A2Council Meeting Summaries

Month: November 2022

Ann Arbor City Council: November 21, 2022

This Ann Arbor City Council meeting was held in person at City Hall. Members of the public can participate in public hearings and public comment either in person or via phone.

This was the first meeting for CM Akmon, CM Cornell, CM Ghazi Edwin, CM Harrison, CM Watson

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Ann Arbor City Council Meeting Summary

APPROVED: The appointment of a Mayor Pro Tem and an order of succession that includes newly elected Council Members. Traditionally, the role of Mayor Pro Tem is assigned to the Council Member with the most seniority. The current Council includes five newly elected members and five members who have served two years (elected in 2020). Council Member Radina (Ward 3) will serve as Mayor Pro Tem and other members are ordered in succession by seniority and numerical Ward. (Legistar)

APPROVED: A contract for $492,218 will fund tenant supportive services provided by Avalon Housing, Huron Valley PACE, SOS, Ozone House, Peace Neighborhood Center & Community Action Network. This is an amendment to the FY23 Budget. (Legistar)

APPROVED: A contract for $72,000 with the Shelter Association of Washtenaw County to provide a Winter Emergency Shelter & warming center for the 2022-23 season. (Legistar)

APPROVED: $164,903.48 funding for 1-year mini-grants to 10 nonprofits as part of the New Human Services Partnership (Formerly Washtenaw Coordinate Funding). (Legistar)

APPROVED: A grant application to receive $400,000 from the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy High Water Infrastructure Grant Program. The City will provide $100,000 in local matching funds from the Stormwater Sewer System Fund. A total of $500,000 will be spent to update and align the City’s Comprehensive Stormwater Management Plan with resiliency and climate adaptation strategies. This project will evaluate and quantify the effectiveness of the City’s street trees, the community’s urban forest, and other green infrastructure and best management practices on stormwater management. (Legistar)

APPROVED: Three fiber optic networks constructed by the City of Ann Arbor (and administered and maintained by the City’s IT department) will be made available through user agreements, to be executed by the City Administrator. Non-active fiber (“dark fiber”) will be accessible for use by commercial enterprises, private business purposes, and community telecommunication services (e.g., internet service providers, or ISPs). The fee structure recommended by City staff includes the cost for the city to replace a pair of fiber optics strands in 25 years plus an annual usage and maintenance fee of $12,000.00. Staff project increased annual revenue of $100,000 for the next three years. (Legistar)

APPROVED: The City Administrator is directed to engage with federal officials to determine their interest in future changes to the property at 200 E. Liberty Street. This property is currently owned and operated by the federal government and houses the U.S. post office as well as offices of the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI). It is recommended that the property could be redeveloped with a greater density of office space and/or housing in order to promote a “pedestrian activated retail corridor” and add to the City’s tax base. (Legistar)

APPROVED: A 20-year lease agreement (with a 10-year renewal option) between the City of Ann Arbor and Great Lakes Air Repair (doing business as Beacon Aviation) will establish a corporate hangar and redevelop the Ann Arbor Municipal Airport. Beacon Aviation will be responsible for building and ramp improvements, insurance, utilities, maintenance work (mowing, snowplowing, etc.) and any taxes/assessments on the structure. They will make nearly $200,000.00 worth of required improvements based on a City assessment of building condition. As part of the lease agreement, Beacon Aviation will have a right of first refusal to develop vacant land immediately to the west of the building if their business grows. (Legistar)

A2Council Update Video

A2ELNEL Voting Chart

Ann Arbor City Council Voting Chart for November 21, 2022 Part 1
Ann Arbor City Council Voting Chart for November 21, 2022 Part 2

Ann Arbor City Planning Commission: November 15, 2022

This meeting was held in person at City Hall.

APPROVED: Recommendation that City Council approve a rezoning of 530 N. Division from R4C (Multiple Family Dwelling District) to Planned Unit Development (PUD). As zoned R4C, the 0.19 acre parcel is permitted to have three units but it is currently nonconforming and contains four units. Under the terms of the PUD, the existing house with four units and ten bedrooms will be torn down and rebuilt with an addition at the rear of the parcel. The new building will have four apartments with 24 bedrooms.

