A2Council Meeting Summaries

Tag: Y Lot

Ann Arbor City Council: July 17, 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.

CM Ghazi Edwin was absent

A2Council Update Video

Ann Arbor City Council Meeting Summary

In Council comments, Mayor Taylor spoke about a five-day trip to Tuebingen, Germany, organized by the City. Nine people flew to Ann Arbor’s sister city to engage in conversation about climate action. According to the MLive article, “Joining Taylor and his wife on the trip were Council Members Travis Radina and Lisa Disch, Sustainability Director Missy Stults, Housing Commission Director Jennifer Hall, Community Services Administrator Derek Delacourt, City Engineer Nick Hutchinson and the Community Action Network’s Derrick Miller.”

REMOVED From Agenda: A resolution directing that $6,200,000 be transferred from the Ann Arbor Housing Commission to the City’s General Fund, to purchase the City-owned property at 350 S. Fifth (the “Y Lot”). The City paid $5.2 million for this property in 2018. Staff confirmed that approximately $5 million is needed to relieve debt attached to it. Staff confirmed a plan to use the additional funds (~$1 million) from the Housing Commission for “other initiatives.” (Legistar)

APPROVED: Rezoning petition for the 1140 Broadway “Beekman on Broadway” development. The existing C1A/R Campus Business Residential With Conditions zoning designation is amended, lifting the requirement that a future building conform to a site plan previously approved. In 2018, the 6.4 acre property was rezoned from PUD (Planned Unit Development) to C1A/R with conditions, including a site plan that would attach to the zoning designation. The development at 1140 Broadway is comprised of three buildings, two of which are already built. The amended conditional zoning will apply to the third building and “enable significantly more dwelling units to be constructed within approximately the same approved building mass.” (Legistar)

APPROVED: New site plan for 999 Maiden Lane, which is part of the 1140 Broadway “Beekman on Broadway” development. The plan is for a 1.4 acre building site with a proposed 180,200 square foot building, 7-stories tall. The new site plan adds 119 dwelling units, a change from 617 (prior site plan) to 736 (new site plan). Parking is removed and a swimming pool added. (Legistar)

The transportation impact analysis (TIA) included with the updated site plan used a 2017 assessment, based on 617 units from the original site plan. A staff report dated May 2, 2023 (link) explained that a professional engineer must confirm that this TIA is still valid, or the developer must provide an updated plan. A staff report date June 3, 2023 (link) attached to the site plan resolution before City Council recommended an updated multimodal transportation impact analysis (MTIA) be performed, but the developer “refused to provide an updated MTIA for the site”.

APPROVED: $40,000 will be spent to install traffic calming devices on Granger Avenue. Tress will be removed for the installation of two raised crosswalks, one at Granger and Olivia and another at Granger and S. Forest. (Legistar)

APPROVED: During the 2023 UM football season, Main Street (Pauline to Stadium), Keech (east of Main), Greene, and Kipke will be closed to vehicular traffic. (Legistar)

APPROVED: A request from the University of Michigan to change traffic patterns and parking during the student move-in program. Street closures will be in effect from Wednesday August 23 through Sunday August 27, 2023. (Legistar)

APPROVED (First Reading): Eleven annexed parcels will be added to the zoning map of the City of Ann Arbor. The parcels are located on Newport Road, Bird Road, and Victoria Circle and will be rezoned from TWP (Township) to R1D (Single-Family Dwelling district). City staff recommended R1A zoning, but Mayoral appointees on the Planning commission recommend R1D. The R1D zoning is distinct from the surrounding R1A zoning but will allow increased opportunity for the properties to be divided for additional housing. (Legistar)

The distinction between R1A and R1D is explained in the Unified Development Code: “Application of the R1D and R1E district may require a greater degree of services than the less dense Single-Family Zoning Districts. To assure health, safety and welfare, any future R1D and R1E zoning areas should be contingent upon the availability or provision of adequate public services to serve the higher densities permitted by that district, in addition to other pertinent planning considerations.”

The minimum lot size for R1A is 20,000 sq. ft; the minimum lot size for R1D is 5,000 sq. ft.
The minimum front setback for R1A is 40 feet; the minimum front setback for R1D is 25 feet.

