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 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.

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]

A cluster of Skyline High students at the March 1, 2011 Ann Arbor planning commission meeting. (Photos by the writer.)

On Tuesday, the issue of screening for privacy came up as commissioners discussed a request from the Michigan Alpha Chapter of Sigma Phi Epsilon, which had asked for a special exception use that would allow it to convert a church at 730 Tappan into a fraternity house. The building has been the home of the Memorial Christian Church, which plans to move.

Three people spoke during a public hearing on the issue, including a representative from the neighboring sorority, who raised concerns about lighting and privacy – specifically, about the fraternity having “visual access” to the sorority’s sleeping rooms, which face the current church. However, she said she supported the project overall, and commissioners unanimously voted to grant the request.

During her staff communications, Wendy Rampson – head of the city’s planning staff – noted that city administrator Roger Fraser had announced his resignation the previous evening, at a city council working session. His last day with the city will be April 29 – he’s taking a job with the state of Michigan as deputy state treasurer for local government services. Rampson said she’d alert commissioners as soon as a date is set for his farewell gathering.

Rampson also mentioned that at the city council’s March 7 meeting, they’d be voting on a resolution of support for the state’s Complete Streets policies, saying that the city had been following similar policies for decades. Later in the meeting, however, commissioner Erica Briggs expressed some disappointment that the city wasn’t taking additional steps beyond what’s set by the state. “It certainly doesn’t establish us as a leader,” Briggs said.

Landscape Ordinance Revisions

At its Dec. 7, 2010 meeting, the planning commission had heard an extensive presentation from staff about proposed changes to Chapter 62 of the city code – the landscape and screening ordinance. At that meeting, Jerry Hancock, Ann Arbor’s stormwater and floodplain programs coordinator, had told the commission that the intent was to improve water quality by requiring that a greater amount of stormwater runoff be “infiltrated” on the site where it is generated. [Infiltration is a process that retains water before allowing it to filter out into the soil.] The changes also aim to encourage the use of native plants and prohibit the use of non-native invasive plant species, he said.

Jerry Hancock, Ann Arbor’s stormwater and floodplain programs coordinator, talks with city planning manager Wendy Rampson before the start of the March 1 planning commission meeting. Hancock was on hand to answer questions regarding revisions to the city's landscape ordinance, but there were none.

The planning commission’s ordinance review committee, which had evaluated and provided input on the changes, had requested that the ordinance include: (1) additional types of land use – such as multi-family dwellings – that are required to have a conflicting land-use buffer; and (2) an increase in the number of trees in the conflicting land-use buffer.

During a lengthy discussion at their Dec. 7 meeting, commissioners raised several concerns regarding the required landscape buffers between multi-family dwellings and public parks or single-family homes. They ultimately tabled action on the ordinance, and asked city staff to consider additional revisions.

On Tuesday, city planner Jeff Kahan outlined the additional changes that had been made since the Dec. 7 meeting. Most of the changes related to the conflicting land-use buffer requirements, known as CLUB:

• Responding to a concern about requiring a landscape buffer when new residential development is proposed next to parkland, the ordinance language was changed so that the required 4-foot-high screen may be reduced.
• Language was changed to clarify that new development will need to adhere to the full requirements. Flexibility in applying the CLUB relates only to existing (developed) sites that are being redeveloped.
• A requirement calling for a landscape buffer between R3 and R4 residential zoning districts and parkland was removed.
• A requirement was removed that had called for a wall or fence to be constructed as a buffer between a park and land zoned or primarily used for residential purposes.
• Language was added to clarify that the planning commission has flexibility in applying the conflicting land-use buffer requirement.
• A nonconforming site clause, which had previously been removed, was kept in the code.

More generally, the revised ordinance will prohibit the use of non-native invasive plants, encourage the use of native plants, provide design flexibility and modify how the conflicting land-use buffer is applied. Other changes include requiring portions of interior landscape islands to be depressed and utilized as bio-retention to improve water quality. [.pdf of landscape ordinance revisions]

No one spoke during a public hearing on the changes, and commissioners had no additional questions or discussion on the revised ordinance.

Outcome: The planning commission unanimously approved revisions to Chapter 62 of the city code, the landscape and screening ordinance. It now moves to the city council for consideration and final approval.

