Monday, July 20, 2020

Ann Arbor City Council Preview: July 20, 2020

Gentle reader, tonight is the last #a2council meeting before the August Primary. Exciting. Here's the agenda.

The evening starts off with a modest, 9 item consent agenda. The biggest item here is CA-9, the agreement with Recycle Ann Arbor to lease the Materials Recovery Facility. I am not going to do this next part justice, but there has been a lot of disruption in the recycled materials market and this has lead to some issues with the city's recycling. There is a ton more here but I don't know it off the top of my head and it's already late in the day. Oh, also there is CA-2, which is the city's Zoom subscription.

There are three public hearings tonight. PH-1/B-1 is on the rezoning of 3611-3621 Plymouth from PUD to C3 (fringe commercial district). Right now this is a Red Roof Inn and a Panera. There is a proposal for a larger, 5-story hotel and a Panera. This requires a variance and there was some opposition at the last #a2council meeting so we may not see this eminently reasonable project pass. PH-2/DB-1 is approval of the site plan for the aforementioned projet. PH-3/B-2 is an ordinance to amend the city's rules for purchasing, contracting, and selling. I am going to be honest gentle reader, I have not read this.

C-2 is a rezoning of 2800 Jackson Road from R5 (Hotel) to C3 (fringe commercial district). Another big item on the agenda is C-3. This is the first reading of an ordinance that would regulate short term rentals (Air B&B/VRBO). Upon a quick reading this seems pretty moderate.

Elsewhere we have DC-4 which would implement a "Rooney Rule" for non-union hires. This would mean that for every-non union hire the city would need to interview at least one non cis-hetro-white male. DC-5 is a resolution declaring racism a public health crisis in Washtenw County.

DC-6 is a resolution to put an affordable housing millage on the November ballot. There was a lot of talk at last night's Caucus meeting about postponing this til the first meeting in August to "get it right." I expect there will be extensive debate on this one tonight.

DS-1 order an election and determine the ballot question for charter amendment for a 2022 Street, Bridge, and Sidewalk Millage. DS-2 is a resolution of intent for said millage. DS-3 is a resolution to order an election and to determine a ballot question for a charter amendment for the 2021 new sidewalk construction millage.

Gentle reader, I am probably forgetting some very important items here. What agenda items are you most looking forward to seeing. I am guessing that tonight will be another late night around the virtual council table. Hopefully we will see you there. The CTN stream starts at 7 pm. Make sure you follow the action on the #a2council hashtag.

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