This was the fourteenth regular Ann Arbor City Council meeting since Governor Whitmer declared a state of emergency and stay-at-home order due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This meeting was held online via the Zoom application.
Ann Arbor City Council Meeting Summary
APPROVED: A contract for routine street tree pruning for $674,020 is part of the Urban and Community Forest Management Plan (UCFMP). It will be funded through the FY21 Stormwater Fund Operations and Maintenance Budget. (Legistar)
APPROVED: PUD zoning district for Veridian County Farm at 2270 Platt Road (Legistar), along with site plans and development agreements for Verdian County Farm South (Legistar), and Veridian County Farm North (Legistar)
- Veridian County Farm South includes 99 homes: 16 “village” homes, 42 townhouse homes, 30 walk-up flats, and 11 “nest” micro-unit apartments
- Veridian County Farm North includes 50 affordable apartment homes (stacked flats and townhomes) which will serve residents earning 60% or less of Area Median Income (AMI).
- https://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/2020/10/it-will-be-freaking-beautiful-ann-arbor-oks-plan-for-ultra-sustainable-development.html
APPROVED: Rose White park in lower Burns Park will be renamed Graydon Park in honor of former Ann Arbor City Council Member Graydon Krapohl. (Legistar)
APPROVED: Downtown Street closures for the benefit of restaurant and retail use was extended through November 29, 2020. This is the third extension of these street closures. (Legistar)
DEFEATED: A revision of the City’s water rates would eliminate the fourth tier for residential and create seasonal non-residential rates. (An amendment to remove seasonal non-residential rates from the resolution failed to pass.) (Legistar)
APPROVED: An employment agreement to hire Tom Crawford as City Administrator. (Legistar)
APPROVED: In order to facilitate organization of the Council of the Commons (approved by City Council 10/5/20), Council Members Jeff Hayner and Ali Ramlawi are appointed as liaisons. An application process will be opened and appointments made by December 22, 2020. (Legistar)
Two resolutions relating to the Gelman Plume were defeated:
- DEFEATED: Settlement documents outline the terms of an agreement ending litigation between the City of Ann Arbor and Gelman Sciences over dioxane pollution. Four (of five) proposed amendments were approved but the final agreement failed. (Legistar)
- DEFEATED: A resolution tabled on 7/6/2020 was revisited in order to request support from the state regarding EPA involvement and designation of the Gelman dioxane plume as a “Superfund” site. Prior to being tabled on 7/6/2020, this resolution was discussed and postponed at six previous Council meetings: 10/7/2019, 1/6/2020, 1/21/2020, 2/3/2020, 3/2/2020, 4/20/2020 (Legistar)
- https://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/2020/10/in-drama-filled-meeting-lasting-past-2-am-ann-arbor-council-rejects-deal-with-polluter.html
- https://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/2020/10/its-a-hostile-work-environment-ann-arbor-council-meetings-regularly-run-late-turn-ugly.html
A2ELNEL Voting Chart
