A2Council Meeting Summaries

Month: August 2020

Ann Arbor City Council Special Session: August 24, 2020

This was a Special Session of Ann Arbor City Council to implement a temporary emergency ordinance on masks/gatherings, and to decide next steps in the search for a City administrator. This meeting was held online via the Zoom application.

Ann Arbor City Council Meeting Summary

APPROVED: Consent for Mayoral Declaration of Emergency (Legistar)

  • Council approved this in order to pass an ordinance (without delay) that will require mask-wearing in public places and prohibit large gatherings in accordance with directives issued by Governor Whitmer.

APPROVED: Temporary emergency ordinance on mask/gatherings (Legistar)

APPROVED: City Administrator Search Process Next Steps (Legistar)

A2ELNEL Voting Chart

Ann Arbor City Council Voting Chart for August 24, 2020

Ann Arbor City Council: August 17, 2020

This was the tenth 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.

Ann Arbor City Council Meeting Summary

APPROVED: Lurie Terrace is approved for acquisition and renovation though the Ann Arbor Affordable Housing Corporation (a nonprofit entity of the Ann Arbor Housing Commission) (Legistar)

APPROVED: The Ann Arbor Housing Commission will maintain a centralized waitlist process for affordable housing units included in market-rate development projects (Legistar)

APPROVED: Two developments (rezoning and site plans) approved for new hotels

APPROVED: A land lease agreement with University of Michigan for three parking lots (Fuller Road) is extended for one year with payment of $127,007. (Legistar)

APPROVED: $34,700 for sampling and laboratory testing of City water for PFAS. (Legistar)

APPROVED: Drip House Coffee at 1336 South Main Street (NW corner of Main/Stadium) will be permitted to use three outdoor parking spaces for outdoor seating until November 1, 2020, in accordance with standards for a Special Event Sale. (Legistar)

A2ELNEL Voting Chart

Ann Arbor City Council Voting Chart for August 17, 2020 Part 1
Ann Arbor City Council Voting Chart for August 17, 2020 Part 2

Ann Arbor City Council Special Session: August 10, 2020

This was a Special Session of Ann Arbor City Council to discuss a Charter Amendment for Nonpartisan Local Elections. If approved, the question would be put to voters on the November 2020 ballot. This meeting was held online via the Zoom application.

Ann Arbor City Council Meeting Summary

APPROVED: A charter amendment would be placed on the 11/3/20 ballot for voter approval, establishing non-partisan nomination and elections to the city offices for Mayor and members of Council. This removes party affiliation from the ballot and also ensures a contested election in November if more than one candidate files to run for the offices of Mayor or City Council. If there are two or fewer candidates, there is no primary election in August and the candidates appear on the ballot in November, without party affiliation. If more than two candidates petition to run for Mayor or City Council, all candidates would appear on a primary ballot in August, without party affiliation. The two primary candidates receiving the highest number of votes in August would then appear on the November ballot, again without party affiliation. (Legistar)

A2ELNEL Voting Chart

Ann Arbor City Council Voting Chart for August 10, 2020

Ann Arbor City Council: August 6, 2020

This was the ninth 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.

Ann Arbor City Council Meeting Summary

APPROVED: $127,140 to purchase a high speed absentee ballot vote tabulator in preparation for the November election. This equipment is partially paid for with a grant ($30,000) from the State of Michigan Bureau of Elections. (Legistar)

APPROVED: Site plan and development agreement for 2658 W. Liberty Street (north side of Liberty, immediately east of 94). Nine three-story buildings with 52 units will be built on a 4.6 acre parcel zoned R4B (Multi-family dwelling). (Legistar)

APPROVED: Extend downtown street closures for restaurant and retail use until Sept 21, 2020 (Legistar)

POSTPONED to Sept 8th: A proposed ordinance to regulate short term rentals (STRs) would include a system of application and paid licenses. Applications would include description of the space for rent (location, bedrooms, occupancy) and name/telephone/email information for two responsible contact persons. Whole house and host-stay STRs would be permitted for all principal residences. Non-principal residence STR’s would only be permitted in Mixed Use Zoning areas. (Legistar)

DEFEATED: A ballot question for a charter amendment would allow ranked choice voting in our local elections. As written, ranked choice voting would apply separately to both the August party primary and the November general election for the offices of Mayor and City Council. One candidate chosen from each party primary in August would be included in a November election.(Legistar)

A2ELNEL Voting Chart

Ann Arbor City Council Voting Chart for August 6, 2020 Part 1
Ann Arbor City Council Voting Chart for August 6, 2020 Part 2

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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.