Ann Arbor City Council Preview: March 17, 2025

 

Gentle readers, it's #a2Council night in Ann Arbor. Here's the agenda. 

The evening kicks off with a stacked, 23-item consent agenda. Of note, there are 4 street closures: CA-1 for UMix, CA-2 for MUSIC Matters SpringFest, CA-3 for the Forever Go Blue Bash, CA-4 for The Event on Main. Also, CA-7 is for approval for a contract for the Bicentennial Park splash pad, and playground improvements. CA-10 is resolution to direct negotiations of the amended 2857 Packard Consent Agenda. If you're looking for a refresher on 2857 Packard/the Weber Property, here's a an article from the archives: Let's talk about the Weber Property. 

There are 2 public hearings on the docket this evening. PH-1/B-1 is on the second reading of a township island annexation at 1146 S Maple. Excitingly, this is not being annexed as residential, but instead as a PUD. PH-2/DS-2 is for the 1146 S Maple site plan and design agreement. The plan is for a 4 story, 39 unit apartment with 100% affordable units. All the unite will be 652 sqft 1-bedroom units. 

A rendering of the proposed 1146 S Maple building called Hickory Way III

There are 4 ordinance fist readings on tonight's agenda. C-1 is an ordinance to update the fire prevention codes. C-2 is an ordinance to add the Sustainable Energy Utility ordinance to the city codes. C-3 is an update to the UDC to allow pinball parlors in D1 zones. I for one, can envision a future where Ann Arbor is full of arcades. It's very exciting. C-4 is an ordinance that would mean hearings before the design review board would no longer be required. I've heard that this will be postponed tonight though. 

On to the resolution. DC-1 is a resolution to authorize the City Administrator to negotiate city participation in the Arbor South Project. This would help set up a TIF district for the South State TC-1 district. DC-2 is a resolution to revise the 2025 Council Calendar. 

In Praise of Mama Pizza

 

Mama Pizza in the summer

Mama Pizza and Curry House is an incredible, hole-in-the-wall Indian/Pizza fusion restaurant on Hamilton at Michigan Ave. in Ypsilanti. The food is great (try the chicken tikka masala pizza), the setting unpretentious, and the price point is truly incredible. For example:

• Large cheese or pepperoni pizza, $7.99
  
• Chicken wings, 10 for $10.00
• Beer bottles, $2.00 each
• Basic Pizza Slices, $1.50

You can get a beer and two slices of pizza for $5. These are 2015 prices. 

Chicken Tikka Masala Pizza

Their basic cheese pizza is great with a good toothsome dough and flavorful sauce. Importantly: my kids love it and will devour it. It also reheats great the next day. As mentioned above, where Pizza Mama really shines is in the creativity. We've had and enjoyed both the chicken and paneer tikka masala pizzas. The chutney wings are great too. My kids also love the mango lassi which is quite rich and has a hint of cardamom. The menu is far too creative for me to do justice here and includes things like Detroit Style PBJ dessert pizzas or the infamous tuna melt pizza. 

Interior, Mama Pizza and Curry House

If you can, I recommend you dine-in at Mama Pizza. It is a truly unique experience. The small storefront has 4 plastic tables with plastic chairs. Sam, the proprietor, is a gracious host who will enlist diners in testing his latest experiments. We've been invited to try everything from rice pudding and dosas to spicy honey pizza. It might not seem like much, but my family loves eating or pizza in the restaurant and watching the parade of people come in to pick up their togo orders while we sample Sam's latest creations. I really can't recommend Mama Pizza enough. 

Mama Pizza on a frosty night

Ann Arbor City Council Preview: March 3, 2025

 

Gentle readers, tonight is the first #a2Council meeting of March. Here's the agenda. 

The meeting kicks off with a stacked Public Commentary. I'm counting 29, which means 15 will speak before the consent agenda, and 14 will speak at the end of the meeting. 

