A2Council Meeting Summaries

Month: July 2021

Ann Arbor City Council: July 20, 2021

This was the thirty second 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. Michigan Open Meetings Act changes effective April 1, 2021 require all Council Members to state their location.

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Ann Arbor City Council Meeting Summary

Two resolutions related to concluding employment with City Administrator Tom Crawford

APPROVED: A timeline is established to search for and hire a replacement for City Attorney, Stephen Postema. A candidate will be chosen by November 15, 2021 and the term of employment will begin in March 2022. (Legistar)

APPROVED: $1,398,650 is allocated for debris removal and reconstruction of the road at Jackson and Maple (site of a water main break in June 2021) (Legistar)

APPROVED: $579,107 for improving universal access at the Argo Livery (Legistar)

APPROVED: Street closures are approved for the Ann Arbor Marathon on Sunday, October 24, 2021 (Legistar)

APPROVED: A site plan and development agreement will permit the construction of a five story, 95-room hotel at 300 W. Huron. (Legistar)

APPROVED: An amendment to the A2Zero plan, Strategy 6 will add the phrase “Implement Sensors to Monitor and Strategies to Manage Heat, Air Quality, Waterways, and Flooding.” (Legistar)

APPROVED: A question will be placed on the November 4, 2021 ballot to amend the City Charter. Currently, the Charter requires that City contracts be awarded to the “lowest responsible bidder” – this language would be amended so that City contracts would be awarded to the “best value” contract. (Legistar)

APPROVED: (back to first reading) The City’s Early Leasing Ordinance will add requirements: for leases longer than eight months, a landlord must communicate the terms of a lease renewal no later than 180 days before the end of the term. Landlords will not be permitted to show rental units to prospective tenants or enter into leases for a subsequent term until 150 days before the end of the current lease term. (Legistar)

A2ELNEL Voting Chart

Ann Arbor City Council Voting Chart for July 20, 2021 Part 1
Ann Arbor City Council Voting Chart for July 20, 2021 Part 2

Ann Arbor City Council: July 6, 2021

This was the thirty first 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. Michigan Open Meetings Act changes effective April 1, 2021 require all Council Members to state their location.

Legistar
YouTube
Newsletter
Voting Chart

Ann Arbor City Council Meeting Summary

APPROVED: Amendments to the local Unified Development Code add a new zoning district: TC1, Transit Corridor district. This zoning district will require that buildings be at least two stories, permit unlimited density, set maximum (rather than minimum) parking requirements, set height limits and reduce setbacks near pre-existing residential areas, and implement as yet undetermined requirements or incentives for sustainability, affordability, and public open space. (Legistar)

APPROVED: A development Agreement and Amendment to the Swift Run Service Center Planned Unit Development for the Wheeler Center Solar Array with Pittsfield Charter Township. The City has been working with DTE to plan for this solar array, as part of a settlement through the Michigan Public Service Commission. Solar installations at the Ann Arbor landfill will be a pilot program for Community Solar Offering, so the City (the “anchor tenant”) can sponsor the solar project and subscribers (any DTE customer – residential or business) will get the same deal per kilowatt hour as the “anchor tenant.” (Legistar)

APPROVED: Articles of Incorporation for the Washtenaw Regional Resource Management Authority (WRRMA). The City of Ann Arbor joins Ann Arbor Township, the City of Dexter, Pittsfield Charter Township, the City of Saline, the Township of Scio, the City of Ypsilanti, and the Charter Township of Ypsilanti in this regional authority. (Legistar)

APPROVED (First Reading): A new ordinance would grant tenants the ‘right to renew’ a lease (longer than nine months) for up to 150 days before the end of the lease term. This protection for tenants would extend the current “early leasing ordinance” for the same timeline: landlords will not enter the premises for the purpose of showing the premises to prospective tenants until 150 days before the end of the lease term. (Legistar)

APPROVED: A Council hearing was scheduled for August 4, 2021, on the topic of a complaint filed by Council Member Julie Grand against Council Member Jeff Hayner. Council Member Grand’s complaint is based on a phone conversation between Council Member Hayner and a journalist from MLive. The official complaint requests a reprimand of Council Member Hayner. According the Council Ethics Rule 12, any reprimand of a Council Member must result on one of three possible responses: dismissal without merit, a scheduled hearing before Council, or referral for other action to the appropriate governmental or law enforcement agency. The Council hearing may include accusers and witnesses. (Legistar)

A2ELNEL Voting Chart

Ann Arbor City Council Voting Chart for July 6, 2021 Part 1 Ann Arbor City Council Voting Chart for July 6, 2021 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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