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Council approves multiple rate and rezoning ordinances; several items postponed
Summary
The Ann Arbor City Council approved ordinances on water, sewer and stormwater rates, alarm systems and several rezonings and land-use code changes on May 5, 2025. Council postponed the green rental housing ordinance and three consent-agenda items to the next meeting.
Ann Arbor City Council on May 5 approved a package of routine and land‑use measures and postponed several items for later consideration.
Council voted to adopt ordinances amending city codes and rates including updates to alarm systems and amendments to water, sewer and stormwater rate sections of the city code. The council also approved a set of rezoning measures and a small change to the planned unit development (PUD) modification rules. By a separate vote, council approved rezoning to permit redevelopment of the downtown library site to a D1 Downtown Core District.
Why it matters: the measures update utility rates and remove barriers to specific public‑land and redevelopment projects. The PUD change modifies how owners may seek parcel‑level changes inside a PUD. The library rezoning is an enabling step for a planned downtown library redevelopment that could include housing, retail and public space.
Key actions and outcomes - Alarm-systems ordinance (amend Chapter 93, Title 7): approved after brief motion; no roll-call tally recorded in the meeting record. - Water rates (amend Sec. 2‑63, Chapter 29, Title 2): approved. - Stormwater rates (amend Sec. 2‑69, Chapter 29, Title 2): approved. - Sewer rates (amend Sec. 2‑64, Chapter 29, Title 2): approved. - Rezoning for Ann Arbor Public Schools properties at Stone School Road (three separate rezonings): approved. - Hickory Nature Area expansion (rezoning ~9.859 acres to Public Land): approved; council noted it will remain a nature area. - Downtown Library rezoning (343 S. Fifth Ave., PL to D1): approved; council discussion noted the rezoning is required to enable a redevelopment concept that could include mixed uses and housing above the library. - PUD modification rule (Sec. 5‑30 change): approved; planning commission had recommended the change to allow individual lot or condominium owners to seek a PUD modification limited to their parcel.
Postponements and notable holds - Green Rental Housing ordinance (add Secs. 8,533–8,540 to Chapter 105 housing code): motion to postpone to the council's first meeting in June was moved and approved. - Consent agenda items CA‑9 (marijuana excise tax rebate grant to Home of New Vision), CA‑11 (sanitary sewer easement at 1400 South Maple Road) and CA‑12 (water main easement at 1400 South Maple Road): each moved for postponement and the postponements were approved.
The meeting record shows standard "all those in favor/any opposed" votes for many items rather than roll‑call tallies in the minutes. No ordinance numbers or vote tallies were specified in the meeting transcript for the items reported as approved.
Looking ahead: the green rental housing ordinance was deferred to allow additional questions and potential amendments; council expects to take it up again in June.
