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.
CM Briggs was absent
CM Ghazi Edwin left the meeting early
A2Council Update Video
Ann Arbor City Council Meeting Summary
APPROVED: By resolution, City Council directs the City Attorney to prepare an ordinance for a six-month moratorium on the issuance of new short-term rental licenses in the City. The City administrator is directed to study the impact of short term rentals, the short term rental ordinance, and the Uniform Development code during this moratorium. The City Planning Commission is directed to not recommend any Planned Unit Developments that would include short term rentals, either. (Legistar)
- By friendly amendment, language was added clarifying that a 6 month moratorium would happen “while allowing renewal licenses for existing and compliant short term rentals”
- This resolution does not distinguish between the short term rentals of residents and those of investors. The language of the resolution suggests that for six months, City residents would not be able to get licenses to make extra income a few weekends a year. The resolution includes no date by which the City Attorney will produce such an ordinance implementing a six month moratorium.
- A2ELNEL: Hollow Hype: Council’s Sudden Concern About Short Term Rentals
- https://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/2026/07/ann-arbor-officials-propose-6-month-moratorium-on-new-short-term-rental-units.html
- https://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/2026/07/airbnb-and-hosts-push-back-on-ann-arbors-move-toward-temporary-ban-on-new-licenses.html
- https://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/2026/07/heres-how-ann-arbor-is-cracking-down-on-illegal-short-term-rentals-what-airbnb-says.html
APPROVED: By resolution, City Council directs the preparation of an ordinance creating the right to establish or participate in a tenant organization. The City Attorney is directed to bring forth an ordinance by September 8, 2026. (Legistar)
- This work should have started five months ago, as directed by the Renters Commission. In February 2026, the Ann Arbor Tenants Union presented draft language for an ordinance to the Renters Commission. The Commission approved a resolution requesting that “Ann Arbor City Council work collaboratively with the Ann Arbor Tenants Union, Ann Arbor City staff, housing advocates, property owners, and other stakeholders to refine, introduce, and adopt a Right to Organize ordinance for the City of Ann Arbor.” (Legistar)
- Council liaisons to the Renters Commission – Travis Radina and Cynthia Harrison – theoretically should have been working on an ordinance since February. Minimally, they could have brought this resolution months ago. Travis Radina was absent for the February meeting of the Renters Commission but Cynthia Harrison was present.
APPROVED: The Ann Arbor Housing Commission will issue $18,000,000 in bonds to purchase the property at 800 Victors Way to be developed into approximately 114-units of low to moderate income housing. (Legistar)
APPROVED: A Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILOT) plan for a development at 2285 W Liberty. The project of 343 affordable housing units will serve households with an average income at or below 60% of the Area Median Income (AMI). (Legistar)
- This project was announced in late January, and this PILOT is consistent with MLive reporting: “The Michigan State Housing Development Authority is expected to provide low-income housing tax credits and tax-exempt bonds to finance the development, [Dietrich] said, saying his firm already has applied to MSHDA and is going through the process…”
- “The project is not seeking any city or county affordable housing funds, Dietrich said, but the developer expects the usual waiver of property taxes the city grants for affordable housing.”
- https://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/2026/01/12-story-affordable-housing-high-rise-proposed-on-liberty-street-in-ann-arbor.html
- https://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/2026/07/ann-arbor-oks-tax-breaks-for-343-unit-affordable-housing-development.html
APPROVED: A contract for $2,967,419.69 with Axon Enterprise Inc will provide policing surveillance technology and data storage services to the Ann Arbor Police Department. (Legistar)
APPROVED: A budget amendment will add four full time employees in order to implement a pilot unarmed crisis response program for public safety called SPROUT. (Legistar)
APPROVED: An agreement between the City and Washtenaw County Community Mental Health program includes a City payment of $135,000 to the County, in order to receive 2,080 clinician hours per year, in support of the Ann Arbor Police department. (Legistar)
APPROVED: A new ordinance prohibits the pruning or trimming of oak trees of any variety between March 1st and December 1st. During the prohibited period, any wound on a tree must be treated within 24 hours with tree-pruning sealant or latex paint. These strategies will prevent the spread of oak wilt disease to other oak trees in the area. (Legistar)
APPROVED: Amendments to the Unified Development Code change criteria for a “sustainable development” to qualify for exceptions to normal zoning height limits. A “sustainable development” is eligible to exceed zoning height limits by 30%. (Legistar)
- Before this amendment, a development qualified as “sustainable” if it has the capacity and infrastructure for all-electric power, including future conversion. Moving forward, a “sustainable development” must use electricity as the only source of energy for heating/cooling, water heating, and all appliances. Proposed amendments allow for a new “fee in lieu” instead of meeting current requirements solar collector surface area. Currently, a “sustainable development” must provide solar collector surface area equal to 60% of building footprint; moving forward, a “sustainable development” can provide 20% of building footprint and pay a fee-in-lieu.
- This was approved by the Planning Commission on April 21, 2026. https://a2council.com/ann-arbor-city-planning-commission-april-21-2026/
APPROVED: A rate schedule for calculating fee-in-lieu in order to meet a sustainability requirement requirement for height exceptions. A development that meets the standard for sustainability will be permitted a 30% premium for height. Where a development cannot cover a required 60% of the footprint with solar collector surface, they may provide at least 20% solar collector surface and pay $59.60 per square foot as a fee in lieu to meet the standard. (Legistar)
APPROVED: A parcel of 1.2 acres at 700 N Main was rezoned from R4C (Multiple Family Dwelling District) to R4E (Multiple Family Dwelling District), with a condition limiting maximum height to 75 feet. Then rezoning will allow a 6-story building with approximately 64 apartments. (Legistar)
- In discussion during first reading, Council Member Disch explained that the condition limiting height to 75 feet was meant to “blend this building in with the surrounding context.” Disch further explained that this condition could be eliminated with rezonings in accordance with the Comprehensive Land Use Plan: “we can choose to keep the R4E with conditions or not keep them. If we think it’s better not to keep them.”
- The developer presented plans at a public engagement meeting in February 2025: https://a2council.com/700-n-main-st-resident-participation-meeting-february-27-2025/
- This was approved by the Planning Commission on May 5, 2026. https://a2council.com/ann-arbor-city-planning-commission-may-5-2026/
APPROVED: Two abutting parcels (0.28 acres, total) at 225 and 235 Wagner Road were rezoned from R1D to R2A to allow the construction of two principal dwelling units per parcel. Both parcels are currently vacant and will be developed by the Ann Arbor Community Land Trust. (Legistar)
- This was approved by the Planning Commission on May 5, 2026. https://a2council.com/ann-arbor-city-planning-commission-may-5-2026/
APPROVED: A parcel at 3785 Varsity was rezoned from M1 (Limited Industrial) to C2B (Business Service) to allow the construction of 50 apartment residential units across two buildings with parking beneath the buildings. The C2B zoning district permits unlimited non-owner occupied short term rentals (AirBnB). (Legistar)
- Since City Council approved this at first reading, the developer voluntarily offered a condition to the zoning: non-owner occupied short term rentals will be prohibited.
- This was approved by the Planning Commission on May 5, 2026. https://a2council.com/ann-arbor-city-planning-commission-may-5-2026/
A2ELNEL Voting Chart
