This was the twentieth 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: Grant money of $14,000 will fund administrative staffing to support the Aging in Place Efficiently Program, helping low-income seniors age in a place of their choosing for longer by combining energy efficiency improvements with aging support and services. (Legistar)
APPROVED: The 2021 Sidewalk Gap Elimination Project Budget will appropriate $50,000 for initial projects at Barton Drive (Brede to Pontiac), Stimson Street (State to end of gaps), Boardwalk (Eisenhower to Oakbrook). Funds from the New Sidewalk Millage (approved by voters in Nov 2020) will not be available until July 1, 2021, so this is interim financing from the Street, Bridge, and Sidewalk Millage Fund to allow construction in the summer/fall of 2021. Once the revenue from the new millage is available, the Street, Bridge and Sidewalk Millage Fund will be reimbursed. (Legistar)
- A2ELNEL: Sidewalk Gap Prioritization
- https://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/2021/01/ann-arbor-moves-forward-with-new-sidewalk-projects-across-city.html
APPROVED: New parking standards will require new developments to equip a percentage of parking spaces with electric vehicle chargers and infrastructure to accommodate future chargers. (Legistar)
APPROVED: New poverty exemptions for property taxes on a principal residence will be set at 2.2 times the Federal Poverty Level income. The maximum asset level will be set at $50,000. (Legistar)
POSTPONED: A resolution to appoint three at-large members to the Council of the Commons was postponed to permit more coordination/communication between CM Hayner and CM Briggs. (Legistar)
APPROVED: Resolution to Rescind Council resolution R-19-139, requiring Council approval for lane reductions on major streets/corridors. City staff may now remove lanes of traffic on major streets and corridors without a vote of City Council. (Legistar)
- A2ELNEL: Council Responsibility
APPROVED: Council directs Evan Pratt (County Drain Commissioner) to issue a Notice of Violation to Gelman Sciences, Inc. for causing the seepage of contaminated water into the Allen Creek Drain. (Legistar)
APPROVED: A budget amendment of $40,000 from the General Fund for design of a spring deployment of Healthy Streets for 2021. Additional funding will be requested in the future for implementation. Recommendations include “identifying locations where previous Healthy Streets reconfigurations could be made permanent.” (Legistar)
POSTPONED TO INDEFINITE DATE: Direction to the City Attorney to provide a memo appropriate for publication, on the topic of Council Rules and Constitutional First Amendment Rights (Legistar)
- A2ELNEL: Request for First Amendment Clarification
- https://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/2021/01/ann-arbor-council-discusses-free-speech-rights-then-hears-parade-of-f-bombs.html
A2ELNEL Voting Chart


