Hello neighbors!
Welcome to my Ann Arbor City Council newsletter, where you can connect with primary sources to understand the work of your local government. My goal is to provide clear explanations of all the issues your elected representatives will be discussing at their next meeting and alert you to local policy and decisions that have been assigned to unelected Mayoral appointees.
Following this holiday weekend, Ann Arbor City Council will consider a short agenda, including only one item on the regular agenda: a resolution to negotiate the issuance of public bonds to fund parking decks at the private development, Arbor South (DC-1). The resolution recommends the issuance of bonds prior to the building of the decks, so the City would effectively “front” the money, sparing costs related to private financing.
On the Consent Agenda, Council is likely to approve (without discussion) the site plan for a 20 story high-rise on Church Street (CA-1), a $599,000 traffic study for a roadway managed by the state (CA-3), and bylaws for a new Sustainability Commission controlled and directed by City staff (CA-9).
AUGUST BALLOT – VOTE NO ON PROPOSALS A&B
A number of people have reached out to me asking what I think about this month’s ballot questions, Proposals A and B. I plan to vote no on both questions because the proposals are misleading, the terms of the election are inappropriate, and approval of Proposals A and B will allow public assets to subsidize profit interests. For more detailed explanation, see my “Additional Thoughts” section below.
Here is a direct link to my post: https://a2elnel.com/post/vote-no-on-proposals-ab-giving-away-center-of-the-city/
A2Council Update Video
After every City Council meeting I send out an “A2Council Update” newsletter, which includes a summary video. Here is my A2Council Update video from the Council meeting of June 16, 2025:
In Case You Missed It…
On my YouTube channel, you can find recordings of public meetings that are open to attend live (online or in-person) but are not made available by the City to view later. Please reach out if you have suggestions about public meetings that should be recorded. Subscribe to my YouTube channel if you would like to be alerted to new content as it gets added.
https://www.youtube.com/@a2elnel
2900 S Main St Resident Participation Meeting: June 25, 2025
This is my recording of a resident participation meeting for a proposed development at 2900 S Main St in Ann Arbor. The meeting was held on Wednesday, June 25, 2025 at 6:30pm at the Hampton Inn Ann Arbor-South, 925 Victors Way. The meeting was led by representatives from Krieger Klatt Architects and Atwell.
From the meeting notice
This 61-unit multiple family development located near the intersection of W. Eisenhower Pkwy. and S. Main St. is an efficient five-story building featuring comfortably sized studio, one-bedroom, and two-bedroom residences. We are seeking to rezone the parcel from O-Office to TC1-Transit Corridor due to the close proximity to transit, walkable retail amenities at Cranbrook Village, Woodland Plaza, and Briarwood Mall, and public park access. The ground floor is mostly compromised of covered and private parking spaces with EV charging and ADA accessibility. It also includes ample amenity spaces including a lobby, lounge, fitness center, and bicycle storage. Floors 2 – 4 contain a simple loaded corridor with units facing North and South. Floor 5 contains an indoor lounge/amenity space and an outdoor amenity deck facing S. Main St. along with residences.
https://a2council.com/2900-s-main-st-resident-participation-meeting-june-25-2025
558 S Fifth Ave Resident Participation Meeting: June 26, 2025
This is my recording of a resident participation meeting for a proposed development at 558 S. Fifth Ave in Ann Arbor. The meeting was held on Thursday, June 26, 2025 at 6:30 pm at Union Rec, 545 S. Main. The meeting was led by local architect Bradley Moore and developer GMH.
From the meeting notice
A 13-14 story residential project with a variety of residential units including studios, 1, 2, 3, 4, & 5 bedroom units with approx. 92 on-site parking spaces is proposed on an assemblage of 8 contiguous lots including 558 S. Fifth Ave.
