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Ypsilanti Council approves NFPA fire code update, marijuana limit, contracts and Water Street earmark; adopts ethics ordinance
Summary
Ypsilanti City Council adopted the 2024 NFPA fire code, approved limits on marijuana retail permits by attrition, authorized multiple contracts and accepted a $3 million Water Street subrecipient agreement during a meeting that also included extensive public comment on a separate assault caught on video.
Ypsilanti City Council took a cluster of formal actions at its meeting, adopting code updates, approving contracts and grant agreements and passing an amended ethics ordinance. Roll-call votes recorded on multiple agenda items produced unanimous or near-unanimous outcomes on the measures listed below.
Votes at a glance
- Union letter of agreement (collective bargaining): Council moved to approve the letter of agreement for the union and any necessary budgetary amendments to implement it. Motion moved by Councilmember Tucson and supported by Councilmember Simmons. Roll call recorded unanimous "yes" votes and the motion carried.
- Ordinance to adopt the 2024 NFPA 1 fire prevention code (Ordinance 14-52): Council opened and closed a public hearing and approved adopting the 2024 edition of NFPA 1, directing the city manager to implement necessary updates to codes, ordinances and enforcement procedures. The council said the change updates the city’s previous adoption of the 2018 edition and addresses items such as battery storage, power micromobility and emergency communications. Vote: the motion carried unanimously on roll call.
- Marijuana ordinance (Ordinance 14-51) — permits cap by attrition: Council held second reading and adopted amendments to Chapter 7 to limit marijuana retail permits to 12, decreasing to 11 by attrition when one license lapses. The measure passed on second and final reading; council discussion noted the city currently lists 12 operating licensees. Vote: motion carried (recorded as carried by roll call).
- Ethics ordinance (Ordinance 14-50) — board of ethics procedures: Council adopted an amended ethics ordinance on second and final reading. The council amended language in section 46-32 to remove a transitional sentence and clarified that the ethics commission shall elect a chair; council also modified language to allow the mayor or two members of council to request review of items by the board of ethics in certain circumstances. Vote: motion carried following amendments (roll call recorded for amended ordinance).
- Water Street subrecipient agreement / Congressional earmark: Council approved the city manager signing a Washtenaw County subrecipient agreement to receive $3,000,000 in community project funding provided through U.S. Representative Debbie Dingell’s office for Water Street soft costs and redevelopment-related work; the money is an earmark administered through the county. The council authorized the manager to sign the subrecipient agreement pending city attorney review. Vote: approved unanimously.
- GCSI (Government Consulting Services, Inc.) contract extension: Council approved extending the city’s contract with Government Consulting Services Inc. for one year, from 10/01/2025 to 09/30/2026, at $3,000 per month. Councilmembers discussed reporting and deliverables; the consultant described regular monitoring, relationship-building in Lansing and grant advocacy. Vote: motion carried (roll call recorded: majority yes; recorded as carried).
- Arborcut Tree Service contract (tree removals/maintenance): Council approved awarding a bid to Arborcut Tree Service in the amount of $36,590 for tree removal and maintenance work; council removed one address (57 E. Forest) from the contract scope at a resident’s request after confirming arborist review. Vote: motion carried unanimously.
- OHM (construction engineering) contract for fire and police station concrete/retaining-wall repair: Council approved a professional-services agreement not to exceed $38,400 for construction engineering services with OHM. Vote: motion carried unanimously.
- Minutes approval and meeting extension: Council approved minutes of the 08/12/2025 regular meeting and later voted to extend the meeting to 10:30 p.m. (motion carried).
What council said and next steps
Council members asked staff and outside contractors for clearer reporting on outcomes and deliverables: several members requested quarterly or annual summaries from the city’s lobbying contractor (GCSI), and staff agreed to provide a better tracking report on code-enforcement activity. On Water Street, staff said the county has already received funds and the city will submit costs for reimbursement; staff noted the project’s lengthy grant period and confirmed the funds will be used for testing and soft costs rather than removal work.
Several agenda items passed with unanimous votes after roll call; where the transcript recorded full roll-call results, votes were recorded as unanimous. Where specific vote tallies were not read aloud, motions were announced as carried and the clerk recorded the roll.
Ending: Council approved the listed ordinances, contracts and agreements and directed staff to continue contract implementation, return with requested reports on lobbying deliverables and code-enforcement trends, and pursue administrative steps required to implement NFPA 1 updates and Water Street project tasks.
