Ann Arbor City Council: June 2, 2025

Jun 2, 2025 | City Council

Center of the City | Downtown Library | Sustainability | UDC Updates

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 Cornell was absent
CM Disch was absent

Legistar
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Ann Arbor City Council Meeting Summary

APPROVED: The parcel at 343 S. Fifth Avenue (Downtown branch of the Ann Arbor Public Library) is rezoned from PL (Public Land) to D1 (Downtown Core) in order to allow private ownership. The library is currently exploring a “public-private” partnership for future redevelopment. (Legistar)

APPROVED: An amendment to the Unified Development Code (UDC) will modify processes for modifications to previously approved PUD (Planned Unit Development) districts. It will apply to a PUD district comprised of multiple parcels. In a PUD district of multiple parcels, the owner of one parcel can request a zoning change for their own parcel without getting authorization from the other parcel owners in the district. (Legistar)

  • This UDC amendment was approved by the Planning Commission on March 18, 2025. https://a2council.com/ann-arbor-city-planning-commission-march-18-2025/
  • A PUD district is a special type of zoning that does not conform to standards for other zoning districts but is unique to the site and provides a benefit for the City that cannot be achieved through another zoning category. PUD districts are subject to “Supplemental Regulations.”
  • From the UDC Chapter 55, Section 5.29.11.F(6): “The Supplemental Regulations shall include analysis and justification sufficient to determine what the purported benefit is, how the special benefit will be provided, and performance standards by which the special benefit will be evaluated.”
  • Initial consideration of a PUD district requires authorization from all parcel owners, but staff propose this amendment because the authorization requirement “has the effect of neighboring property owners having an outsized effect on the ability of others to pursue modifications.” Staff offers the example of a property owner seeking to remove their parcel from a previously established PUD district.
  • In answering questions to the June 2, 2025 agenda (link), City staff provided examples of where this ordinance amendment would have been helpful, citing cases where an individual property owner wanted to create short term rentals, establish a marijuana dispensary, or build on open space but could not get permission from other property owners within the PUD district. Note: open space is often one of the public benefits negotiated across the whole of a PUD district.

APPROVED: An affordable housing agreement for 616 E. Washington will designate 19 affordable rental units. Six units will be affordable to households at 60% of Area Median Income) (AMI) and 13 units will be affordable to families at 80% of AMI. Those 19 units are committed for 99 years. (Legistar)

APPROVED: A recently annexed parcel at 3801 Stone School Road is rezoned to PL (Public Land). This 3 acre parcel was previously in Pittsfield township and is owned by the Ann Arbor Public Schools. (Legistar)

APPROVED: A recently annexed parcel at 2862 Stone School Road is rezoned PL (Public Land). This 2.65 parcel was purchased by the Ann Arbor Public Schools in 2021 and will be used for expansion of the Pathways to Success campus. (Legistar)

APPROVED: A parcel at 2325 Crystal Way is rezoned from R4A (Multiple-Family Dwelling District) to PL (Public Land). This 9.859 parcel is city-owned land that will expand the Hickory Nature Area at 2817 Dillon Drive. It was donated to the City in 2019, with the development of “The One” at 2601 Pontiac Trail. (Legistar)

APPROVED: A license agreement will permit the ongoing operation of ebikes (100) and dockless scooters (450) in the City. Terms in the renewed contract introduce the possibility of a helmet discount and an in-app sobriety check for late night riders. (Legistar)

APPROVED (First Reading): A new “Green Rental Housing” ordinance will require that rental units be assessed by a “Home Energy Rater” and issued a score based on a checklist of qualified assets. (Legistar)

  • At the May 5, 2025 meeting, a number of public commenters spoke out against this ordinance. It was postponed to June 2, 2025 due to unanswered questions and Council absences. Council liaison to the Renters Commission, Cynthia Harrison, submitted a number of questions to the agenda which were not posted to Legistar until the day of the Council meeting. You can read them here: (Legistar)
  • By friendly amendment at the June 2, 2025 Council meeting, language was added clarifying that during the process of appealing a violation, penalties will not continue to accrue or apply retroactively.
  • Multiple other amendments were attached to the agenda but not proposed at the meeting. Council Member Harrison requested that communications regarding those amendments be made public.
  • This ordinance does not apply to owner-occupied, single-family attached and detached homes, homes for the aged which are licensed by the State of Michigan, and Short-term Rentals. However, it does apply to single-family attached and detached homes for rent.
  • The Renters Commission discussed this ordinance at length at their meeting on March 20, 2025. Commissioners raised serious concerns about how challenging the ordinance would be to implement, particularly for small landlords who do not currently charge high rents and do not have staff or resources to support compliance.
  • The commission discussed a resolution expressing their direction to Council that the ordinance include a one-year voluntary compliance period. The resolution expressed their support for the Green Rental Ordinance only if the City could commit to sustained and dedicated funding for financial assistance programs targeting older housing (pre-1980) and units priced below-market (80-85% of area median rent).
  • In March, the Renters Commission did not have a quorum to approve that resolution. The resolution was on the agenda for their April meeting, which was cancelled. You can read the resolution here (Legistar)

APPROVED (First Reading): An ordinance amendment will eliminate both the City’s Environmental commission and the Energy commission and replace both with a “Sustainability commission.” (Legistar)

  • The Energy commission was established in December 1985 and its goals were similar to the Environmental Commission: opportunity for community members to address City policy, prepare reports, and make recommendations. The Energy commission’s purpose was restated in 2020 (link), giving “broader charge to the commission to advise on energy production and use.” 
  • The Environmental Commission meets to “help set goals and policies for City and community to continuously improve the natural and built environment.” The Energy commission is similarly tasked with proposing, evaluating, recommending, reviewing and advising Council on energy efficiency and energy production topics.
  • In recent years, the Environmental commission has discussed policy around the Gelman plume, biodiversity and consideration of natural features in updates to the Comprehensive Land Use Plan. Similarly, the Energy commission has discussed and offered recommendations to Council on policy related to solar energy infrastructure and the first feasibility study for municipal public power. However, the Energy commission was not asked to weigh in on the second feasibility study for municipal public power (rejected by Council on March 3, 2025). https://a2council.com/ann-arbor-city-council-march-3-2025/
  • This week’s proposed changes will eliminate both commissions. In their place, a new Sustainability commission will not be generating its own work plan or bringing policy recommendations to Council. Instead, a Sustainability commission will be directed by staff and given “an annual work plan provided by the City Office of Sustainability and Innovations in coordination with the Public Services Area.” 
  • Though this proposal was discussed at both the Energy Commission and the Environmental Commission, neither body took a formal vote on their own dissolution. This ordinance amendment to dissolve both commissions originated with City staff.

A2ELNEL Voting Chart

Ann Arbor City Council Voting Chart for June 2, 2025 Part 1
Ann Arbor City Council Voting Chart for June 2, 2025 Part 2
Ann Arbor City Council Voting Chart for June 2, 2025 Part 3
Ann Arbor City Council Voting Chart for June 2, 2025 Part 4

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