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.
Ann Arbor City Council Meeting Summary
BUDGET: At the beginning of the meeting, City Administrator Milton Dohoney presented the proposed FY2024 City budget, including plans for celebrating the Bicentennial in 2024, renovation of City Council chambers, and purchase of a new building to house election, emergency, and CTN services.
Mr Dohoney also proposed housing development at City Hall, and sale of city property (the “Kline Lot”) that was previously designated for the development of affordable housing. Mr. Dohoney proposes sale of this lot to facilitate high density market rate development in order to generate tax revenue. These proposals would require resolutions from City Council.
The budget presentation can be found here:
The whole of the proposed city budget can be viewed on the City’s Financial Reporting page (along with previously adopted annual budgets):
This is a direct link to the proposed FY2024 budget:
APPROVED: Rezoning of the City-owned property at 415 W Washington from Public Land (PL) to Planned Unit Development (PUD) to facilitate its sale for the development of residential and mixed uses as permitted in the D2 zoning district including residential, commercial and office uses. The PUD will allow a five story structure and require a minimum of 15 designated affordable housing units or 15% of the total units or a contribution in lieu of units, whichever number is greater. The PUD will also require 60% open space amenities such as the extension of the Treeline Trail, benches, and ambient lighting. (Legistar)
- A friendly amendment was added, requiring that whatever new development be “net zero ready” as determined by the Office of Sustainability and Innovation.
- Jerry Hancock, the City’s Stormwater and Floodplain Programs Coordinator, responded to this plan in a memo dated February 6, 2023. http://a2gov.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=F&ID=11625511&GUID=D0BF41F8-4C03-493F-AD38-1BBEB27BAF20
- The memo includes this statement: “The current proposal to rezone the land from PL to PUD, sell the property, develop it more intensely than the existing condition, and to facilitate a large residential structure is inconsistent with the established floodplain mitigation policies of the City. As such the proposed rezoning would not meet the review standard of the UDC, Section 5.29.11.F.4 4 unless adequate justification is provided for departing from the policy direction the City has taken for floodplain mitigation.”
- https://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/2023/04/ann-arbor-oks-conceptual-plan-for-157-housing-units-across-from-ymca.html
APPROVED: Resolution for a lease with Great Lakes Air Repair d/b/a Beacon Aviation (approved November 21, 2022) is rescinded in order to award the lease to Herron Aviation Group LLC. The lease is for 20 years, to manage fixed base operations at a corporate hangar and redevelop the Ann Arbor Municipal Airport. The lease includes an option to renew for ten years as well as a right of first refusal to develop vacant land immediately to the west. (Legistar)
- Resolution approving the original airport lease (11/21/22) https://a2gov.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=5940156&GUID=048C52D9-96CB-432A-92F7-421D19649AA8
- A2ELNEL: Ann Arbor Airport Lease: “A More Directed Approach”
APPROVED: $699,110 contract with Interface Studio to develop a new Comprehensive Land Use plan in consultation with City staff and the City Planning Commission. (Legistar)
- The consultant is tasked with designing a plan that:
- Carefully considers and implements those portions of the A2Zero Living Carbon Neutrality Plan applicable to land use and development activity in the City;
- In the context of largely developed City, make recommendations of adding new homes and densification in single-family zoned areas, and other areas and zoning districts;
- Develop recommendations and policies that promote fewer zoning districts or categories, that contain more flexibility for re-use and adaptability over time;
- A proposed land use framework that seeks to emphasize values over specified land use limitations where possible;
- Recommendations and policies that undue and/or seek to repair past land use policies and regulations that resulted in exclusion of people based on race, income or other characteristics and other inequities.
APPROVED: The City accepts an easement from Toll Northeast V Corp for public right-of-way (sidewalk) at 660 Earhart Road. (Legistar)
- https://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/2023/01/mini-roundabouts-bike-lanes-planned-for-northeast-ann-arbor-road.html
- https://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/2023/02/trees-vs-sidewalks-ann-arbor-debate-over-improving-walkability-continues.html
APPROVED: $150,000 contract with Bodmin PLC, for legal & expert services related to the Gelman 1,4-dioxane plume. (Legistar)
Two resolutions related to downtown street closures this summer:
- APPROVED: Closure of E. Washington (Fletcher to Thayer) for “Top of the Park” from June 4 – June 28. (Legistar)
- APPROVED: Closure of Liberty (S. Fifth to Division) for Sonic Lunch Thursdays on June 29 and July 17 (Legistar)
- https://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/2023/04/ann-arbor-oks-street-closures-for-top-of-the-park-sonic-lunch-concerts.html
APPROVED: Council Rules are amended to allow agenda items on the same property, facts, or issue to be sequenced together for consideration. Moving forward, Council will have more flexibility to postpone agenda items to the next meeting, to any future meeting, or relative to a specific event or occurrence. (Legistar)
A2Council Update Video
A2ELNEL Voting Chart
