The Ann Arbor City Council met Monday at Larcom City Hall to discuss an upcoming sister city visit on Sept. 15 as well as plans to develop city infrastructure.
Next month, representatives from the sister city of Tübingen will arrive in Michigan to discuss sustainability initiatives. The elected officials, Mayor Boris Palmer and other department heads will meet with Ann Arbor officials to learn more about Ann Arbor’s A2ZERO vision to become carbon neutral by 2030 and to discuss the progress and impact of their own, similar climate action campaign, “Tübingen macht blau.”
Missy Stults, director of sustainability and innovation in the Ann Arbor Office of Sustainability and Innovations, explained the agenda and said the main reason for the visit was to discuss environmental issues.
“If it is not clear thematically: Tübingen is coming because of our work on climate protection,” said Stults. “So everything will have a connection to that.”
Stults said every aspect of the sister city visit will revolve around climate policy and sustainability. As an example, Stults said catering from El Harissa, a local Ann Arbor restaurant that participates in A2ZERO’s reusable container program, will focus on the carbon footprint of individual ingredients.
“El Harissa employees will prepare lunch and talk about their work in sustainable food,” Stults said. “If people don’t know El Harissa, when you come in, the entire menu is labeled like a traffic light. Anything green has a low carbon footprint. Anything red has a high carbon footprint.”
Officials also have several public events on their schedule, including a reception with University of Michigan leadership at Matthaei Botanical Gardens on Sept. 19. In addition, the representatives from Tübingen will participate in a daily learning session to learn how Ann Arbor is addressing issues such as affordable housing, transportation and climate change.
Stults said the visit was intended to demonstrate Ann Arbor’s commitment to sustainability.
“We will shine a light on what makes our city great, especially our work on climate change,” Stults said.
The Council also discussed ongoing efforts to revise its comprehensive plan with policy adjustments to spending priorities and other critical issues such as housing affordability and equity over the next two decades.
Stacey Chen, a senior urban planner at Interface Studio, said community engagement has shown support for more diverse housing options and higher density in certain areas.
“There is clear public support for affordability, sustainability and equity as core values that guide the city’s growth,” Chen said.
Chen then spoke about the plan’s long-term goal of reducing car miles driven through higher passenger density per car and improved public transit. She said traffic congestion could worsen in the short term.
“There is a feeling that within the city, more people will be traveling beyond commuting to work to all kinds of activities in the city,” Chen said.
The council also discussed the possibility of increasing single-family housing by allowing two to four units per lot in single-family home zones. Brent Leonard, the planning director for the comprehensive plan, expressed his concerns about this proposal.
“I think when many of us think of a duplex, we think of some kind of two-family home,” Leonard said. “And in some of these neighborhoods near campus, you see that while there are two units, there are actually more than 10 students living in a single unit because they’re built in such a way that they actually have subunits within a unit.”
The plan also addresses the growth of downtown Ann Arbor and the creation of new activity centers elsewhere in the city. However, some members in attendance expressed concerns about the plan’s impact on neighborhood character. Zoning changes would allow for these changes but would not require such developments immediately, ensuring that neighborhoods gradually change.
Chen expressed hope that the changes made to the master plan will increase community well-being while preserving Ann Arbor’s character.
“As we continue to gather input and refine our vision, it is clear that the community values a balanced approach to growth – one that honors our unique character while considering the need for more diverse housing options, sustainability and equity,” Chen said. “Our goal is to ensure that the Ann Arbor of 2050 is a place where everyone can thrive, with a strong sense of community and resilience.”
You can reach daily reporter Ariba Hassan at [email protected].
