Council vote leaves city without new permitting tool for large gatherings
Ann Arbor officials remain divided over how to regulate large private gatherings after the City Council on Aug. 6 voted 6-5 to reject a proposed ordinance that would have required city-issued permits for organized events expected to attract sizable crowds. The measure was framed by proponents as a way to address disruptive fraternity house concerts and other large outdoor events in residential neighborhoods, but council members and residents raised concerns about scope and civil liberties.
The proposal originally would have applied to gatherings of more than 100 people; a revised version discussed at the meeting raised that threshold to 250 people and narrowed language to exclude marches and rallies. Supporters said the change was aimed at events such as outdoor stages at private homes, while opponents argued the ordinance still risked burdening lawful private activity and could chill First Amendment rights.
- Vote count: 6 against, 5 in favor
- Supporters included Mayor Christopher Taylor and council members Erica Briggs, Lisa Disch, Ayesha Ghazi Edwin and Chris Watson
- Opponents were Dharma Akmon, Jenn Cornell, Jen Eyer, Cynthia Harrison, Jon Mallek and Travis Radina
City planning staff said the defeat leaves the city with limited options to control certain types of events that have drawn large crowds into residential areas. Under current rules, officials rely on penalty fines that staff told council may not be sufficient to deter disruptive behavior associated with unpermitted, large-scale gatherings.
"It seems like a tremendous overreach," said Ann Arbor resident Ed Vielmetti, who contacted the American Civil Liberties Union of Michigan about the proposal before the meeting. "It looks way too broad."
Another resident, Andy Brosius, urged caution during public comment, saying the proposal would have required multiple departments to approve private events on private property. Those public concerns factored heavily in the council debate. Councilmember Erica Briggs acknowledged community unease and said the revised version sought to address it by narrowing the ordinance's scope.
Despite Briggs’ support for advancing a narrower draft, a majority of council members were not persuaded. Opponents expressed worry about administrative complexity, the burden on private property owners, and unintended impacts on constitutionally protected activities.
Brett Lenart, Ann Arbor’s planning manager, told council members the defeated ordinance was meant to create a permitting pathway for certain events that current rules do not adequately regulate. He explained that without the new ordinance, the city will continue to attempt enforcement through existing noise, nuisance and crowd-related penalties — tools some officials and neighbors consider insufficient for curbing recurring problems tied to large unpermitted gatherings.
| Position | Council Members |
|---|---|
| For the ordinance | Mayor Christopher Taylor; Erica Briggs; Lisa Disch; Ayesha Ghazi Edwin; Chris Watson |
| Against the ordinance | Dharma Akmon; Jenn Cornell; Jen Eyer; Cynthia Harrison; Jon Mallek; Travis Radina |
The vote leaves Ann Arbor without a new local permitting mechanism that city staff indicated they wanted to help manage events like fraternity house concerts. Council members signaled differing priorities: some emphasizing neighborhood quality of life and the need for stronger preventative tools, others prioritizing civil liberties and caution about overbroad regulations.
For now, residents and the university community can expect enforcement under existing municipal codes. The debate is likely to resurface as council and staff consider alternative approaches that attempt to balance community concerns, constitutional protections and the administrative capacity required to manage permitting for large private events.
