Hello neighbors!
This week, Ann Arbor City Council considers a very long agenda. There will be five public hearings: three for final approval for two new ordinances (B-1, B-2) and the rezoning of Woodbury Gardens (B-3), one for the vacation of a public right-of-way (DS-2) and another for a brownfield plan at University Inn (DS-1). At first reading, Council will consider a new ordinance to regulate cryptocurrency (C-1) and a new definition of disorderly conduct for activity around houses of worship (C-2). By resolution, Council will direct the acceleration of rezonings near downtown and central campus, asking that they be sent to Council in the next three months (DC-2).
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 October 5, 2026:
County Edition
At their meeting on October 7, the Washtenaw County Board of Commissioners heard a presentation about the budget and considered possible strategies to generate revenue. The board discussed an agreement for the installation of solar and a $30,000 sponsorship for a nonprofit.
See how these issues were discussed in the latest episode of COUNTY EDITION.
Hollow Hype Podcast – New Episodes
Last week I released Episode 17 of my podcast HOLLOW HYPE, which is available wherever you get podcasts or you can listen online at HollowHype.com. New episodes are released every Tuesday.
Episodes released since my last City Council newsletter:
Episode 16: “Bespoke Financial Advisory”
In a matter of weeks, the bankruptcy of Southtown will be resolved, dismissed, or carry on. Potential investors come from Las Vegas and Dubai. If they come through as promised, Heidi stands to gain up to $17 million.
Episode 17: “All of the framework to do something illegal”
A more detailed explanation of the crimes Heidi committed in California, Ohio, and West Virginia. Heidi’s previous convictions illustrate what she is capable of and the tactics she’s used in the past to get what she wants.
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, October 19, 2026 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=1368513&GUID=BFC43A93-E348-44A6-8572-01FE36BF1FE6
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 (26-1775) Agenda Response Memo and eComments – October 19, 2026
This agenda item has a PDF attachment with all questions raised by Council Members, and the answers provided by staff.
Communications from the Mayor
MC-1 (26-1652) Appointments – Confirmations
These appointments from the Mayor were presented at the previous meeting, and will therefore be voted on at this Council meeting.
- Ashley Hall – Parks Advisory Commission
- Rory Baker – Parks Advisory Commission
Note: Ashley Hall ran for City Council in Ward 3 this August, losing to Ryan Bartholomew. Her campaign received a $2450 donation from the Mayor’s “Ann Arbor For Everyone” PAC on August 5th, the day after the primary election. https://campaignfinance.us/docs.washtenaw.mi/38668.PDF
MC-2 (26-1672) Reappointments – Confirmations
This appointment from the Mayor was presented at the previous meeting, and will therefore be voted on at this Council meeting.
- Therese Perlowski – Leslie Science and Nature Center Board of Directors, PAC Representative
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 (26-1455) Resolution to Approve the Community Development Services Contract with Washtenaw County ($175,000.00 FY27; $182,000.00 FY28)
CA-2 (26-1694) Resolution to Accept and Appropriate a $500,000.00 Grant from the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan for the South Barton Pedestrian Bridge Replacement Project (8 Votes Required)
CA-3 (26-1697) Resolution to Approve a Grant Application to USDA-NRCS ACEP for the Purchase of a Conservation Easement on the Maulbetsch II Property
CA-4 (26-1619) Resolution to Approve the Purchase of Real Property Located at 124 Felch for $373,400.00 Plus Costs Not to Exceed $20,000.00 ($393,400.00) (8 Votes Required)
CA-5 (26-1561) Resolution to Approve a General Services Contract with Target Facility Management L.L.C. for Sidewalk Snow Removal Services (ITB 4794) in an Amount Not-to-Exceed $389,424.00 and Appropriate Funds ($239,424.00) (8 Votes Required)
CA-6 (26-1689) Resolution to Approve a General Services Agreement with Tyndale Enterprises, Inc. for the Public Services Area Managed Clothing (Uniform) Program (RFP 26-35)
CA-7 (26-1595) Resolution to Approve Conversion to One-way Traffic on Carey Street
City Council directs that traffic on Carey Street will be converted to one-way. Carey street is currently a connector between Depot Street and Division, leading to the Broadway Bridge. When it converts to one-way, the only permitted direction will be from Division to Depot. According to staff, the steep roadway lane will be repurposed with on-street parking.
