A Family Dollar store is the long-awaited first development planned for Ypsilanti’s Water Street property.
As such, planners and City Council are eager to set the design standard for subsequent development on the 38-acre site.
At its regular Wednesday meeting, the Ypsilanti Planning Commission will consider the project’s site plans and a request to rezone Family Dollar's property from B4, General Business and Entryway Overlay to a Planned Unit Development.
The Water Street property was never rezoned because City Council wanted to allow flexibility for all types of proposed developments, be it retail, commercial, residential, industrial or mixed use.
City Planner Teresa Gillotti said a PUD also helps staff and Council ensure a “quality development" by giving it greater control of a property's design elements.
The project will also begin to lay out the roads, sewer and other infrastructure for the rest of Water Street, giving it more shape than is currently offered.
“Everyone is interested in the first development on Water Street being a quality development both in terms of form and landscaping for that corner of Park and Michigan,” Gillotti said.
The property will be at the corner of Michigan Avenue and Park Street, and Lincoln Street will run from east to west just south of the building.
City Council approved the purchase agreement for the $1.2 million project on May 7. Family Dollar will pay the city $210,000 for the land. Core Resources, Family Dollar’s developing partner, is proposing to construct an 8,320-square-foot store.
But the city has stressed the importance of accessibility for pedestrians, the inclusion of sidewalks, lighting, design and providing an urban feel.
After reviewing the site plan already submitted to the city, Gillotti listed 23 design items that need to be addressed before she can recommend site plan approval. Those includes changes like Family Dollar paying for sidewalks, the addition of bike racks, changes to landscaping, changes to lighting, a reduction in the parking lot’s size and more.
The planning commission will vote on whether or not to approve the rezoning and whether or not to recommend council approves the site plans.
The meeting at 7 p.m. at the Ypsilanti City Hall will include a public hearing.