https://a2council.com/558-s-fifth-ave-resident-participation-meeting-june-26-2025
Ann Arbor City Council Meeting Agenda
Below is my summary of issues on the City Council Agenda this week, with links to more information about each of them. If you have comments about any of these issues, you can email all of Council at CityCouncil@a2gov.org
Ann Arbor City Council Meeting
Monday, July 7 2025 7:00PM
Ann Arbor City Hall (2nd Floor)
301 E Huron St, Ann Arbor 48104
The full agenda (including a link to the latest published PDF agenda, and instructions for dialing into the meeting) is on the A2Gov Legistar website:
https://a2gov.legistar.com/MeetingDetail.aspx?ID=1251584&GUID=00D39153-0281-49FC-895E-3990EF06653F
City Council meetings are broadcast live by CTN on Comcast (channel 16) and AT&T (channel 99) and online at a2gov.org/watchCTN
Meetings are also streamed live on the CTN YouTube channel:
https://www.youtube.com/user/ctnannarbor
How to reserve public comment
People that wish to comment at a City Council meeting must sign up with the City Clerk’s office in advance. Speakers are allotted 3 minutes, with the first 15 speakers allowed to speak in a 45 minute session near the beginning of the meeting. Remaining speakers will speak at the end of the Council meeting. Public comment can be made either in person or remotely via phone/Zoom audio.
To sign up for public comment, please go to or call the City Clerk’s Office at 734-794-6140 on the day of the meeting between 8:00 AM and 5:00 PM. At 4:00 PM, all speakers that have signed up are randomly ordered in “priority groups”. After 4:00 PM, speakers are added to the end of the applicable priority group in the order received. No new speakers will be added to the list after 5:00 PM. For more information, visit the City’s website:
https://www.a2gov.org/city-council/council-meetings-overview/
Questions to the Agenda
In preparation for a Council meeting, Council members can ask questions of staff about scheduled agenda items. Questions must be submitted by noon on the Wednesday before a Council Meeting, and answers are returned the next day (Thursday) by 5pm.
AC-1 (25-1281) Agenda Response Memo and eComments – July 7, 2025
This agenda item has a PDF attachment with all questions raised by Council Members, and the answers provided by staff.
Communications from Council
CC-1 (25-1257) Resolution to Reappoint Jessica Francis to the Independent Community Police Oversight Commission
This re-appointment is from CM Eyer and CM Harrison, who serve on the Independent Community Police Oversight Commission, and CM Ghazi Edwin and CM Watson, who serve on the Human Rights Commission. This is being presented at this meeting, and will therefore be voted on at the next Council meeting
- Jessica Francis – Independent Community Police Oversight Commission
Communications from the Mayor
MC-1 (25-1193) Appointments – Confirmations
This appointment from the Mayor was presented at the previous meeting, and will therefore be voted on at this Council meeting.
- Thressa Nichols – Economic Development Corporation Board
MC-2 (25-1294) Appointments and Nominations for July 7, 2025
These appointments from the Mayor are being presented at this meeting, and will therefore be voted on at the next Council meeting.
- Brian Chambers – Economic Development Corporation Board
- Robin Hall – Economic Development Corporation Board
- Lauren Dunlap – Transportation Commission
MC-3 (25-1295) Resolution to Reappoint Michelle Merusi to the Local Development Finance Authority (LDFA) as a Non-registered Elector (7 Votes Required)
This reappointment from the Mayor is being presented at this meeting, and will therefore be voted on at the next Council meeting. Seven votes are required because the “appointee is not a registered elector of the City of Ann Arbor”
- Michelle Merusi – Local Development Finance Authority (LDFA)
Consent Agenda
Below is the list of items included on the Consent Agenda. If no one on Council specifically requests that an item be pulled for discussion, the whole of this list will be approved in a single vote.
CA-1 (25-1069) Resolution to Approve 625 Church Development Agreement, Site Plan SP24-0017 (625 Church) (CPC Recommendation: Approval – 7 yes, 0 no)
A site plan for 625 Church will permit the construction of a 20-story apartment building of approximately 180 units, 280,000 square feet of floor area and 195 feet in height. The development agreement includes a $113,125 contribution to City parks.
The project makes use of “air rights” over a City-owned parcel at 616 S. Forest Avenue. In April 2025, City Council approved the sale of these air rights for at least $1,200,000.
https://a2council.com/ann-arbor-city-council-april-7-2025/
Developer Core Spaces hosted a resident engagement meeting for this project on June 4, 2024. https://a2council.com/611-633-church-street-citizen-participation-meeting-june-4-2024/
CA-2 (25-1101) Resolution to Approve 303 Detroit Street Development Agreement, 303 Detroit Street (CPC Recommendation: Approval – 6 Yes, 0 No)
CA-3 (25-1103) Resolution to Approve a Professional Service Agreement with Transportation Engineering Design, DPC for the North Main Street Transportation Study Project ($599,871.00; RFP 25-08)
A consulting contract for $599,871 will provide a Transportation Study of North Main Street, from Huron to M-14. This roadway is not currently under the control of the City, but rather the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT). At a June 2024 work session, Council discussed taking control of North Main and other MDOT roadways in the city (Huron, Jackson, and Washtenaw). Staff explained that under City control, the State would not provide enough money to pay for ongoing maintenance of these roads.
