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)

• https://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/2022/08/ann-arbor-dissolves-requirements-for-parking-lots.html
• The Planning Commission approved these changes at the May 17, 2022 meeting: https://a2council.com/ann-arbor-city-planning-commission-may-17-2022

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)

• https://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/2022/08/48-ann-arbor-streets-getting-repairs-as-part-of-55m-project.html

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

• https://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/2022/08/ann-arbor-oks-640k-contract-to-eliminate-ellsworth-road-sidewalk-gap.html

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)

• https://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/2022/08/months-long-construction-on-ann-arbors-scio-church-road-starting-soon.html

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

• https://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/2022/08/safety-upgrades-for-pedestrians-and-cyclists-coming-to-7-ann-arbor-locations.html

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

• https://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/2022/08/ann-arbor-spending-122k-to-create-new-citizen-centric-city-website.html

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)

• https://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/2022/08/ann-arbor-oks-easements-for-dte-gas-pipelines-in-2-city-parks.html

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)

• https://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/2022/08/ann-arbor-residents-fed-up-with-deafening-m-14-highway-noise.html

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)

• https://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/2022/08/ann-arbor-woman-injured-stepping-in-pothole-gets-24500-in-settlement.html

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: Renters Commission Update: Right To Renew (August 13, 2022)

A2ELNEL Voting Chart