Archive for November, 2013

The Ann Arbor city council has given initial approval to a change to the city’s ordinances so that the charitable distribution of goods for basic human needs could be conducted in city parks without incurring a fee for park use. The proposal is not restricted to downtown parks, but the idea originated from an issue that emerged in connection with Liberty Plaza, which is a downtown park.

The council’s initial approval came at its Nov. 7, 2013 meeting. Ordinance changes require an initial approval, followed by a second approval at a subsequent meeting.

The recommendation for the ordinance change came from the city’s park advisory commission at its Sept. 17, 2013 meeting. This broader policy change comes three months after the … [Full Story]

In a press release issued around 5 p.m. on Nov. 7, 2013, Ann Arbor police chief John Seto has announced that three suspects have been arrested in the Paul DeWolf homicide. From the press release:
On July 24, 2013, the Ann Arbor Police responded to the 200 block of N. Ingalls where Paul DeWolf, a U of M medical school student and Air Force Second Lieutenant, was found deceased in his apartment. An autopsy revealed that he died from a gunshot wound. No firearm was recovered from the scene and his death was investigated as a homicide.

After an intensive investigation, the Ann Arbor Police Department has made three arrests. No other suspects are believed to be outstanding. There does not appear … [Full Story]

Editor’s note: This “Live Updates” coverage of the Ann Arbor city council’s Nov. 7, 2013 meeting includes all the material from an earlier preview article. We think that will facilitate easier navigation from live-update material to background material already in the file.

The Thursday meeting, shifted from its usual Monday slot due to the Tuesday elections, is the last one with the current composition of the 11-member council. The outcome of Tuesday’s elections left all incumbents in place except for Marcia Higgins (Ward 4), whose departure was decided in the August Democratic primary. Ward 4 primary winner Jack Eaton will be the single new face on the council at its Nov. 18 meeting. At the Nov. 7 meeting, Higgins will likely receive a customary parting gift from her colleagues, to acknowledge her 14 years of service on the council.

The agenda is relatively heavy, featuring at least 34 voting items. This preview includes a more detailed explanation of several of those items, but first provides a thematic overview.

The city’s downtown factors prominently on the agenda in at least three ways. The city council will be asked to consider passing a resolution to direct the city administrator to negotiate a sales agreement for the city-owned property along William Street between Fourth and Fifth avenues, known as the old Y lot. The council will also be considering a revision to the city ordinance regulating the tax increment finance (TIF) capture of the Ann Arbor Downtown Development Authority. That’s been on the agenda since February, but now a committee of councilmembers and DDA board members has put forth a competing recommendation, which will also be on the Nov. 7 agenda.

Also related to downtown, the council will be formally accepting a report completed by the city’s park advisory commission with recommendations related to downtown parks.

Non-motorized issues also factor prominently as a theme of the Nov. 7 agenda. In addition to an update of the city’s non-motorized transportation plan, the council will consider establishing a pedestrian safety task force. The council’s agenda also includes the first of a series of resolutions for two separate sidewalk projects – one on Stone School Road and another on Scio Church Road. The council’s resolutions for those projects, directing the design work and detailed cost estimates, are the first actions necessary for some of the funding of the sidewalks to be special assessed to the adjacent property owners.

An additional project related to non-motorized issues, but not obviously so, is a contract with the Michigan Dept. of Transportation to resurface a portion of Huron Street from Main Street westward as Huron becomes Jackson Avenue on to I-94, as well as a section of South Maple. The intent is to re-stripe the roadway, reducing the lanes from four to three and adding bicycle lanes.

The sidewalk and street projects are among several capital improvement-related items on the agenda, including one that would help stabilize the earthen berm adjacent to Barton Dam. The council will also be considering a half dozen resolutions that will authorize applying for state grants that could fund capital asset projects for the city.

In addition to the items related to the city’s physical infrastructure, the council has several items that could be described as relating to the city’s social infrastructure. Those items relate to grants from the state and federal government to the 15th District Court for several of its specialty courts that focus on drug offenses, domestic violence, and veterans issues. The council will also be asked to approve a modified continuation of its coordinated funding approach to human services.

The agenda includes some council initiatives announced at the council’s previous meeting on Oct. 21. One of those is a resolution requesting that the University of Michigan decommission a recently constructed digital billboard near the football stadium.

Another one is a resolution directing the education of city officials on professional conduct. Related tangentially to those ethical considerations are the approvals of new bylaws for two of the city’s boards and commissions – the planning commission and the design review board.

This article includes a more detailed preview of many of these agenda items. More details on other meeting agenda items are available on the city’s online Legistar system. Readers can also follow the live meeting proceedings Thursday evening on Channel 16, streamed online by Community Television Network.

