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.
A2Council Update Video
Ann Arbor City Council Meeting Summary
Two resolutions related to cost increases of the East Medical Center Drive bridge project were approved:
APPROVED: An amendment to a construction contract will add $1.6 million to the cost of rehabilitating the East Medical Center Drive Bridge. (Legistar)
APPROVED: An amendment to an engineering contract will add $368,193.77 to the cost of rehabilitating the East Medical Center Drive Bridge. (Legistar)
These amendments are only the most recent cost increases to the project.
- In 2021, a previous Council was moving forward with a plan for rehabilitation of the East Medical Center Drive bridge, after two years of negotiation with the University of Michigan. In February 2023, City Council voted to set aside years of planning in order re-design and re-negotiate with the University of Michigan. The changes were estimated at the time to cost the City $500,000. (Legistar)
- In September 2024, the construction contract was amended, with the City assuming approximately $495,000 in additional cost. (Legistar)
This week, a staff memo explains that the “University of Michigan will contribute approximately 50% for this additional construction costs.” The City must cover approximately $800,000, plus a share of the escalated engineering cost.
The original estimated total cost of this bridge rehabilitation was $13.5 million. Five months ago, that cost had increased to $15.5 million. This week, staff estimate a total cost of $17.1 million. The City’s share of additional cost (so far) is at least $1.8 million.
APPROVED: A professional services agreement will pay a private broker $700,000 to negotiate the sale of two City-owned properties. Fees are divided between two properties: $200,000 for brokering the sale of 415 W. Washington and $500,000 for brokering the sale of the Kline Lot at William/Ashley. (Legistar)
- The City will pay 50% of the fees up front and the remaining 50% upon completion of services. The service agreement explains that the broker will market the properties to “local, regional, and global networks of investors and developers to achieve maximum exposure and competitive bidding.”
- The private broker is an alternative to the City offering the properties in an open process, receiving bids directly. Prior to approval, the City Administrator said, “the administration is on record as saying we will bring the top 2 to 3 bids for the property to council.”
- https://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/2025/02/swing-for-the-fences-ann-arbor-hires-broker-for-700k-to-help-sell-2-city-lots.html
Two resolutions related to public municipal power were postponed to the next meeting on March 3, 2025:
POSTPONED: A $1,728,000 Electric Grid Asset Valuation and Municipalization Study for public municipal power will estimate the value of DTE’s physical assets (poles and wires). This was postponed from the January 4, 2025 Council meeting when advocates for public power (A2P2) raised concerns that the study was inadequate. Last month, A2P2 argued that the study failed to measure stranded costs (the utility’s reduced return on power generation, if any) and ‘going concern’ (goodwill and the value of DTE’s franchise, if any). They further argued that it did not allocate enough funding to legal work. Since then, Mayor Taylor presented to A2P2 and a narrow majority of members voted in favor of both this feasibility study and moving forward with a ballot question. (Legistar)
POSTPONED: By resolution, Council would direct City staff to prepare for the possible acquisition of DTE assets. The City administrator is directed to find a funding source – including a possible millage – to cover legal expenses. The City attorney is directed to use staff and hire outside consultants to recommend methodology for valuation of DTE assets, prepare ballot language for acquisition, and prepare for more ballot proposals and potential litigation. (Legistar)
- The resolution includes this resolved clause: “RESOLVED, That any ballot measure to authorize the initiation of the acquisition of DTE Assets shall be tie-barred to securing Adequate Funding.” In other words: any community vote on a ballot question re: acquisition of DTE assets will be ineffectual without separate approval of funding (presumably a millage). The term “Adequate funding” is pegged at not less than $3 million a year, with an earlier resolved clause referring to it as “significant expense.”
- https://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/2025/02/public-power-could-cost-ann-arbor-billions-raise-energy-rates-up-to-40-dte-study-says.html
- https://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/2025/02/dte-takeover-study-faces-another-delay-ann-arbor-officials-having-doubts.html
APPROVED: Four parcels – 255, 315, 371 Scio Church Rd, 2180 Ann Arbor-Saline Rd – adding up to 6.3 acres will be annexed into the City from Pittsfield Township. The parcels are within the City’s water and sewer service area, and the proposed use is consistent with the adjacent zoning, land uses and comprehensive plan. At a future meeting, Council will vote on proposed zoning of R4E (Multiple-Family District) with conditions. (Legistar)
- On February 22, 2024, developers hosted a public engagement meeting for the proposed Robertson Homes development. You can watch it here: https://a2council.com/scio-church-townhomes-robertson-resident-participation-meeting-february-22-2024/
- https://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/2025/02/75-unit-townhome-development-clears-hurdle-as-ann-arbor-oks-land-annexation.html
- The Planning Commission approved the annexation, rezoning, and site plan for this property in December 2024: https://a2council.com/ann-arbor-city-planning-commission-december-3-2024-2/
APPROVED (First Reading): A property at 1146 S. Maple Road, will be rezoned to Planned Unit Development (PUD). The 1.2 acre parcel was recently annexed into the City and sold to Avalon Housing for the development of Hickory Way III, an affordable housing project. (Legistar)
- On April 3, 2024, developers hosted a public engagement meeting for the proposed Hickory Way III development. You can watch it here: https://a2council.com/hickory-way-1146-s-maple-rd-citizen-participation-meeting-april-3-2024/
- The planning commission approved this rezoning in November 2024: https://a2council.com/ann-arbor-city-planning-commission-november-19-2024/
A2ELNEL Voting Chart
