[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6747675,"mediaKeyId","2255990-79ef40d83bf89cfbf0732c88c9dd7bf1","parentId",2255990,"title","Solid Waste staff outline routes, fleet limits, downtown service and plans for organics access","audioSeconds",1663,"startMs",5603000,"endMs",7266000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2255990-79ef40d83bf89cfbf0732c88c9dd7bf1&start=5603&end=7266","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2255990-79ef40d83bf89cfbf0732c88c9dd7bf1/thumbnail_5603000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6747675/Ann-Arbor-City/Washtenaw-County/Michigan/Solid-Waste-staff-outline-routes-fleet-limits-downtown-service-and-plans-for-organics-access","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6747675-a6aaf6152eb76163484d25a281a0d829/orig.mp4?Expires=1771196211&Signature=PEATg3GUC3MQzLy2tXHPaKcmFQdsVQejfxJyH5eipv7nLKmTmKloQzXIbPrcsMKVDRuJWvWD9rUb1W-nu0ZeGr2dEScqcaNMIvMz42~Ziqng~Br7tIEWn67PvB~wPqqbro4GDfBdu6r0kV5RmhNVTpLoIpb06Kl2UddjUX~Lb-9RZ-Jw3OoOM4N40hq1pzZptxB5WMJOu8QfzlNtSlPieSDL0APFFLXb90X0ftqjKgMjSUm6ZYI3RjZgP9HKfvvfeQdfllzSm-L-6cABh1ttaecNMY71nDZzjFbgyKViM0WY13yqYBuDyuSrOnv95pczYIMaS6trYiPZKHTIQM5xKA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Ann Arbor","date","2025-02-10T00:00:00Z","article","Lisonbee Heatley, Ann Arbor’s Solid Waste manager, and resource recovery manager Sarah Mason presented an overview of collection operations, contracts and near‑term priorities, telling council that the unit runs roughly 95 unique collection routes each week with about 15 city trucks and that different truck types (automated sidearm, front loaders, rear loaders) are not fully interchangeable.

Heatley said the division is funded primarily through the solid‑waste millage, with some Climate Action millage contributions. Staff described challenges including staffing and CDL recruitment, seasonal peaks (leaf season), long truck hours, and constraints when trucks are out of service. The unit plans to add a new front‑load truck and a spare automated truck this year and to use rental trucks when needed.

Downtown service, multifamily and organics

Staff described downtown as space‑constrained but said they increased trash collection to seven days a week and recycling to six days to reduce overflow. Mason said commercial cardboard volumes and multi‑family organics remain program areas under review; staff are developing a multifamily food‑scrap drop‑off network funded partially by the climate millage and are exploring compactor and consolidation options for high‑cardboard sites.

Infrastructure, bike lanes and site planning

Heatley and Stewart described recurring conflicts between collection equipment and new bike‑lane treatments or curb buffers. Staff said they now coordinate with engineering to include solid‑waste function in street designs and produce location‑specific guidance for cart placement. For new higher‑density developments, staff said consolidated service points and dumpster enclosures are often safer and more efficient than attempting individual curb cart service, and that site plans are reviewed for truck turning movements, clearances and backup distances.

