A2Council Meeting Summaries

Tag: Recycling

Ann Arbor City Council: March 6, 2023

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.

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Ann Arbor City Council Meeting Summary

Three items related to “The Village” development were approved:

  • APPROVED: Multiple parcels adding up to 67.6 acres at 1680 Dhu Varren Road, 1710 Dhu Varren Road, 2670 Pontiac Trail, 2672 Pontiac Trail, 2678 Pontiac Trail, and 2682 Pontiac Trail are rezoned from Township (TWP) and R1C (Single-Family Dwelling District) to R4A (Multiple-Family Dwelling District) as part of The Village of Ann Arbor development site plan. Planned use is consistent with the adjacent zoning, land uses, and comprehensive land use plan. (Legistar)
  • APPROVED: A site plan will permit the construction of 484 dwelling units consisting of townhomes and stacked flats (apartment units) at 1680 Dhu Varren Road (“The Village”) (Legistar)
  • APPROVED: The City approves $31,369,715 in public funding for development of “The Village.” The development is eligible to receive this funding from the Washtenaw County Brownfield Redevelopment Authority due to its location in an “environmentally distressed” area that was used as a landfill in the mid-20th century. The developer will be reimbursed for environmental-related activities totaling $26,369,633 and for non-environmental activities totaling $5,000,082. This plan must be approved by the Washtenaw County Brownfield Redevelopment Authority and Washtenaw County Board of Commissioners. (Legistar)
  • https://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/2023/03/ann-arbor-oks-huge-housing-development-on-citys-north-side.html

APPROVED: Street closures scheduled for April 1, 2023 will permit the Monroe Street Fair to take place adjacent to the Hash Bash. This item was postponed from the February 21st meeting. (Legistar)

APPROVED: An agreement with Creative Washtenaw for $500,000 to design and administer an art grant program with allocated American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds. Creative Washtenaw will receive $40,000 to provide this service and will distribute the remaining $460,000 to qualifying artists and art organizations. (Legistar)

APPROVED: The City will purchase an all-electric mini-street sweeper and trailer for $258,445.00 in order to clean two-way partitioned bikeways in the City of Ann Arbor. A reimbursement agreement is anticipated so that the expense will be shared equally between the City and the Downtown Development Authority. (Legistar)

APPROVED: An unspent balance of $305,000 in the New Human Services Partnership FY23 budget will be allocated to Ann Arbor Housing Commission to fund eviction prevention and housing stability support to families experiencing homelessness. This spending is part of a larger annual budget that supports a range of community nonprofits, called the Human Services Partnership The City contributes over $1.2 million to the Human Services Partnership. (Legistar)

APPROVED: A service contract between the City and Recycle Ann Arbor is extended for a three year and four month period. Three thousand carts (monthly tips) will be converted to dumpster service for an estimated fee reduction of $10,000 a month. Service will continue for 32, 64, or 96-gallon curb carts to customers such as multi-family homes of eleven units or greater, commercial establishments, mixed unit buildings, and civic units. The estimated total contract is $4,534,303. (Legistar)

  • Council Member Cornell recused herself from this vote, due to a conflict of interest. Recycle Ann Arbor is a wholly owned non-profit subsidiary of the Ecology Center; Cornell serves on the board for the Ecology Center.

APPROVED: The City will pay $15,000 to Jason Kosnoski to settle a claim of personal injury caused by stepping in a hole on Brooks Street, near Sunset Road. (Legistar)

REFERRED: The City calls on the Michigan Legislature to take action toward addressing power outages, assisting rate payers and funding local resilience. It calls on the Michigan Public Service Commission to hold DTE accountable for improving the electrical systems and providing greater transparency in outage maps. The City Administrator is directed to work with the Council Policy Committee and DTE to facilitate timely installation of infrastructure. City Council asks DTE to attend meetings of the City’s Energy Commission. (Legistar)

APPROVED (First Reading): Parcels at 1815, 1855, and 1875 North Maple and 1921 Calvin Street are rezoned from TWP (Township) and R1B (Single-Family) to PUD (Planned Unit Development). A total of 3.13 acres are rezoned to allow the “North Maple Road Apartments” development of 79 dwelling units in a four-story apartment building with a single-story clubhouse with 65 off-street parking places with EV infrastructure. There will be 12 affordable units (priced permanently at 60% or less of Area Median Income). (Legistar)

