Neighbors,
City Council meets on Tuesday, February 20th (moved to Tuesday as the City is closed on Monday in observance of Presidents Day). Here are some updates before my preview of our agenda.
Coffee Hour
I'm hosting my monthly Ward 4 constituent coffee hour tomorrow, Sunday, February 18th from 10-11am at York Food and Drink (1929 Packard). RSVP or just swing by!
Early Voting for the 2024 Presidential Primary Election
Early voting for the 2024 Presidential Primary in Ann Arbor began today and will run through Sunday, February 25th. For more information on location and hours, visit the City Clerk's Early Voting website: http://tinyurl.com/mt6r6xvp.
Sign up to Attend the Ann Arbor Community Academy
Get an in-depth look at long-term planning and day-to-day operations in the City of Ann Arbor. Community members ages 18 and older are invited to sign up to attend the 2024 Ann Arbor Community Academy! Sessions take place Wednesday evenings in April and May. Registration is going on now through March 20. Learn more and register: http://tinyurl.com/bdh8wuj5
City Council Meeting, Tuesday, February 20th at 7pm
Agenda Highlights
Resolution for Winter Warming Shelter 2023-2024 (CA-2). To meet our community's need for warm, safe shelter during winter, this resolution is to approve a contract with the Shelter Association of Washtenaw County for the expenditure of $72,000.00 to assist the with the 2023-2024 emergency shelter and warming center response cycle.
Funding Allocation for Design of the Pauline-Runnymede Path ($140,000) (CA-6). The Pauline-Runnymede Path is an important non-motorized path, particularly for kids going to Dicken elementary school. The path, located on the private property of Walden Village Condominiums, has fallen into a state of disrepair, and City staff and council members are frequently asked about repairing the path. The condo association is legally obligated to maintain the path and have committed funds to perform the repair work in 2025. The City is seeking a Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) grant to supplement this effort. To be eligible for the grant, the City must negotiate an easement. As well, at least 30% of the design work must be complete to apply. This resolution would allocate $140k from the general fund to create the design and apply for the grant.
Resolution to Approve a Professional Services Agreement with Bodman, PLC for Legal Services to Support the City's Participation in the 3M Company and DuPont PFAS Class Settlements and Appropriate Funds ($150,000.00) (CA-9). In November of 2023, City Council approved a resolution to opt-in and participate in the proposed 3M and DuPont PFAS class settlements to resolve claims by public water systems affected by PFAS contamination. This resolution would approve appropriating funds for specialized legal services related to the claims and settlement process.
Unified Development Code Amendment (Conflicting Land Use Buffer) (PH-1). These changes will eliminate the requirement to buffer the same uses from each other, specifically multiple-family dwellings from multiple-family dwellings in the same district, which offer several benefits, including planning efforts to increase mixed-use developments, increase density, and improve pedestrian friendliness in mixed-use zoning districts. A council agenda response memo from January provides examples where the current ordinance creates undesirable consequences. (NOTE: because this is the second reading of this ordinance change, there will be a public hearing where residents can provide comments without signing up in advance).
Ordinance to Amend Chapter 105 (Housing Code) (Building Regulations) (C-1). This set of revisions to the City's Early Leasing Ordinance and Right to Renew Ordinance is intended to address numerous tenant complaints that landlords are using loopholes to apply pressure to tenants to renew leases early in their leasing period. Ann Arbor's high demand for housing and low supply has created enormous pressure on residents who rent housing (55% of Ann Arbor's residents), and strengthening tenant protections is a key component to addressing this. (Sponsors: Radina, Harrison, Cornell, Briggs and Watson)
Please reach out if you have questions, concerns, or thoughts on any of the agenda items. Email: DAkmon@A2gov.org | Phone/text: 734-492-5866
You can also communicate your thoughts via:
Email City Council: CityCouncil@a2gov.org
Comment at the meeting (remote or in person): Call the City Clerk's office at 734-794-6140 beginning at 8 a.m. on the day of the meeting to reserve a public speaking time. NOTE: you do not need to reserve time to speak during a "public hearing (PH)" item.
How Council Voted
The Ann Arbor Voting Charts Project is a community-maintained record of voting history for City Council. Check out the February 5th, 2024 Council Voting chart.