In August 2024, City Council directed the City Administrator to pursue negotiations with MDOT in order for the City to take over North Main, Huron, Jackson, and Washtenaw.
https://a2council.com/ann-arbor-city-council-august-8-2024/
This week’s contract for a transportation study was solicited through a Request for Proposals (RFP 25-08, February 2025).
https://www.a2gov.org/media/3ylgbx13/rfp_25-08_document.pdf
The City-issued RFP includes this explanation in the “Scope of Services”:
Redevelopment along the corridor can be expected as part of the city’s Comprehensive Master Plan update currently underway, which seeks to add increased housing density and associated land use and zoning changes. Demand for travel options along this corridor will need to be addressed as the land use changes create more opportunity for mode shift.
For reference, this is a link to all City RFPs
https://www.a2gov.org/finance-and-administrative-services/purchasing/request-for-proposals/
CA-4 (25-1107) Resolution to Approve Purchase of Servers from Dell Marketing L. P. ($244,292.40)
CA-5 (25-1104) Resolution to Approve the Marijuana Excise Tax Rebate Fund Grant Agreement Between the City of Ann Arbor, the Ann Arbor Housing Commission, and the Ann Arbor Housing Development Corporation
CA-6 (25-1243) Resolution to Approve an Administrative Services Agreement with the Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti SmartZone LDFA for Administrative and Support Services ($254,600.00 over a two-year period)
CA-7 (25-1097) Resolution to Approve a Grant Agreement with the Ann Arbor Housing Development Corporation in the Amount of $180,000.00 to Support the Transition of the Green Baxter Court Community Center to a Resilience Hub ($180,000.00)
CA-8 (25-1098) Resolution to Approve a Grant Agreement with Peace Neighborhood Center in the Amount of $250,000.00 to Support Its Transition to a Resilience Hub ($250,000.00)
CA-9 (25-1181) Resolution to Approve Bylaws of the Sustainability Commission
Bylaws clarify the structure and function of operations for a new Sustainability Commission, which replaces the Environmental Commission and Energy Commission (eliminated at the City Council meeting on June 16, 2025).
The Sustainability Commission will be directed by City staff and the the bylaws include specific clarification:
“The Sustainability Commission’s work shall be guided by an annual work plan provided by the City Office of Sustainability and Innovations in coordination with the Public Services Area. The work plan will set the specific, annual goals of the Sustainability Commission, with clear metrics established to not only determine progress towards these goals but also articulate how success for each metric will be determined.”
Prior to its elimination, the last act of the Environment Commission was a resolution asking City Council to direct more careful consideration and protection of natural features in updates to the Comprehensive Land Use Plan. Liaisons to the Environmental Commission – Council Members Cornell and Mallek – did not bring the resolution to Council for a vote.
https://a2gov.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=7421043&GUID=60FA4F21-478E-467E-98F3-B4137BF8A4B7
CA-10 (25-1220) Resolution to Accept a Water Main Easement at 1100 Broadway from Morningside Maiden Lane, LLC (8 Votes Required)
CA-11 (25-1221) Resolution to Accept an Easement for Right-of-Way at 1100 Broadway from Morningside Maiden Lane, LLC (8 Votes Required)
CA-12 (25-1224) Resolution to Accept a Sidewalk Easement at 1937 Jackson Avenue from Glendale Orchard LLC (8 Votes Required)
CA-13 (25-1239) Resolution to Approve Amendment of Master Deed and Bylaws for Tally Hall Condominium
CA-14 (25-1172) Resolution to Approve the Professional Services Agreement between Ann Arbor SPARK and the City of Ann Arbor for Economic Development Services ($80,000.00)
Public Hearings
Anyone wanting to comment on these issues may speak for 3 minutes, without having specifically reserved time. Issues subject to public hearing will also be up for a vote by Council later in the meeting.
