Dharma's Council Newsletter, November 15, 2025

Neighbors,

City Council meets next on Monday, November 17 at 7 p.m. Before my agenda highlights, here are a few items to share.

Ann Arbor Police Department Launches New Transparency Dashboard

The Ann Arbor Police Department has launched a new public transparency dashboard that gives residents easy access to regularly updated crime data. The interactive tool lets you explore incidents citywide, downtown, or by ward, with information going back to 2021. More detailed geographic information is planned for future enhancements. Explore the dashboard at annarborpolice.org/dashboard.

Ann Arbor Comprehensive Land Use Plan Enters Final Phase for Community Review & Comment

The City has entered the final phase of updating its Comprehensive Land Use Plan, which will guide development and community priorities through 2050. A third draft of the plan is now available for public review and comment through Monday, Jan. 5, 2026. During this review period, residents can read the draft and submit feedback using the comment form on the project page, ensuring all input is compiled for the Planning Commission and City Council.

The Planning Commission will discuss public comments at its Nov. 18 and Dec. 16 meetings. After the review period closes, public hearings will be scheduled in early 2026 before the plan is finalized.

Ann Arbor Roadway Rightsizing Project is Underway

At the direction of City Council and in order to meet the City's Vision Zero goal of zero deaths or serious injuries on our roads, Ann Arbor has started a citywide project to make our arterials--the roads that see the vast majority of our serious crashes and fatalities--safe for everyone, no matter how they travel. The Roadway Rightsizing Project will ultimately result in conceptual designs for the ten corridors that are responsive to the Moving Together Towards Vision Zero Transportation Plan and A2ZERO plan. There are several open house opportunities coming up, and dates and times are listed on the project page.

City Council Meeting, Monday, November 17 at 7 p.m.

• Meeting Agenda

• Responses to Council Member Questions (there were no questions from Council Members this week)

Agenda Highlights

CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS

• Resolution to Approve Purchase of 105 Ashley Mews (CA-8). City Council will consider exercising the City’s right of first refusal to purchase an affordable unit at 105 Ashley Mews. This unit is one of eight homes in the development that were required to remain affordable through a recorded covenant. The current owner is no longer living in the unit as their primary residence, which violates that covenant. By purchasing the home at the restricted price and reselling it to an income-qualified buyer, the City can ensure the unit remains part of our long-term affordable housing stock. Up to 150,000 dollars from the General Fund balance would be used for the purchase and reimbursed once the unit is resold.

 PUBLIC HEARINGS

• UDC Amendment - Marijuana Business -School Buffer (PH-3). This public hearing is on an ordinance change that updates the City’s zoning rules for marijuana businesses. The proposal replaces the 1,000-foot buffer between marijuana businesses and K–12 schools with a 100-foot buffer. The 1,000-foot buffer has prevented some state licenses from being issued even when local zoning allows the use. A clarifying provision notes that school proximity can still be considered when reviewing permit applications. The Planning Commission recommends approval 7-0.

• Ordinance to Amend CH 40 (Trees and Other Vegetation) (PH-4). Council will consider updates to Chapter 40, the City’s ordinance on trees and vegetation. The changes will support our pollinator-friendly yard care goals by aligning the code with practices like reduced mowing and expanded native plantings. The ordinance also adds clearer requirements for maintaining safe sight lines at intersections by ensuring vegetation is trimmed to protect visibility for people walking, biking, and driving. I've been working closely with staff on concerns raised from community members and transportation staff that we specify a height limit within the "sight triangle," which the ordinance defines as 40 feet in each direction from the corner of a curb. These changes have not yet been added to the agenda item in Legistar and may push the item back to first reading. (Sponsors: Akmon, Briggs, Cornell, Disch, Watson)

  
  

  

  
  

There are several items on our agenda relating to the Arbor South project (PH-5, DS-1, DS-2). The Arbor South development team plans to construct 15 new buildings in a dense, mixed-use development around two existing buildings at 777 and 789 E. Eisenhower. The site is zoned TC1 (Transit Corridor). The proposal includes a 150-room hotel; eight apartment buildings with a total of 229 affordable and 839 market-rate units; three restaurant buildings; and three parking structures totaling 2,476 vehicle spaces.

The development as envisioned requires a partnership between the developer and the City and would use Brownfield Tax Increment Financing (TIF) to support major components of the project: primarily the construction of 3 new, city-owned parking garages. I want to share why I do not support the public-private partnership agreement (PPA) and brownfield financing plan associated with this project, and why I have voted no on every item related to financing the parking garages that has come before Council over the past two years.

Arbor South is an ambitious private proposal, and the vision for transforming the project area into something walkable and mixed-use while delivering a significant amount of housing (including affordable units) is compelling. But, fundamentally, I do not find the financing structure to be in the City’s best interest, and do not see the allocation of additional tax dollars generated by this development as consistent with our transportation goals or vision for these transit-oriented corridors.

Under the plan, the City would issue hundreds of millions of dollars in bonds to build and own three large parking structures as part of the first major development in our transit corridor. For roughly 30 years, most, if not all, of the new property tax revenue generated by this development would be committed to repaying debt on these garages. In other words, Ann Arbor would gain more than 1,000 new housing units but see no new tax revenue from this development for a generation to invest in transit service, needed corridor improvements, utilities and infrastructure upgrades, or other basic city services that depend on a healthy tax base. (Note: the brownfield plan estimates that the parking garages would cost $184,866,844 including 5% interest, with another $160,188,060 including 5% interest for “Priority 2 eligible activities” such as utilities, roadway upgrades, and bike and pedestrian improvements. Because Priority 1 costs must be paid first, all additional property tax revenue would go to the parking structures before any Priority 2 work could be reimbursed, and there is no guarantee that sufficient tax revenue will be available for Priority 2 once the garages are paid for.)

Tying up nearly $300 million in future tax revenue primarily for parking structures is not a fiscally sound approach. With more than 1,000 new homes proposed, the City needs a financing model that expands our ability to support transportation and essential services, not one that restricts it for decades. The proposed public-private financing structure does not meet Ann Arbor’s long-term needs.

I'd love to hear from you.

Feel free to reach out any time with your questions, concerns, or ideas:

Email: DAkmon@a2gov.org

Phone/Text: 734-492-5866

There are also several ways to share your thoughts with the full City Council:

• Submit an eComment online

• Email all of Council: CityCouncil@a2gov.org

• Speak at a Council meeting (in person or remote):Call the City Clerk’s office at 734-794-6140 starting at 8 a.m. on the day of the meeting to reserve a speaking time.Note: You do not need to reserve time to speak during a formal public hearing.

Thank you for staying informed and engaged!