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.
Council Member Briggs was absent
Council Member Harrison was absent
Council Member Mallek was absent
A2Council Update Video
Ann Arbor City Council Meeting Summary
APPROVED: By resolution, Council approved a list of considerations for an updated Comprehensive Land Use Plan. The City Planning Commission may choose to adopt these recommendations or not. (Legistar)
- The considerations from Council in the resolution include:
- Multiple zoning districts
- Widespread infill options of duplexes and triplexes (larger buildings where they would “fit”)
- Regulation of parcel assemblage or maximum lot size
- Setback requirements
- Regulation of height
- Encouraging smaller homes
- Maximum amounts of lot coverage
- Maximum structure size via floor area ratio (FAR)
- Limits on number of units/beds
- More UM-related housing in “Hub” and “Transition” neighborhoods, to “maintain the existing neighborhood context” of near-campus neighborhoods
- Removal of current height exceptions in the UDC
- Data regarding changes in home prices and rent “during whatever time frame Staff concludes to be relevant”
- Limitations on short term rental uses in the Transition category
- Review of how existing laws will prevent light Industrial uses from causing a nuisance to adjacent Residential uses in the Transition category
- On April 7, 2025, City Council approved a similar resolution of recommendations for the Planning Commission. (Legistar) Five of the recommendations in this week’s resolution were also requested in April: modifying setbacks, encouraging smaller homes, limiting scale based on FAR, limiting number of units/beds, and limiting parcel assemblage. https://a2council.com/ann-arbor-city-council-april-7-2025/
- POSTPONED: Up to $83,000 would be added to a contract with consultant Interface Studio LLC in order to fund more time, an additional iteration of a Draft Plan, and attendance at upcoming public meetings regarding the Comprehensive Land Use Plan. This funding was part of the original resolution, but was considered separately. This item was postponed to the August 7, 2025 Council Meeting. (Legistar)
- https://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/2025/07/nimby-undertones-among-criticisms-as-ann-arbor-votes-6-2-on-housing-density-limits.html
APPROVED: Amendments to the Unified Development Code remove public hearing requirements from numerous reviews. (Legistar)
- These amendments eliminate public hearing requirements for:
- Area plans
- Site plans
- PUD site plans
- Land divisions
- Wetland use permits
- Amendments allow for public hearings only in cases of rezoning and tentative or preliminary plat. Amendments also remove a requirement that area plans, site plans, PUD site plans, and preliminary plans under review be accessible and viewable at City Hall prior to approval at public meetings.
- These changes were approved by the City Planning Commission in March 2025: https://a2council.com/ann-arbor-city-planning-commission-march-18-2025/
APPROVED: Amendments to the Unified Development Code remove the requirement for public meetings of many development projects, and other modifications. (Legistar)
- Before this amendment, resident participation meetings were required for larger development projects. Developers were required to send postcards to all property owners within 1000 feet of the location of proposed building and meet with them to share details about a planned development.
- These amendments removed requirements for resident participation meetings for:
- Developments of more than 80 units
- Developments taller than 65 feet
- Developments larger than 50,000 sq. ft. of floor area
- The amended ordinance requires neighborhood information meetings only in cases of a request for Planned Unit development (PUD) zoning, other rezoning, or a request for a special exception permit. In other cases, the need for a neighborhood information meeting will be determined at the discretion of the City Planning Manager.
- When these neighborhood information meetings do occur, developers are relieved of any responsibility to report on who was sent notice of the meeting or who attended the meeting.
- These changes were approved by the City Planning Commission in March 2025: https://a2council.com/ann-arbor-city-planning-commission-march-18-2025/
APPROVED: A 5.9 acre property, recently annexed into the City is rezoned R4E (Multiple Family) for a townhome project by Robertson Brothers. (Legistar)
- According to the staff report (link) “The developer is proposing to construct 75 townhomes in twelve three story buildings. The buildings will be all electric, with no natural gas connection.”
- The developer held a resident participation meeting on February 22, 2024: https://a2council.com/scio-church-townhomes-robertson-resident-participation-meeting-february-22-2024/
- This rezoning was approved by the Planning Commission in January 2025: https://a2council.com/ann-arbor-city-planning-commission-january-7-2025/
- https://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/2024/02/dozens-of-townhomes-proposed-for-development-in-southwest-ann-arbor.html
- https://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/2025/07/75-new-condos-approved-for-development-in-ann-arbor-to-offer-townhouse-style-living.html
APPROVED: A development agreement for Braun Court (313-327 Braun Court) will permit a 7-story building with 38 units (two to three bedrooms) and 33 parking spaces. The agreement includes a $23,750 contribution to parks. (Legistar)
- Developers held a public participation meeting about the project on July 11, 2024. https://a2council.com/313-327-braun-court-citizen-participation-meeting-july-11-2024/
- The City Planning Commission approved the site plan and development agreement on May 6, 2025. https://a2council.com/ann-arbor-city-planning-commission-may-6-2025/
- https://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/2025/07/braun-court-redevelopment-agreement-gets-ann-arbor-councils-ok.html
APPROVED: A site plan for Robertson Homes (aka 75 South Main) at 255, 315, 371 Scio Church Rd and 2180 Ann Arbor-Saline Rd will permit the construction of twelve 3-story buildings: 75 attached townhomes (3-bedrooms) with 2-car garages underneath. There will be a total of 167 parking spaces: 150 in garages, plus 17 additional. The project will be all electric at a maximum height of 50 feet. The development agreement includes a contribution of $46,875 to City parks. (Legistar)
APPROVED: A brownfield plan for “Broadway Park West” (841 Broadway) is amended to more accurately reflect site conditions, funds already received, eligible activities, and project delays. Brownfield plans promote the cleanup and redevelopment of property by using tax incremental financing (TIF) to reimburse eligible costs. These plans are voted on and recommended by City Council and sent to the County Commission for final approval. (Legistar)
- The original 2019 brownfield plan for Broadway Park West awarded reimbursements of $9,336,999 for Environmental Activities and up to $8,000,000 in Non-Environmental Activities over a 12-year TIF period.
- This week’s amendment shifts $3,128,499 in reimbursements for Environmental Activities to Non-Environmental activities. The capture period will be updated to 12-14 years due to COVID- related delays. A staff memo explains that the Broadway Park development has also received American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds and $20 million in state funds for public recreation via the Lowertown Riverfront Conservancy.
- The $20 million in state funds made news in 2022 when it appeared in a state budget and caught Ann Arbor’s state-level lawmakers by surprise. Ann Arbor’s three lawmakers in Lansing – state senator Jeff Irwin and then state representatives Yousef Rabhi and Felicia Brabec – told news outlets that they did not sponsor or request the earmark and did not know who did. https://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/2022/09/how-ann-arbor-project-got-20m-earmark-still-a-mystery-to-local-lawmakers.html
- https://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/2025/07/whats-coming-next-for-ann-arbors-transformative-riverfront-redevelopment.html
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