There are no public hearings on the agenda
Ordinances – Second Reading
In order to amend the city code, Council must vote to approve the change, via ordinance, at two Council meetings. The following proposed ordinances were approved at a previous Council meeting, and are also subject to a public hearing as listed above.
There are no second readings on the agenda
Ordinances – First Reading
In order to amend the city code, Council must vote to approve the change, via ordinance, at two Council meetings. The following proposed ordinances are being introduced for “first reading”. If approved, the ordinance will be voted on at a subsequent Council meeting (“second reading”), where it will also be subject to a public hearing.
There are no first readings on the agenda
Motions and Resolutions
DC-1 (25-1297) Resolution Approving the Recommendation of the City Administrator for the Timing of Bond Issuance for the Arbor South Project
A resolution will direct the negotiation of public bonds to fund parking decks at Arbor South, a private development at State and Eisenhower. The resolution proposes that the bonds be issued prior to the construction of the decks. The public bonds will be paid back from tax revenue generated by the Arbor South development, via a special assessment district.
In November 2024, City staff reported that construction of these parking decks would cost the City a total of $104.3 million. In January 2025, consultants reported that the City would commit a total of $146 million in public bonds to finance them.
This week’s resolution directs the City Administrator to pursue the issuance of public bonds prior to construction of the decks. This is framed as a ‘cost savings’ because it would be more expensive for the developer to build the decks with private financing.
To the extent that the arrangement might conflict with City ordinances, Council directs the City Administrator to recommend amendments to the city code. The city code describes how the City can support local public improvements when the improvements confer a special benefit on specific parcels rather than the City at large. Chapter 12, section 1:277 allows for “Construction by agreement” — a property owner can request City support “for the construction of any local public improvement…where the cost of such construction is to be privately financed.”
https://library.municode.com/mi/ann_arbor/codes/code_of_ordinances/372765?nodeId=TITIAD_CH12FILOPUIM_1_277COAG
The Michigan State Constitution includes this clear language:
“Except as otherwise provided in this constitution, no city or village shall have the power to loan its credit for any private purpose or, except as provided by law, for any public purpose.”
https://www.legislature.mi.gov/Laws/MCL?objectName=mcl-Article-VII-26
On June 16, 2025, City Council approved up to $175,000 in consulting fees for due diligence on a City subsidy of parking decks at Arbor South. This week’s resolution recommends that the City issue municipal bonds before construction of the parking decks, anticipating that the City will eventually purchase them. This week, a staff memo included in the Legistar item explains that if the City borrows the money, the parking decks will be less expensive:
“requiring the developer to finance construction, the resulting difference in costs to the City are estimated to be $30.6 million, due to higher private interest rates that the developer will incur and then pass to the City, as compared to municipal bond financing”
In January 2024, the developers held a resident participation meeting for Arbor South
https://a2council.com/777-e-eisenhower-oxford-resident-participation-meeting-january-9-2024/
In November 2024, I made a video about the parking deck proposal:
Additional Thoughts…
I also posted this on my website:
https://a2elnel.com/post/vote-no-on-proposals-ab-giving-away-center-of-the-city/
Vote No on Proposals A&B – Giving Away Center of the City
On August 5, 2025, City voters will consider Proposals A and B. Approval of Proposal A will amend the City Charter to allow City-owned property to be given to the library with no strings attached. Proposal B will repeal the City Charter amendment that directed that this City-owned property (“Center of the City”) be developed as a civic commons and urban park.
In March 2025, City Council directed the special election this August for the community to vote on Proposals A and B. The March resolutions clarified the specific language of City Charter amendments and proposed ballot language for each question. Here are links to the Council resolutions for Proposal A and Proposal B
I have previously shared concerns about these proposals without directly stating my position. There are a whole host of reasons for opposing these proposals. Below are mine.
TALKING POINTS VS. REALITY
Proposal A asks the community to approve a City Charter amendment permitting the transfer of City property at 319 S. Fifth to the Ann Arbor District Library. Ballot language includes promises well beyond the City Charter language. If Proposal A is approved, the City Charter would be amended to include only this language:
(g) The City is authorized to sell any of its interest in 319 South Fifth Avenue or 326 South Division Street only to the Ann Arbor District Library by resolution concurred in by at least eight members of the Council.