Then we get to the consent agenda. CA-5 is a contract for street resurfacing. It is strangely controversial because at one of the intersections where this is happening, the neighbors are opposed because they don't feel like they have been consulted enough. I appreciate their concern, but the city is able to make this intersection safer and save money. It is important for the city to prioritize the safety of the broader community. CA-1 is fun, it's approval for the Monroe Street Fair. 

There is one public hearing on the docket this evening. PH-1/B-1 is on the second reading of an ordinance to rezone 0.6 acres from R1C (single family) to PL (public land). 

There is one ordinance first reading on tonight's agenda. C-1 makes some changes to the city's non-conforming structure ordinance. 

On to the resolutions. DC-1 and DC-2 are tabled business from last meeting. They both pertain to the Public Power discourse. The former is to authorize a $1.7m contract to complete an electric grid asset valuation and municipalization study. The latter is to authorize the city to put a ballot initiative forward to authorize the purchase of DTE's infrastructure in the city.  

DC-3 is a resolution to order an election and determine a ballot question for a charter amendment to authorize the sale of the Library Lot to the AADL. For background on the Library Lot Saga, please check out Desolate and Uninviting—The Failure of 2018’s Proposal A and the Future of the Library Lot by Dan Adams. DC-4 is a resolution to determine an election to repeal 2018's Prop A, which established the "Center of the City." Could this be the beginning of the end of the Library Lot Saga? Only time will tell, but this is nevertheless exciting. 

If you want to follow the blow by blow tonight, make sure you check out the #a2Council hashtag on Bluesky. 

Ann Arbor City Council Preview: February 18, 2025

Gentle reader, tonight is a special Tuesday-edition of #a2Council. Here's the agenda. 

The evening kicks off with a healthy, 15-item consent agenda. CA-1, CA-2, CA-3, and CA-4 are all street closures for Take Back the Night, the Burns Park Run, Time to Teal, and Artoberfest, respectively. 

There are three public hearings on the docket tonight. PH-1 is on the second reading of the ordinance to amend the rules for the Public Market Advisory Commission, which oversees the Farmers Market. PH-2/DS-1 is the second reading of a routine township island annexation. The parcels in this annexation are located at 255, 315, 371 Scio Church Road, 2180 Ann Arbor-Saline Road. PH-3/DS-2 is the vacation of Cornwell Place. This is where someone accidentally built into a public space. 

There is one ordinance first reading on the agenda today. C-1 is for a routine township island annexation at 1146 S Maple. 

On to the resolutions. DC-3 is a resolution directing enhanced enforcement of the Bike Lane Ordinance. This is aimed at keeping vehicles and trash cans out of the bike lanes. You love to see this. 

DC-1 and DC-2 are resolutions relating to whether Ann Arbor should build it's own utility. Both have been postponed. DC-1 is to approve a $1.7M professional services agreement with NewGen Strategies and Solutions, LLC to complete grid asset valuation and municipalization study. DC-2 is to authorize city staff to preform the preliminary work to put a the question of acquisition of DTE's assets to a vote and prepare for litigation. There will be lots of callers about these items tonight. 

If you want to follow the blow by blow tonight, make sure you check out the #a2Council hashtag on Bluesky. 

Ann Arbor City Council Preview: February 10, 2025 Working Session

Gentle reader, tonight is a special, working session edition of #a2Council. Here's the agenda. The real meat of it is tonight, Council will be seeing a presentation on the proposed revisions to the Comprehensive Plan. You can see that presentation here. 

Call to action: watch the presentation to council tonight. The meeting starts at 7. Call for public commentary at the end of the meeting and tell them you support an aggressive re-write of Ann Arbor's Comprehensive Land Use Plan to maximize affordability, equity, and sustainability. This means maximizing the amount of new housing allowed in all zones in the city. If you can't call in tonight, you can also email council. 

Previously:

Come see the proposal for the new Comprehensive Land Use Plan tonight at Planning Commission

Ann Arbor City Council Preview: February 3, 2025

Gentle reader, it's #a2Council night in Ann Arbor. Here's the agenda.

The evening kicks off with a modest, 10-item consent agenda. CA-1 and CA-2 are street closures for Fool Moon and FestiFools, respectively. CA-3 is a street closure for the Big House 5k. 

