Downtown Growth - Be Selective, Plan Urges 3

New York can haye its skyscrapers, Chicago 'its towers and Detroit its Renaissance Center. Ann Arbor's downtown should stay pretty much its present size. So says a downtown development plan endorsed Tuesday night by the city's Planning Commissioh. Instead of any massive renewal or new construction projects, the planners are calling for a more selective development scheme. Perhaps add a high rise here, a small park there and a plaza somewhere else, but downtown growth should be gauged to a moderate and "realistic" scale, the plan says. As the document sates, "The downtown plan does not áttempt to créate another Briarwood; it is a plan that emphasizes a special historie commercial area, specialty shops, entertainment throughout the day and night, government and office uses and people of all ages and incomes living in one area." To achieve these goals the plan recommends a new zoning concept , involving f J S c - f creation (jn a conservation zone and a development potentials zone. The conservatiori district would generally include Main Street, Liberty Street, State Street, the First and Ashley Street businesses and the Farmer's Market area. The intent would be to créate "an intense comparison-specialty shópping area" oriented for pedestrians. The development district would be targeted for large, more intense new construction, concentrating on Huron Street between State and First Street. But perhaps even more notable is the cali for a new concept of land use controls by reworking Ann Arbor's building review process. The study that produced the plan also produced a recommendation to permit greatef flexibility in construction and redeveldpment. "Rather than rigidly spelling out in advance these standards, acceptable uses and densities, each project could be evaluated on its own merits based on what it contributes to the community and environment," the plan suggests. And the planners left no doubt the type of new development they have in mind is residential, proclaimingi new downtown I housing could be the single most I cant factor affecting the central, business district. Among the suggestions to expedite new housing construction were to allow city owned land, including some parking lots and some of the Packard-Beakes propertyT for private development A factor in any downtown plan is how to get traffic around and about. And the Ann Arbor Transportation Authority would play a key role in this. The endorsed plan urges creation of a downtown transit loop, or perhaps two, serving shoppers and buildings with high intensity uses. One proposal being considered is a six-mile loop involving 10 vehicles with free fare and an estimated annual cost of $450,000. Automobile circulation would generally remain as it is. East-west traffic WQuld be concentrated on Huron Street, northsouth traffic on Fifth' Avenue and División Street (both remaining one-way streets), and an even distribution of traffic over Main, Ashley and First Streets in the heart of downtown. A separate circulation pïan for the entire city is now being prepared to outline specific improvements. But a $100,000 Lirculation study that plan is being based on a recommended, as does the downtown plan, that no major expenditures be I made for downtown traffic circulation. The planners say they are attempting I to strike a balance between auto and I pedestrian traffic. To accomplish the I ter, recommendations are being made I for making the sidewalks more useful I and attractive for walkers. Numerous trees and planters are I gested for the downtown, especially I along Liberty Street. Plazas, arcades, I wider sidewalks and mini-parks are also ] recommended for throughout the I town area. The plan was approved by an 8 to 1 I ly, with Cmsr. Joyce Hannaum casting I the "no" vote. She objected to the lack of I detail about implementation of the public I transit loop and said the plan did not I give enough consideration to parking.