The question on the August ballot includes additional (unsupported) promises about what will result after the sale: mixed use, additional library services, housing, retail, and programmable open public space. Exactly none of these amenities are prescribed by the City Charter amendment in Proposal A.
At least one Council Member does not understand the significance of City Charter language or what amendments mean. She has publicly stated (incorrectly) that ballot language supersedes City Charter language— that misunderstanding is alarming, but wholly consistent with what has been a very misleading political campaign.
Political campaigns in support of Proposals A and B have leaned heavily on general goodwill for the library, vague expectations presented as commitments. I have seen cheerleading for this plan such as:
“I’m voting YES on Proposals A & B because it means having a downtown public plaza finally, as well as an awesome library for all of Ann Arbor to enjoy, all without increasing property taxes.”
Voting “yes” does not mean what this voter thinks it means; none of that is provided in Proposals A & B. There is no public plaza and no directive for any kind of library (“awesome” or otherwise). The proposals do not technically include a tax increase, but they do extract public value elsewhere: approval of Proposals A and B will give away a community asset that nearly 27,000 voters designated as the location for a public commons and urban park.
TAXPAYER FUNDED POLITICS
A City Charter amendment – often referred to as “Center of the City” – established and directed the development of an urban central park adjacent to the downtown library, at 319 S. Fifth. The “Center of the City” was approved in a high turnout election in November 2018. A vote to repeal “Center of the City” (Proposal B) is happening this August, when turnout is certain to be low. By unanimous vote, City Council directed this timing so that a relatively small number of voters can effectively undo the decision of a much larger number of voters.
Whatever anyone thinks of the proposals, I believe we should all be offended by what is now a pattern of behavior from this City Council: reducing public participation in local government. As directed by City Council, the vote on Proposals A and B adds insult to injury: the August special election generates additional expense. Taxpayers are now directly funding a political strategy for less public participation.
City budget has been used to promote these proposals. This spring, for the first time ever, the City sent taxpayer-funded mailers promoting current City Council Members. Some of these mailers explained the ballot proposals with the laundry list of campaign promises – e.g. new library, mixed use, housing, open space – that do not exist anywhere in the proposed Charter Amendment or any other binding document.
Campaign finance reports include another interesting detail: one of the largest donors in support of Proposals A and B is none other than the City’s own hired lobbyist, Dykema Gossett. The City budget includes a $120,000 annual contract with Dykema Gossett for lobbying services at the state and federal level. This year, those funds are apparently ‘reinvested’ locally— money from Dykema Gossett is now lobbying city residents on behalf of the Mayor’s favored political campaigns.
City taxpayers have directly funded a flawed election process as well as misleading campaign promotions for Proposals A and B.
PUBLIC SUBSIDY OF PROFIT INTERESTS
This issue is most straightforward: Proposal B aims to repeal the directive that a public asset (“Center of the City”) remain in public ownership for a community benefit. Proposal A will allow that public asset to be given away.. An aggressive campaign of soundbites suggests that these proposals will simply transfer a community asset from one public entity to another public entity. While technically true, that is not the whole story.
This year, the Ann Arbor library requested (and City Council approved) a rezoning of the downtown library property, explicitly for the purpose of allowing primarily private use and private ownership of the site.The elected library board who would be gifted “Center of the City” (and ultimately decide its future) includes members who have publicly endorsed the property’s sale for private, market-rate development. Proposals A and B will lead to private high-rise development with only incidental library operations.
In November 2024, the library director presented a plan to expand and improve the downtown library entirely within its current footprint. In a public meeting, he explained that the library had a lot of ‘dead space’ and they simply needed a redesign, which could be funded in a public/private partnership on their own parcel. Proposals A and B will give away City property under circumstances that have little to do with improving our local library. Once transferred, the City and the district library expect and anticipate that the public property at “Center of the City” will be converted to primarily private use.
I believe that public assets should be used for public purposes. I believe that our elected leaders should support policies that elevate public interests rather than profit interests. I do not believe that public assets should be given away when the end result is private use. Public assets should not subsidize the bottom line of profit interests.
For the reasons above, I will not be supporting Proposal A and B this August. To understand more background on the issue of Center of the City, see my video:
Thank you for taking the time to be informed about our local government!
Elizabeth Nelson