APPROVED (First Reading): The Risk Fund ordinance will be repealed and replaced to eliminate the Insurance Board as the body of review for claims filed against the City. The Insurance Board – two Council Members and the City’s treasurer – reviews and awards claims against the City between $500 and $10,000. Meeting minutes for the Insurance Board are approved by City Council and Council specifically approves all claims over $10,000. The new ordinance eliminates the Insurance Board and empowers the City Administrator (or his designee) to decide all awards or denials of claims against the City, up to $75,000. Expenditures under $75,000 will no longer appear on public agendas of City Council but will be available to Council members “upon request.” (Legistar)

APPROVED: After a twenty minute closed session, the Council agenda was opened and amended to add a resolution directing the City Attorney to take legal action to enforce a 2006 settlement agreement with Gelman Sciences. (Legistar)

A2Council Update Video

A2ELNEL Voting Chart

Ann Arbor City Council Voting Chart for March 6, 2023 Part 1
Ann Arbor City Council Voting Chart for March 6, 2023 Part 2
Ann Arbor City Council Voting Chart for March 6, 2023 Part 3

Ann Arbor City Council: December 19, 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.

CM Akmon was absent
CM Cornell was absent
CM Disch was absent
CM Song was absent

Due to absences, items requiring 8 votes were removed from the agenda

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Ann Arbor City Council Meeting Summary

APPROVED: A collective bargaining agreement between the City and the Ann Arbor Police Officers Association. (Legistar)

  • In addition to adjusting pay scale, wages, benefits, pension contributions, and vehicle replacement timelines, the new agreement includes the following changes:
    • When imposing discipline, a “look back” period has been extended from two years to four years. The Chief may consider written reprimands within four years and any suspensions (without any time limit).
    • The Chief is empowered to waive any progressive discipline in cases of major infractions. A prior list of major infractions – excessive use of force, mishandling of a weapon, and mishandling of evidence – has been expanded to include dishonesty, cowardice, theft, insubordination, criminal conduct, harassment, and discrimination.
    • Mutually agreed on mediation will be permitted as one more option for discussion of grievances in a neutral setting. This can happen before a formal request for potentially costly/risky arbitration.
    • An on-call system is established to provide more consistent around-the-clock coverage.
  • https://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/2022/12/ann-arbor-police-officers-more-accountable-for-misconduct-under-new-contract.html

APPROVED: A City agreement with Recycle Ann Arbor is amended to extend the current Municipal Resource Recovery Services Contract for an additional two-month period (January 1, 2023, to February 28, 2023) to give time for negotiations of a longer extension. Estimated costs of $207,773 include an 8.5% increase to the current per cart tip fee ($11.07/cart tip). The new per cart tip fee will be $12.01/cart tip. (Legistar)

APPROVED (FIRST READING): Amendments to the City ordinance establishing “Best Value” procurement (BVP) policies for City contracts. The original ordinance was approved in January 2022, in response to a successful ballot initiative that amended the City charter. A “Best Value” policy for awarding City contracts has replaced the previous policy of “Lowest responsible Bidder.” (Legistar)

  • The Best Value Procurement (BVP) ordinance is amended to address problems identified:
    • The BVP policy is not accepted by MDOT and other partnering agencies that help fund City projects. MDOT will agree to pay a percentage of project cost based on the price of the Lowest Responsible Bidder. Amendments give the City Administrator complete discretion to exempt contracts from BVP policy where third-party funding is a factor. Decisions will be made “at the sole determination of the City Administrator.”
    • Previous BVP requirements were impossible to apply to simpler contracts, where only smaller firms are available to do the work but only larger firms can meet requirements such as apprenticeship programs. Amendments will apply Best Value Procurement policies only to contracts exceeding $50,000.
    • Previous BVP policy referred to (and required) a Michigan OSHA safety program certification that did not exist. Amendments remove this reference.
    • Previous BVP policy included an evaluation of employment ratios for categories of employee – masters, journey persons, and apprentices – that were not recognized by the state of Michigan. Employment ratios for these categories are federal requirements through the Department of Labor (DOL). There is no published standard for ratios of these employees; they are determined by the DOL on a case by case basis. Amendments remove the “completely redundant” criterion.
    • Previous BVP policy did not require disclosure of non-craft employees or contract labor. Amendments will add disclosure requirements and preference to those companies that employ fewer non-craft employees.
    • From the resolution: “Staff worked closely with Councilmembers Eyer and Councilmember Radina to finalize these amendments and bring them forward to City Council.”

