A2Council Meeting Summaries

Month: May 2020

Ann Arbor City Council: May 18, 2020

This was the fourth regular Ann Arbor City Council meeting since Governor Whitmer declared a state of emergency and stay-at-home order due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This meeting was held online via the Zoom application.


At the May 11, 2020 Council work session, Interim City Administrator presented an overview of the financial challenges facing the City as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic


Ann Arbor City Council Meeting Summary

APPROVED: $1,500,000 in engineering contracts for capital improvement, operation and maintenance projects at the Water Treatment Services Unit facilities (Legistar)

APPROVED: $27,620 for 800 street sign posts, as well as 600 sleeves and 200 bases to install them (Legistar)

APPROVED: 6.5% Sewer Rate increase (Legistar)

APPROVED:11% Stormwater Rate increase (Legistar)

APPROVED: Amendment to the Chicken/Duck Keeping Ordinance to eliminate 2-bird permit, remove neighbor notification, and allow animals outside of enclosure when someone is present (Legistar)

APPROVED: PUD zoning and site plan for “The Garnet” at 325 E. Summit Street (Legistar, Legistar)

APPROVED: Resolution giving direction to the City Administrator for budget adjustments: hiring freeze, negotiated salary cuts, removal of 40/40/20 millage rebate spending commitment (affordable housing, climate action, and pedestrian safety), prioritizing the needs of residents “most impacted.” (Legistar)

APPROVED: FY21 Budget Amendments (Legistar)

  • Up to $495,000 may be used (temporarily) from the Local Street Fund Balance to complete local street repair during a season of low traffic. The City anticipates a loss of $2.7 million in revenue from the State to fund Street Repair.
  • Re-affirming the City’s commitment and timeline for the Nixon Corridor Improvement Project as a Capital Improvement Project
  • Request that LDFA consider $700,000 in spending to support small business recovery
  • $140,000 removed from budget, cancelling deer cull operations for FY21
  • $1,094,000 removed from budget, delaying Hollywood Blvd Project, Ann Arbor Saline Project, Historic District Survey, and the Capital Sinking Fund Transfer for FY 2021
  • $114,144 removed from budget. This would have been additional funding for Parks, consistent with the Parks Fairness Resolution

A2ELNEL Voting Chart

Ann Arbor City Council Voting Chart for May 18, 2020 Part 1
Ann Arbor City Council Voting Chart for May 18, 2020 Part 2
Ann Arbor City Council Voting Chart for May 18, 2020 Part 3
Ann Arbor City Council Voting Chart for May 18, 2020 Part 4

Ann Arbor City Council: May 4, 2020

This was the third regular Ann Arbor City Council meeting since Governor Whitmer declared a state of emergency and stay-at-home order due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This meeting was held online via the Zoom application.

APPROVED: Endorsement of the Fair and Equal Campaign, to put expansion of LGBTQIA protections (against discrimination) on the ballot in November (Legistar)

APPROVED: $250,000 budget amendment to support Washtenaw County and Shelter Association of Washtenaw County (SAWC) for current and future COVID-19 shelter response (Legistar)

APPROVED: Unit income target goals for the DDA Housing Fund would be aligned with the City of Ann Arbor’s Affordable Housing goals, adjusted from 50% of Area Median Income (AMI) to 60% of AMI.  This is adjusted to help fund planning, studies and process of potential projects at 11 City Owned properties (Legistar)

APPROVED: August late penalties (interest charges) would be waived for summer property taxes due July 31, 2020. September interest charges would be reduced: 2.5% (from 5%). (Legistar)

APPROVED: Direction to staff to review best practices for social distancing on sidewalks, bike lanes, and local roads. Staff will identify feasibility of expanding social distance space for cyclists and pedestrians with shared or dedicated roadways. An online public engagement tool will be used for input, a report on recommendations for implementations will be brought by June 15, 2020. (Legistar)

APPROVED The final report of the Center of the City task force would be accepted by the City: a vision for flexible, adaptable and sustainable public spaces that are inclusive and welcoming to everyone (Legistar)

APPROVED $1,087,050 for signal timing technology to promote smooth flow of traffic for 29 intersections and corridors including Maple Road, West Stadium Boulevard, Glen Avenue, Fuller Road and Huron Parkway (Legistar)

APPROVED: Four sidewalk gap projects

A2ELNEL Voting Chart

Ann Arbor City Council Voting Chart for May 4, 2020 Part 1
Ann Arbor City Council Voting Chart for May 4, 2020 Part 2
Ann Arbor City Council Voting Chart for May 4, 2020 Part 3

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My name is Elizabeth Nelson, and I believe that your local government should be accessible and transparent. Since 2018 , I have sent out a newsletter before every Council meeting with my summary of agenda items coming before City Council, plus news and events of interest to Ann Arbor residents.

After each Council meeting, I create and post voting charts so that you can easily see how Council voted, and update this website with meeting summaries that include links to the City’s Legistar website, CTN’s YouTube video, and articles published on MLive.