West Stadium Shopping Center Sidetracked

The Ann Arbor Planning Commisáion eoniinued its moratorium on new di-vslopment in the city's West Stadium area Tuesday night by turning down three site plans slated for there, ïncluding one for a 10-acre shopping center. And while the moratorium may be temporary, one commissioner also urged permanent restrictions on some commercial developers to force them to help pay for the problems they créate. The site plans that were rejected ïncluded one for a 10-28-acre Stadium Row Shopping Center on W. Stadium adjacent to the Post Office building. The planning staff had recommended denial of the site plan because of the already heavy traffc in that area and the duplication of services which the new center would offer, but which already exist in the area. The other site plans rejected were for an 85-acre Sambo's Restaurant on W. Stadium south of Liberty, and for a derosá Systems Inc. steak house on W. Stadium north of Liberty. Last January the commission declared a moiatorium on development in that area while a new study is being prepared on land and traffic uses in that vicinity. But Commissioner Douglas Crary ïndicated he will oppose many commercial endeavors of the food franchise vanecy until the developers of those businesses are ready to help pay for the solution lo problems they créate, specifically traffic problems. 'What benefit does Ann Arbor derive from giving franchises carte blanche other than the local payroll (that allows) deve!upers to install outlets that compound our problems rather than solve them,': Crary said. 'We require or e x p e c t housing developers to dónate open space, school sites and other amenities, yet these specifically traffic oriented installations have nc restrictions of any kind in terms of resolving the problems they créate. Whcn they come up with real contriDUtions to the planning process, then I wi)l be ready to listen," he said. Crary also said he would like to see figures comparing the costs the city ïncurs servicing suoh commercial firnis versus the benefit to the city. "How much does it cost the city to accommodate these things? Combined with proliferation, or rabbit-like reproduction, we have a a real problem. Just drive from here to Ypsilanti on Washtenaw Avenue someday," he admonished. In other business before the commission approval was given to a Bicycle Pain Study for the city. The study estabhshes guidelines the city will use m development of a bikeways s y s t e m throughout Ann Arbor. The commission also approved the nexation of 1.2 acres of land on Newport Road north of Alexandra from Ann Arbor Township. The petitioners, Property Peveïopment Group Inc., builders of tne Newport West development, were also seeking a zoning fix of R3 for townhouse usage, but the resolution for this failed to get the necessary votes for approval. Approval was also given to a site plan amendment for Booth Newspaper Inc. un Research Park Drive near Kllsworth for a reserve generator plant. The controversial Packard Platt Pla::a shopping center being proposed for the Packard-Platt intersection was deferred as the request of a citizens' organization fighting the center. An attorney for the developer asked the commission to take action on an amended site plan, but several commissioners noted a rezoning request for tiiat same land which would disallow the center is still pending before council.