APPROVED: Recommendation that City Council approve the annexation of two parcels adding up to 5.897 acres at 2520 & 2540 Pontiac Trail as part of the “Village of Ann Arbor” development. It is currently part of Ann Arbor Charter Township. Recommended zoning of R4A will also be voted on by Council.

APPROVED: Recommendation that City Council approve the annexation of a 0.394 acre parcel at 2118 Victoria Circle. It is currently a part of Ann Arbor Charter township. Recommended zoning of R1A will also be voted on by Council.

POSTPONED: A proposed ordinance to require full electrification of all new building, banning new gas line hookups in new or substantially renovated or expanded buildings in the city of Ann Arbor.

Legistar and Video Links

Legistar: https://a2gov.legistar.com/MeetingDetail.aspx?ID=954622&GUID=AA461D23-8652-4B29-94C0-C99F2742CA54

YouTube: not available

CTN Video: https://ctnvideo.a2gov.org/CablecastPublicSite/show/7667

Meeting Length: 3h 17m

Ann Arbor City Council: November 10, 2022

This Ann Arbor City Council meeting was held in person at City Hall. Members of the public can participate in public hearings and public comment either in person or via phone.

This was the final Council meeting for CM Grand, CM Griswold, CM Hayner, CM Nelson, CM Ramlawi.

CM Griswold left the meeting early

Legistar
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Newsletter
Voting Chart

In the November 8, 2022 general election, Ann Arbor voters approved the Community Climate Action millage. This is a 20 year property tax at the rate of 1.0 mills, effective from 2023 through 2043, estimated to raise $6.8 million per year.

Ann Arbor City Council Meeting Summary

APPROVED: Amendments to the Council Rules will wholly eliminate open public comment from City Council meetings, except in cases where state law requires a public hearing.  Public comment would only be permitted by sign up in advance, by 5 p.m before a 7 p.m. meeting.  Fifteen pre-registered commenters are now allowed to participate at the beginning of the meeting.  Any additional pre-registered commenters will be allowed to participate at the end of the meeting.  Council comment minutes at the beginning of the meeting which were reduced in 2021 are restored. End of meeting Council comment minutes are removed. (Legistar)

APPROVED: One hundred ninety parcels along West Stadium Boulevard/Maple Road and additional parcels along Pauline Boulevard and Dexter Avenue are rezoned TC-1.  This zoning district (Transit Corridor district) will permit unlimited density, create height minimums except in close proximity to pre-existing residential areas, establish maximum (rather than minimum) parking requirements, require mixed use, eliminate any open space requirements, and eliminate side and rear setback requirements except where adjacent to pre-existing residential areas. (Legistar)

APPROVED: Annexation of parcels at 1855 N Maple Road, 1875 N Maple Road, and 1921 Calvin Street and zoning of a PUD for construction of a 79-unit apartment community with a single-story clubhouse. (Legistar)

APPROVED: A resolution directing the City Administrator to revisit a planned capital improvement project at Greenview and S. Seventh (south of Scio Church Road). Water main and resurfacing work will be delayed one year in order to re-design and repeat public engagement. Re-design and more feedback will be sent to the Transportation Commission. (Legistar)

APPROVED: The City Administrator is directed to add the development of public restroom infrastructure to the City’s Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) and look for creative ways to accelerate the development of public restrooms in downtown Ann Arbor. (Legistar)

APPROVED: The City Administrator is directed to investigate the costs, operational needs, sustainability, and feasibility of utilizing the Library Lane surface parking lot for regular and recurring use by food trucks/carts and other similar and complementary programming no later than April 1, 2023. A final report from the City Administrator will examine the challenges and benefits of partnering with an external or non-profit entity to manage the program if City operation is too difficult. (Legistar)

APPROVED: The City Administrator is directed to investigate the formation of an Office of Ombudsperson and report on it prior to development of the 2023-24 budget. (Legistar)

A2ELNEL Voting Chart

Ann Arbor City Council Voting Chart for November 10, 2022 Part 1
Ann Arbor City Council Voting Chart for November 10, 2022 Part 2
Ann Arbor City Council Voting Chart for November 10, 2022 Part 3

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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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