Neighbors,
City Council meets on Monday, October 21st at 7pm. We have a light agenda this week. Here are some updates before my preview of our agenda.
Ward 4 Coffee Hour, November 17th
I will host my next Ward 4 coffee hour on Sunday, November 17 at 11am at York. I hope to see you there!
That Old Oak Tree in Mushroom Park
Over the last year, I've heard from several Ward 4 residents about the 250+-year-old white oak (the second oldest white oak in Ann Arbor!) in Mushroom Park. Voicing concerns about the health of the tree, residents have wondered if the City can do anything to halt the tree's decline. City staff first learned this tree was not looking healthy in 2019. City forestry staff recommended pruning during the dormant season. During the park tree inventory in 2021, the tree was marked as being in “Fair” condition. In early 2024, staff contacted an outside forestry contractor to assess the condition of the tree and give recommendations on treatment. They gave multiple options (remove turf grass, add compost, and mulch), but, sadly, they were not optimistic that the tree would survive in the long-term. The consultant and forestry staff and ISA Certified Arborists have come to the conclusion that the tree is too far gone and is in natural decline. Still, the options above were brought to the Elizabeth Dean Fund Committee for consideration. Due to the condition of the tree, the committee opted to support the park with succession planting to begin this fall. Parks staff are exploring options for repurposing the wood from the tree to be used in the park. If the wood is suitable, one option might be using the logs from the tree to build a natural playground.
Information about the Upcoming November 5th General Election
Everything you want to know about voting in Ann Arbor, including how to register, where to vote, and how to participate in early voting, can be found on the City's website at: www.a2gov.org/elections.
University of Michigan College Democrats say "Vote NO" on Props C and D!
City Council Meeting, Monday, October 21 at 7pm
Responses to Council Member Questions: no agenda questions were received for this meeting.
Agenda Highlights
Ordinance to Add New Section 9.155.1 of Chapter 112 (Non-Discrimination) (Right to Sit) (PH-4). This new ordinance would require that employers who employ any individuals in any business, such as manufacturing, retail, store, department store, laundry, hotel, restaurant, fast food and drive thru establishments, hairdressers, barbers, and estheticians, shall, regardless of any disability or not, permit employees to sit when sitting does not interfere with the duties of their employment. Complaints would be handled by Ann Arbor's Human Rights Commission. Right to sit laws exist in many states, some cities, and all across Europe. (Sponsors: Ghazi-Edwin, Watson, Radina, Harrison) (NOTE: the public need not sign up in advance to comment on this item).
Ordinance to Amend Section 9:103 Of Chapter 111 (Fire Prevention) Of Title IX of the Code of the City of Ann Arbor (C-1). According to staff, the 2015 edition of the International Fire Code is currently in conflict with policy direction regarding protected bike lanes. In particular, where vertical building height exceeds 30 feet, the IFC requires that, “Aerial fire apparatus access roads shall have a minimum unobstructed width of 26 feet, exclusive of shoulders, in the immediate vicinity of the building or portion thereof.” Staff are continually finding there is not enough road width, especially within the Downtown Development Authority (DDA), to allow for these 26 feet along with protected bike lanes. The "International Fire Code" is actually a U.S. standard, not an international one, and it has had considerable impact on US street design. A report by the National Association of City Transportation Officials notes that "Accommodating the largest vehicles on the street — often emergency response vehicles or municipal refuse vehicles — prevents cities from redesigning streets for safer speeds and reduced crossing distances. Even as street designs with narrower lanes, smaller turning radii, and decreased crossing distances are shown to increase street safety, larger vehices require wider lanes, larger turning radii, and significant space to maneuver and park, preventing street designers from making street improvements that improve safety for everyone." Rather than seeing this as a zero sum game in which we can have either effective emergency response or safer streets, we need to take a more holistic view that takes protecting human life as the goal. Narrow streets are safer, and rapid emergency response need not clash with our goals to make streets safer.
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.
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