This was the thirty eighth 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.
Ann Arbor City Council Meeting Summary
APPROVED: City Council officially accepts the recommendations of Acting City Administrator, John Fournier, regarding how to spend the $24,182,630 expected from the American Rescue Plan (ARP). Council directs the City Administrator to carry out a public engagement strategy and provide a final report on prioritization and spending plan for the ARP dollars no later than March 1, 2022. (NOTE: the deadline for this final report was amended by Council. The original version of the resolution set the deadline at December 6, 2021.) (Legistar)
- The memo of recommendations can be found here: https://a2gov.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=F&ID=9861463&GUID=DE3FB842-7FA6-40A6-9315-C3D2DC4B54C5
- A2ELNEL: Prioritizing American Rescue Plan Funds
APPROVED: (Postponed from the 9/20/21 meeting) A $1,011,319.29 contract for engineering services related to rehabilitation and widening of the East Medical Center Drive Bridge. The University of Michigan and the City of Ann Arbor have been collaborating on this project for over two years, to address deterioration of the bridge as well as anticipated growth at the Michigan Medical Center. (It is part of the City’s capital improvement plan.) The University will be assuming 50% of the cost of rehabilitating the bridge and 100% of the cost of widening it. (Legistar)
This was amended at the table to add the following:
- Additional width will facilitate or encourage multimodal travel (transit, carpool, bike).
- The City will negotiate amendment to the design that includes an east/west pathway connection under E. Medical Center Drive.
- https://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/2021/10/in-6-5-vote-ann-arbor-officials-divided-on-plan-to-widen-michigan-medicine-bridge.html
- https://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/2021/10/university-of-michigan-worried-bridge-failure-could-limit-access-to-hospital.html
- https://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/2021/09/ann-arbor-officials-question-proposed-bridge-widening-by-michigan-medicine.html
APPROVED: A new ordinance requires owners of large properties to collect and report Whole-Building Data for energy and water use, so that potential or current tenants can access consistent and relevant information about the cost of their utilities. Property owners will use a benchmarking tool such as Energy Star to create and submit reports (annually) to the City’s Office of Sustainability and Innovations (OSI). The OSI will make these benchmarking reports available on a publicly accessible website with summaries of energy and water consumption statistics, compliance rates, trends observed, etc. Properties subject to this ordinance: greater than 10,000 gross square feet (total floor area) that are owned, leased or managed by the City, and other properties greater than 20,000 gross square feet (total floor area). Exemptions: owner occupied properties, under occupied (<50% over 10 months), in foreclosure, and permitted for demolition. (Legistar)
APPROVED: $362,739.30 Engineering Professional Service Agreement with Sam Schwartz Consultants, LLC for planning, public engagement, and engineering for the Vision Zero Comprehensive Transportation Plan. (Legistar)
APPROVED: A site plan for the construction of 57 single-family homes on a 34-acre vacant lot with access off Earhart Road. The plan will remove 311 landmark trees (the parcel includes a total of 447) and will lay sanitary sewer lines across a wetland. The developer will pay $265,500 in mitigation for natural features tree mitigation and make an off-site Parks contribution of $35,625. Solar panels and Accessory Dwelling Units will not be restricted in the development. (Legistar)
APPROVED: A 1.24 acre property at 201 Scio Church Road is re-zoned from township to R2A (two-family) district . This parcel was recently annexed into the city and this zoning is consistent with the adjacent zoning, the surrounding land uses, and the City’s Master Plan. (Legistar)
APPROVED: The City will accept an easement for a public right-of-way at 725 Stimson for the construction of a sidewalk (filling a sidewalk gap). The City will pay $5,053.05 in compensation to the property owner. (Legistar)
A2ELNEL Voting Chart
