A2Council Meeting Summaries

Month: January 2023

Ann Arbor City Council: January 23, 2023

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.

Legistar
YouTube
Newsletter
Voting Chart

Ann Arbor City Council Meeting Summary

APPROVED: $5.7 million contract with Bailey Excavating for water main replacement and resurfacing at South Main from William to Huron. (Legistar)

POSTPONED: A resolution directing a new beginning of collaboration with the University of Michigan for reconstruction of the East Medical Center Drive bridge at an added cost of $2,050,000. The City’s contribution will be $500,000. Construction will be delayed to 2024. (Legistar)

APPROVED: Amendments to the Development Agreement for “Broadway Park West” at 841 Broadway (former DTE site) will permit the provision of 15 affordable housing units instead of $2,057,350 payment to the Affordable Housing Fund. Reference to specific infrastructure improvements to be completed and constructed by the developer – a left turn lane off of Broadway Street, emergency access on Broadway Street, widening of existing sidewalk, and segmented retaining wall – now includes clarification that these improvements are “subject to review and approval by the City.” (Legistar)

APPROVED: The City will pay $39,000 to settle litigation related to a low-speed rear-end motor vehicle accident with an unmarked police vehicle that occurred on June 14, 2019. The City denies allegations that an AAPD officer caused neck and back injuries and associated damages and the lawsuit will be settled without an admission of liability. (Legistar)

APPROVED: Ann Arbor will be listed as a supporting municipality to the brief of amici curiae filed by Public Rights Project in Biden v State of Nebraska and Dep’t of Education v Brown. This Supreme Court case is a challenge to the Biden Administration’s executive authority to cancel $10,000 in student loan debt for those under certain income thresholds and an additional $10,000 for Pell Grant recipients. (Legistar)

A2Council Update Video

A2ELNEL Voting Chart

Ann Arbor City Council Voting Chart for January 23, 2023 Part 1
Ann Arbor City Council Voting Chart for January 23, 2023 Part 2

Ann Arbor City Planning Commission: January 17, 2023

This meeting was held in person at City Hall.

Commissioner Gibb-Randall was absent
Commissioner Sauve was absent

APPROVED: A plan for removal and replacement of Fire Station #4 at 2415 South Huron Parkway. The new station will be larger, 12,097 square feet to accommodate fire apparatus, living quarters, working spaces and storage areas. The building is proposed to be 2 stories tall with a maximum height of 29 feet. A net zero building will include geothermal heating (closed loop ground source geothermal at least 300 feet deep) with heat pumps, rooftop solar panels, a fully electrified building, and a highly efficient building envelope.

Legistar and Video Links

Legistar: https://a2gov.legistar.com/MeetingDetail.aspx?ID=1067087&GUID=02E66B65-A31A-4EBF-96B0-02AB557E4A9F

YouTube: https://youtu.be/eMYWrzWNW6U

CTN Video: https://ctnvideo.a2gov.org/CablecastPublicSite/show/7861

Meeting Length: 1h 11m

1140 Broadway Street Public Engagement Meeting: January 17, 2023

Developers of the 1140 Broadway “Beekman on Broadway” development met with the public on January 17, 2023 at 6:00PM to share proposed amendments to the Conditional Zoning Statement of Conditions. Revisions to the site plan for Phase 2 will result in 120 additional homes, 95 fewer parking spaces, additional residential use on the ground floor, and a different approach to floodplain mitigation for the parcel at 999 Maiden Lane.

Questions or comments should be directed to Ronald Mucha at rmucha@morningsideusa.com or during business hours at 312-280-7770 ext. 118

For more information:

UPDATES:

This is the postcard sent to nearby residents

1140 Broadway Meeting Jan 17 2023 Postcard Side 1
1140 Broadway Meeting Jan 17 2023 Postcard Side 2

5 Corners Public Engagement Meeting: January 12, 2023

On January 12, 2023 at 6:30PM the developer of “5 Corners” hosted a public meeting to discuss a project planned for Packard, South State, and Arch Streets in Ann Arbor (currently the site of Jack’s Hardware). This is a recording of that meeting. The property owner is proposing to modify the existing C1A/R zoning to PUD to construct a 6 to 14-story apartment building (with attendant parking) containing approximately 360 dwellings in a mixture of 1,2,3 & 4 bedroom units.

