A2Council Meeting Summaries

Tag: Marijuana

Ann Arbor City Planning Commission: September 20, 2022

This meeting was held in person at City Hall.

Commissioner Abrons was absent.
Commissioner Hammerschmidt was absent.

APPROVED: Special Exception Use petition for Religious Assembly use at 529 Detroit, which includes 525 and 521 Detroit Street. Petitioners were granted a Landscape Modification for relief from the conflicting land use buffer requirement along the northeast property line.

APPROVED: Special Exception Use and Site Plan (Designated Marijuana Consumption Facility) for 3860 Research Park Drive.

APPROVED: Recommendation that City Council approved annexation of parcels at 1855 N Maple Road, 1875 N Maple Road, and 1921 Calvin Street and zoning of a PUD for construction of a 79-unit apartment community with a single-story clubhouse.

Legistar and Video Links

Legistar: https://a2gov.legistar.com/MeetingDetail.aspx?ID=954620&GUID=1EFE12E6-D5EF-4ABE-9AE3-190887C73991

YouTube: https://youtu.be/gOaRE4HLg8U

CTN Video: https://ctnvideo.a2gov.org/CablecastPublicSite/show/7438

Meeting Length: 2h 37m

Ann Arbor City Council: August 15, 2022

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.

Ann Arbor City Council Meeting Summary

APPROVED: Three amendments to the Uniform Development Code (UDC): (Legistar)

  • A limitation on the number of State marijuana licenses per lot is removed, so that several licenses can be ‘stacked’ on the same parcel. Other restrictions – zoning district permitted use regulations, physical separation distances, and the maximum cap for provisioning center/retailers and designated consumption facilities – remain in effect. Added at the 7/18/22 Council meeting: an amendment to the requirement that all activities occur indoors will allow curbside service at marijuana provisioning centers, retailers, and microbusinesses.
  • New site plans include requirements and procedures for installing street trees in the right-of-way. Changes to linear frontage calculation will prevent overcrowding of trees. Escrow deposit and refund related to these tree plantings are eliminated.
  • For site plans, modification to landscape requirements is permitted under certain conditions. This amendment adds an eligibility requirement and re-organizes modification conditions, standards of approval, and approval procedures.
  • The Planning Commission approved these changes at the March 15, 2022 meeting: https://a2council.com/ann-arbor-city-planning-commission-march-15-2022

APPROVED: Amendments to the UDC changing parking requirements. Parking requirements are eliminated for residential dwellings, adult day care centers, child care centers, and outdoor residential recreation facilities. Eliminated: requirements for off-street parking spaces for residential units located more than 300 feet from a bus stop and in areas with limited street parking. Also eliminated: any requirements for a “Parking Plan” of proposed off-street parking and an analysis of public parking and transit facilities in the vicinity. Parking maximums are established for the Transit Corridor (TC-1) zoning district. Requirements for Electric Vehicle (EV) ready and installed parking are amended to only apply to newly constructed parking. (Legistar)

APPROVED: $4,577,354.95 contract for application of cape sealing pavement preservation treatment on 10 major streets and 38 minor/local streets. citywide crack sealing of approximately 10 miles of major streets and 25 miles of minor/local streets. (Legistar)

APPROVED: $639,726 construction contract (with $64,000 contingency) for filling sidewalk gaps on Ellsworth Road between State and Stone School. (Legistar)

APPROVED: A total of $2,045,700 in construction contracts for the resurfacing Scio Church Road between South Maple Road and South Seventh Street, filling sidewalk gaps on the north side of the road, installing three (3) new crosswalks, converting on-street parking into bike lanes, and adding stormwater infiltration. (Legistar)

APPROVED: $698,808.92 construction contract for pavement marking maintenance and A2 Vision Zero Quick Build Projects. (Legistar)

APPROVED: $121,978 contract for redesign of the City’s website. (Legistar)

APPROVED: $853,211 contract with the Ecology Center to provide Resource Recovery Education, Outreach, Engagement, and Marketing for five years. (Legistar)

APPROVED: For the purpose of running a gas line, the City will grant two easements to DTE Gas Company: 1) across the north end of Siller Terrace (south of Virginia Park) and 2) on the south side of Dexter Avenue near the intersection at N. Maple (northwest corner of Veterans Park). (Legistar)

APPROVED: The City Administrator is authorized to execute a letter to the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) in support of noise abatement and an environmental impact study of noise on M-14 from Maple Road to Main Street. (Legistar)

APPROVED: The annual meeting between the City Council and members of the Downtown Development Authority will be cancelled for 2022. Cancellation of this meeting is a deviation from the parking agreement that requires these annual meetings. (Legistar)

APPROVED: The City will pay $24,500 to Deborah Gordon-Gurfinkel and Elihau Gurfinkel. This payment will settle a claim related to injuries caused by a trip and fall on a pothole on Sunset Road. The injury occurred in August 2020 when Sunset Road was designated as a “Healthy Street.” (Legistar)