Sigma Phi Epsilon Request

The commission was asked to approve a special exception use for the Michigan Alpha Chapter of Sigma Phi Epsilon, allowing it to convert a church at 730 Tappan into a fraternity house. The three-level building is located at the northwest corner of Tappan and Hill, and has been the home of the Memorial Christian Church. No changes are planned for the exterior of the historic building. The church sanctuary was originally built in 1891 – on State Street, where the University of Michigan law quad is now located. It was moved to its current location in 1923, and additions were made to the building in subsequent years.

In giving the planning staff report, Jeff Kahan noted that the 15,560-square-feet structure could accommodate 64 residents, but that the fraternity is requesting a maximum of 44 beds. [The chapter has over 100 members, but more than half live off-site.] The property is currently zoned R2B, a zoning category that allows for fraternities. The neighborhood includes many fraternities, sororities and student rental properties.

The site includes 17 parking spaces. The plan calls for adding 11 bike spaces in the basement of the building as well as 11 bike spaces outside.

Tuesday’s meeting also included a public hearing on the request.

Sigma Phi Epsilon: Public Hearing

Three people spoke during a public hearing about the special exception use request – two of them were affiliated with the project.

Jon Kucera, an architect, is president of SigEp National Housing, a Richmond, Virginia firm that assists local alumni and volunteer groups in the maintenance, management, and purchase of chapter facilities. The UM chapter has been searching for a permanent home for several years, he said. [The chapter is currently located nearby at 704 Hill St., on the southeast corner of Hill and State.]

The fraternity had negotiated an option-to-purchase contract with the church in September 2010, he said. For the purchase to be feasible, they needed, among other things, to secure a zoning variance and the special exception use. They’ve already secured the variance, Kucera said.

He said the reality is that the church is moving, and it’s unlikely another church would be interested in the property. Adaptive reuse of the structure for a fraternity is ideal, he said, because of its proximity to UM’s central campus and because the layout, mass and scale of the building allow for its reuse. The sanctuary space would be converted into a study and meeting area, for example, while the lower level would be used for a meeting and dining area. They hope to finish the project by July of 2012.

In a follow-up email to The Chronicle, Kucera laid out the following timeline for the project:

• By March 31, 2011: Conclude the due diligence period (dealing with issues of zoning, constructability, fundraising, financing, etc.) and execute the option to purchase.
• By Sept. 30, 2011: Close on the purchase of the property and take title. After this, the fraternity could occupy the building for limited purposes (such as building security, chapter meetings or fundraising events), subject to approval by the city’s building inspectors.
• January 2012 to July 2012: Renovations will take place.
• July 2012: Move in furniture and prepare the building for occupancy for the fall semester.

The Memorial Christian Church is located across Tappan from the University of Michigan Ross School of Business. This file photo from December 2010 was taken from Hill Street, facing north.

Jerry Mangona, president of the chapter’s alumni association, told commissioners he’d been involved with the chapter since its 1997 “recolonization.” [Recolonization occurs after a chapter is revoked or surrendered, then revived. In a phone conversation with The Chronicle, a spokesman for the UM Greek Life office reported that in 1994 – following a hazing incident in the fall – sanctions were put in place against the fraternity. Members at the time felt the sanctions were too harsh, and voted to surrender their charter. In a follow-up email to The Chronicle, Mangona confirmed that a hazing incident had occurred under the previous charter and someone was injured. Both the UM Interfraternity Council and the SigEp headquarters had placed sanctions on the group, he said.]

At Tuesday’s public hearing, Mangona said that since recolonizing, they’d demonstrated to the Greek community that their chapter can be both popular socially while maintaining a high GPA and a no-hazing program. The chapter has grown, and has received many awards both here and nationally, he said. [He outlined these awards in more detail in a letter submitted to the commission.] Mangona told commissioners that an 11-member alumni board oversees the chapter, and that another board will oversee the renovation of the building and its future management.

Jane Cooper identified herself as president of the Iota House Corp. board of the Delta Delta Delta sorority, which owns the house at 718 Tappan – adjacent to the church. She referred commissioners to a letter she’d submitted about the project, saying that the sorority doesn’t object to having a fraternity next door – “in fact, the girls are quite pleased,” she said. [.pdf of Cooper's letter] However, they did have some concerns, she said, that she hoped commissioners would address. Because the sorority’s sleeping rooms face the church, they are worried about excessive light, noise and “visual access,” Cooper said. She concluded by saying she was probably more in support of the project than opposed to it, but still had concerns.

