Ann Arbor City Council Preview: January 19, 2021

 

Gentle readers, it's #a2council night in Ann Arbor. Here's the agenda. If you want to take a deeper dive into the agenda, make sure you check out the latest episode of the A2AF podcast. 

The evening kicks off with a short 8 item consent agenda. CA-5 is a resolution to fill a sidewalk gap on Jackson Road. CA-6 is a resolution to start a sidewalk gap elimination project. I am happy to see these happening. 

There are 4 public hearings on the agenda tonight. PH-1/B-1 is on an update that looks like it clears up some ambiguity/errors in the zoning code. PH-2/B-2 adds rules for electric vehicle parking.  PH-3/B-3 approves the PUD Zoning for the new Lockwood project at 2195 Ellsworth. PH-4/B-4 is the rezoning for 2111 Packard. This is changing the zoning from Parking to Fringe Commercial. This is really exciting because it will allow a parking lot to be replaced with mixed use. 

Further along the agenda we have DC-1 is a resolution to adopt board of review guidelines for the poverty exemption for property taxes. DC-2 appoints three people to the council of the commons. 

I am super excited about DC-3, which rescinds R-19-139. If you will recall, R-19-139 took the decision to make road diets away from the city's transportation staff and gave it to council. Road diets are great, they make roads safer for all users: drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians. Also, most people in the city support moderate to substantial increases in driving time if that makes roads safer. Check out this graphic from the 2015 Citizen Priorities Survey. 

DC-4 is a notice of Violation to Gelman. DC-5 is an implementation of the Healthy Streets program for 2021. I don't have the report at the tip of my fingers but the 2020 program did a great job keeping people from speeding. DC-6 is a one-step appointment of Makiah Shipp to the ICPOC. Finally, we have DC-8 which is requesting a legal memo about using curse words during public commentary. This is probably the spiciest chili of the night. 

As always, 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.

Ann Arbor City Council Preview: January 4, 2021

 

Gentle reader, today is the first #a2council meeting of 2021. Here's the agenda. 

The evening kicks off with an 11 item consent agenda. Of note, CA-8, which is purchasing road salt. The consent agenda is pretty light this evening. 

There are two public hearings on the docket tonight. PH-1/B-1 is an ordinance to initiate the next round to township island annexations. PH-2/B-2 is the second reading of an ordinance dealing with new rules for building in floodplains. 

Further down the agenda, DC-1, is a resolution to reconsider the resolution to purchase Axon Body Cameras for the AAPD. DC-2, is a resolution for Ann Arbor to join the Washtenaw Regional Resource Management Authority, which would be a regional solid waste authority. When this came forward initially, there was some fear that the new authority may not be as union friendly as Ann Arbor. Word on the street is that this might get pulled tonight to make confirm there are more robust labor protections this time around. Finally we get to, DB-1, a resolution to approve the distribution of the draft transportation master plan. Very excited to see this going out. 

The spiciest chili of the night is not even on the agenda. Last night at the Council Caucus CM Griswold indicated she might bring back the water rate increase for reconsideration. 

If you'd like a deeper dive into a couple of the agenda items, make sure you check out the latest episode of the A2 AF podcast. Hosts Jessica Letaw, Molly Kleinman, and Michelle Hughes take a deep dive into township island annexation, the Washtenaw Regional Resource Management Authority, the draft transportation master plan, and more. It's a great listen

As always, 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.