The housing challenges we face as a City are complex, but it is important to realize that a do-nothing-change-nothing approach is why we are here today. Will increasing density around bus stops alone solve our affordability crisis? No. Does that mean it's not a worthwhile policy to explore? Also no. Creating a T-1 district is a step in the right direction, and one that is long overdue. It will increase housing supply while also making progress towards the City's sustainability goals. Density, walkability, and transit access make great places. Sprawl and traffic do not. I think a context-sensitive approach is absolutely achievable, but the Council must first let the PC explore this issue further and put forth a real proposal.
Ann Arbor has been adding new students and new jobs without allowing housing to keep up. The continuing rise in commuter miles and housing prices is a predictable result. The new downtown zoning was a good step. But downtown will always be the most expensive place to build, and beds downtown haven't even kept up with student enrollment. We need to do more.
Revising the zoning along major transit corridors is an obvious next step. It would allow many more people to live closer to work, and bring more ridership to our AAATA, allowing further service improvements. Allowing some of our 80,000 daily in-commuters to live closer, and shifting the model share towards buses, would be a big step towards meeting the city's climate goals. Nothing about this commits us to actually rezone anything--a vote against this would be a vote against even considering the possibility in the future. I know we're smarter than that.
I support DC-3 to direct the Planning Commission to create a transit-supported T1 zoning district. This will support the Master Planning Process, and revive this initiative first proposed in 2008! For 12 years, various recommendations to zone for higher density housing & mixed use zoning along transit corridors has been proposed with no action by Council. We can implement the plans we have and respect the countless hours of community input & planning taken so far while updating the current plan, especially as this approach will ALLOW desperately needed new housing while improving our overall quality of life in more corners of our city and help us reach our carbon neutrality goals but shortening commutes & trips for many. Property owners are not forced to comply with the T1 zoning, just be allowed to ask Council to approve such developments on a case by case basis.
The housing challenges we face as a City are complex, but it is important to realize that a do-nothing-change-nothing approach is why we are here today. Will increasing density around bus stops alone solve our affordability crisis? No. Does that mean it's not a worthwhile policy to explore? Also no. Creating a T-1 district is a step in the right direction, and one that is long overdue. It will increase housing supply while also making progress towards the City's sustainability goals. Density, walkability, and transit access make great places. Sprawl and traffic do not. I think a context-sensitive approach is absolutely achievable, but the Council must first let the PC explore this issue further and put forth a real proposal.
Ann Arbor has been adding new students and new jobs without allowing housing to keep up. The continuing rise in commuter miles and housing prices is a predictable result. The new downtown zoning was a good step. But downtown will always be the most expensive place to build, and beds downtown haven't even kept up with student enrollment. We need to do more.
Revising the zoning along major transit corridors is an obvious next step. It would allow many more people to live closer to work, and bring more ridership to our AAATA, allowing further service improvements. Allowing some of our 80,000 daily in-commuters to live closer, and shifting the model share towards buses, would be a big step towards meeting the city's climate goals. Nothing about this commits us to actually rezone anything--a vote against this would be a vote against even considering the possibility in the future. I know we're smarter than that.
I support DC-3 to direct the Planning Commission to create a transit-supported T1 zoning district. This will support the Master Planning Process, and revive this initiative first proposed in 2008! For 12 years, various recommendations to zone for higher density housing & mixed use zoning along transit corridors has been proposed with no action by Council. We can implement the plans we have and respect the countless hours of community input & planning taken so far while updating the current plan, especially as this approach will ALLOW desperately needed new housing while improving our overall quality of life in more corners of our city and help us reach our carbon neutrality goals but shortening commutes & trips for many. Property owners are not forced to comply with the T1 zoning, just be allowed to ask Council to approve such developments on a case by case basis.