Kucera then returned to the podium to respond to Cooper. He noted that city standards set certain levels of lighting in the parking area, for safety, as well as cutoff standards that require fixtures to direct light downward. He said those issues would be addressed at the site plan stage, and that he felt the solutions would satisfy their neighbors and the city. The visibility issue “is a bit more elusive,” he conceded, because the “view angle” from the ground on the fraternity’s property to the sorority’s upper windows is fairly steep – 35 to 40 degrees. That means any ground-based screening would have to be very high, he said. Kucera expressed confidence that they could work with the sorority to identify a solution that would be both practical and appropriate.

Regarding noise concerns, Kucera said that most gatherings would occur in the lower level, which he said is both visually and acoustically separated from the adjoining properties. That would go a long way toward mitigating that issue, he said. Kucera also pointed out that the project had letters of support, including one from Chris Haughee, UM assistant director of Greek Life. [.pdf of Chris Haughee letter]

Sigma Phi Epsilon: Commissioner Questions, Comments

Jean Carlberg had several questions about the project. She noted that there aren’t currently windows on the building’s north side, which faces the sorority. Would windows be added? she asked.

Kucera said the building’s educational wing has windows on the east and west facades on both levels – rooms in those areas would be used for sleeping. The concept plan for the building only includes adding one window on the north facade, he said. The other sleeping area will be at the end of the existing sanctuary, with windows facing west.

Carlberg then asked how much traffic they anticipated during the evening, coming into the parking lot. Currently, only a chain link fence separates the parking lot from the sorority, she noted. Mangona said it is hard to speak for the future, but that the current house has only parking spots for four to six vehicles. The lot at 730 Tappan has 17 parking spots, and he didn’t think the fraternity members would need more than that.

Carlberg asked them to consider putting up a wooden fence to block the car lights. The church doesn’t have a lot of night traffic, she said, and she could imagine that the additional traffic from the fraternity would be a real nuisance for the sorority.

She had additional concerns about the lighting used in the parking lot. She cautioned Kucera to choose fixtures that would block the light from intruding into the sorority house. In response, Kucera noted that city standards address the issue of light intrusion, and asked whether she was requesting something beyond that.

Since the sorority house is so close to the parking lot, Carlberg said, the fraternity needs to be more careful than what the ordinance requires, or they’ll be creating a nuisance. But Kucera noted that in the absence of a definitive standard, the issue becomes subjective. Evan Pratt weighed in, saying that even if the fraternity was fully compliant with the city standards, the commission hoped that they would not have a wall-mounted fixture, for example, with light shining into the sorority.

Carlberg added that the fraternity could work with the sorority “in the interest of good neighbor relations” to come up with a solution. Kucera agreed with that approach, but said he hoped the commission wouldn’t add it as a contingent condition for getting the special exception use.

Kirk Westphal asked for more information about the resident manager. Mangona reported that the alumni board hasn’t yet determined the details of that job. However, they’ll be investing nearly $3 million in the property, he added – it’s a large investment, and one that will make the building a crown jewel for the chapter. They’ll want oversight of that asset to be managed professionally and responsibly, he said.

Wendy Rampson, head of the city’s planning staff, told commissioners that the city’s zoning doesn’t define what a resident manager is. In the past, it was typically an adult who lived on the property – a house mother, for example, not a student. Over time, she said, that practice has changed and the resident manager could be a graduate student or undergraduate. Mangona said he could state unequivocally that the resident manager for their property wouldn’t be an undergraduate.

Erica Briggs brought up an issue raised in Cooper’s letter, which stated that there are surface water issues along the sorority’s southern property line. Sorority leaders wanted assurances that the fraternity’s parking lot doesn’t drain into their property.

Kucera said that in the three months he’s worked on this project, he hasn’t encountered drainage issues, nor had he received any comments from city staff about stormwater management. To the extent that there are any problems with drainage to the north of the fraternity’s property, that could be addressed during the construction phase, he said. He asked whether Cooper could elaborate on her concerns.

Cooper stated that the issue had been raised by Jan Culbertson, an architect and board member for the sorority. Their big concern is that whatever changes are made should not add to the problem, she said: “We don’t want the new work to make them worse.”

Kucera observed that the concerns might have stemmed from earlier proposals that had considered adding to the existing structure, but that’s no longer the case.

Outcome: Planning commissioners unanimously approved the special exception use for Sigma Phi Epsilon to convert the church at 730 Tappan into a fraternity. The special exception use requires six votes, and six commissioners were present at Tuesday’s meeting.

Misc. Communications

Wendy Rampson, who leads the city’s planning staff, had several items to report during the time set aside for communications, in addition to noting the recent news of city administrator Roger Fraser’s resignation.