APPROVED: The Council Policy Agenda committee comprised of Mayor Taylor, Council Members Eyer, Harrison, Radina, Song, and Watson updated a list of state-level policies and legislative goals approved in July 2022. This Council Legislative and Policy Agenda is typically presented as a plain document, listing state policy preferences and priorities to be approved by the whole of Council. This agenda is formatted as a 37 page booklet with graphics and a table of contents, to be shared directly with the whole of the Michigan State Legislature. It includes an introductory greeting from Mayor Taylor. (Legistar)

  • Highlights of Legislative Proposals:
    • Local control and community self-determination related to specific policy issues
    • Community Choice Aggregation for alternative energy
    • Energy efficiency requirements in state building code
    • Legalization of Community Solar and support for on-site solar
    • Polluter Pay laws
    • Regulation of plastic containers and bags
    • Support for lower minimum speed limits
    • Local ownership of state trunklines
    • Incentivizing by-right duplexes, triplexes and quadplexes in all residential districts
    • Repealing ban on rent control
    • Codify Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act
    • Repeal of Right to Work
    • Infrastructure priorities are listed in two groups – “Mega Projects” and “Priority Projects”
  • “Mega Projects” Identified
    • Water Treatment Plant Replacement ($108.1 Million)
    • New Train Station ($100+ Million)
    • The Treeline Trail ($110 Million)
  • “Priority Projects” Identified
    • Wheeler Center Solar Park ($15 million)
    • Net-Zero Fire Stations 3 and 4 ($8.3 Million each)
    • Vision Zero Project Implementation ($30 million)
    • Sustainable Energy Utility Startup (no cost estimate given)
    • Road Paving (no cost estimate given)
    • From the description of Road Paving – “The City of Ann Arbor has road resurfacing needs across the community. Any funding amount from the state to assist in these needs would be appreciated and well used.”
  • https://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/2022/12/10-ways-michigans-shift-in-power-could-advance-ann-arbors-agenda.html

A2Council Update Video

A2ELNEL Voting Chart

Ann Arbor City Council Voting Chart for December 19, 2022 Part 1
Ann Arbor City Council Voting Chart for December 19, 2022 Part 2
Ann Arbor City Council Voting Chart for December 19, 2022 Part 3

Ann Arbor City Council: July 5, 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.

CM Grand was absent

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Ann Arbor City Council Meeting Summary

REMOVED: A Mayoral nomination to the Energy Commission – Knox Cameron – was removed from the agenda a few hours before the Council meeting. This nomination would have required seven votes for approval, because Mr. Cameron is not a registered elector in the City of Ann Arbor. This nomination was introduced by the Mayor at the 6/5/22 meeting. Final confirmation of this appointment was previously included and removed from the 6/21/22 agenda, when three Council Members (CM Grand, CM Hayner and CM Song) were absent.

APPROVED: A Redevelopment Brownfield Plan for 303 North Fifth and 312-314 Detroit will advance to the County for authorization. The plan will reimburse the developer for environmental-related activities totaling $2,674,011. The site is eligible for brownfield remediation due to the presence of Arsenic, barium, lead, mercury, selenium, and zinc at levels greater than State-established criteria. (Legistar)

Two agenda items for funding and establishment of a Regional Drop-Off Station at Wheeler Service Facility

  • APPROVED: A grant agreement will provide $850,000 from Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy in order to build a Regional Drop-Off Station (DOS) located at the Wheeler Service Facility. The DOS will be part of a complex that includes the City’s compost facility, the Materials Recovery Facility, and waste transfer station. The new full-service DOS will have an enclosed barn, a tip wall area, equipment storage, material processing areas, and household hazardous waste processing, among other features. Total cost for the DOS is estimated at $4,426,900, which will come from the Solid Waste Capital budget. Additionally, Washtenaw County Board of Public Works has committed $1,000,000 to this project (subject to approval by the County Board of Commissioners). (Legistar)
  • APPROVED: $255,490 professional services agreement with Resource Recycling Systems, Inc. for the design of the new Drop Off Station project. (Legistar)

APPROVED: The FY2023 City Council Legislative Policy Agenda includes “high” and “medium” priority policy goals as decided by the Council Policy Agenda Committee (CMs Briggs, Eyer, Griswold, Radina, Song). These goals will be given to the City’s lobbying firm. (Legistar)

  • “High” priority goals:

    • Elimination of racially restrictive property covenants
    • Restoration of State revenue sharing to a level commensurate with the needs of municipalities across the state
    • HB 4117, a change in state law that would give municipalities increased flexibility to set speed limits lower than the 85th percentile in corridors and also lower than 25 MPH
    • Inclusionary zoning practices and affordability incentives added to land development codes

  • “Medium” priority goals

    • Improved voter enfranchisement through the modification or elimination of term limits for state legislators
    • Federal and state funding for affordable housing
    • MDOT requirements to further define and consistently adhere to the Complete Streets and Vision Zero policies
    • Maximum funding level under the Michigan Fire Protection Grant Program and a similar program for Public Safety for the costs associated with police and emergency medical services
    • Funding to protect, develop, and upgrade water, wastewater, drainage, and natural area resources and systems
    • Federal, state, county, and private funds to advance infrastructure projects for transportation, transit, active transportation, and advanced mobility systems.