A chart with these and other differences between the two zoning districts (e.g. setbacks, lot width, etc) can be found in section 5.17.3 on page 80 of the “Unified Development Code Eighth Edition (February 26, 2023)” at the link below.
https://www.a2gov.org/departments/planning/Pages/Unified%20Development%20Code.aspx

APPROVED (First Reading): An ordinance amendment lifts the requirement that one commissioner be the “owner or operator of a transportation business operating in the City of Ann Arbor.” The Transportation Commission was first established in 2016, when the Taxicab Board was disbanded. (Legistar)

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

Seven members of the general public will now serve on the Transportation Commission.

A2ELNEL Voting Chart

Ann Arbor City Council Voting Chart for July 17, 2023 Part 1
Ann Arbor City Council Voting Chart for July 17, 2023 Part 2

Ann Arbor City Council: April 4, 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: The 0.8 acre parcel at 350 S. Fifth (the “Y Lot”) is rezoned from D1 (Downtown Core) to PUD (Planned Unit Development District). This PUD allows for more height (up to 275 feet) and lifts requirements for driveway width, building frontage, and street trees along Fourth and Fifth Avenue right of ways. No parking will be required. In exchange, a minimum of 100 (40% of total) residential dwellings will be affordable dwelling units, property will be allocated for Blake Transit Center expansion, there will be no curb cut on William, and the building will be fully electrified. (Legistar)

APPROVED: Sixty-eight lots in the South State and East/West Eisenhower area, including Boardwalk Drive and Victors Way are rezoned TC-1. This new zoning district (Transit Corridor district) will permit unlimited density, create height minimums except where adjacent to pre-existing residential areas, establish maximum (rather than minimum) parking requirements, require mixed use, eliminate any open space requirements, and eliminate side and rear setback requirements except where adjacent to pre-existing residential areas. (Legistar)

APPROVED: A Brownfield Plan will reimburse the developer of 3874 Research Park Drive $145,125 for environmental-related activities (Environmental Due Diligence, Site Control and testing; excavation, transportation, and disposal of impacted soil; and related Brownfield Plan and Work Plan preparation) and $1,513,586 for non-environmental activities (Demolition; infrastructure improvements, site preparation activities, and related Brownfield Plan and Work Plan preparation). An additional $1,101,727 of TIF capture will be deposited into the City’s Affordable Housing Fund. This plan will advance to the Washtenaw County Brownfield Redevelopment Authority and Washtenaw County Board of Commissioners for authorization. (Legistar)

POSTPONED: An Industrial Facilities Exemption certificate for Sartorius BioAnalytical Instruments will permit a 12-year abatement of local taxes up to $54,587,000 of real property site improvements and up to $8,943,000 of personal property. An Industrial Development. District was previously established for Sartorius at 3874 Research Park Drive, making them eligible for local tax abatement. This resolution was postponed to the May 5th 2022 Council meeting. (Legistar)

APPROVED: Allocations for $24.2 million in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds. Final allocations are listed below. (Legistar)

  • $4,500,000 Solar on City Facilities
  • $3,500,000 Property Acquisition for Affordable Housing (AMENDED to permit $500,000 allocation to residential support services)
  • $3,500,000 Unarmed Response
  • $2,300,000 Gallup Park Bridge
  • $2,000,000 Galvanized Water Service Line Replacement
  • $2,000,000 Vision Zero Plan Implementation
  • $1,682,630 Coordinated Funding Support
  • $1,600,000 Universal Basic Income
  • $1,000,000 City Clerk Election Center
  • $1,000,000 Housing for Homeless Households
  • $500,000 Community and Law Enforcement Data Platform
  • $500,000 Funding for the Arts (AMENDED to direct $200,000 to “arts-based trauma response programs and workforce development”)
  • $100,000 Liberty Plaza
  • A2ELNEL: ARPA Funding Update: Proposed Amendments
  • https://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/2022/04/big-share-of-ann-arbor-stimulus-goes-to-solar-panels-unarmed-responders.html

APPROVED: City Council declares “No Mow May” and encourages residents to refrain from mowing open green space during the month in order to preserve floral spaces for bees and other pollinators. At Council, language was added by friendly amendment to clarify: City ordinances will be enforced if plant growth impacts sight lines and safety for pedestrians. (Legistar)

A2ELNEL Voting Chart

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

Ann Arbor City Planning Commission: January 20, 2022

This meeting was held in person at City Hall.