There is one public hearing on the agenda this evening. PH-1/B-1 for the second reading of an ordinance to amend the rules for best value contracting. 

There are two ordinance first readings on the agenda tonight. C-1 is an ordinance to rezone 0.6 Acres from R1C to Public Land at 2570, 2576, and 2582 Dexter Road. Look, I love parks, but I wonder if Ann Arbor wouldn't be better served with housing here, instead of a pocket park. Especially this area, which is within walking distance of 2 grocery stores. 

C-2 is an ordinance to amend the rules for the Public Market Advisory Commission. This is the commission that oversees the Farmers Market. The changes here look like pretty standard updates to commission rules that commissions do from time to time. 

On to the resolutions, or, should I say resolution, because there is only one. DC-1 is a resolution to direct the City Attorney to provide a public legal memorandum regarding the City's intervention in DTE Proceedings before the the Michigan Public Service Commission. 

If you want to follow the blow by blow tonight, make sure you check out the #a2Council hashtag on Bluesky. 

Come see the proposal for the new Comprehensive Land Use Plan tonight at Planning Commission

Proposed future zoning from tonight's Planning Commission Presentation. 

Gentle readers, tonight is a very important meeting of the Planning Commission. Here's the agenda. 

Call to action: please call or write Planning Commission. Tell them that you support the new Comprehensive Land Use Plan but that they should skip the Retail Hub and Innovation Hub districts. While you are at it, encourage smaller minimum lot sizes and a larger and taller downtown. 

The consultants who have been working on the updated Comprehensive Land Use Plan will be presenting their proposal for the new plan. I've been a member of the Comprehensive Land Use Steering Committee, which has advised the consultants during the duration of this process. 

Overall I think the proposed plan does a great job of addressing the goals Council set forth: improving affordability, equity, and sustainability. 

Now I am going to nitpick. 

• I want to make sure that in the low rise residential district, the maximum height is at least 45' and that minimum lot size is no more than 1200 sq ft. This will help to maximize affordability by reducing land costs for projects. It will allow more people to live near transit and their workplaces improving sustainability. You can read more about my lot size thoughts here: Legalize Cottage Courts.
• The Core/Downtown Hub district should be expanded. It should reach at least south to Hoover, east to Washtenaw, and north to the river. I also think the North Main Corridor should be Core/Downtown Hub. This area is well served by transit and close to amenities like the Border to Border Trail. I'd love to see some high rises here to great people when the enter the city from the North. Expanding downtown will have the added benefit of making it more costly for U of M to expand into city land. There should also be no height limit for this district. It's wild that Ann Arbor made one tall building in 1969 and has not built anything even close to that height since then. Bring on true skyscrapers. They skyline is looking too uniform and boxy. As for the case for expanding downtown, check out Abdul Ateya's article here: Improving Housing Affordability by Expanding Downtown.
  
• Finally, I don't think there is any need for the Innovation and Retail districts. My understanding is that these districts would limit the amount of housing that can be built in these zones. To put it plainly, we are in a housing crisis, not a strip mall crisis--well not the sort of crisis where we need to preserve our existing strip malls. These districts go beyond the mandates that council set forth and they add needless complication to the zoning code. If you would like to take a deep dive into this, please check out the Leaf-Levin Memo: Restrictive Districts. 

Again, the call to action for you, gentle reader, is to call-in tonight or email Planning Commission and encourage them to go farther. This is a generational opportunity to begin to address our community's affordability and sustainability crises. The Planning Commission meeting starts tonight at 7. Make sure you follow the #a2Council hashtag on Bluesky for blow by blow coverage. 

Ann Arbor City Council Preview: January 21, 2025

 

Gentle readers, tonight is a special Tuesday edition of #a2Council. Here's the agenda. The meeting is pretty short and a lot of the drama will likely be in the public comments at the start of the meeting. People will be calling in to share their thoughts DC-2, the resolution to authorize the city administrator to engage the AADL in discussion regarding the potential development on the Library Lot. If you want to know what we think about the Library Lot, please read this guest opinion: Desolate and Uninviting—The Failure of 2018’s Proposal A and the Future of the Library Lot.