The Chronicle will be filing live updates from city council chambers during the meeting, published in this article below the preview material. Click here to skip the preview section and go directly to the live updates. The meeting is scheduled to start at 7 p.m. [Full Story]

The University of Michigan has set a $4 billion goal for its current fundraising campaign, called Victors for Michigan. The Nov. 7 kickoff event in Ann Arbor included news that $1 billion of that total would be raised for student financial aid and scholarships. If successful, it would be the most ever raised by a public university, and would exceed UM’s previous campaign of $3.2 billion. [Source] [Source]

Two actions related to a tax to support economic development and agriculture were taken at the Nov. 6, 2013 meeting of the Washtenaw County board of commissioners. During public commentary, the board also heard from two people who objected to the tax levy, including Bill McMaster of Taxpayers United.

On a 7-1 vote, the board gave final approval to an increase in the levy of the economic development and agricultural tax, known as Act 88 of 1913. The increase to the Act 88 millage is from 0.06 mills to 0.07 mills. Dan Smith (R-District 2) dissented and Rolland Sizemore Jr. (D-District 5) had left the meeting by the time the vote occurred, just after midnight.

The millage will be levied … [Full Story]

Following about three hours of debate and some minor amendments, Washtenaw County commissioners gave initial approval to a proposed four-year general fund budget, for the years 2014-2017. The 7-2 vote came over the dissent of Dan Smith (R-District 2) and Ronnie Peterson (D-District 6). The budget must be approved by the end of the year, and there are only two more board meetings scheduled: On Nov. 20 and Dec. 4.

The $103,005,127 million budget for 2014 – which represents a slight decrease from the 2013 expenditures of $103,218,903 – includes putting a net total of 8.47 full-time-equivalent jobs on “hold vacant” status, as well as the net reduction of a 0.3 FTE position. The recommended budgets for the following years are … [Full Story]

Washtenaw County commissioners have voted to extend the coordinated funding approach for human services, as well as to authorize some changes in that funding model. The unanimous vote occurred at the county board’s Nov. 6, 2013 meeting. Initial approval had been given on Oct. 16, 2013, over dissent from Dan Smith (R-District 2).

No dollar amounts were allocated, but the resolution authorizes the allocation of children’s well-being and human services funding for 2014 through 2016. It authorizes the continued management of those funds through the county’s office of community & economic development, using the coordinated funding approach – with some modifications.

The county is one of five partners in the coordinated funding approach. Other partners are city of Ann Arbor, United … [Full Story]

The Washtenaw County commissioners have appointed members of a 13-member advisory committee to look at options for the county-owned Platt Road site in Ann Arbor, where the old juvenile center was located. The action came at the board’s Nov. 6, 2013 meeting.

Members are: county commissioners Yousef Rabhi and Andy LaBarre, who both represent districts in Ann Arbor; Ann Arbor city councilmember Christopher Taylor; three county senior managers – Bob Tetens, Mary Jo Callan and Greg Dill; Jennifer Hall, director of the Ann Arbor housing commission; and six residents – Jeannine Palms, Vickie Wellman, Amy Freundl, Ron Emaus, Peter Vincent and Robb Burroughs.

The board had voted to create the committee at its Sept. 18, 2013 meeting. The idea of an … [Full Story]

At its Nov. 6, 2013 meeting, the Washtenaw County board of commissioners gave final approval to a brownfield plan by the Chelsea Milling Co., makers of Jiffy Mix. Initial approval had been given on Oct. 16, 2013. [.pdf of brownfield plan]

The plan relates to a renovation of an abandoned 77,700-square-foot warehouse at 140 Buchanan in the city of Chelsea. The company plans to invest more than $4 million in the project, according to a staff memo that accompanied the Oct. 16 resolution.

Brownfield status allows the company to be reimbursed for up to $376,805 in eligible activities through tax increment financing (TIF). The total amount to be captured through TIF over 16 years is $580,677, which includes fees … [Full Story]

A second public hearing to get input on the 2014-2017 budget for Washtenaw County was scheduled by the county board of commissioners at its Nov. 6, 2013 meeting. The hearing will be held on Nov. 20, and follows a previous hearing on Oct. 16, 2013. No one spoke at that hearing, which was held after midnight as part of a meeting that lasted over six hours.

County administrator Verna McDaniel and her finance staff had presented the budget on Oct. 2, 2013. The board gave initial approval to the budget on Nov. 6, with some amendments, on a 7-2 vote over the dissent of Dan Smith (R-District 2) and Ronnie Peterson (D-District 6).

The $103,005,127 million budget for 2014 – … [Full Story]

Washtenaw County government will have a portion of its taxes captured by Pittsfield Township’s State Street corridor improvement authority (CIA), following final approval by county commissioners at their Nov. 6, 2013 meeting. The final vote was unanimous. An initial vote had been taken on Oct. 16, 2013, over dissent by Dan Smith (R-District 2).

