Interim Controls Advised For CBD Development

A three-point program to control development in the Central Business District until a thorough study of the city's zoning ordinance is completed was recommended by three top consultants here yesterday. The recommended interim provisions would place a height limitation on structures, require a "token" amount of off-street parking for apartment buildings in the CBD and require certain setbacks from lot lines for apartments. Consultants Phil Hammer of Hammer and Associates, Elridge Lovelace of Harland Bartheolomew and Associates, and William Johnson of Johnson, Johnson and Roy were here for an all-day session under the auspices of a special committee set up to study the problem of high rise structures and parking in the CBD. The session was sponsored by the city, the University and the Chamber of Commerce, with representatives of each body attending the meeting. The consultants were in agreement that as interim measures the city should place a 10 or 12 story height limitation on buildings, require one parking space for every three apartment units, and require setbacks as specified by state housing laws. The special committee is to meet Monday to consider the recommendations of the consultants. It is expected the committee will make specific recommendations to the City Council regarding interim measures within the next few weeks. The consultants yesterday said it is entirely possible that following the committee's study of ordinances relating to the CBD, it may recommend that these temporary measures be made permanent. The study is expected to take three to six months to complete. It was also stated by the consultants that this three-point program would be more desirable than placing a "moratorium" on all high-rise structures until completion of the study. At past meetings of the council, some councilmen have favored temporary measures which would require the council's approval for any structure more than 10 stories in height, require one and one-third parking spaces per apartment unit, and require setbacks as defined in the city's R4C multiple-family family zoning district. The consultants said the adoption of such measures would result in drastic changes now and after the CBD study committee deliberations were completed. Asked if they believed developers could "live with" these requirements,' the consultants said that they most probably could. It was pointed out, however, that the high cost of land in the CBD would require at least six stories for apartments. Some developers may find the restrictions too stringent and not be able to build, the consultants added. While the interim measures are in effect, the consultants said an intense study of three distinct core city shopping areas (Main St., State St. and S. University) be made to determine the type of development which should occur in each one. Earlier, the consultants had indicated that the area covered by the CBD zoning ordinance is far too great. Under the present city ordinances there are no height, setback or parking provisions for commercial zones in the CBD. Apartment buildings are allowed to be constructed in these commercial zones with the same lack of restrictions. Consultants also recommended that a comprehensive plan be drawn up as soon as possible specifying where high rise buildings should be constructed. The plan could call for a varying range of heights and plan for relationship to other structures, they said, with each of the three distinct areas being considered separately. The consultants also said that each of the districts would have to be studied separately in terms of parking, indicating that each would have different requirements. As alternatives to requiring developers to furnish all parking for an apartment building, consultants said any of three or a combination of any of three proposals could be adopted. . These were that the developer provide only a portion of the needed spaces with the city providing the rest, offsetting the parking shortage with centrally located municipal lots and providing bus transportation from lots on the outskirts of the city. The consultants differed to a great degree on parking facilities, one taking the view that the city provide all parking, while another said the developer should provide parking within the structure. Both agreed, however, that a combination of both would be satisfactory. Consultants said that ideally high rise apartments should nave the first floor dedicated to commercial usage. William T. Bott, executive secretary of the Chamber of Commerce, said "that present high rise apartments planned for the CBD do have the first few floors designated for commercial use. Speaking on the aesthetics of high-rise developments, the consultants said such developments could affect the character of Ann Street, especially if the buildings were more than 20 stories in height. The consultants said such developments carried on in an unplanned nature could be "disastrous." They also said, however, that good planning for such structures could enhance the skyline appearance of the city. Declining to make any recommendations on what the maximum height of buildings in Ann Arbor should be, the consultants said this is a problem of each particular community and should be determined after lengthy study and thought. The consultants added that if the city requires developers of high-rise apartment buildings to provide parking in the structure, the results did not necessarily have to be ugly. With proper design, they said, parking garages could also be made attractive. Also, they said that many developers would install their own parking with or without an ordinance requiring it because it would make their apartments more marketable. The city could also vary parking requirements in the CBD according to the use of the land, consultants added, with no parking required for office or retail zones and a small amount required for apartments. The remainder of the parking requirements could be absorbed by the city's parking system. It would not take too much study to come up with a proper ratio, the consultants said. One danger of requiring parking in apartment structures is that it may force rents upward, consultants added. The day's session was concluded with the recommendation that the city conduct a thorough review of the CBD "Guide to Action" adopted two years ago. Consultants pointed out that many of the plans in the study are already outmoded. They also said the city should attempt to get developers to construct building with new concepts of design. Forward steps by entrepreneurs, they said, could set the tone for the city.