CA-8 (26-1611) Resolution to Approve a Sole Source Purchase Order with Traffic Control Products for Miovision Detection System Products ($90,000.00)
CA-9 (26-1631) Resolution to Approve the Purchase and Installation of a Traffic Management Center Video Wall System Upgrade with Smart Homes, Inc. (State of Michigan MiDEAL – $148,029.48)
CA-10 (26-1602) Resolution to Approve a Best Source Professional Services Agreement with Integrated Design Solutions (IDS) for Study and Design Required for WTP Environmental Laboratory HVAC System Improvements ($106,915.00)
CA-11 (26-1626) Resolution to Authorize the Purchase of Two Pierce Custom Enforcer Class A Pumper Fire Trucks from Reliant Fire Apparatus Inc. (Sourcewell – $2,365,596.00)
CA-12 (26-1550) Resolution to Approve a Grant Contract (2026-0737) with the Michigan Department of Transportation for Engineering and Construction Services for the Navigation Aid Project at the Ann Arbor Municipal Airport ($603,762.00)
CA-13 (26-1635) Resolution to Approve Adding 0.5 Full-Time Equivalent Position to the Office of Sustainability and Innovations (8 Votes Required)
CA-14 (26-1583) Resolution to Amend the Ann Arbor Affordable Housing Fund Guidelines
CA-15 (26-1331) Resolution to Approve a Grant Agreement with the Ann Arbor Housing Commission and Housing Development Corporation for a Pre-Development Sub-Grant to MISSION at 3501 Stone School Road and Appropriate $74,950.00 (8 Votes Required)
CA-16 (26-1667) Resolution to Approve an MOU between the City of Ann Arbor, Downtown Development Authority and The Regents of the University of Michigan for the Elevate Art Program at McDivitt-White Plaza
CA-17 (26-1639) Resolution to Accept a Sidewalk Easement at 701 Church Street from 707 Church Street Owner, LLC (8 Votes Required)
CA-18 (26-1700) Resolution to Accept a Sanitary Sewer Easement at 410 S. Maple Road from Radiant Church of Michigan (8 Votes Required)
CA-19 (26-1653) Resolution to Accept a Sidewalk Easement at 306 Hill Street from The Regents of the University of Michigan (8 Votes Required)
CA-20 (26-1654) Resolution to Accept a Sanitary Sewer Easement in Vacated East University Avenue from The Regents of the University of Michigan (8 Votes Required)
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.
PH-1/B-1 (26-1556) An Ordinance to Add Chapter 98 (Glue Trap Ban) of Title VII (Businesses and Trades) of the Code of the City of Ann Arbor (ORD-26-28)
A new ordinance would create a civil infraction (subject to a fine of $250) for the sale or use of glue traps to capture and kill animals, with an exception for insects and spiders. Glue traps are widely recognized as exceptionally inhumane, compared to other methods of pest control and a number of major national retailers no longer sell them. The new ordinance mirrors efforts in other municipalities. In 2024, Congressman Ted Lieu (CA) introduced a federal ban on glue traps.
https://lieu.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-lieu-introduces-bill-ban-use-glue-traps
PH-2/B-2 (26-1540) An Ordinance to Add Chapter 99 (Commercial Vehicle Markings) of Title VII of the Code of the City of Ann Arbor (ORD-26-29)
A new ordinance would require commercial vehicles to be marked with a company name and contact information for construction and other service work. The purpose of the ordinance is described as “public safety, contractor safety compliance, contractor accountability, and work site security.” The requirement would not apply to vehicles owned by government or educational institutions for official business. The Ann Arbor Police Department would enforce the ordinance through the Community Standards Division.
PH-3/B-3 (26-1463) An Ordinance to Amend Chapter 55 (Zoning), Rezoning of Approximately 41.292 Acres from R3 (Multiple Family), R4 (Multiple Family), and PL (Public Land) Districts to TC1 (Transit Corridor), With Conditions – 1310 Wisteria Drive (CPC Recommendation: Approval – 7 Yeas and 1 Nay) (ORD-26-25) (8 Votes Required)
Approximately 41.292 acres at Woodbury Gardens would be rezoned to Transit Corridor with conditions, to allow for three seven-story buildings containing 342 dwelling units, and a five-level parking garage. The redevelopment will not be directly located on the transit corridor of Stadium Boulevard, but rather one block in. Frisinger city park sits between Woodbury Gardens and Stadium boulevard.