Planned projects and next steps

Solid Waste staff said they will propose updates to collection hours in the ordinance, a comprehensive update to solid‑waste regulations, a route‑optimization contract to rebalance routes for current and projected demand, fleet replacement requests, and an expanded multifamily organics drop‑off network. Councilmembers praised curbside organics and asked staff to expand education and youth outreach; staff said they contract with the Ecology Center for education and perform regular contamination audits with Recycling and Arbor.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Ann Arbor City Council Work Session 2/10/25","oneSentenceSummary","Lisonbee Heatley, Ann Arbor’s Solid Waste manager, and resource recovery manager Sarah Mason presented an overview of collection operations, contracts and near‑term priorities, telling council that the unit runs roughly 95 unique collection routes each week with about 15 city trucks.","taxTitle","Ann Arbor City, Washtenaw County, Michigan","taxId",5773,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6747680,"Planning staff outline comp‑plan directions on low‑rise density, mixed‑use hubs and employment land",1131,2795000,3926000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2255990-79ef40d83bf89cfbf0732c88c9dd7bf1&start=2795&end=3926","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2255990-79ef40d83bf89cfbf0732c88c9dd7bf1/thumbnail_2795000.jpg","/articles/6747680/Ann-Arbor-City/Washtenaw-County/Michigan/Planning-staff-outline-compplan-directions-on-lowrise-density-mixeduse-hubs-and-employment-land","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6747680-f510ea5ca7c4a42bc14b93e963b1dba8/orig.mp4?Expires=1771196211&Signature=aHjSxfH7hPvdMhM9XCVWOQcB29gQTXPvHW-cPSQzf5J2hDsXivb-me~SXFf0d8MPNoIT5O8bkgn-s5a~9xSBvYtR~1eo74zBLvlxQZaqjTMwVPx6tpylc3L3eVnuJFjYK2QB8ATm4AJIz3UDZa9CIFQn-ygF-np2EhLNalwvqy00SxP7D3gjCe51~vkD5BUgMkMSjtnqmHjfcfkYUGVWtZJUiWOuioL~5ancgE1ENW~WkTCsksG3UXh7b3SEWlOw1Ek8Tr8MzD9m5NUnIRi~zh5NalS0g3xAQw6YifpuYAym7pI5tQtYWkvh3PH4PV3Yt6OZeRSmtH08RzgVwK-fTA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Michelle Bennett, senior planner, and planning staff told council the comprehensive‑plan process is shifting from public engagement to drafting and described Planning Commission directions on housing, mixed‑use hubs and an employment district.

Planning staff said public engagement showed support for modest densification in low‑rise residential areas — illustrations for triplexes and quadplexes (roughly four units per parcel) received support — but the Planning Commission asked whether form‑based limits (scale and height) might be a better control than strict unit caps. Staff said the commission recommended considering up to four stories in some low‑rise areas, emphasizing form over unit counts.

The planning team also proposed three distinct mixed‑use hubs that would carry the greatest height and density: a Briarwood/core district (southern core), an innovation district near North Campus intended to support U‑of‑M spin‑offs, and retail hubs (Arborland/Maple Village/West Gate) that staff proposed incrementally change while the Planning Commission favored more comprehensive redevelopment. Staff warned that sanitary sewer, water and other infrastructure constraints may limit how quickly areas can be implemented.

Employment and innovation districts

Staff proposed an employment district on South Industrial and Research Park to preserve industrial and circular‑economy uses and protect diverse job types that are not university‑related. Planning Commission members, staff said, debated whether to permit more housing there; staff reduced the employment footprint in draft mapping but noted disagreement with the commission on some parcels.

Why it matters: The comprehensive plan will set the city’s long‑range policy on land use and the map will guide zoning and future development. Councilmembers raised concerns about whether recommendations depart from what the public was shown in engagement and asked staff to be explicit about infrastructure and implementation timing.

Council and public reaction

Councilmembers asked whether illustrations shown in engagement (triplex/quadplex) equaled a limit and urged more community outreach if the plan contemplates four‑story buildings in single‑family areas. Several councilmembers and public commenters urged a bolder stance on allowing housing where feasible; others warned against sudden changes inconsistent with prior engagement. Public comments also urged tree and natural‑feature protections and advocated for mixed housing typologies and community land‑trust models.