A2ELNEL Voting Chart

Ann Arbor City Council Voting Chart for July 5, 2022 Part 1
Ann Arbor City Council Voting Chart for July 5, 2022 Part 2

Ann Arbor City Council: March 1, 2021

This was the twenty third 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.

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Ann Arbor City Council Meeting Summary

APPROVED: A five year services contract with Recycle Ann Arbor (RAA) for collection of residential customer recyclables. The estimated cost for these services is $7,039,862.40 with an option to extend for two years (estimated additional cost of $3,043,149.60). (Legistar)

APPROVED: The Malletts Creek/Churchill Downs Park Detention Pond Project will move forward with the City assuming the full cost: $3,050,000. This has been designed and will be constructed by the Washtenaw County Water Resources Commissioner’s Office because it is in the Mallets Creek Drain Drainage District. (Legistar)

APPROVED: The City Administrator and City Attorney, and Parks Advisory Commission will  evaluate the preliminary feasibility of alternative development of 2857 Packard Road.  The property is currently the subject of a Consent Judgement but the property owner is now in discussion with others (e.g. THRIVE collaborative) about an alternative development.  Council will receive a proposed process for considering an alternative development and enough information to determine what is in the best interests of the City. (Legistar)

APPROVED: Sidewalk cafes will be permitted and regulated by the City on “trunk lines” in the city that are technically Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) rights of way: Jackson, Huron, N. Main, and Washtenaw. (Legistar)

APPROVED: A liquor license for a new bar and record store (Up From the Skies, LLC) at 210 S. Main. (Legistar)

APPROVED: The cost of Liquor Licenses will be reduced to $50 for the year 2021. (The fee was previously set at $90.) (Legistar)

APPROVED: City Attorneys will prepare legal memos on the topic of First Amendment issues and Council Rules amendments. This was a substitution for the original resolution, which would have waived privilege on legal memos on the same topic that were sent to Council on 1/30/21 and 2/8/21. (Legistar)

APPROVED: The City Administrator will realign City policies, procedures, and budgets to ensure the winter maintenance of the municipal sidewalk network, with the immediate goal to eliminate snow piles in crosswalks, sidewalk ramps, and on crossing islands that impede access to bus stops. The City Administrator will “pilot solutions” on major transit corridor(s) and in the DDA. (Legistar)

A2ELNEL Voting Chart

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

Ann Arbor City Council: October 5, 2020

This was the thirteenth 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.

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Ann Arbor City Council Meeting Summary

APPROVED: Traffic reconfigurations (“Healthy Streets Initiative”) at three locations – South Main, Broadway/Swift, and Packard – will end early, ahead of the planned end date of November 29th. Lane closures will end October 15th. (Legistar)

APPROVED: Revised Solid Waste Resources Management Plan. This plan was on the Jan 6, 2020 agenda and tabled for review by staff. The plan includes year-round compost pickup, curbside textile collection, limited bulky item collection (on a monthly schedule or at request and for a fee), and possible consolidation of waste, recycling, and compost collection services. (Legistar)

APPROVED: $8,022.25 and $106,859 contracts with the Ecology Center for Recycling Plant Tours of the Material Recovery Facilities Education Center and School Recycling Education programs on recycling, composting, zero waste, stormwater and waste reduction for Ann Arbor and Dexter (2nd Grade stormwater only) schools. (Legistar)

APPROVED: A legal memo that was shared internally as “privileged and confidential” will be made public. It answers the questions: Does City Council have the ability to dissolve the Downtown Development Authority (DDA)? What is the procedure for dissolving the DDA? What are the effects of dissolving the DDA? (Legistar)

APPROVED: “Community Commons Initiating Committee” is recognized as a Community Partner in the process of developing the Center of the City Community Commons (approved by ballot initiative in 2018). (Legistar)