The TC-1 zoning district already exists on the Stadium corridor 1.2 miles to the east (including Washtenaw) and 2.3 miles to the west (including Maple). Those rezonings were theoretically designed to address the inefficiencies of large parking lots and single use commercial districts, to expand mixed use including residential. This will be the first application of TC-1 zoning in a district that is already higher density residential.
In 2022, a rezoning on the western end of Stadium boulevard was explained with these objectives:
- Locating higher residential densities near mass transit routes and in proximity to commercial, employment, and activity centers (LUE Goal B, Objective 1)
- Providing a full range of housing choices (size, price, design, accessibility, etc.) that meets the existing and anticipated needs of all City residents (LUE Goal C)
- Encouraging a variety of housing types within new and mixed-use development projects (LUE Goal C, Objective 2)
- Supporting mixed-use, “village” centers in existing commercial areas that are designed to provide new residential opportunities, increase pedestrian activity and reduce the total number of vehicular trips (LUE Goal E, Objective 1)
- Encouraging developers to design commercial and office centers where the parking lot is not the dominant feature from the road (LUE Goal E, Objective 2)
https://a2gov.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=F&ID=11255902&GUID=37309436-5B2A-4538-A4D8-2AE6CDDDC2FE
In 2024, a rezoning on the eastern end of Stadium/Washtenaw included this justification: “The TC1 district makes converting single-purpose developments, such as shopping centers or office complexes, into mixed-use centers easier by focusing standards on building form rather than floor area to lot area ratios.”
https://a2gov.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=F&ID=13182842&GUID=BEE6ED21-58B1-4C04-AD8F-55118A2B6758
The owner of Woodbury Gardens has offered zoning conditions for height and another condition that would limit permitted uses. The condition limiting uses means that a portion of the parcel cannot expand beyond those already allowed in R3 (multi-family) zoning district. I.e. the rezoning will not increase the mix of uses on-site.
This week’s TC-1 zoning at Woodbury Gardens targets an existing residential district for rezoning even though it is not technically located on a corridor, not dominated by parking lots, and not going to result in mixed use. The zoning district seems to have been chosen to justify the redevelopment of low-level dense housing with more profitable units in seven story buildings. It is the first TC-1 rezoning request specifically designed to destroy and replace existing, moderately priced housing, which is in increasingly short supply.
PH-4/DS-1 (26-1699) Resolution to Approve a Brownfield Plan for the University Inn Redevelopment Project at 2424 East Stadium Boulevard
A brownfield plan for the redevelopment of University Inn (2424 E. Stadium) will allow the developer to be reimbursed for $35,393,724 in eligible project costs. Brownfield reimbursement is tax increment financing, diverting future, new tax revenue into a redevelopment project.
The 4.43 acre site will be redeveloped with a six-story building (295 apartments) and twelve 3-story townhomes. For fifteen years, seven of the studio units will be priced at affordability for 80% Area Median Income and another 55 units will be priced at affordability for 120% Area Median Income.
This property is in the TC-1 zoning district, which is intended to transform an auto-oriented corridor into a mixed-use pedestrian oriented one.
Each townhome will have a two-car garage. The brownfield plan will reimburse the cost of a 352-space enclosed parking structure for the 295 unit apartment building. Estimated cost of that parking structure: $12.35 million.
PH-5/DS-2 (26-0716) Resolution to Vacate a Portion of the South University Avenue Public Right-of-Way (525 S. State St.) (CPC Recommendation: Approval – 8 Yeas, 0 Nays; 8 Votes Required)
The city will vacate a portion of its public right of way on S. University Ave, from State Street to E. University. The city will cede a 26.5 foot-wide strip to the University to allow “flexibility for future street design changes.”
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.
B-1 (26-1556) is the same as PH-1 above
B-2 (26-1540) is the same as PH-2 above
B-3 (26-1463) is the same as PH-3 above
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.
C-1 (26-1763) An Ordinance to Add Chapter 83 (Virtual Currency Kiosks) to Title VII of the Code of the City of Ann Arbor
A new ordinance would license and regulate “cryptocurrency kiosks” and “bitcoin kiosks.” The ordinance would apply to electronic terminals or retail locations that exchange forms of virtual currency and standard cash currency with virtual currencies. Operators of such kiosks would be required to post warnings ahead of each transaction about the risk of fraud and the fact that virtual currency is not legal tender.
This ordinance would go into effect six months after approval, but current operators of such kiosks have until April 30, 2028 to get licensed.