I posted more about this meeting here: https://a2elnel.com/post/5-corners-pud-zoning-public-meeting-jacks-hardware-jan-12-2023

For more information:
https://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/2022/12/jacks-hardware-among-buildings-facing-demolition-for-new-ann-arbor-high-rise.html

https://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/2023/02/14-story-ann-arbor-high-rise-proposal-awaits-city-approval.html

This is the postcard that was sent to nearby residents:

5 Corners Meeting Postcard Jan 12 2023 Side 1
5 Corners Meeting Postcard Jan 12 2023 Side 2

Ann Arbor City Council: January 9, 2023

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.

Legistar
YouTube
Newsletter
Voting Chart

Ann Arbor City Council Meeting Summary

APPROVED: Brian D. Steglitz, P.E., F.ASCE, is appointed the City of Ann Arbor Public Services Area Administrator to oversee five units: engineering, public works, systems planning, water recovery and water resources. (Legistar)

APPROVED: Amendments to the “Best Value” purchasing ordinance. The original ordinance was approved in January 2022, in response to a City charter amendment approved by voters in November 2021. Before amendments to the charter, the City contracted with the “lowest responsible bidder.” (Legistar)

  • The following parts of the ordinance were amended:
    • The Best Value Purchasing (BVP) policy is not accepted by MDOT and other partnering agencies that help fund City projects. Amendments will give the City Administrator complete discretion to exempt contracts from BVP policy where third-party funding is a factor. Decisions will be made “at the sole determination of the City Administrator.”
    • Current BVP requirements are impossible to apply to simpler contracts, where only smaller firms are available to do the work but only larger firms can meet requirements such as apprenticeship programs. Amendments will apply Best Value Procurement policies only to contracts exceeding $50,000.
    • Current BVP policy refers to (and requires) a Michigan OSHA safety program certification that does not exist. Amendments will remove this reference.
    • Current BVP policy includes an evaluation of employment ratios for categories of employee – masters, journey persons, and apprentices – that are not recognized by the state of Michigan. Employment ratios for these categories are federal requirements through the Department of Labor (DOL). There is no published standard for ratios of these employees; they are determined by the DOL on a case by case basis. Amendments will remove the “completely redundant” criterion.
    • Current BVP policy does not require disclosure of non-craft employees or contract labor. Amendments will add disclosure requirements and preference to those companies that employ fewer non-craft employees.
  • The initial “Best Value” ordinance was approved by City Council at the January 3, 2022 meeting: https://a2council.com/ann-arbor-city-council-january-3-2022

APPROVED: Adoption of the 2023-2027 Parks and Recreation Open Space (PROS) Plan (Legistar)

Two Greenbelt conservation easement purchases were approved:

APPROVED: A 0.394 acre property at 2118 Victoria Circle will be annexed into the City. Council action on proposed R1A zoning will be scheduled after the annexation process is complete. (Legistar)

APPROVED: Two parcels adding up to 5.897 acres at 2520 & 2540 Pontiac Trail will be annexed into the City as part of the “Village of Ann Arbor” development site plan: 164 townhomes and 320 stacked multiple-family units. Planned use is consistent with the adjacent zoning, land uses, and master plan, Proposed zoning of R4A will be voted on by Council at a future meeting. (Legistar)

A2Council Update Video

A2ELNEL Voting Chart

Ann Arbor City Council Voting Chart for January 9, 2023 Part 1
Ann Arbor City Council Voting Chart for January 9, 2023 Part 2

Ann Arbor City Planning Commission: January 4, 2023

This meeting was held in person at City Hall.

Council Member Disch was absent
Commissioner Abrons was absent
Commissioner Clarke was absent
Commissioner Hammerschmidt was absent

APPROVED: FY2024-2029 Capital Improvements Plan (CIP)

APPROVED: FY2023-2028 Parks and Recreation Open Space Plan (PROS Plan)

Legistar and Video Links

Legistar: https://a2gov.legistar.com/MeetingDetail.aspx?ID=1067086&GUID=B1C20AE4-BE2E-4096-8E1D-67EF613D0D4B

YouTube: https://youtu.be/lppmWFHjyTA

CTN Video: https://ctnvideo.a2gov.org/CablecastPublicSite/show/7819

Meeting Length: 3h 11m

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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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