TABLED: A resolution from the Renters Commission urges City Council to adopt an ordinance creating a Right to Renew for renters in Ann Arbor. This resolution was tabled at the request of the City Attorney’s office. A draft ordinance (attached to the resolution) grants tenants a Right to Renew a lease, subject to specific exceptions (“just cause” for eviction). Landlords would adhere to a timeline for communicating terms of renewal (or explanation of non-renewal) consistent with the Early Leasing Ordinance: tenants will receive a good faith offer to renew (or notice of non-renewal with explanation) no later than 180 days before the end of the current lease period. A tenant will have thirty days (up to 150 days before the end of the current lease) to accept/reject terms of renewal. A landlord’s failure to comply will result in payment of relocation assistance to the tenant. (Legistar)

A2ELNEL Voting Chart

Ann Arbor City Council Voting Chart for August 15, 2022 Part 1
Ann Arbor City Council Voting Chart for August 15, 2022 Part 2
Ann Arbor City Council Voting Chart for August 15, 2022 Part 3
Ann Arbor City Council Voting Chart for August 15, 2022 Part 4

Ann Arbor City Council: March 15, 2021

This was the twenty fourth 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.

APPROVED: Beginning April 1 (through August 30), downtown street closures will be permitted so that restaurants and retail businesses adjacent or near to the closed streets are able to use the street for seating and sales. It will happen on the weekends (4 PM Thursday through 6 AM Monday) at the locations below: (Legistar)

APPROVED: Contract for $65,800 for OHM Advisors, Inc. to perform pavement condition rating services. Every two years, the city’s paved street system is assessed and rated with statistical reports. This contract will run through 2025. (Legistar)

APPROVED: Contract for $1,393,088.95 with Bailey Excavating to replace water mains at Dunmore, Waverly, Weldon, and Hartford. (Legistar)

  • NOTE: This agenda item was a substitute for the staff-recommended contract with DiPonio Contracting for the same job at a cost of $1,311,467. (Legistar)

APPROVED: A site plan for construction of a one-story 24,529-square foot retail building with 81 parking spaces at 300 South Maple (where The Quarter was previously located). Lewis Jewelers will be one of multiple tenants. The development includes construction of a pedestrian connection (sidewalk) to Westgate Shopping Center. (Legistar)

APPROVED: March 31 will be recognized on an annual basis as Transgender Day of Visibility by flying a transgender pride flag at City Hall, evaluating non-discrimination laws and policies, and reaffirming support and commitment to a diverse, equitable and welcoming community. (Legistar)

APPROVED: A “Fair Chance” ordinance was approved at “first reading.” The ordinance will prohibit landlords from using criminal history as a determining factor in access to rental housing. An application for rental housing shall not require an applicant to disclose criminal history or authorize release of criminal history. (Legistar)

APPROVED: The city administrator will receive and track revenue from Marijuana Excise Tax so that those funds can be directed in a way that “intentionally reinvests in our community, acknowledges the past harm of criminalization, and supports populations disproportionately and negatively impacted by the ‘War on Drugs’.” (Legistar)

A2ELNEL Voting Chart

Ann Arbor City Council Voting Chart for March 15, 2021 Part 1
Ann Arbor City Council Voting Chart for March 15, 2021 Part 2
Ann Arbor City Council Voting Chart for March 15, 2021 Part 3
Ann Arbor City Council Voting Chart for March 15, 2021 Part 4

Ann Arbor City Council: October 7, 2019

This Ann Arbor City Council meeting was held in person at City Hall.

Ann Arbor City Council Meeting Summary

APPROVED: City permits for recreational marijuana businesses (Legistar)

APPROVED: Regulation of recreational marijuana facilities (Legistar)

APPROVED: PUD changes to height, parking for “The Glen” (201, 213, 215, 271 Glen Ave & 1025 E Ann St) (Legistar) + site plan approved (Legistar)

  • ​162-room hotel, 24 apartments, a restaurant, and 5,181 square feet of retail

DEFEATED: Rezone R1E to PUD 2857 Packard Road (Legistar) + site plan (Legistar)

APPROVED: $259,086 to purchase Police Vehicles from Signature Ford (Legistar)

  • ​$18,690.00 from Sustainability & Innovations budget to subsidize the purchase of six hybrid vehicles for use by the Ann Arbor Police Department

APPROVED: $130,000 for proposed Fuller Court and Nixon/Traver Sidewalk Gap Project (Legistar)

APPROVED:  $53,900 for ramp and sidewalk repair for vaulted or displaced joints in sidewalks (Legistar)

APPROVED Review of City Transportation Planning and Operations Management and Related Staffing (Legistar)

A2ELNEL: Elections Have Consequences

A2ELNEL Voting Chart

Ann Arbor City Council Voting Chart for October 7, 2019 Part 1
Ann Arbor City Council Voting Chart for October 7, 2019 Part 2
Ann Arbor City Council Voting Chart for October 7, 2019 Part 3
Ann Arbor City Council Voting Chart for October 7, 2019 Part 4

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My name is Elizabeth Nelson, and I believe that your local government should be accessible and transparent. Since 2018 , I have sent out a newsletter before every Council meeting with my summary of agenda items coming before City Council, plus news and events of interest to Ann Arbor residents.

After each Council meeting, I create and post voting charts so that you can easily see how Council voted, and update this website with meeting summaries that include links to the City’s Legistar website, CTN’s YouTube video, and articles published on MLive.