Prosposed Mass Rezoning of Midtown

[MSUguy]

Midtown Inc is working with the city to rezone the neighborhood west of Woodward and north of the arena to making it easier to do mixed used development.

We invite you to attend an information meeting to learn more about the potential Midtown rezoning [[more detailed information provided below) and ask any questions or express any concerns you may have. City Planning Commission staff will be present to answer any questions that may arise. In order to accommodate different schedules, two meetings will be offered.
These meetings will be held:

Monday, January 26 at 6pm and again on Wednesday, January 28 at 9am

@

University of Michigan Detroit Center [[South Studio Room)

3663 Woodward Avenue, Suite 150

Detroit, Michigan 48201

Proposed Midtown Zoning Change
Current zoning classifications within Midtown have created obstacles to new development that is desired within the neighborhood. The Midtown's current zoning code is a bit outdated and does not accurately reflect the vision of the area - a District to be developed as a dense, walkable community. Existing barriers created by the current zoning code include excessive onsite parking requirements and special hearings for desired land uses. Land use regulations that are in place today are sometimes referred to as a “single use” zoning code, meaning that the zoning of a parcel designates the use of the land as strictly residential or commercial and does not allow for a mixture of these uses in one area on a by right basis [[an example of mixed use is and apartment building with a café on the ground floor). In order for Midtown to evolve to its fullest potential as an urban walkable center, it will require appropriate zoning that will lead future development to include a mix of residential, commercial, office and/or entertainment uses, without the need for special hearings or variances.

Working with the City of Detroit City Planning Commission and Planning & Development Department, MDI is developing a zoning strategy for the area generally bounded by Woodward Avenue, Hancock, Third Avenue and Peterboro in order to better support a vibrant urban district which allows a mix of uses within a walkable geographic area. To do this, a rezoning of this land is required - a map of the proposed zoning change is available HERE.

The proposed changes would impact a majority of the land within this area that is currently zoned R5 [[Medium Density Residential) changing it to SD1 [[Special Development District: Small Scale/Mixed-Use) and most of the land currently zoned B4 [[General Business) changing it to SD2 [[Special Development District: Commercial/Residential). The change from R5 to SD1 will allow more uses than currently permitted in the R5 zone. The change from B4 to SD2 provides for a greater mix of uses than currently permitted in the B4 zone, but will also restrict some commercial uses currently permitted in B4.
The first desired outcome of this zoning change is to support a desired mix of uses within one zoning code, while encouraging transit‐oriented design [[TOD) regulations, including less restrictive setback and parking requirements. Specifically:

• The area generally delineated by Woodward Avenue, Hancock, Third Avenue and Peterboro, is zoned B4 General Business and R5 Medium Density Residential which triggers off-street parking requirements that cannot be met with available site sizes in many instances.
• Mixed Use development is not permitted by right in the described area.
• Some uses and entertainment style businesses desired in Midtown are considered conditional or regulated uses under the current code. This extends the timeframe and complexity of receiving an approval for a building permit.

Zoning map: http://midtowndetroitinc.org/sites/d...oningMapsm.pdf

Land use comparison:https://www.dropbox.com/s/f5xjlwaetq...CHART.pdf?dl=0

[Khorasaurus]

Excellent and, by the sound of things, long overdue.

[Junjie]

Midtown Inc is working with the city to rezone the neighborhood west of Woodward and north of the arena to making it easier to do mixed used development.




Zoning map: http://midtowndetroitinc.org/sites/d...oningMapsm.pdf

Land use comparison:https://www.dropbox.com/s/f5xjlwaetq...CHART.pdf?dl=0

This is one of those key, intangible items that will make a huge difference over time. Any idea how long the full process takes and how much opposition can be expected?

[313WX]

As long as this doesn't affect places already established, for the life of me I can't understand why anyone would be opposed...

[belleislerunner]

As for opposition, does anyone know some of the examples that are allowed under zone B4 that will not be allowed going forward under SD2? What current businesses are we talking about?


The B4 General Business District provides for business and commercial uses of a thoroughfare-oriented nature. In addition to these uses, other businesses which may benefit by drawing part of their clientele from passing traffic are permitted. Additional uses which may be successfully blended with permitted by-right uses, are conditional.

SD2 Special Development District Commercial /Residential.

The SD2 District is designed for areas of the City where there is much investment interest and activity, and great development potential. Generally, in these areas, private developers have been active in changing the character of the area by increasing the intensity of development and converting land to both residential and commercial higher intensity uses. The SD2 District is designed to encourage one [[1) portion of this development, and it will permit high-rise office and commercial structures with a controlled mix of transient and permanent residential facilities, together with appropriate service and retailing facilities and with an emphasis on entertainment venues.
http://www.detroitmi.gov/CityCouncil...ations.aspx#B4 General Business District.

[Scottathew]

As long as this doesn't affect places already established, for the life of me I can't understand why anyone would be opposed...

I agree.

Detroit needs density and flexibility, and this seems to provide it without any negatives that I can think of right now.

[dtowncitylover]

Zoning seems to be something that is not often discussed here. I am happy to see people are making sure it is done right by fixing our past and out of date mistakes.

