Planners ... Disputed Rezoning

The City Planning Commission last night was faced with a long-standing and controversial request to rezone land in the Broadway area to multiple family use, on which no action vas taken. It also considered rezoning an area adjoining the S. University business district in such a way that it would allow intense business use. Dealing with the request of David C. English to rezone 10.39 acres of land on Broadway from R1C to R4A, the commissioners faced a gallery of spectators, about equally divided by thosej supporting the change and byl those opposing the change. The planners first heard thei remarks of William Barnes, at-l torney representing the develop-J er, who admitted that therej was "a strong undercurrent of regarding the property,"l but who pleaded his case for re-I scning the land by stating thatj :he proposed development morel ;han met the requirements set! up by the planners. Barnes said that the develop-l nent would preserve all the! rees and the natural characterij of the land. Barnes also noted that the developers planned to erect only 1S.8 units per acre when, under the law, they could erect as many as 22 units per acre. Commissioners then heard reír arks by Clan Crawford Jr. who represented the Northside Planning Commission, which opposes the zoning change. Crawford expressed concern that the multiple-family complex would increase the traffic on Broadway and ruin the character of the Broadway Hill area. Crawford also noted that the City Council had objected to the proposed zoning change once bejfore, in 1963. 1 Members of the commision asked if the developer was willing to negotiate with the residents in the area with the hopes of lowering even further the density of the proposed development. When the developers replied that they would be willing to negotiate a possible compromise, the planners deferred action on the matter by tabling it 'tor further consideration." A petition submitted by Morris S. Friedman to rezone .33 of an acre on S. Forest near S. University from R4C to ClAR triggered a request by the Planning Department to rezone not only the Friedman piece, but all the land in the surrounding area to the same zoning of C1A-R. The zoning of C1A-R would allow intense commercial and residential use. The area under consideration included land fronting E. University, ■■- 1 Willard, Church, Forest and Forest Ct. An objection by Commissioner John Laird was sufficient to defer consideration of the proposed area zoning change. Instead, the planners only approved a zoning of ClA-R for the Friedman property. Approved was a request by Michigan Baptist Convention to rezone .45 of an acre to P (parking). The land, situated on Jackson Ave., also received site plan approval. Denied was the request of L. W. G. Enterprises, Inc., to rezone ,33 of an acre on Stadium near Prescott from single-family to O office. Action on iïxing a zoning forl the Concordia Lutheran College site of 194.9 acres was deferred because the commission, at this time, was unable to find an appropriate zoning for the college. Also deferred was the review of the site plan of the Huron Valley National Bank on Washtenaw and Huron Parkway. Action was deferred for one month so that progress of the closing of a curb cut on Huron Parkway could be noted. A request by L. W. G. Enterprises to rezone a half acre of land on Platt from single-family to office was also denied. Approved was the John R. Siller petition to annex 2.65 acres of land on Liberty. After annexing the land, planners approved a zoning fix of R2A. Action on the KMS Industries rpetition to annex 85 acres of [land on Plymouth Rd. was deferred because Laird, who is associated with the firm, abstained from voting on the matter. As a result, there was an linsufficient number of to act on annexing the property. Under new business, the commission approved the site plan for Weber's Motor Inn on Jackson Ave. I Also approved was the final [plat of the Smokler-Hutzel subdivision No. 3 on King George. The final plat contains 112 lots.