Planners Partially Ok Housing Plan

ti A 544-unit housing development on Ann Arbor's northeast corner received half-way support from the Planning Commission Tuesday night when commissioners approved needed zonings but voted down an área plan for the complex. The commission approved three types of zonings for 72 acres of the total 81-acre dëvelopment to. permit construction of 37 detached single-family dwellings, 380 apartment units, 83 townhouses and 44 quadplex units. All but the apartments would be offered for sale. But despite the zoning approvals, Cmsr. Robert Potts, who supported the dëvelopment, said the commission's rejection of the area plan in essence sent the entire plan to City Council with a negative recommendation. The complex is being proposed for dëvelopment by the Markland Investment Co. at the intersection of Nixon Road and Green Road extended; just south of the M-14 expressway. One of the major problems the commission struggled with before the votes was information relayed from the Utilities Department that the site is on ground too high to be served by the present j ter supply facilities in nhat área. A departmental memo stated that work costing more than $100,000 to increase the water pressure would have to be done, and it said the developer would have to pay' for this. Al Suggitt, a representative from the developer, said the company was aware of this cost and it was "nothing that startled anyone." But he also said there is land in that area presently in the city which could also be made to share the cost of new water pumping equipment. Opposition to the project came from Cmsr. Fredrick J. Herrmann, who said his concern was the size of the project. He questioned if city services such as sewage treatment and roads would be able to handle the additional population the project would bring in, and said he did not feel the complex would improve the city. But Cmsr. Eunice Burns said the choice was for the city to either refuse a development that might be bigger than it desired, or to accept it and the boost it would give to the housing situation. "To my way of thinking people and housing needs come out ahead," she said. The developer is proposing to price the townhouses in the $36,000 to $45,000 range, the one and two bedroom apartments in the $175 to $195 per month rental range and the quadplex units in a $24,000 to $28,000 range. Besides getting council approval for the zonings and area plan, the project area must also be released by Ann Arbor Township for annexation into the city. Suggitt told commissioners he had talked to township officials about releasing the land but said they told him to get the city's approval for his plans first. In other commission business last night neighborhood opposition was expresse'd to the proposed location of several youth service agencies in a house on Arbor Street in the campus area. A public hearing on a proposal to rezone the house to office usage resulted in five Arbor Street residents opposing the rezoning. Reasons given included traffic congestión, parking problems and the fear the rezoning would start a trend taking away the residential character of the street. The rezoning is being sought by the Community Center Coordinating Council, j which wants to lócate the Ozone House, Drug Help Inc. and the Community Center Project Inc. in the house at 719 Arbor. A representative from the council said no changes would be made in the external features óf the house, and only minor alterations to the interior.' Action on the rezoning is expected in two weeks. The house on Arbor Street would replace temporary housing the council now has on Liberty near State. Previously, the youth services were housed in the former Fisher-Cadillac building on . E. Washington wiiich burned down last winter.