The resolution authorizes the county administrator to sign a tax-sharing agreement with Pittsfield Township and the State Street CIA, which is overseen by an appointed board. [.pdf of agreement] The agreement would allow the CIA to capture 50% of any county taxes levied on new development within the corridor boundaries, not to exceed $3,850,464 over a 20-year period, through 2033. The purpose is to … [Full Story]

At their Nov. 6, 2013 meeting, Washtenaw County commissioners unanimously approved an amendment to a resolution that authorized the levy of a millage for services to indigent veterans. Commissioners had passed the original resolution on Oct. 16, 2013.

That original resolution stated that the millage would only be assessed against real property in Washtenaw County. In fact, the intent is to assess the millage against all property located in the county. The resolution approved on Nov. 6 clarifies that intent.

The county will levy a 0.0333 mill tax for indigent veterans services. The new rate of 1/30th of a mill will be levied in December 2013 to fund services in 2014. It’s expected to generate $463,160 in revenues. The previous rate, … [Full Story]

Ellen Rabinowitz has been appointed as interim health officer for Washtenaw County, in action taken by the county board of commissioners at its Nov. 6, 2013 meeting. She currently serves as executive director of the Washtenaw Health Plan, a job that she’ll continue to hold.

The appointment is spurred by the retirement of current health officer Dick Fleece, effective Dec. 28. The position is mandated by the state, and requires a graduate degree and 5 years of full-time public health administration. Responsibilities include overseeing the county’s public health department.

According to a memo that accompanied the appointment resolution, the interim status will allow for time to make a decision about the permanent appointment. Both the interim and permanent appointments require approval … [Full Story]

In response to a debate at the Ann Arbor planning commission’s Oct. 15, 2013 meeting, commissioners are weighing a revision to their bylaws that clarifies the rules for speaking turns at public hearings. The revisions were brought up for review at the commission’s Nov. 6, 2013 meeting, but no vote was taken.

The idea would be to clarify the definition of a public hearing so that when a matter is postponed, its public hearing is continued – as opposed to starting a fresh public hearing. Applying a time limit of three minutes for each speaker would effectively rule out a situation where a person could speak multiple times in a public hearing on the same matter. But the bylaw revision … [Full Story]

In a third-quarter update on the 2013 budget, the Washtenaw County administration is projecting a budget surplus of $1,079,748. County administrator Verna McDaniel and the finance staff delivered the update at the Nov. 6, 2013 meeting of the county board of commissioners.

The expected surplus is higher than the one projected earlier this year. During a second-quarter 2013 budget update that the county’s financial staff delivered on Aug. 7, 2013, a $245,814 general fund surplus was projected for the year.

The surplus is attributed in part to higher-than-expected general fund revenues of $103,805,884 – compared to $99,722,141 in the 2013 budget that county commissioners approved late last year. Total expenditures are expected to reach $102,726,136.

The surplus means that the county will … [Full Story]

For the third time in the past month, Ann Arbor planning commissioners heard public input on a consultant’s report with recommendations to changes in the city’s downtown zoning. The item on the commission’s Nov. 6, 2013 agenda included the continuation of a public hearing that began on Oct. 15, 2013. The commission will take up the issue again on Nov. 11 12 with an eye toward eventually making a recommendation to the city council.

The majority sentiment among the nearly dozen people who addressed the commission was that the consultant’s recommendations did not adequately address the need for buffering between areas zoned D1 and those zoned residential. However, the owner of the property on the southeast corner of William … [Full Story]

As part of their ongoing budget discussion, Washtenaw County commissioners have given initial approval to a set of desired “community outcomes” tied to five budget priorities previously identified by the board. The action took place as the board’s Nov. 6, 2013 meeting. [.pdf of community outcomes resolution]

The board had approved the budget priorities at its July 24, 2013 meeting. The priorities are weighted in order of importance:

Ensure a community safety net through health and human services;

Increase economic opportunity and workforce development;

Ensure mobility and civic infrastructure for Washtenaw County residents;

Reduce environmental impact.

The board also had set an additional priority of internal labor force sustainability and effectiveness.

Although the proposed budget has been an underlying topic of discussion throughout the year, … [Full Story]

The proposed Traverwood Apartments – a complex of 16 two-story buildings on the west side of Traverwood Drive, north of Plymouth Road – took another step forward in the city’s approval process following action at the Nov. 6, 2013 meeting of the Ann Arbor planning commission. Commissioners recommended approval of the site plan, development agreement, rezoning and wetland use permit.

The project is being developed by Ann Arbor-based First Martin Corp. Action had been postponed at the commission’s Sept. 17, 2013 meeting due to outstanding issues related … [Full Story]