The meeting kicks off with a scant, 5-item consent agenda. Of note, CA-1, street closures for the Shamrocks and Shenanigans run, March 9th. 

There are no public hearings on the agenda tonight, but there is a ordinance first reading. C-1 is an ordinance to amend the rules around best value procurement. 

On to the resolutions. DC-1 is a resolution authorizing a settlement City of Ann Arbor v 201 N Fourth. My reading of this is that the owner of 201 N Fourth accidentally built onto a city owned alley. My understanding is that this settlement has the 201 N Fourth buying the encroached upon property for an undisclosed price. 

DC-2 is tonight's spicy chili and what many of the public comments will be about. This resolution may be the beginning of the end of the Library Lot Debacle. The Ann Arbor District Library has expressed interest in working with the city to build something on the Library Lot. This resolution directs the administrator to begin working with the AADL on this. It is very exciting to see something happening here. 

Wrapping up the evening we have, DS-1 is a resolution to issue up to $12m in bonds for capital improvements to Fire Station No. 4. 

If you want to follow the blow by blow tonight, make sure you check out the #a2Council hashtag on Bluesky. 

Ann Arbor City Council Preview: January 6, 2025

 

Gentle readers, tonight is the first #a2Council meeting of the new year. Here's the agenda. 

The evening kicks off with a modest, 10-item consent agenda. Of note, CA-1, a resolution to approve $16,000 for mussel relocation relating to the Gallup Bridge construction project. CA-2 is a resolution approving a contract with the shelter association of Washtenaw County for 2024-2025 winter emergency shelter and warming center. 

There are four public hearings on the docket this evening. PH-1/B-1 is for the second reading of an ordinance to amend the Universal Development Coder rules for fences, reimbursements, & public and private utilities. PH-2/B-2 is for the second reading of an ordinance updating the snow emergency parking rules. PH-3/B-3 is for the second reading of the ordinance preventing landlords from charging exorbitant pre-tenancy fees to potential renters. Really glad to see council addressing this. PH-4/DS-1 is a public hearing on setting the cost for selling new city flags. The proposal is $10.00 for a "parade flag" and $65.00 for a "large city flag." 

There are just two resolutions on the agenda this evening. DC-1 is a resolution to approve a contract for legal services with Dykema to take point on the lawsuit stemming from city employees refusing to get vaccinated against COVID. The other is the aforementioned DS-1 pertaining to flag sales. 

If you want to follow the blow by blow tonight, make sure you check out the #a2Council hashtag on Bluesky. 
 

Ann Arbor City Council Preview: December 16, 2024

 

Gentle reader, tonight is the last #a2Council meeting of the year. Here's the agenda. 

The real spicy chili tonight will be during public comment reserved time. Several people will be calling in to protest the elimination of sidewalk gaps. Look, I'm all for saving trees when possible, but the city must prioritize closing sidewalk gaps. A good compromise would be eliminating on-street parking to allow for both trees and sidewalks. 

The meeting kicks off with a modes, 10-item consent agenda. Of note, CA-1 and CA-2 are for park improvements. You love to see it. CA-7 is to accept an election headquarters grant. Nice. 

There is one public hearing on the agenda this evening. PH-1/B-1 is on the second reading of an amendment to the UDC that expands the zones where Child Care Centers and Private Schools can be located. 

There are two ordinance first readings on the docket this evening. C-1 is an ordinance to amend on-street parking rules around snow. C-2 is an ordinance to add a new section to the building code to regulate pre-tenancy fees for renters. Glad to see this coming. 

On to the resolutions: DC-1 is a resolution to amend the rules agreement with Recycle Ann Arbor for running the Drop-Off Station. DC-2 is a resolution to appoint Aaron Cooper and Patricia Manley to the Independent Community Police Oversight Commission. DS-1 is a resolution to authorize publication of the updates to the zoning code from PH-1/B-1. 

If you want to follow the blow by blow tonight, make sure you check out the #a2Council hashtag on Bluesky.