[gvidas]

There are a lot of land uses permitted under B4 zoning that are not permitted under SD2. This is a list of B4 permitted land uses that are not permitted under EITHER SD1 or SD2, per this PDF: https://www.dropbox.com/s/f5xjlwaetq...CHART.pdf?dl=0

It's worth reading thru that PDF because it contextualizes a lot of the changes. I.e. tool and die mfg is no longer permitted in SD2, but they add a bunch of other light manufacturing including "machine shops" which was not permitted in B4. It's also important to remember that anything could still get a variance, like with the current method.

I think the notable ones are the changes about shelters/halfway houses and drive thrus.

[[C) and [[R) appear to indicate commercial vs residential use.

Land uses permitted in zone B5 that are not permitted in EITHER zone SD1 or SD2:
[[C) emergency shelter
[[C) residential substance abuse service facility
[[C) two family dwelling
[[R) boarding school and dormitory
[[R) child caring institution
[[C) pre-release adjustment center
[[C) all other institutional living
[[R) armory
[[R) adult day care center
[[R) auditorium, public
[[C) outdoor entertainment facility
[[C) stadium, sports arena
[[R) governmental service agency
[[C) group day care home
[[C) power or heating plant with fuel storage on site
[[C) all other community service [[sec 61-12-22)
[[R) assembly hall
[[C) automated teller machine, with drive-up or drive-thru facilities
[[C) bank with drive up or drive thru facilities
[[R) business college or commercial trade school
[[C) customer service center with drive up or drive thru facilities
[[C) employee recruitment center
[[C) Financial services center [[without drive-up or drive-through)
[[C) Financial services center, with drive-up or drive-through
[[C) Firearms dealership
[[C) Firearms target practice range, indoor
[[C) Food stamp distribution center
[[C) Go-cart track, mini-golf, other outdoor commercial recreation
[[C) Lodging house, public
[[C) Motor vehicle services, major
[[C) motor vehicle washing
[[R) Motor vehicle, new, storage lot accessory to saleroom
[[C) Motor vehicle, used, storage lot accessory to saleroom
[[R) Motor vehicles, new, salesroom or sales lots
[[C) Motor vehicles, used, salesroom or sales lots
[[C) Motorcycles, retail sales, rental or service
[[C) Pawnshop
[[C) Plasma donation center
[[C) Rental hall
[[C/R) Restaurant, carry-out or fast food, with drive up or drive thru
[[C/R) Restaurant, standard, with drive up or drive thru facilities
[[C) Taxicab dispatch
[[C) Trailer coaches or boat sale or rental, open air display
[[C) Trailers, utility, or cement mixers, pneumatic-tired, sales, rental, or service; moving truck/trailer rental lots
[[R) Blueprinting shop
[[C) Dental products, surgical, or optical goods manufacture
[[C) Ice manufacture
[[C) Research or testing laboratory
[[C) Toiletries or cosmetic manufacturing
[[C) Tool, die, and gauge manufacturing
[[C) Vending machine commissary
[[C) Wholesaling, warehousing, storage buidings, or public storage houses
[[C) Telecommunications, private
[[C) Aquaculture
[[C) Aquaponics
[[R) Greenhouse
[[R) Hoophouse
[[C) Hydroponics
[[R) Urban farm [[including orchard and tree farm when principal use)

[Bucket]

Zoning seems to be something that is not often discussed here. I am happy to see people are making sure it is done right by fixing our past and out of date mistakes.

Zoning isn't sexy, but it's hugely important in determining the character of a neighborhood. I say, why stop here? Why not go east to John R, West to the Lodge and south to Temple? We should also be pushing to remove excessive parking requirements downtown and in other walkable districts throughout the city.

[MSUguy]

There are a lot of land uses permitted under B4 zoning that are not permitted under SD2. This is a list of B4 permitted land uses that are not permitted under EITHER SD1 or SD2, per this PDF: https://www.dropbox.com/s/f5xjlwaetq...CHART.pdf?dl=0

It's worth reading thru that PDF because it contextualizes a lot of the changes. I.e. tool and die mfg is no longer permitted in SD2, but they add a bunch of other light manufacturing including "machine shops" which was not permitted in B4. It's also important to remember that anything could still get a variance, like with the current method.

I think the notable ones are the changes about shelters/halfway houses and drive thrus.

[[C) and [[R) appear to indicate commercial vs residential use.

The C and R denote whether a use conditional or by right

[ABetterDetroit]

If there is a tool in the box that works... Then take it out of the box and use it!

[Richard]

In the early days of the bankruptcy the city listed the new rezoning designations,just kinda wondering why this was not addressed at that time?

Past experience shows once zoning is set it becomes a lengthy ordeal to change that,I would agree 100% with the proposed changes but the one thing that needs to be figured out is how to deal with the mixed residential and commercial and the complaints already coming up with living in that situation and then complaining about having to look at the surrounding commercial .

Zoning is one thing but tax wise can the live over work be zoned seperate,some cities view a home office as a commercial building and disallow the ability to homestead the residential aspect.

[Danny]

So, where are the black people?