At the March 8 working session, she said, agenda topics will include a legislative update on planning statutes, as well as some planning for an upcoming commission retreat. [The commission's previous retreat took place on March 30, 2010.] Rampson said she’ll also provide an update on the staff’s efforts to develop a sustainability framework, part of the work that’s funded by a recent Home Depot grant. She noted that the first update on the project was posted on Feb. 23 on the Sustainable Cities Institute blog.

The planning commission will be meeting at the Washtenaw County administration building boardroom for at least the next several weeks, Rampson reported. Recent flooding in the basement of city hall has pushed back renovations in that building by about a month, she said. [The flooding resulted from a burst water pipe valve that froze when heat was cut off.]

Among the other upcoming meetings Rampson mentioned was a community open house that the University of Michigan is planning for its new North Quad residence hall on Thursday, March 31 from 3-6 p.m. The event will include tours of the building, which is located on South State Street between Huron and Washington.

Kirk Westphal reported that the commission’s ordinance review committee had met recently with staff to take a preliminary look at how the new downtown design guidelines will be incorporated into the city’s site plan review process. Those changes will eventually be brought forward for review by the planning commission.

Eric Mahler, the commission’s chair, noted that the Library Lot review committee would be meeting on March 3. [The next day, that meeting was canceled. The meeting has been rescheduled for Tuesday, March 8, from 3-5 p.m. in the fourth floor conference room of city hall.] The committee is charged with reviewing responses to the city’s request for proposals on the use of the space above the Fifth Avenue underground parking garage, currently under construction by the Ann Arbor Downtown Development Authority.

Mahler also announced public hearings for three projects, scheduled for the commission’s March 15 meeting: (1) a request to annex and rezone the Millcreek Townhouses on Stone School Road; (2) a site plan proposal for 215 N. Fifth Ave. to tear down the existing industrial building and construct a two-story single family dwelling; and (3) a site plan proposal for Packard Square, a mixed-use development on 6.52 acres at 2502 Packard – site of the former Georgetown Mall.

Present: Erica Briggs, Jean Carlberg, Diane Giannola, Eric Mahler, Evan Pratt, Kirk Westphal.

Absent: Bonnie Bona, Tony Derezinski, Wendy Woods.

Next regular meeting: The planning commission next meets on Tuesday, March 8, 2011 at 7 p.m. for a working session in the 6th floor of city hall, 301 E. Huron. The commission’s next regular meeting is on Tuesday, March 15 at 7 p.m. in the Washtenaw County administration building boardroom, 220 N. Main St., Ann Arbor. [confirm date]

Entrance to the apartment complex at 1500 Pauline in Ann Arbor. (Photos by the writer.)

The project is being proposed by the Ann Arbor nonprofit Avalon Housing, though the property is still owned by the Washtenaw Affordable Housing Corp. Avalon took over operations of several WAHC properties, including 1500 Pauline, in 2009.

Also filing with the city on Monday was the Michigan Alpha Chapter of the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity, which is seeking a special exception use to transform the Memorial Christian Church building at the corner of Tappan and Hill into a fraternity house.

Avalon Housing: 1500 Pauline

In 2009, the nonprofit Avalon Housing took over operations for properties owned by the Washtenaw Affordable Housing Corp., including 1500 Pauline. The original intent was to rehab the four apartment buildings on the property, which is located on the north side of Pauline, between Seventh and West Stadium, next to Fritz Park. There are 47 apartments there, rented to federally subsidized low-income residents.

Financing for the originally planned rehab hinged on getting state tax credits from the Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA). But a MSHDA official toured the facility earlier this year and determined that several issues – including structural problems caused by deferred maintenance, drainage problems, poor barrier-free access and outdated layouts – made it unlikely that tax credits would be granted. The feeling was that it wasn’t worth additional investment, said Jennifer L. Hall, housing manager for the city of Ann Arbor/Washtenaw County office of community development, which has been working with Avalon on the project.

MSHDA indicated that they’d be more likely to provide tax credits to a newly constructed project. So Avalon now plans to tear down the existing buildings and redevelop the site into 32 units, including three-bedroom townhomes and one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments. The plan also calls for a community center on the site.

David Esau of Ann Arbor-based Cornerstone Design is the project’s architect. Cornerstone has worked on other projects with Avalon, including a renovation of Arbordale Apartments, a 39-unit complex that’s near the 1500 Pauline site.

