City Council Newsletters

Following this holiday weekend, Ann Arbor City Council will consider a fairly short agenda and host two public hearings. Commenters can weigh in on final approval for amendments to the vegetation ordinance (B-1) and a brownfield agreement to support affordable housing through the Ann Arbor Community Land Trust. Council will also consider a resolution directing the preparation of a memo to inform residents about a public-private partnership agreement with private developers. The terms of that agreement will commit the city to financially support a project at State and Eisenhower, called “Arbor South.”

Due to absences, two agenda items were removed from the agenda of the last meeting: a brownfield plan for a private development at Arbor South and a public-private partnership with the developers of Arbor South. Both of these items effectively subsidize the private development with tax dollars. The brownfield plan will re-invest $300 million in tax revenue right back into the private development. The public-private partnership will commit the City to spending over $160 million on parking structures to serve the development.

The largest topic on this week’s agenda is whether or not the City will subsidize private development with public money. Agenda item DC-1 will direct $300 million in tax dollars toward supporting “Arbor South,” a private development at State and Eisenhower. In agenda item DC-2, eight votes are required to authorize the purchase of property at Arbor South and move forward with a public private partnership in which the City will own and maintain parking decks there. Approval of DC-2 will permit the purchase of property at Arbor South “subject to availability of funding.” A detailed purchase agreement will not be voted on by Council and budgeting for the purchase could happen with a simple majority vote.

In agenda item DC-3, Council will rescind a subrecipient grant agreement that was approved at their last meeting on October 6. A new agreement names a different grantee, so that $560,000 in federal grant money will not be directed to a client of Council Member Jen Eyer’s consulting business.

The Consent Agenda this week has two items of note: an allocation to the Community Action Network (CAN) and the start of a public comment period for an updated Comprehensive Land Use Plan.

This Monday, Ann Arbor City Council considers a fairly short agenda, which includes two public hearings ahead of final approval for two ordinances: increasing the amount the City Administrator can spend or sell without a vote of Council and temporary amendments to location restrictions for marijuana businesses. At first reading, Council will consider adding a phrase to the bylaws of the Transportation Commission. An item on the Consent Agenda explains how adding 4800 beds in UM dorms translates to $23 million in City infrastructure costs. The cost sharing agreement assigns $6 million of that cost to the City, with UM covering the rest.

This week, Ann Arbor City Council considers a long agenda. At first reading, Council will consider new ordinances to increase the value of purchases/sales that can occur without a vote of Council and temporarily relax location restrictions for marijuana businesses.  Two rezonings will facilitate development of a large parcel near Cranbrook Village and allow continued (legal) storage on a small parcel at Argus Farm Stop. By resolution, Council will officially express support for the north segment of the Tree Line Trail to help the Treeline Conservancy fundraise.

This week, Ann Arbor City Council again considers a very short agenda. The one item on the regular agenda was postponed from the previous meeting: a purchase of parkland requiring eight votes. The most interesting item is a communication. The City Administrator has offered recommendations for the sale of City-owned property at the Kline lot and 415 W. Washington.

This week, Ann Arbor City Council considers just two items on the regular agenda: appointments to a newly created “Sustainability Commission” (replacing Energy and Environmental commissions) and a fee schedule for Fire Department review of developments. The Consent Agenda includes various expenses including the purchase of parkland on Fuller Road, ice arena improvements at Buhr Park and engineering work on the water treatment plant.

The regular agenda for Ann Arbor City Council is quite short this week, only three items: a consulting contract for more work on the Comprehensive Land Use Plan, new policy for the City’s use of drones, and a resolution directing consideration of amendments to marijuana regulation. The most interesting item is tucked in the Consent Agenda: a contract for up to $175,000 to fund attorneys negotiating a public-private partnership with the developer of Arbor South.

This week, Ann Arbor City Council considers a very long agenda that includes five public hearings: two ordinance amendments to reduce requirements for public notice and public participation related to development, a rezoning and site plan at Scio Church near Main, and an amendment to the brownfield plan for public subsidy of Broadway Park. A lengthy resolution on this week’s agenda will extend and add funding to a consulting contract for work on the Comprehensive Land Use Plan (CLUP).