By 9 a.m. Monday, Jan. 5: Review & comment on draft 3 of Ann Arbor Comprehensive Land Use Plan

The City of Ann Arbor is reminding community members just under one week remains within the 63-day, extended review period to submit comments for the Comprehensive Land Use Plan, draft three. All comments are due by 9 a.m. Monday, Jan. 5, 2026, and should be submitted for consideration by using the form on the project page, https://url.a2gov.org/comp-plan.

The location of the comment form on the project webpage may vary: It is located in the top-right corner of the page for those using a laptop or desktop computer, and further down the webpage for those using a mobile device. While there is a character limit on the form, there is no limit on how many separate comments may be submitted.

Comments received by the 9 a.m. Jan. 5 deadline will be shared in the Planning Commission’s Jan. 6 meeting agenda packet. The edits discussed at the Nov. 18 and Dec. 16, 2025, and Jan. 6, 2026, meetings will be incorporated into the updated draft. A public hearing will then be scheduled for February, with the exact date, once set, to be published on the project website — or sign up for project updates via email. The updated draft will be scheduled to go before City Council in March to consider for final adoption.

Throughout the Comprehensive Land Use Plan process, which began more than two years ago, the city has held public meetings and workshops, answered questions and gathered and integrated feedback. On Oct. 20, when Ann Arbor City Council approved draft three of the Comprehensive Land Use Plan, the extended 63-day public review period opened, and the city launched additional strategies to encourage community members to share their input for draft three of the plan. Strategies have included weekly social media posts and countdowns, articles in the city’s weekly and monthly newsletters, posters and banners in city facilities, electronic bulletin board slides on Community Television Network, bookmarks at Ann Arbor District Library branches, emails to city-update subscribers, news releases to local media and requests to local stakeholders — all to help raise awareness and spread word of the commenting opportunities.

The Comprehensive Land Use Plan outlines policy recommendations and priorities around development and land uses across the city. Once adopted, the plan will guide development to 2050. Visit the Comprehensive Land Use Plan project webpage to learn more and to share your input — by 9 a.m. Monday, Jan. 5, 2026. 

The city thanks all who have stayed engaged during this process.

City holiday schedules

City of Ann Arbor municipal offices will be closed Wednesday and Thursday, Dec. 31 and Jan. 1, for the New Year’s holiday. Trash/recycling collections will not occur on the holiday Thursday, and instead will be delayed by one day during the week, taking place Friday and Saturday. The city wishes a happy, peaceful and healthy New Year to all.

In addition, city offices, including the customer service center at Larcom City Hall and the 15th Judicial District Court, will also be closed for Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Monday, Jan. 19, 2026. However, for the Martin Luther King Jr. Day holiday, trash and recycling curbside collections will continue on their regularly scheduled days, without any scheduled delays.

City safety services and utility operations maintain 24-hour schedules throughout all holidays.

Christmas tree disposal

Drop-off disposal locations for undecorated Christmas trees are now open for city residents through Monday, Jan. 19, 2026.  No wreaths, garland, tree stands, lights or decorations are accepted. The four locations, all at city parks, are open for drop offs during normal park hours, 6 a.m.–10 p.m. The drop-off locations are:

• Bicentennial Park (formerly Southeast Area Park) located on Ellsworth at Platt. Trees may be left at the dirt lot north of the basketball courts.
• West Park parking lot off Chapin near West Huron Street
• Gallup boat launch parking lot (not the Gallup livery), entrance is on the southeast side of Geddes Road, east of Huron Parkway 
• Olson Park parking lot, 1515 Dhu Varren Road, near Pontiac Trail

The collected trees will be chipped into mulch or composted on a regular basis at the park sites. Trees must therefore have all tree stands, nails, lights, ornaments, tinsel and plastic items removed before drop off. Any lights, metal, glass or plastic ornaments left on the tree can ruin the processing equipment, spoil the landscaping mulch and compost and, worst of all, harm the operators. Since wreaths and evergreen roping (garland) are generally made with wire or plastic backing, these items should be discarded by placing inside trash carts.

After Jan. 19, 2026, Christmas tree branches, less than 6 inches in diameter, can be cut and placed in compost carts for monthly winter compost service or saved for regular curbside compost service, which resumes in April 2026. For details on composting, visit www.a2gov.org/compost. 

Winter composting

Once-monthly pickup of compost carts throughout the winter resumes in January. Compost cart pickup will take place during the weeks of Jan. 5, Feb. 2 and March 2, 2026. Regular weekly pickup of compost carts and yard bags will resume in April 2026. 

Ann Arbor earns a decade of perfect scores on LGBTQ+ inclusion assessment

For the 10th consecutive year, Ann Arbor has earned a perfect score on an assessment of LGBTQ+ inclusion. The Human Rights Campaign Municipal Equality Index was established in 2012, and Ann Arbor has received full marks on the assessment since 2016. 

The 2025 assessment considered nondiscrimination laws, employment policies, municipal services, police practices and leadership on LGBTQ+ equality.

A2 Snow Match

Snow-covered sidewalks can be hazardous for everyone. But there’s something you can do for your neighbors, on either side of the snowbank:Sign up for the A2 Snow Match program, by becoming a volunteer OR, if eligible, receiving snow/ice-removal assistance to keep walkways passable. The A2 Snow Match program pairs residents in need with nearby neighbors who volunteer to assist with snow removal.