Last month, the city of Jackson banned cryptocurrency kiosks, ordering their removal within 90 days.
https://www.wilx.com/2026/09/23/jackson-bans-cryptocurrency-kiosks-amid-national-rise-scams/
Local State Legislators Jason Morgan and Carrie Rheingens have introduced a bill in Lansing to ban cryptocurrency kiosks.
https://legislature.mi.gov/Bills/Bill?ObjectName=2026-HB-5986
Local State Senators Jeff Irwin and Sue Shink have introduced a bill in Lansing to ban cryptocurrency kiosks.
https://www.legislature.mi.gov/Bills/Bill?ObjectName=2026-SB-0980
C-2 (26-1731) An Ordinance to Amend Section 9:61 and 9:62 of Chapter 108 (Disorderly Conduct) of Title IX of the Code of the City of Ann Arbor
A new ordinance would create new categories of Disorderly Conduct that would apply specifically to “interference with religious worship.” The ordinance prohibits activities within 50 feet of a place of worship “including assaulting, threatening, harassing, or intimidating behavior, that places an individual in reasonable fear of their safety” and any physical obstruction of an entryway that makes passage unreasonably difficult or hazardous. Violation of the new terms will be a misdemeanor subject to a fine of $500.
Motions and Resolutions
The following agenda items are motions and resolutions, which are approved or rejected in a single meeting. Agenda items marked “DC” are proposed by Council members, items marked “DB” are proposed by City boards and commissions, items marked “DS” are proposed by City staff.
DB-1 (26-1462) Resolution to Approve the 1310 Wisteria Drive Site Plan and Development Agreement (CPC Recommendation: Approval – 7 Yeas and 1 Nays)
A site plan for new development at Woodbury Gardens would permit the construction of three seven story buildings with 342 dwelling units and a five level parking garage. A development agreement includes a $25,000 contribution to a pedestrian crossing on E. Stadium and a 10 foot wide shared use path between Wisteria Drive and Frisinger Park.
DS-1 (26-1699) is the same as PH-4 above
DS-2 (26-0716) is the same as PH-5 above
DC-1 (26-1715) Resolution to Establish Small Business Development as a Strategic Priority within the Office of Economic Development
By resolution, Council identifies Small Business Development support as a priority for the Office of Economic Development. City support may include increasing the visibility of local business and allowing to benefit from City sponsored communications and activities. A staff memo lists possible City support “navigating financing, technical assistance, workforce, permitting, and other support services.”
DC-2 (26-1743) Resolution to Initiate Zoning Amendments Near Downtown and Central Campus
By resolution, Council directs the City Planning Commission to initiate zoning amendments near downtown and Central Campus. The rezoning is recommended to facilitate redevelopments up to high rise. They direct that the rezonings be presented within 180 days (6 months).
Just two weeks ago, City Council approved a consulting contract for rezoning and public engagement about future rezoning. The timeline for that work was 36 months (three years). This week’s resolution explains that the “housing shortage is an urgent problem that requires prompt action”
DC-3 (26-1748) Resolution to Support of Geothermal Installations at City Facilities
Council would direct the City Administrator to study and issue a Request for Proposals in order to construct geothermal systems at City Facilities. Geothermal systems will be eligible for investment tax credits through June 2027.
DC-4 (26-1750) Resolution to Accept a Sidewalk Easement at 1420 Pear Street from Maris Laporter (8 Votes Required)
The City will accept a sidewalk easement at 1420 Pear Street. The property owner has offered the easement in order to avoid tree removal.
DC-5 (26-1764) A Resolution to Establish a Bill of Rights for Persons Experiencing Homelessness in the City of Ann Arbor
By resolution, Council asserts the rights of people whose housing status is not fixed, regular, or adequate. The terms of a “Homelessness Bill of Rights” include various rights to use and access public resources and the right to vote without discrimination. Additionally, people experiencing homelessness should have the right to privacy and reasonable accommodations from City Departments.
DC-6 (26-1769) Resolution to Finalize Evaluation Report and Amend the Employment Agreement for City Attorney Atleen Kaur
City Council will approve an employment agreement for City Attorney Atleen Kaur, whose base salary is $246,300. The Council Administration committee has discussed Kaur’s performance evaluation. At Monday’s meeting, Council will have a brief closed session to discuss recommendations, before approving a salary increase.
Thank you for taking the time to be informed about our local government!
Elizabeth Nelson