Ecorse Road, Grove Road, Washtenaw Avenue and Whittaker Road are the main commercial corridors in Ypsilanti Township — but city planning officials are envisioning much more bustling commercial thoroughfares.
Those four corridors are the main focus of a revisit to Ypsilanti Township’s master plan, which state law require be reviewed and updated every five years.
“This is strictly just a review and an update,” said Ypsilanti Township Planning Director Joe Lawson, adding that the last master plan was completed in 2007. “We have new census numbers so we have to take that into account. We’ve had a change in the economic climate in this area, and that has warranted another look at the plan to see where we need to go for future development.”
Ecorse Road is one commercial corridor officals are hoping to improve.
Tom Perkins | For AnnArbor.com
The revision is being done with Royal Oak-based LSL Planning. One of the central tasks is rezoning the town center district that runs through the Whittaker Road-Huron Street corridor. The town center zoning as is extends all the way from Interstate 94 to Textile Road.
Town center zoning calls for mixed-use and dense commercial use. Lawson said town center zoning will remain in place from Interstate 94 through Huron River Drive, but eventually should filter into lighter commercial use further south that would allow for businesses such as dentist offices or shoe shops to make use of the space.
Lawson explained that the town center district likely was too large and reducing it could free up opportunities for other development.
The ReImagine Washtenaw goals and objectives figure into the master plan as well. The project is attempting to transition the corridor from auto-orientated development to development that encourages people to walk or ride their bicycles. Planners are envisioning mixed-use development with commercial businesses on the first floor, and offices or residential spaces above them.
“We want to make them more diverse and fulfilling corridors,” Lawson said. “Right now they’re pretty auto-oriented and have been that way for many, many years. It’s time to look and re-evaluate and say ‘What else can we do?’”
The backyard chicken and urban farming/hoophouse issue promises to be a hot topic. Already a Facebook page dedicated to pushing for an ordinance allowing backyard chickens has sprung up.
Residents are invited to several public input sessions where they can address more emotional zoning issues raised — such as the backyard chickens and urban gardening. Interested residents attend from 4:30 and 6 p.m. on Monday at the Ypsilanti Township Hall. Many of those ideas will also be incorporated into the East Michigan Avenue corridor and Grove corridor, Lawson said.
Lawson said there is nothing in the master plan that gives him the ability to develop a zoning ordinance allowing backyard chickens or regulate backyard farming.
“Once we’re finished with the master plan process, it gives me backing to propose zoning amendments that would allow backyard chickens,” he said. “Once this master plans is complete, we can move forward with that if that’s what population wishes me to move forward on.”
Another focus area is along the southeast corner of Ford Lake where the Federal Aviation Administration prohibits dense residential along the lakefront. Lawson said that area would lend itself to restaurant or some other public gathering space Ford Lake generally lacks at the moment.
“We don’t have a lot of commercial areas on the lake,” Lawson said. “I think that would be a good start. We can see if we cant get the current property owner or future developer to do something.”