Ann Arbor Council Greenlights Crypto Rules, Worship Safeguards, and $10M Park Boost

Key Highlights:

• During its meeting on November 5, the Ann Arbor City Council instituted new guidelines for cryptocurrency kiosks, enhanced protections for religious organizations, and sanctioned funding of up to $10 million for park upgrades.

• Operators of cryptocurrency kiosks are now required to acquire a city license and provide customer protections, such as fraud alerts, identity verification, transaction receipts, and access to live assistance.

• The new ordinance limits daily transactions: $500 for new users within their first month, $1,000 for others, and a maximum of $10,000 over a rolling 30-day period. These provisions will go into effect six months post-adoption.

• The council also enacted revisions to its disorderly conduct laws, aiming to prevent intimidating and obstructive activities at places of worship and within a 50-foot zone around them.

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — The Ann Arbor City Council has set forth new regulations governing cryptocurrency kiosks, bolstered protections for religious institutions, and approved a budget of up to $10 million for enhancements to local parks.

These measures were ratified during the council’s meeting on Thursday, November 5.

Additionally, the council endorsed a proposal to investigate innovative strategies to foster affordable housing through two condominiums owned by the city, earning national commendation for its fiscal budget for 2027.

Previous report: Ann Arbor City Council Considers Expanded Protections for Religious Spaces

New Guidelines to Safeguard Cryptocurrency Consumers

The City Council has passed a law governing cryptocurrency kiosks that facilitate cash-to-crypto exchanges.

The updated regulations mandate that kiosk operators secure a city-issued license and adopt consumer safeguards, including fraud advisories, ID verification, transaction receipts, and the option for live customer support.

Furthermore, the ordinance sets transaction limits as follows:

• $500 daily for new customers during their initial month.

• $1,000 daily for established customers.

• $10,000 during any rolling 30-day period.

These regulations aim to protect consumers against scams and minimize potential financial losses. The ordinance will be enacted six months following its approval.

Strengthening Protections for Places of Worship

The council has approved modifications to the disorderly conduct ordinance, targeting activities that disrupt peace at places of worship.

These modifications ban the obstruction of facility access through intimidation, threats, or physical barriers.

They also prohibit behavior within 50 feet of these sites that instills reasonable fear for safety, including assaults, threats, and harassment involving force or intimidation.

Breaches of these rules will be considered misdemeanors, with penalties of up to 90 days in jail, a $500 fine, or both.

Council Approves Funds for Park Enhancements

The council has approved the issuance of bonds totaling up to $10 million to fund improvements in city parks.

Repayment for the bonds will be sourced from the city’s Park Maintenance and Capital Improvement Millage.

Exploring Affordable Housing Options for Ashley Mews

The council has lifted restrictions on affordable housing for two city-owned condominiums located at 105 and 166 Ashley Mews.

Moreover, the council has instructed the city administrator to assess the possibility of selling the properties to the nonprofit Ann Arbor Community Land Trust for $1.

Maintaining these units as affordable housing has been challenging due to high condominium association fees and down payment requirements.

If approved, the nonprofit could sell the condos at market rates, using the profits to fund other affordable housing initiatives in Ann Arbor.

This resolution is a preliminary step; additional actions will be necessary before a transfer takes place.

National Recognition for the City’s Budget

The city of Ann Arbor has received the Distinguished Budget Presentation Award from the Government Finance Officers Association for its fiscal year 2027 budget.

This accolade honors municipalities that produce budget documents adhering to nationally accepted standards for effective financial presentation.

This recognition underscores the excellence of budget documents as policy avenues, financial strategies, operational guides, and communication tools, while advocating for transparency in budgeting.

The award information was shared with the City Council during the meeting.

Residents can view the complete agenda, supporting materials, and further meeting details via the city’s Legistar meeting records.