The Ann Arbor City Council gathered at Larcom City Hall Tuesday evening to hear proposals and pass resolutions on public utility developments in downtown Ann Arbor.
The meeting opened with a proposal presented by Maura Thomson, Ann Arbor Downtown Development Authority executive director, to expand the DDA’s role in downtown maintenance through capital investments to support the upkeep of downtown Ann Arbor.
“We recognize that the cleanliness and maintenance of our downtown is really a reflection on our city,” Thomson said. “We would like to see the DDA take a larger role in that service and maintenance.”
Thomson proposed contractually hiring a downtown service team of workers responsible for sidewalk and curbside cleaning, weed control, trash removal and the removal of graffiti and handbills.
“(The DDA is) proposing doing so using a model similar to how we operate our downtown parking structures, where we contract with one vendor who then fully manages a team of employees,” Thomson said. “In this case, it would be a team of downtown service employees.”
Thomson also proposed the expansion of the DDA governance boundary line. Currently, the DDA operates more than 67 blocks of Ann Arbor property. Thomson did not offer specifics on the proposed new boundary.
The community comments portion of the meeting followed, including a discussion of resolution DC-2 regarding the use of the Library Lane Parking Structure of the Ann Arbor District Library downtown branch for housing development. The proposal would facilitate further discussion with the City Administrator about the replacement of the structure with additional housing, as well as renovations to the existing library building. In 2018, the city of Ann Arbor voted to pass Proposal A, amending the Ann Arbor city charter to designate the library parking structure parking lot as an urban park and civic commons shared space, meaning it could not be developed. If the development is deemed viable, the charter would need to be amended.
All 13 community members who spoke on DC-2 supported the plan, including Ann Arbor resident Adam Jaskiewicz.
“I’m excited about the possibility of housing being built at this location and the potential of having it be part of one of our common spaces, our library,” Jaskiewicz said. “The Ann Arbor District Library is one of our most beloved local institutions.”
Ann Arbor resident Jean Leverich expressed concern that the parking structure is in poor condition and is unable to meet the community’s needs.
“It seems to me that this proposal is a win-win,” Leverich said. “It’s a win for the library, for housing in our community, for sustainability, for the civic commons and for our tax base.”
Ann Arbor City Councilmember Cynthia Harrison, D-Ward 1, said the proposal would address the community’s pressing need for accessible and affordable housing.
“I can’t think of a better use for the space than to make it a true civic commons, a place where people can live, learn and connect,” Harrison said. “By engaging the library, the city, affordable housing, developers and the community in this vision, we can deliver a space that doesn’t just serve today’s needs but becomes a lasting symbol of what Ann Arbor can achieve when we work together.”
The council voted to approve proposal DC-2, allowing for further discussion towards renovation. Councilmember Jen Eyer, D-Ward 4, said the space is currently underutilized in its public benefit potential.
“We have a crisis: We don’t have enough housing for people who live downtown,” Eyre said. “We need public spaces as part of placemaking to attract investment, to attract new housing, to attract people to the commercial uses in the area.”
The council also approved resolution CA-1, to allow street closures for the Shamrocks and Shenanigans 5K Run; resolution CA-2, to amend Ann Arbor’s public and private utilities code; resolution CA-3, to accept funding for water treatment plant services; resolution CA-4, to amend city property acquisition procedure; and resolution CA-5, to appoint Jordan Roberts as the City of Ann Arbor public services area administrator. Ann Arbor Mayor Christopher Taylor thanked Sue McCormick for serving as interim public services area administrator and welcomed Roberts to the position.
“I would like to welcome Mr. Roberts to the city,” Taylor said. “The public services area is obviously a place where the road meets the rubber, and it’s great to have a leader of his caliber to join us.”
The council also approved resolution DC-1, to authorize settlement of City of Ann Arbor v. 201 N Fourth et al.; resolution C-1 to amend city purchasing, contracting and selling procedure; and resolution DS-1, to issue funding towards the replacement of Fire Station No. 4.
Daily Staff Reporter Sarah Spencer can be reached at sarahsp@umich.edu.
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