Next steps

Staff said they plan to send a draft to consultants within weeks and aim for adoption in November 2025. Planners emphasized that infrastructure studies and a staged implementation approach will be needed before zoning changes are made.","Michelle Bennett, senior planner, and planning staff told council the comprehensive‑plan process is shifting from public engagement to drafting and described Planning Commission directions on housing, mixed‑use hubs and an employment district.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6747687,"Startup pitches city‑branded rental portal to expand searchable inventory for Ann Arbor renters",1256,279000,1535000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2255990-79ef40d83bf89cfbf0732c88c9dd7bf1&start=279&end=1535","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2255990-79ef40d83bf89cfbf0732c88c9dd7bf1/thumbnail_279000.jpg","/articles/6747687/Ann-Arbor-City/Washtenaw-County/Michigan/Startup-pitches-citybranded-rental-portal-to-expand-searchable-inventory-for-Ann-Arbor-renters","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6747687-de21cd2250e49f6061e109a8c1ae8a2a/orig.mp4?Expires=1771196211&Signature=E6rl~yeiKF5RJqhuGTXOFMcTK337-auZEXJtMuwgQbd8rrMzOMbaouYig-Nz27wSW6ATLHptA8U~50gTxFe3RMuwOMeaYWSB8Pv5uc-Qd5bAO3r9cutHUto9tSal3tWM8aDSx-EaEnHLcLbS8YDXKW5OqChSKZbV7T9uHGcWyMmFm3o1-ZO7EmLsf3oPKW1lsstPb1SVfJtxAD0TkFd2EFZQNnvCcth3KmkO7K4LXa8Pq6MDmQXGwMQjTbpRrDhbmKFC1gulkWZKPVJc5jZ6EeRdd0T6~ifjo8gB5OubalnJwzj2zKSN8DjR-MNqc2ZMWaCqEvTLbzD6iXWtxArGDA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Dominic Anzalone, founder and CEO of Citywide Software, told the Ann Arbor City Council work session that his company would create a city‑branded rental marketplace to aggregate listings from small landlords and “provide inventory to the renters that they wouldn't typically have.”

The company says the platform can list naturally occurring affordable housing alongside subsidized units, display code‑enforcement records for specific properties and give the city analytics about price points and where renters are signing leases. Anzalone said Citywide’s model grew out of a longer college‑housing product and that the firm would place a local representative in Ann Arbor to recruit landlords and maintain up‑to‑date listings.

Why it matters: Councilmembers characterized the proposal as a potential tool to connect middle‑income renters with more options than commercial listing sites typically surface. The portal could also give city staff data to identify market trends or consumer‑protection issues such as high application fees.

Council questions and responses

Councilmember Malek asked whether such an aggregator risks enabling landlord collusion on price. Anzalone replied that landlords already monitor market prices and that the portal’s likely effect would be to increase visible options for renters, not to reduce competition. “Information is key,” he said, arguing that expanding search results from a few options to “200 options” would help renters find better price points.

Councilmember Medina asked about commercial pricing software (Yardi) and whether easier visibility might lower rents; Anzalone said larger complexes use dynamic pricing tools but that the platform’s net effect should be more options for renters. When asked who would recruit landlords and maintain the site, Anzalone said Citywide would station a full‑time representative in the city to build relationships with mom‑and‑pop landlords as well as large management companies and accept data feeds from property managers.

Accessibility, tenant resources and reporting

Councilor Gaasellano asked whether the site could include accessibility filters (ramps, accessible kitchens). Anzalone said the system already supports filters such as “senior living” and “accessible housing” and that the company links to city resources. He also described a “Rent Your Education” content model for lease‑signing videos and said some cities allow automated lease‑review tools while others do not.

Anzalone said the company’s contracts include a city exit clause, insurance and language intended to hold the city harmless; he said Ann Arbor attorneys had reviewed the standard agreement used in other municipalities.

What remains unclear

The presentation did not include a staff recommendation, a procurement timeline or a detailed description of costs to the city. Councilmembers asked about long‑term maintenance of listings and whether Citywide would charge landlords; Anzalone said the company’s model is to avoid high listing fees that push smaller landlords off major platforms.