APPROVED: Recommendation that City Council approve Concept Plan, Development Agreement, and PUD Zoning at 350 S. Fifth a.k.a. the “Y Lot” (0.80 acre site)

Legistar and Video Links

Legistar: https://a2gov.legistar.com/MeetingDetail.aspx?ID=931790&GUID=0437995E-0B95-4B0A-B2F7-B24523A204AB

YouTube: not available

CTN Video: https://ctnvideo.a2gov.org/CablecastPublicSite/show/6388

Meeting Length: 2h 17m

Ann Arbor City Council: April 20, 2020

This was the second 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

Interim City Administrator Tom Crawford presented Council with the proposed FY21 City Budget (Legistar) and several community members presented on the topic of ” COVID-19 Community Impacts and Solutions” (Legistar)


APPROVED: Direction to City staff to begin a process of community engagement around affordable housing options at 353 S. Main (Legistar)

APPROVED: $10,655,000 constructions contract for 2020 Street Resurfacing Plan (Legistar)

POSTPONED to 7/6/20: The creation of proposed application materials and review/recommendations for development entitlements for 415 W. Washington to Support the Development of Affordable Housing in the City (Legistar) This resolution was postponed because:

APPROVED: Direct the City Administrator and Ann Arbor Housing Commission to create proposed application materials and review/recommend for development entitlements for 350 S. Fifth Avenue (former Y lot) to support the development of Affordable Housing in the City (Legistar)

APPROVED: A2ZERO Carbon Neutrality Plan is accepted (rather than adopted) (Legistar) with amendments clarifying that:

  • A funding plan and prioritization framework must be presented
  • The Sustainability & Innovations department will begin and continue to work to implement the plan, with quarterly updates on progress
  • In answer to questions at the meeting, City Administrator Tom Crawford clarified that the current budget includes nearly all funding for beginning and implementing this plan (“almost all of it, there were a couple of minor items that were not included”). It was also clarified that nothing in the amended resolution impeded progress or shifted directions in terms of pursuing climate action goals in the plan. Dr. Stults characterized the amendments as a “totally appropriate” issue of transparency and “not anything I’m concerned about.”
  • https://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/2020/04/ann-arbor-council-not-ready-to-adopt-a2zero-carbon-neutrality-plan.html

APPROVED: The City’s nondiscrimination ordinance to add definition to the protected class of “ethnicity” and also address discrimination in housing related to source of income. (Legistar)

APPROVED: Resolution asking the state to change regulatory policy re: use of food assistance benefits (EBT cards with SNAP program) (Legistar)

APPROVED: Re-zoning and site plan for a new credit union at 2151 Stadium Boulevard. (LegistarLegistar)

A2ELNEL Voting Chart

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

Ann Arbor City Council: July 1, 2019

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

Ann Arbor City Council Meeting Summary

APPROVED: Appoint Michael Cox as the City of Ann Arbor Police Chief (Legistar)

APPROVED: $75,000 contract with SmithGroup for public engagement of design concepts for 350 S. Fifth Ave (the “Y Lot”) (Legistar)

APPROVED: Agreement with Michigan Department of Transportation to accept federal grant money for an Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacon (RRFB) at a crosswalk on Eisenhower Parkway at Plaza Road (Legistar)

APPROVED: Ballot question for 11/5/19 election about non-partisan local elections (Legistar)

APPROVED: Rezoning from M1 (Limited Industrial District) to PUD for 841 Broadway (Legistar)

APPROVED: Settlement of lawsuit, Trinitas/Barton Green development (Legistar)

A2ELNEL: Additional Thoughts (June 29, 2019) – RRFBs, Pride Month, Goats at Gallup

A2ELNEL Voting Chart

Ann Arbor City Council Voting Chart for July 1, 2019 Part 1
Ann Arbor City Council Voting Chart for July 1, 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.