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.
A2Council Update Video
Ann Arbor City Council Meeting Summary
APPROVED: Two parcels at 2670 and 2690 Ann Arbor-Saline Road are rezoned from Single-Family Dwelling district (R1C) to Office District (O). The house at 2670 was previously a rental home and is currently an office. The house at 2690 is currently nonconforming in its use as an office and personal storage unit. (Legistar)
- This rezoning will permit both parcels to be used as Non-principal Residence Short-term Rentals and all categories of residential except for mobile homes. The Office zoning district permits many other commercial uses such as adult daycare, childcare, nursing care, hotel, group housing, guest house and funeral service, See Permitted Use table on page 37 of the “Unified Development Code Eighth Edition (February 26, 2023)” at this link: https://www.a2gov.org/departments/planning/Pages/Unified%20Development%20Code.aspx
- This rezoning was approved by the City Planning Commission on June 21, 2023: https://a2council.com/ann-arbor-city-planning-commission-june-21-2023/
- https://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/2023/09/leave-our-neighborhood-alone-ann-arbor-rezoning-irks-some-residents.html
Two resolutions related to traffic calming projects:
- APPROVED: $35,000 traffic-calming project on Baldwin (Packard to Stadium) including the installation of two traffic humps. (Legistar)
- APPROVED: $35,000 traffic-calming project on Manchester (Buckingham to Needham) including the installation of one speed hump and one raised crosswalk. (Legistar)
- https://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/2023/09/traffic-calming-coming-to-2-more-ann-arbor-neighborhood-streets.html
APPROVED: An ordinance amendment lifts the requirement that one member of the Transportation Commission be the “owner or operator of a transportation business operating in the City of Ann Arbor.” (Legistar)
- This ordinance amendment was first considered by City Council at the August 7, 2023 meeting, and postponed at the request of Council Member Harrison, who suggested that bylaws designate one seat for someone over the age of 55. https://a2council.com/ann-arbor-city-council-august-7-2023/
- At their meeting on August 16, 2023, mayoral appointees on the Transportation Commission unanimously rejected the idea of designating a seat for someone over the age of 55. (Legistar)
- The Transportation Commission was first established in 2016, when the Taxicab Board was disbanded. Since 2016, the Transportation Commission has included eleven members:
- 6 members of the public
- 1 owner or operator of a transportation business operating in Ann Arbor
- 1 member of the Planning Commission
- 1 member of the Commission on Disability Issues
- 1 individual appointed by the board of the Ann Arbor Area Transportation Authority
- 1 member of City Council
- Moving forward, seven members of the general public will serve on the Transportation Commission.
APPROVED: The 2023 Council calendar is amended to add two work sessions: Tuesday, September 26 and Monday, October 23. The original calendar approved on 12/5/22 included only three work sessions. (Legistar)
- I wrote about the issue of work sessions here: https://a2elnel.com/post/new-ann-arbor-city-council-removes-work-sessions-from-calendar/
APPROVED: The purchase agreement for 350 S. Fifth (“Y Lot”) will be amended to remove a requirement that the property be developed with affordable housing within fifteen years of sale (Legistar)
- On August 21, 2023, City Council unanimously approved the “sale” of City-owned property at 350 S. Fifth (“Y Lot”) that transferred $6,200,000 from the Ann Arbor Housing Commission to the City’s General Fund. Staff confirmed that approximately $5 million was needed to relieve debt attached to the property and additional funds from the Housing Commission (~$1 million) would be used for “other initiatives.” (Legistar)
- That purchase agreement included the condition that if the property was not developed within fifteen years, it would return to the City at no cost. The Ann Arbor Housing Commission has requested that this condition be removed.
- At their September 5, 2023 meeting, Council unanimously approved budget allocations for the $6.2 million received from the Ann Arbor Housing Commission for the “sale” of 350 S. Fifth. Those allocations included $828,250 put toward the purchase of a new Election Center and CTN studios at 3021-3023 Miller Road. (Legistar)
A2ELNEL Voting Chart