  • For the purpose of writing bylaws, membership of the “Council Commons” will include City Administrator (a non-voting member) and voting members comprised of two City Council members appointed and approved by City Council, a citizen member of the City Planning Commission nominated by Planning Commission and affirmed by City Council, a citizen member of the Parks Advisory Commission nominated by PAC and affirmed by City Council, two members of the Community Commons Initiating Committee, two members of the Library Green Conservancy, and 3 citizens-at-large to be nominated by the City Council representatives Commons Council members, and affirmed by City Council. The Initiating Committee will work to implement repurposing of the Library Lane lot location as called for in the approved Task Force recommendations.
  • https://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/2020/10/ann-arbor-accelerates-plans-for-downtown-central-park-as-some-argue-its-designed-to-fail.html

A2ELNEL Voting Chart

Ann Arbor City Council Voting Chart for October 5, 2020 Part 1
Ann Arbor City Council Voting Chart for October 5, 2020 Part 2

Ann Arbor City Council: July 20, 2020

This was the eighth 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.

Legistar
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Ann Arbor City Council Meeting Summary

POSTPONED TO SPECIAL SESSION: An Affordable Housing Millage (1.0 mills) would be added to the ballot in November 2020 to support the construction, maintenance, and acquisition of new affordable housing units for low-income individuals and families making less than 60% Ann Arbor Area Median Income, and for providing social services for the residents of such housing for 2021 through 2041. (Legistar)

APPROVED: Renewal of 2016 millage (1.0 mills) will be put on the November ballot in support of Street, Bridge, and Sidewalk repair. It may be used for resurfacing or reconstruction of existing paved City streets and bridges, pedestrian crosswalks, street crossings and corner ramps, and repair and/or replacement of sidewalks. The Downtown Development Authority will continue to fund sidewalk repairs in the DDA district. (Legistar) (Legistar)

APPROVED: A new millage (0.2 mills) will be put on the November 2020 ballot to cover the cost of constructing new sidewalks starting in 2021. Sidewalk assessments for individual property owners will be eliminated. This millage will not displace requirements for new developments to construct and pay for new sidewalks. (Legistar) (Legistar)

APPROVED: The City of Ann Arbor commits to a 10-year services agreement (with two potential 3-year extensions) with Recycle Ann Arbor to rebuild our Material Recovery Facility and process recyclable materials locally (Legistar)

APPROVED (BACK TO FIRST READING): The hotel property at 3611-3621 Plymouth Road will be re-zoned to permit rebuilding of a hotel and the addition of a drive-through restaurant. This agenda item would have been approved at this meeting (“Second Reading”) but the zoning plan was changed to include a $75,000 contribution to the City’s Affordable Housing Fund, which moved it back to “First Reading.” The new “Second Reading” will be Aug 17th (Legistar)

APPROVED: The City’s definition of “responsible bidder” on construction projects will include new requirements for reporting and documentation. Bids on projects in excess of $25,000 must now verify appropriate licensing for all contractors and sub-contractors, include information about what percentage of their workforce is local (Ann Arbor/Washtenaw), and documentation of pay rates/benefits, insurance coverage, references from the last five years as well as completed projects from the last five years. Additional requirements attach to bids on contracts in excess of $100,000 and $250,000. (Legistar)

A2ELNEL Voting Chart

Ann Arbor City Council Voting Chart for July 20, 2020 Part 1
Ann Arbor City Council Voting Chart for July 20, 2020 Part 2
Ann Arbor City Council Voting Chart for July 20, 2020 Part 3

Ann Arbor City Council: December 2, 2019

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

Legistar
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Ann Arbor City Council Meeting Summary

APPROVED: Negotiate an Agreement with Recycle Ann Arbor to Rebuild and Operate the Ann Arbor MRF for an Initial Period of Ten Years (Legistar)

APPROVED: resolution to oppose expansion of concealed-carry laws being considered at the state level (Legistar)

APPROVED: $211,865 Purchase of Vehicles from Berger Chevrolet (Legistar)

  • ​$14,013.00 from the Sustainability & Innovations County Mental Health Millage Fund budget to subsidize the purchase of five fully electric vehicles for use by Planning and Development Services

APPROVED: 212 S. State Street Site Plan and Development Agreement (Legistar)

  • ​19 residential units (studio to 2 bedroom)

APPROVED: 616 East Washington Planned Project Site Plan and Development Agreement (Legistar)

A2ELNEL Voting Chart

Ann Arbor City Council Voting Chart for December 2, 2019 Part 1
Ann Arbor City Council Voting Chart for December 2, 2019 Part 2

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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.

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