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
On the day of the Council meeting, the City announced the hiring of two new employees.
- Mariah Walton will fill the position of Deputy City Administrator starting March 10, 2025. This is a position first created in 2018, and held by John Fournier until September 2024. The City CFO, Marti Praschan, is currently acting as Interim Deputy City Administrator.
- Jordan Roberts has been chosen as Public Services Area Administrator, a position previously held by Brian Steglitz from January 2023 through May 2024. Since the departure of Brian Steglitz, Sue McCormick has filled the position on a temporary, interim basis. The hiring of Jordan Roberts will be subject to a vote and approval from City Council at the January 21, 2025 meeting. (Legistar).
- https://www.a2gov.org/news/pages/article.aspx?i=1124
- https://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/2025/01/2-new-leaders-to-fill-key-roles-in-ann-arbors-city-administration.html
POSTPONED: A $1,728,000 Electric Grid Asset Valuation and Municipalization Study by NewGen Strategies and Solutions, LLC. This is Phase 2 of an assessment for a public municipal electric utility. (Legistar)
- This item was postponed until the Council Administrative Committee can meet to consider possible changes.
- Ahead of the meeting, advocates for local public power raised concerns about the design of the Phase 2 study and what was missing. Key points raised by Ann Arbor for Public Power (A2P2):
- The Phase 2 study will closely estimate DTE’s physical assets (poles and wires), but not intangible costs. These include 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). Any valuation should carefully and thoroughly consider these, and quantify these costs.
- Setting the value of these intangibles requires a thorough legal analysis. This study includes insufficient funding for legal work—2 percent of the total study budget.
- Phase 1 of a feasibility study was released in September 2023, entitled “100% Renewable Energy Options Technical Report”. https://www.a2gov.org/departments/sustainability/Adaptation-Resilience/Pages/Renewable-Energy-Pathways.aspx
- https://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/2025/01/they-have-lost-our-faith-ann-arbor-preparing-for-next-step-in-possible-dte-takeover.html
APPROVED: A new ordinance wholly bans a category of “pre-tenancy fees” and establishes a maximum rental application fee of $50. Any rental application fee must be publicized in all advertisements or postings for the rental unit. A landlord may not charge a fee any higher than what was publicized. Anyone not offered an apartment will receive a full refund of such fees within 60 days of payment. The ordinance will not apply to fraternity/sorority houses and student co-ops, income/age/rent restricted housing subject to federal/state/City government guidelines, or short-term rental units. (Legistar)
- https://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/2024/11/apartment-waitlist-other-junk-fees-could-be-banned-in-ann-arbor.html
- https://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/2024/12/landlords-oppose-ann-arbor-move-to-ban-predatory-fees-charged-to-renters.html
- https://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/2025/01/ann-arbor-ban-on-certain-junk-fees-celebrated-by-renter-rights-advocates.html
APPROVED: The “Snow emergencies” ordinance is renamed “On-street Snow Parking Ban” and the City Administrator is empowered to prohibit all on-street parking during snow events. (Legistar)
- The new ordinance includes three exemptions:
- Vehicles displaying a Disability License Plate or Disability Parking Placard
- Car owners on street blocks where no driveways exist
- Streets determined and publicized by the City Administrator as exempt
- Extensive amendments wholly remove current policy during a snow emergency that allows street parking on either the even or the odd sides of a street and during the hours of 8 pm and midnight.
- In response to questions at first reading (link), City staff describe an “ambitious paid advertising approach” of mailings, social media, radio and targeted tv/cable/YouTube ads to educate the community about the new snow emergency policy. Staff explains that “[t]his paid approach is critical” and the City would “utilize the expertise of a media buyer.”
- https://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/2024/12/parking-on-ann-arbor-streets-during-snow-storms-could-be-illegal-soon.html
- https://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/2025/01/parking-on-streets-during-snowstorms-now-banned-in-ann-arbor.html
APPROVED: Amendments to the UDC alter regulation of fences, policies for developer-provided affordable housing, and definitions for public utilities. (Legistar)
- These amendments were approved by the Planning Commission on October 1, 2024: https://a2council.com/ann-arbor-city-planning-commission-october-1-2024/
- One set of amendments adds restrictions on fences with sharp edges (barbs, spikes, electrification) in residential neighborhoods. Changes allow fences with 100% opacity in side yards (previous standard: 80% opacity) and decrease allowable height for fences in the front setback to 12 feet.
- Other amendments change policy around how application and permit fees are reimbursed when developers provide affordable housing. Previously, all fees were reimbursable. Amendments allow the proportional reimbursement of fees relative to the percentage of affordable housing units provided. When discussed at the City Planning Commission, chair Wonwoo Lee was recused, because the policy was likely to impact the interests of his employer, Oxford Companies.
- According to the staff memo (link) “Currently, 50% of application fees are reimbursed when affordable housing is provided – regardless of the percentage of affordable housing dwelling units included in the development. The proposed formula is: Total Fees x (Percentage of Floor Area Dedicated to Affordable Housing Dwelling Units / 2) The amendment will have no effect to entirely affordable housing developments but will pro-rate reimbursements for mixed-use developments or developments that provide some affordable housing dwelling units among market rate units.”
- Further amendments revise the definition of Public Utility and add a definition for “private or franchise utility.” According to the staff memo (link) “The proposed amendment seeks to correctly match public utilities and private or franchise utilities with their ownership entities and consistently use these terms across the City’s codes, ordinance and standards.”
APPROVED: A new City flag design (adopted in October 2024) will be available for purchase. The City will sell parade flags for $10 each and larger flags for $65. Stickers will be offered for free. (Legistar)
A2ELNEL Voting Chart
