Development Review

Special Notice: effective August 10, 2025, legislative, discretionary, appeals, and variance actions need public hearings. Administrative actions do not require public hearings.

On July 21, 2025, City Council passed an ordinance to amend the Public Notices and Hearing requirements, and an ordinance to amend the Community Participation requirements pursuant to sections 5.28 and 5.29 of the UDC. Please note these recent changes that may affect your project moving forward.

All public hearings need published notices. Public hearings for zoning map changes, appeals, variances, and discretionary actions need mailed notices, too. Public hearings by Planning Commission for site-specific legislative or discretionary actions (rezoning, SEU) require posted notice on the site as well.

Community participation changes include amendments to which projects require a public hearing, required timing of community participation meetings, required accompanying reports, and changes to the community participation meeting invitation.

Refer to Sections 5.28 and 5.29 of the UDC for updated requirements. All unaffected items may proceed to be scheduled with the assigned planner as usual.

Development Review Actions

Legislative Action	Amendment to zoning map, amendment to chapter text
Appeals and Variances	Appeals and Variances to Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA)
Discretionary Action	Special Exception Use (SEU)
Administrative Action	Site Plans

Jump to Site Plan Review Process | Application Deadlines | Forms and Applications | Project Fees

All development projects listed in Table 5.29 ‐1 of the Unified Development Code (UDC) are required to undergo the site plan review and approval process. In the City of Ann Arbor all site plans are reviewed and approved by either the Planning Manager, the City Planning Commission , or the City Council depending on the scope of work/work program/proposed activity. This process ensures that the proposed development, land use, or activity meets the standards for approval in the UDC. The site plan review process was recently amended and is effective January 30, 2022.

Summary of Development Projects that Require Site Plan Review

Rezoning applications - a site plan, area plan or conceptual PUD plan is required along with a rezoning application
Special exception use applications - a site plan is required along with an application for a special exception use
Certain additions to existing buildings with five or more dwelling units or non-residential uses
New construction that results in: five or more dwelling units; residential building(s) in non-residential districts; new non-residential building(s); new or replacement Wireless Communications Tower(s) Certain sidewalk, parking or street construction, rearrangement, reconfiguration, or removal
Certain accessory buildings, structures, canopies, decks, patios, plazas or outdoor storage on properties with five or more dwelling units or that are not zoned residential
Changes to approved Natural Feature plans on properties with five or more dwelling units or that are not zoned residential

For a complete/detailed list see UDC Table 5.29 ‐1 (PDF)

Before you begin to conceptualize your project, please visit the Planning for Sustainability page to consider those aspects of development that can be considered early to make your project resilient and efficient.

Site Plan Review Process

The table below outlines the Site Plan Review Process steps to take before submitting a project application. See the Site Plan Review Process (PDF) for information on the entire review process from pre-submittal through approval.

At this meeting applicants will:

Learn about the Site Plan Review Process
Ask questions about your project
Receive early feedback on your development concept
Determine your project's Community Participation Ordinance requirement (if any)

To schedule a concept meeting with staff please fill out our Concept Meeting Request Form.

Staff contact: planning@a2gov.org

Resources if applicable:

Applications with Dwelling Units: Review the Guide to Developer Parks and Open Space Contributions Staff Contact: Hillary Hanzel hhanzel@a2gov.org (734) 794-6000 x42548
Projects in Historic Districts see Historic District Commission Review information

Create a STREAM account.
Use the Site Plan Review Checklist to assemble your complete application package
Please review these suggestions in the Project Sustainability Guide (PDF) from the Office of Sustainability and Innovations in preparing your site plan application; we ask that you consider how your project can help our community achieve the City's A2ZERO strategies.

Reference the STREAM User Help Guide for creating an account.

**As of February 14, 2023, applications for most planning projects will require a Pre-Submission Meeting application in STREAM to begin. After the Pre-Submission Meeting, staff will unlock the correct applications with unique links accessible to the STREAM accounts of project team members. Please also note that the Pre-Submission Meeting date is not the same as, and will not satisfy the need to submit project applications by the Application Deadline date indicated on this page**

At this meeting applicants will:

Review the project application and plan in detail with staff
Confirm project fees and required applications

All materials (application, plans, supporting documents, etc.) must be electronically filed online by noon on the review cycle deadline.

Applicants should contact the Engineering Department prior to the application deadline to determine if paper copies of plans are required.

Staff will typically review the submitted application within five business days of the submittal deadline to confirm acceptance and review commencement or additional required information. At this time applicants will be invoiced. Applicants can pay invoices online via credit card or bank account.

Be sure to complete your Community Participation Ordinance requirement within 45 days of application acceptance (Type 1 projects) or within 15 days of application acceptance (Type 2 projects).

2025 Application Deadlines

Applications that have a public hearing prior to approval such as site plans, rezoning petitions, and special exception use petitions for either Planning Commission or City Council approval, will be processed for review at noon on the third Thursday of each month. Applications that do not need a public hearing for approval, such as Type 2 site plans for Planning Manager, Planning Commission, or City Council approval, and land divisions/transfers, are processed upon submittal.

January 16
February 20
March 20
April 17
May 15
June 18
July 17
August 21
September 18
October 16
November 20
December 18 - applications submitted in December will have an extended first review cycle.

Forms and Applications

Annexations

Below are links to information and application forms for annexing property into the City of Ann Arbor from Scio, Pittsfield, or Ann Arbor Townships. Annexation is required of properties that request City water or sanitary sewer service. This information generally applies to owners of single- or two-family dwellings or vacant residential lots. To request annexation of property other than single- or two-family, contact Planning & Development Services at planning@a2gov.org.