Financing for the project is still being worked out, said Michael Appel, Avalon’s executive associate director, in a phone interview with The Chronicle on Monday. If the project gains approval from the city’s planning commission and city council, they hope to apply for a March 2011 round of state tax credits, he said, with the goal of starting construction in 2012. [Projects submitted on Monday will be reviewed by city staff over the next few weeks and would likely be scheduled for a vote by the city's planning commission at its Jan. 20, 2011 meeting.]

Hall said that Avalon also could apply for funding from the Washtenaw Urban County, which receives staff support from Hall and others in the office of community development. The Urban County is a consortium of 11 local governments, including Ann Arbor, that receives and allocates funding through a variety of U.S. Housing and Urban Development (HUD) programs, including the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and HOME Investment Partnerships. Those two programs provide funding for projects to benefit low- and moderate-income residents, focused on housing, human services and other community development efforts.

The Urban County has already committed funds to other Avalon projects, including the Near North housing project to be built on North Main between Kingsley and Summit. The Urban County has also been involved in the struggling Gateway Apartments, a low-income complex that – like 1500 Pauline – is owned by WAHC and now managed by Avalon.

Sigma Phi Epsilon Fraternity

The building at 730 Tappan – at the intersection of Tappan and Hill, across the street from the University of Michigan Ross School of Business – is home to the Memorial Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). The church is planning to sell the property to the Michigan Alpha Chapter of the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity. On Monday, the fraternity filed for a special exception use with the city – if granted, it would allow the building to be converted into a residence for the fraternity. The chapter is currently located nearby at 704 Hill St., on the southeast corner of Hill and State.

Memorial Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) at 730 Tappan in Ann Arbor, on the northwest corner of Hill and Tappan.

The application to the city for a special exception use states that no significant changes are planned for the building’s exterior. The site includes 19 parking spaces – the plan calls for adding 11 bike spaces in the basement of the building as well as 11 bike spaces outside. The interior of the three-level building would be remodeled into a residence with a maximum of 44 beds. (The chapter has over 100 members, but more than half live off-site.) The property is currently zoned R2B, a zoning category that allows for fraternities. The neighborhood includes many fraternities, sororities and student rental properties.

Jerry Mangona, president of the chapter’s alumni association, told The Chronicle they’ve been trying to find an appropriate site for the past five years – the current location was never intended to be permanent, he said.

The church site is ideal for two reasons, Mangona said. First is its location – next to the business school and a sorority (Delta Delta Delta, at 718 Tappan), and near Michigan Stadium. There’s also ample parking, he said, which is not the case at their current house. Secondly, the church structure itself is impressive, he said, both in terms of its history and architecture. The historic church was originally built on State Street – where the UM law quad is now located – and was moved to its current location in 1923. The renovation would include common areas, such as a formal dining room and possibly a lecture room. The chapter would be unique on campus, Mangona said – their goal is to be designated a residential learning community, dedicated to leadership development and continuing education for members and alumni.

Mangona declined to provide information regarding the purchase price or cost of renovations, saying only that renovations could reach the 7-figure range. Reached on Tuesday, Dr. Rev. Irwin Green, the church’s pastor, said he preferred not to comment on the sale at this time.

According to its summer 2010 newsletter, the church was negotiating a sale of the property for $1.4 million. Mangona confirmed that this was the church’s asking price at the time, but indicated it was not the final price. He said the closing of the deal will depend in part on whether they are granted a special exception use by the city, and on whether their architect determines that the interior renovations they’d like to make are feasible.

The church’s December 2010 newsletter indicates that plans for an upcoming move to a leased facility in Pittsfield Township – as well as a name change – are underway:

The work of gathering appropriate information for an appearance at the Pittsfield Township Board to request a property use permit, for the leased facility as a church, should be completed soon. We should be ready to announce our plans on storage and how the logics of storing some of our “stuff” will happen in the very near future. A celebration of who we have been and who we hope to be is being planned for January. We will take the leap toward a new name for the church. That will be a time for us to begin gathering our ancestors – the saints who over a span of 119 years have been part of building up and deepening this small faith community on Hill St and Tappan. We want to carry them with us as we wait and plan for our new church and to pray for their help.

And yet, a true community contains the living and the dead. God’s community of the faithful isn’t limited to only those we can see and share geography. The living have gifts to give too — looking back lacks the dimension and relevant context that leaning forward can bring. Both the living and the dead have something to say about the kind of church we want to be known as and for. Breathe deeply and rest assured that is as it should be too. God is with us on this extraordinary journey toward a new home.

The Memorial Christian Church is located across Tappan from the University of Michigan Ross School of Business.