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 Ghazi Edwin was absent
CM Radina was absent
A2Council Update Video
Ann Arbor City Council Meeting Summary
APPROVED: A resolution directs the Ann Arbor Police Department to renew training on the “distinction between hate crimes, acts of discrimination, and First Amendment-protected activity.” It establishes a timeline for responding to requests from authorized representatives of religious groups: within 45 days of receiving a request related to a place of worship, the City Administrator “shall develop a plan to respond to public protests” which “may include security perimeters or other methods of physical separation/deescalation at entrances to and exits from such place of worship, including parking lots or driveways.” (Legistar)
- The City attorney is directed to develop an ordinance similar to law recently enacted in the state of New York. The New York law created a conduct-based class B misdemeanor limited to places of religious worship: knowingly obstructing entry or exit, or, within 50 feet, knowingly engaging in a course of conduct that places an individual seeking to exit or enter in reasonable fear for their safety. A previous version of this law created a speech-restrictive “buffer zone” around both religious sites and reproductive health facilities. https://www.nycbar.org/blogs/2026-new-york-legislative-session-wrap-up/
- Last month, the New York Civil Liberties Union warned that the most recent version of this law is intended to chill speech: “The law does not expressly target speech and demonstrations, and thus no longer violates the First Amendment on its face. But the intent and potential impact of the bill – to chill First Amendment protected protest – has not changed at all.”
https://www.nyclu.org/commentary/nys-buffer-zone-law-doesnt-create-protest-free-areas-but-it-could-still-chill-speech - Non-binding Whereas clauses in this resolution call out protest activities at a local synagogue, specifically. These local protests have been ongoing now for twenty years. In 2004, City Council passed a resolution, denouncing them.
https://a2gov.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=264721&GUID=6C5F55F0-49B6-4E35-86BD-43BE1AFC0CD5 - In 2019, the synagogue filed a complaint against the City of Ann Arbor for failing to stop the protests. In that litigation, City attorneys argued that the protests were protected political speech, and that they “are not directed at the plaintiffs or any specific person, nor do they advocate or incite direct violence against the plaintiffs, their fellow congregants, the synagogue, Israel, or Jews.” In 2021, these protests were upheld as protected speech under the First Amendment
- ACLU Michigan summarized the legal status of these protests:
https://www.aclumich.org/cases/synagogue-protesters/ - In 2022, City Council reacted to a violent event in Texas with another resolution denouncing the local protests.
https://a2gov.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=5371989&GUID=941CC1E9-B275-4746-9C34-A3D4C18A3B63 - https://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/2026/07/citing-anti-israel-protests-ann-arbor-aims-to-adopt-new-law-to-protect-places-of-worship.html
APPROVED (First Reading): A combination of parcels at 301, 311. 315, 317, and 319 W. Huron Street and 102 and 106 South First Street (0.84 acre) will be rezoned to a Planned Unit Development (PUD) district. The rezoning will accommodate a 10-story building with 285 units, a coffee shop, rooftop bar and amenity spaces. Fifteen percent of housing units will be priced to be affordable to households at 60% Area Median Income. (Legistar)
- The new development will demolish brick buildings from the 1920s and 1930’s, including the LIVE nightclub and Last Word Bar.
- Developers held a resident participation meeting about this project on July 8, 2025
https://a2council.com/315-w-huron-st-resident-participation-meeting-july-8-2025/ - The rezoning was approved by the Planning Commission on June 2, 2026
https://a2council.com/ann-arbor-city-planning-commission-june-2-2026/
APPROVED (First Reading): Proposed changes to UDC 5.19 Parking requirements would remove the table of vehicle parking requirements for all land uses. That table currently establishes vehicle parking “maximums” as well as minimum requirements for EV parking spaces as a percentage of spaces provided. Amendments will also adjust requirements and design for bicycle parking facilities. (Legistar)
- Adjusted requirements and design of bike parking infrastructure were based on a study conducted by the Downtown Development Authority, measuring the use of bike infrastructure downtown (both racks and indoor room)
https://www.a2dda.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Existing-Bicycle-Parking-Environment-Memo-FINAL.pdf - Based on data, some requirements were reduced in the downtown zoning district of D1 and D2. The changes were first approved by the Planning Commission in November 2025:
https://a2council.com/ann-arbor-city-planning-commission-november-18-2025/ - In January, City Council unanimously approved the changes at first reading without discussion. At second reading, Council Members challenged the idea of reducing any of the requirements. It was sent back to the Planning Commission for further discussion.
- On April 21, 2026, the City Planning Commission reconsidered the ordinance changes. Staff was directed to allow the substitution of Class B bicycle parking (covered) when Class C bicycle parking (racks) is required. They recommended, also, that the ordinance differentiate electric vehicle and bicycle parking requirements.
https://a2council.com/ann-arbor-city-planning-commission-april-21-2026/ - A new version of the ordinance maintains the same requirements as before and requires that at least 5% of all bike infrastructure be oversized (two space minimum).
APPROVED (First Reading): 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 (First Reading): A recently annexed parcel at 615 Riverview Drive (0.3 acre) will be zoned R1B (Single Family Dwelling). (Legistar)
- This was approved by the City Planning Commission on March 17, 2026. https://a2council.com/ann-arbor-city-planning-commission-march-17-2026/
APPROVED (First Reading): A recently annexed parcel at 2700 Fuller Road (.26 acre) will be zoned PL (Public Land district). (Legistar)
- This was approved by the Planning Commission on April 7, 2026. https://a2council.com/ann-arbor-city-planning-commission-april-7-2026/
A2ELNEL Voting Chart