Recipients of volunteer services must be city residents age 55+ or self-identify as having a disability, and without other resources available to help with snow removal (i.e., financial, family, friends or neighbors). Volunteers are matched with homes within about a 10-minute walk of their location. Residents can register to volunteer or receive help! Questions? Email [email protected].

Ice and snow reminders

It’s Michigan, it’s January, and that means winter weather is not behind us yet. Following are reminders about snow and ice management responsibilities and resources.

Sidewalk snow/ice removal requirements

Promptly clearing walkways helps keep neighbors and community members safe. If you are able, please check in on neighbors who may need help clearing their sidewalks. You can even sign up to help with this task — or to receive help — through the A2 Snow Match program. 

The Ann Arbor sidewalk snow and ice removal ordinance requires: Residents to clear sidewalks, crosswalk ramps and bus stops with concrete pads within 24 hours of the end of snowfall of greater than 1 inch. Non-residential property: All snow which has accumulated prior to 6 a.m. shall be removed by the owner or occupant by noon the same day. This applies to sidewalks, crosswalk ramps and bus stops.

More information is available at www.a2gov.org/sidewalksnow. 

Also, learn how the city plows streets and how to track plows in real time. 

About on-street snow parking bans

When a storm is forecasted to drop 4 or more inches of snow, the City of Ann Arbor could call an on-street snow parking ban that allows plows to clear streets curb-to-curb, city services to be maintained and access for emergency vehicles. Once an on-street parking ban is declared, vehicles parked on nonexempt streets (map) are required to be moved elsewhere to avoid being ticketed and/or towed. Vehicles with disability plates or placards will be exempt.

When an on-street parking ban is called, an alert will be sent to subscribers via Everbridge to mobile phones (via call or sms/text), email and landlines, depending on the preference selected at signup. Be sure to sign up for these alerts today! 

Ban information will also be provided via the city website (a2gov.org), social media feeds (Facebook, X, NextDoor), email and CTN.  These platforms will also be updated, as well as an Everbridge notification sent, when the ban is lifted.

Visit the on-street snow parking ban website for complete information, resources and tips to prepare before the next round of significant snow. 

Help keep fire hydrants clear

Residents who are able are being asked to help keep fire hydrants adjacent to their property or in their neighborhoods free from snow and ice. Leaving a 3-foot clearing around hydrants can provide easy access to firefighters in the event of fire. The city thanks you in advance for your assistance!

Want to learn how to prepare your home, family and yourself for winter weather? Find winter-readiness information on the michigan.gov website,  and check out the "How to Prepare for a Winter Storm" packet. 

Free residential sand/salt

During the winter, the city provides residents with up to five gallons of a sand/salt mixture, per visit, at locations around Ann Arbor (PDF). Residents need to bring their own shovel and bucket as well as load material themselves from the marked boxes. Sand/salt mixture is not for contractors or landscapers. Material is typically available starting in late November. City staff will refill locations as quickly as possible, however there may be a delay due to snow events.

Locations for pick up (PDF) are:

• Veterans Memorial Park 
• Gallup Park 
• Buhr Park
• Burns Park 
• Leslie Park 

See also the map to specific sand/salt pickup locations (PDF). 

County shares seasonal warming center information

Washtenaw County, in support of the Shelter Association of Washtenaw County (SAWC) and the Continuum of Care Winter Sheltering Operations, is sharing winter sheltering information, which will operate through April 14, 2026, pending weather conditions. 

Pre-registration is not necessary to use daytime warming centers. Daytime shelter accommodations are available Monday to Friday at rotating locations. Questions may be directed to the Delonis Center at 734.662.2829.

Overnight warming centers are provided at the Delonis Center (312 W. Huron St., Ann Arbor 48103) for people experiencing homelessness. Shelter is available beginning at 7 p.m. every night through April 14, 2026. Please go online for overnight warming center information, assistance and procedures or contact the Delonis Center for details at 734.662.2829.

CTN highlights

Discover CTN’s wide range of programs available to watch online now!

Adventures in Crafting — Melted Crayon Canvas 

Adventures in Crafting — Upcycled Flowers 

Best of CTN 2025 Video Highlights 

CTN’s Santa Satellite Network 2025 — Experience the joy of Christmas as Santa, Mrs. Claus and some top elves video chat with children across the world! 

FYI — Kristin Danko with the Neighborhood Theatre Group (NTG) shares how this unconventional troupe brings one-of-kind stories to the community; Barton-Bandemer Pedestrian Tunnel Grand Opening; and the Ann Arbor Emergency Operations Center 

FYI — Catherine Zudak, founder of the Forge Theater Collaborative, gives insight on how this space serves artists of all kinds, throughout the community; and tour the University of Michigan’s Research Museums Center with a special focus on the Zoology collection and Herbarium 

Green Light — Sean Reynolds, senior analyst at the City of Ann Arbor Office of Sustainability and Innovations, joins to discuss the 10 new air quality monitors recently installed around the city 

Senior Moments — Featuring Lindsay Mann-Shanahan from Huron Valley PACE, a unique health plan and care provider dedicated to supporting aging adults with challenging healthcare conditions so they can continue living at home 

Ward Talk — Dharma Akmon, Ann Arbor City Councilmember from the Fourth Ward