A2Council Meeting Summaries

Month: November 2020

Ann Arbor City Council: November 16, 2020

This was the sixteenth 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.

This was the first Council meeting for CM Briggs, CM Disch, CM Eyer, CM Radina, CM Song

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Ann Arbor City Council Meeting Summary

APPROVED: CM Grand was elected Mayor Pro Tem (Legistar)

APPROVED: Removal of street parking on the north side of Scio Church (between South Maple and Greenview) to create bike lanes. (Legistar)

APPROVED: $30,000 contract with Julie Roth for administration, implementation, and evaluation of the Ann Arbor Solarize Program through the Sustainability Office. (Legistar)

APPROVED: Resolution accepting the results of the November 2020 elections and recognizing President-elect Joe Biden and Vice-president-elect Kamala Harris. (Legistar)

Two resolutions related to directing Planning Commission to consider transit supported zoning districts

  • APPROVED: Resolution directing Planning Commission to consider designation of transit- supported zoning districts to increase housing density and options along major corridors. The commission would be asked to consider increasing allowable Floor Area Ratio (FAR) density, decreasing and/or eliminating parking requirements for new development along transit corridors and bring a recommendation to Council by June 15, 2021. (Legistar)
  • DEFEATED: Resolution directing Planning Commission to review and update the South State Street Corridor plan, consider designation of a transit- supported zoning district to increase housing density and options. The commission would be asked to consider increasing allowable Floor Area Ratio (FAR) density, decreasing and/or eliminating parking requirements for new development along the South State Street Corridor. (This was offered as a more narrowly framed alternative to the previous resolution.) (Legistar)

APPROVED: Purchase of the Botsford Property. The City will contribute up to $202,500 toward the purchase of 20 acres at 3015 Miller Road in Scio Township as part of the Greenbelt District. (Legistar)

A2ELNEL Voting Chart

Ann Arbor City Council Voting Chart for November 16, 2020 Part 1
Ann Arbor City Council Voting Chart for November 16, 2020 Part 2

Ann Arbor City Council: November 5, 2020

This was the fifteenth 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.

This was the final Council meeting for CM Ackerman, CM Bannister, CM Eaton, CM Lumm, CM Smith

Legistar
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In the Nov 3, 2020 election, there were three city millages on the ballot, all of which passed:

Ann Arbor City Council Meeting Summary

APPROVED: The resolution supporting EPA involvement in the Gelman plume contamination site (“Superfund” designation) was previously considered and postponed (10/7/2019, 1/6/2020, 1/21/2020, 2/3/2020, 3/2/2020, 4/20/2020), considered and tabled (7/6/20), then un-tabled and voted down on 10/17/20. It was brought back for reconsideration by CM Ramlawi and approved with one amendment: a WHEREAS clause that refers to continuing negotiation on the 4th Consent Judgement. (Legistar)

APPROVED: January and February late penalties (interest charges) would be waived for winter property taxes. Waiver of these late penalties will not apply to payments collected in escrow by financial institutions. (Legistar)

APPROVED: $94,942.05 in a cost-sharing agreement with the Michigan Department of Transportation to cover the cost of two Rapid Rectangular Flashing Beacons on Huron Parkway at Glazier Way and Baxter Road. The project is partially paid for by a Federal Safety Grant of $84,557.95. Local funding comes from from the Street Bridge, & Sidewalk Millage. (Legistar)

APPROVED: Four representatives are appointed to the Council of the Commons, a leadership body established to facilitate activities on the Center of the City public property, consistent with recommendations from a task force report. (The Center of the City was established by voter referendum in 2018.) (Legistar)

APPROVED: Amendments to the Bylaws for the Art Commission will permit members of the Commission to bid on contracts for public art. Commissioners must notify the Commission and staff liaisons (in writing) about any reasonable possibility of their own bid on a contract and the Commissioner must abstain from any discussion or voting related to the contract or associated project. (Legistar)

DEFEATED: Resolution to waive attorney client privilege regarding specific privileged and confidential advice from the City Attorney, with any prejudicial information redacted. Fourteen memos of advice cover topics related to litigation, FOIA, civilian police review, non-discrimination, conflicts of interest and ethics, zoning and site-plans (memos dating from 2008 through 2018). (Legistar)

A2ELNEL Voting Chart

Ann Arbor City Council Voting Chart for November 5, 2020 Part 1
Ann Arbor City Council Voting Chart for November 5, 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.

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