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More Non-rental Housing Sought

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Parent Issue
Day
12
Month
December
Year
1973
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A proposed set of goals and policies on which decisions about construction of housing in Ann Arbor would presumably be based is headed for possible adoption next month by the Planning Commission. The commission decided Tuesday night to give the housing policies more backbone by including them in the city's general development plan, a master plan for future1 growth. A public hearing on the goals and policies is scheduledfor Jan. 8. Major features of the policies, as worked out by a subcommittee of commissioners, include requirements for more owner occupied housing units, more careful study of environmental impacts, and encouragement for clustered (single family detached) housing units. The housing goals, which erve basically a preamble Wk the policies, set forth the rallowing objectives: to adequately house all people who live, work or study in Ann Arbor; to créate "sound, viable neighborhoods" and to main tain the characteristics of the city; and to insure adequate city services for present and future city residents. Some of the most far reaching of the proposed policies are grouped together under one category - the concern for improved land use. Four objectives set forth include the clustered housing; encouragement of projects that preserve open space to unite various areas within the city; encouragement of Planned Unit Development projects where varied land uses can be successfully combined' and prepafatftiHff jenvirorfmental impact statement for each housing project. Another important proposed policy states, "Foster home I ownership by providing that at least 50 per cent of future residential units be designed for owner occupancy at all inI come levéis." This policy could effectively I serve as a deterrent to rapid I construction of large rental I complexes in Ann Arbor. Still another policy would I attempt to streamline the I planning process by moving [ small projects through without elabórate review to allow staff to spend more time on the larger projects. This policy also encourages developers to present their concepts for development's at an early date to both the commission and the public. The other housing policies are: provide a wide range of housing types and costs in all a reas of the city; recognize and enforce policies regarding housing as stated in the general development plan and other area plans; and actively cooperate with adjoining townships and the county in land use planning on a regional basis. The commission's decisión to set housing policy stemmed from the general awareness that growth in the city is slowing and must be more tightly controlled. Besides considering policies, the commission has also asked City Attorney Edwin L. Pear for an opinión on how much leeway the city has to piek and choose the housing projects it wants to approve. What, in essence, the sion wants to know s il the city can reject a site plan even though it complies with all of the technical requirements for development. Acting Planning Director John Hyslop said in a memo to Pear, "One of the Planning Commission's concerns is the question of whether the city's waste water treatment plant I capacity is limited to the extent that further allowance of tap-ins to the sewer system will result in intolerable overloads. In order to prevent this circumstance, the Planning Commission might choose to allow only certain types of housing and commercial developments to advance beyond the Planning ] sion site plan review stage. ' '

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Ann Arbor News
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