Dharma's Council Newsletter, October 19, 2025

Neighbors,

City Council meets next on Monday, October 20 at 7 p.m. Before my agenda highlights, I want to let you know that...

Ann Arbor Launches New Open Data Portal

The City of Ann Arbor has launched a new Open Data Portal, offering charts, graphs, and interactive maps that give residents a deeper look into how our city operates: data.a2gov.org.

This portal advances the City’s commitment to transparency and accountability under City Council Resolution R-23-331, Resolution to Improve Data Transparency and Performance Management. By making information clear and accessible, we empower residents to better understand city decisions, engage in shaping policy, and hold us accountable.

I’m proud to have helped move this initiative forward and look forward to seeing how our community uses these tools as well as to how we can leverage it to share data directly tied to the City's goals.

City Council Meeting, Monday, October 20 at 7 p.m.

• Meeting Agenda

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

Agenda Highlights

CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS

• Distribute Ann Arbor Comprehensive Plan for Review CA-3). City Council will consider a resolution to approve the distribution of the proposed Ann Arbor Comprehensive Land Use Plan for public review and comment. This marks an important milestone in a land use revision project that began in the summer of 2023. If Council approves distribution, the plan will enter a 63-day public review period before returning to the Planning Commission for a public hearing and final recommendation. Council will then consider final adoption early in the new year. The full draft plan and appendices are available on the City’s website for review: https://engage.a2gov.org/comprehensive-land-use-plan (Draft 3). (Planning Commission recommended approval in an 8-0 vote).

PUBLIC HEARINGS

• The Crescent Rezoning (PH-3). This public hearing relates to the rezoning request for 2525 Ann Arbor-Saline Road, a long-vacant 4.16-acre site next to Cranbrook Village. The proposal, called The Crescent, would rezone the property from Office to R4E (multiple-family) to allow a five-story, 262-unit apartment building with underground parking, bike storage, and resident amenities. Staff recommend approval, noting the site’s proximity to major roads, shopping, and transit makes it a strong location for high-density housing. The plan includes a new crosswalk across Ann Arbor-Saline Road, a redesigned and narrowed curb cut at Ann Arbor-Saline to improve pedestrian safety, and a crosswalk across Oakbrook Drive to connect to Cranbrook Park. I’ve raised concerns that residents have shared with me about safety along this corridor, especially for people walking. While the developer’s consultant suggested a new traffic signal, staff determined a signal isn’t warranted and could actually increase the risk of crashes. Planning Commission recommended approval in a 6-1 vote. (You need not sign up in advance to speak at a public hearing item.)

  ORDINANCES AT SECOND READING

• The Crescent Site Plan (B-4). City Council will also consider approval of The Crescent site plan and development agreement for 2525 Ann Arbor-Saline Road. The development agreement outlines installation of two new crosswalks—one across Ann Arbor-Saline and another across Oakbrook Drive—along with a redesigned curb cut, on-site stormwater management, and sidewalk improvements. (Planning Commission recommended approval in an 6-1 vote).

 ORDINANCES AT FIRST READING

• UDC Amendment - Marijuana Business -School Buffer Elimination (C-3). Council will consider an ordinance amendment to remove the 1,000-foot buffer between marijuana businesses and K–12 schools. This change addresses conflicts between city zoning and evolving state licensing rules that have prevented some approved sites from receiving state licenses. The amendment also shifts certain reporting requirements (energy used, water used, and sanitary sewer discharge from a marijuana grower) from annual to “upon request,” while maintaining that proximity to schools can still be considered when reviewing applications. Planning Commission unanimously recommended approval (7–0) and also suggested Council consider removing the current citywide cap of 28 retail locations in the future.

• Ordinance to Amend CH 40 (Trees and Other Vegetation) (C-4). This ordinance updates Chapter 40 (Trees and Other Vegetation) to better support pollinator habitat and focus enforcement on public safety rather than aesthetics. It builds on the City’s efforts to promote native planting and biodiversity by removing the outdated rule that limited vegetation outside a garden bed to 12 inches in height—a standard that has sometimes penalized residents for eco-friendly landscaping. If passed, under the updated ordinance, property owners must simply ensure that vegetation doesn’t block sidewalks or streets, obscure sightlines at intersections, or create hazards for people walking, biking, or driving. The change aligns City code with our sustainability and Vision Zero goals, making it easier for residents to maintain pollinator-friendly yards while keeping public spaces safe and accessible. (Sponsors: Akmon, Briggs, Cornell, and Disch).

CITY COUNCIL SPONSORED RESOLUTIONS

• Resolution to Rescind Resolution R-25-383 and Approve a Subrecipient Agreement with United Association of Plumbers & Pipefitters Local 190 to Lead Workforce Development as Part of the U.S. Department of Energy District Geothermal Grant (DC-1). Some questions have been raised about the City’s $560,000 workforce development grant connected to the Bryant Neighborhood geothermal project. To be clear, we know now that the resolution Council approved on October 6 contained an administrative error: it listed the wrong legal entity as the subrecipient. When this was discovered, staff confirmed that the intended and appropriate partner is the United Association of Plumbers & Pipefitters Local 190. Council will vote on October 20 to formally correct that error with this resolution. Before City Council learned of an administrative error, I called the City Attorney to ask directly whether there was any conflict of interest related to Council Member Eyer’s vote. I was told there was not—the recipient named in the original resolution was an entirely separate legal entity from the one with which Council Member Eyer has done consulting work. A trained local workforce is essential to our clean energy transition. This partnership will help ensure that the skills needed for geothermal installation and maintenance are developed right here in Ann Arbor to support our A2Zero carbon neutrality goals.

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!