeting is required for smaller projects like this – it’s only site plans for major projects that trigger neighborhood meetings and citizen participation reports.

Jean Carlberg commented that the new building seemed like a better amenity for the neighborhood. She liked the fact that parking would be handled primarily through formalizing a parking easement with an existing preschool facility at 2350 Miller Ave., and through a supplemental parking lot use agreement with the Korean Methodist Church at 1526 Franklin St.

Carlberg noted that the preschool is quite unusual and is an asset to the community, adding that the project is well worth supporting.

Tony Derezinski agreed, citing the importance of early childhood education in general. He also liked the fact that the preschool is located in a neighborhood, making it walkable for local residents. The design is unique, he said, and is well-suited to the neighborhood.

Outcome: Commissioners unanimously approved the Allen Creek Preschool special exception use and site plan. The special exception use needs no further approval, but the site plan must be voted on by the city council.

Newport Road Property Annexation Approved

Without discussion, commissioners recommended approval of a request to annex a 1.1-acre Newport Road parcel from Ann Arbor Township, and zone it as R1A single-family residential. The property is owned by Lisa Brush and Jim Frey, and includes a single-family house.

In order to hook up to city utilities, the owners must sign water and sanitary sewer agreements with the city. According to a memo regarding the annexation, charges will be based upon the date of active service. The property’s fixed water improvement charge is estimated to be $14,539; its fixed sanitary sewer improvement charge is estimated at $22,530.

Misc. Communications

There were several items of information presented during the meeting by commissioners and staff.

Misc. Communications: City/DDA Development Deal

Wendy Rampson, head of the city’s planning staff, noted that at the city council’s Dec. 20 meeting, councilmember Christopher Taylor (Ward 3) had brought forward an item of communication – a draft resolution regarding a proposed agreement between the city and the Ann Arbor Downtown Development Authority. [.pdf file of the draft resolution. See also Chronicle coverage of Taylor's remarks from Monday's city council meeting.]

The proposal is one outcome of the “mutually beneficial” committees of the two entities, which have been working for over a year to negotiate a new parking agreement. [The DDA administers the parking structures and surface lots for the city.] As part of those negotiations, a proposal emerged for the DDA to redevelop city-owned surface parking lots in the downtown area. The resolution – which Rampson said Taylor intends to put on the agenda at a January city council meeting – would authorize the DDA to develop a proposal for what’s called the “parcel-by-parcel” plan.

The proposal includes a role for the planning commission in developing the plan and reviewing specific proposals, Rampson said. She asked commissioners to read through the draft resolution and let her know if they have questions or comments to forward to Taylor.

Misc. Communications: Updates from City Council

Tony Derezinski, who also represents Ward 2 on Ann Arbor city council, reported that the council had a full discussion at its Dec. 20 meeting about a proposed corridor improvement authority (CIA) for Washtenaw Avenue. After what he characterized as a few minor, friendly amendments, the council unanimously approved a resolution of intent to coordinate with Pittsfield Township, Ypsilanti Township and the city of Ypsilanti to explore establishing a CIA. Derezinski described it as an initial step, but a positive one for development of that stretch between Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti, which covers for jurisdictions. [See Chronicle coverage of the discussion from Monday's city council meeting.]

Misc. Communications: Design Guidelines

Kirk Westphal quipped that “some thought it might never happen,” but he reported that the design guidelines task force is nearing completion of their work. They’ll be presenting a proposal at a city council working session in January, he said. The design guidelines are the final piece of the A2D2 rezoning initiative for downtown Ann Arbor. The zoning provisions have already been approved by the council.

Present: Jean Carlberg, Tony Derezinski, Diane Giannola, Eric Mahler, Evan Pratt, Kirk Westphal.

Absent: Bonnie Bona, Erica Briggs, Wendy Woods.

Next regular meeting: The planning commission next meets on Tuesday, Jan. 4  at 7 p.m. in the Washtenaw County administration building boardroom, 220 N. Main St., Ann Arbor. [confirm date]