ANN ARBOR, MI - Plans are in the works for a major expansion of the Arborland shopping center off Washtenaw Avenue, with new shops envisioned on a 48-acre vacant site behind the strip mall.

The Ann Arbor Planning Commission is meeting Tuesday night, Feb. 13, for a special work session to discuss Brixmor Property Group's conceptual plans for 257,000 square feet of single-story retail on the site of the previously approved South Pond Village subdivision.

The retail concept marks a significant change in direction for the site where the City Council in September 2016 approved plans for a 73-home subdivision that hasn't been built. Troy-based Fairview Companies was behind the $25 million residential subdivision project that was controversial and approved in a 7-4 vote.

Brixmor, which purchased the 404,000-square-foot Arborland mall for $102 million last year, is now laying out a vision for a completely different development that would include removal of a portion of the existing square footage in the Arborland shopping center to provide access to the newly proposed retail spaces.

Conceptual plans dated Feb. 6 show extensive surface parking and secondary access via Huron River Drive. The address of the property is 3850 E. Huron River Drive.

The plans show there would be a new drive created through the area where the Marshalls store building now stands, cutting between the DSW designer shoe warehouse and Toys R Us. Other existing Arborland stores and buildings would remain standing.

The plans show seven new retail spaces, including a large building measuring 113,000 square feet, and two smaller buildings measuring 8,000 square feet each. Four other retail spaces would be clustered together along a single strip, with spaces measuring 20,000, 28,000, 30,000 and 50,000 square feet.

Wetlands and stormwater management areas are shown on the north portion of the site, with a winding driveway from Huron River Drive hugging U.S. 23 much of the way to the new shopping areas.

Another access drive is shown extending from Woodcreek Boulevard off Chalmers Drive.

At this point, there aren't any details about potential retail tenants or any other information about the project.

"We have just started a dialogue with the city exploring potential opportunities to further invest in the Ann Arbor community," said Kristen Moore, a spokeswoman for Brixmor.

The Planning Commission's meeting materials indicate Brixmor requested the discussion taking place Tuesday night.

The meeting starts at 7 p.m. inside city hall, 301 E. Huron St., and is open to the public. There's one other item on the agenda: a discussion of how traffic reviews occur and the data that is evaluated.

No action is taken at work sessions. The development, if it is to proceed, will need to go through the city's site plan approval process, including city staff review and public hearings at the Planning Commission and City Council before final approval.

City records show the 48-acre property at 3850 E. Huron River Dr. sold for $3.3 million in December 2016 to an entity called Manchester Ann Arbor LLC, which has an address in Shelby Township.