Next steps

Council members asked staff to continue evaluating the proposal. No formal action or vote occurred at the work session.","Dominic Anzalone, founder and CEO of Citywide Software, told the Ann Arbor City Council work session that his company would create a city‑branded rental marketplace to aggregate listings from small landlords and “provide inventory to the renters that they wouldn't typically have.”",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6747685,"Ann Arbor HR director outlines staffing, compensation study restart and equity priorities",928,1438000,2366000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2255990-79ef40d83bf89cfbf0732c88c9dd7bf1&start=1438&end=2366","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2255990-79ef40d83bf89cfbf0732c88c9dd7bf1/thumbnail_1438000.jpg","/articles/6747685/Ann-Arbor-City/Washtenaw-County/Michigan/Ann-Arbor-HR-director-outlines-staffing-compensation-study-restart-and-equity-priorities","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6747685-814708aa57cb649b2f475c3b1ab3d37d/orig.mp4?Expires=1771196211&Signature=Gt-FUtJf5WW0524wK0Z4zW3lL1zDUU1toDa4Xr10fssXTgqk20RzBWf-gWCAp0JP59Jtv-V9pgmezMs8hf8Q~01iMCADIC~8xNCfpB~J6ogSc71TlcMw6mr~vd5AzgoBXr2-z7AJIXo9-1hogEHxLaDabEjaAhA0~zHjMGgDDbeN6Z-fq0lj6QnNQUo-EU4w1~17Hc7fhfTbqIrcADaW0tSTJyxVbmi7046BJJpXdck4AvnU9TrNcU3Lj3Zkyc4LD7H9AGLVJIn5JFx-TBclHa473fKuiW6pZqj~S4L9OTmXIpdvliYuLdXNa5GOXQ9kz14Bzcst-gwxkbpiJkmYCg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Monica Boot, the city’s Human Resources director, summarized recent HR activity and a work plan for 2025, telling the council the department has prioritized internal restructuring, cross‑training and a renewed compensation study.

Boot said HR supported recent contract negotiations, including a new agreement with district court employees, managed an efficient open‑enrollment period, and filled a new deputy human resources director role. She said about half of HR staff are new hires and the department is focused on knowledge sharing and reducing internal silos.

Why it matters: The HR update lays out work that will affect recruitment, labor negotiations and compensation across the city workforce. Councilmembers identified equity, anonymous hiring and managing background‑check confidentiality as near‑term priorities.

Key initiatives and timeline

Boot said the department will re‑energize a paused compensation study and begin manager and supervisor engagement in the coming month. She listed 2025 priorities including AFSCME negotiations (contract ends year‑end), recruitment and retention efforts, performance‑management improvements, and training and development to help retain employees near top of pay scales.

Equity, anonymous hiring and confidentiality

Councilmember Bernhardt asked how the department will maintain commitment to equity amid national political shifts. Boot said HR is auditing job‑posting channels, expanding candidate‑pool outreach, improving manager training to reduce bias and building post‑hire surveys (stay interviews) to understand retention drivers. On the council’s March resolution about anonymized hiring, Boot said she expects movement in 2025 and that the technology platform is a constraint but being studied with IT.

Ban‑the‑box and background checks

Boot said the city has moved to collect criminal‑history information later in the hiring process, limiting access to sensitive information and reviewing it only for job‑relevance. She said some background processes were shifted out of panel interviews to reduce exposure.

What remains unresolved

Boot described the technology limitations of the current HRIS and said staff are researching improvements. The exact budget or timeline for a full anonymous‑hiring rollout was not specified.","Monica Boot, Ann Arbor’s human resources director, briefed council on HR reorganization, recent contract negotiations, a planned restart of a citywide compensation study, recruitment and retention work, and efforts to implement anonymous hiring and equity goals. Councilmembers asked about implementation timing and technology constraints.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Solid Waste staff outline routes, fleet limits, downtown service and plans for organics access

Planning staff outline comp‑plan directions on low‑rise density, mixed‑use hubs and employment land

Startup pitches city‑branded rental portal to expand searchable inventory for Ann Arbor renters

Ann Arbor HR director outlines staffing, compensation study restart and equity priorities