Arbor Update

Ann Arbor Area Community News

City Council: Continued From

Posted by Juliew on 18. August 2008

Monday, August 18 at 7:00 pm.
Ann Arbor City HallAgenda

Highlights:

  • 42 North Site Plan (continued from 7/21)
  • 601 Forest (Village Corner) Site Plan and Development Agreement (continued from 8/7)
  • Resolution to order election and determine ballot question for charter amendment requiring voter approval of the sale of park land (postponed from 8/7)
  • Liquor license transfer from Braun Court to Quickie Burger

Comment [38]

415 W. Washington Proposal Interviews, August 13

Posted by Juliew on 12. August 2008

415 West Washington from Flickr user Voxphoto under a Creative Commons license

From the City’s web site:

An advisory committee appointed by the Ann Arbor City Council will interview three development teams about their proposals for the city-owned site at 415 W. Washington. The interviews, which are open for the public to attend and observe, will be held on Wednesday, August 13 from 5:00 – 9:30 pm in the Board Room of the County Administration Building, located at 220 N. Main Street in downtown Ann Arbor.

Three development teams submitted proposals. Each development team will make a 30-minute presentation outlining their proposal. Following the presentation, the advisory committee will pose questions to the team about specific aspects of their proposal. The interview schedule is: 5:00 pm – Ann Arbor Art Center; 6:30 pm – Morningside Equities Group; 8:00 pm – Old Westside Square Development Group.
After the interviews, the advisory committee will evaluate the proposals and make a recommendation to City Council in early fall about how to proceed with the redevelopment of the site.

Full information and link is here.

Comment [2]

Amtrak, AATA post latest ridership numbers (up!)

Posted by Murph on 11. August 2008

Last week, AATA published its 2007 Annual Report (12 page pdf), showing continued ridership growth (though less dramatic than in the 2 years previous). Today, the Ann Arbor News and Detroit News are reporting Amtrak ridership increases for the past year.

AATA boasted only a 2.5% increase in fixed-route riders in 2007, but notes that the past 3 years have seen a total 30% increase in ridership, as well as a 30% increase in productivity (measured in riders per service hour).

Amtrak reported Wolverine Line (Port Huron to Chicago) ridership increases of 5.9% for the October ’07 – July ’08 period, and national increases of 11.3% during that period. (See previous AU articles for historical data on the Ann Arbor station.)

Both operators note that system capacity is limited for future ridership increases – AATA notes that additional buses have been added during peak hours to handle the standing-room crowds that riders are familiar with, while the Amtrak articles repeat the earlier warning about a lack of rolling stock for increasing service. The DetNews cites Amtrak officials as estimating that ridership would have increased further, except that weekend trains are sold out, with some weekend demand spilling over onto Monday and Thursday routes. While the A2News notes that Congress has passed a “veto-proof” funding increase of 33% for Amtrak’s upcoming fiscal year, adding and upgrading rolling stock and rails could consume billions of dollars.

Comment [12]

Short things from the recent past and near future:

Posted by Matt Hampel on 9. August 2008


Homeless Dave teeters with Jennifer Hackett of St Vinnie’s and talks about the needs of Ann Arbor’s homeless and the thrift store’s bag sale (this weekend!), among other things.

The Chicago Tribune notes that Ann Arbor’s fee for a new chicken permit is $20.

The internet finds the cup on a string phone and googly banana phone.

We’re beginning to flesh out the long-neglected Ypsilanti Public Schools and Ann Arbor Public Schools pages on Arborwiki. Your help is much appreciated.

The text of the Ann Arbor bike ordinance is posted on getDowntown (via WBWC)

Ypsi High has a tasty lunch menu.

City Council: It Takes a Village (Corner)

Posted by Juliew on 7. August 2008

Thursday, August 7 at 7:00 pm.
Ann Arbor City HallAgenda

Highlights:

  • Maple Cove mixed-use Office/Residential Complex Site Plan
  • 601 Forest (Village Corner) Site Plan and Development Agreement
  • Revisions to the Citizen Participation Ordinance
  • Resolution to order election and determine ballot question for charter amendment requiring voter approval of the sale of park land

Comment [15]

Co-op legend Luther Buchele dies at age 88

Posted by Murph on 5. August 2008

Luther H. Buchele, who served as the first Executive Secretary and General Manager of Ann Arbor’s Inter-Cooperative Council from 1951 to 1985, died August 1 after a car crash. Buchele had previously helped found the University of Kansas Student Cooperative Association while a student there, was in 1987 inducted into the National Cooperative Hall of Fame.

His involvement in Ann Arbor’s co-op housing system and the National Association of Student Co-operatives (NASCO) continued until his death, including leading a lunchtime sing-along of progressive- and depression-era labor songs at NASCO’s annual conferences. The ICC’s Luther House at 1510-1520 Hill Street (previously the home to John Sinclair and the White Panther Party) is named in his honor.

A memorial website has been set up at http://lutherbuchele.legacy.com/, and a Luther Buchele Memorial Scholarship Fund set up at the ICC. (Send donations to ICC, 337 N. William, Ann Arbor, MI 48104.)

Comment [8]

August 2008 primary tomorrow

Posted by Bruce Fields on 4. August 2008

For all those people who like to cram for tests at the last minute:

ArborUpdate articles:

Comment [60]

Election Day public hearing for A2D2 master plan

Posted by Murph on 3. August 2008

The City of Ann Arbor’s Planning Commission will be holding a public hearing on Tuesday, August 5th to discuss the A2D2 amendments to the City’s Downtown Plan.

The City is also considering zoning amendments to implement the Plan elements; the zoning changes were tabled by the Planning Commission in May to allow comments to be addressed.

Comment [1]

Candidates' Survey: Positions on Arts and Culture

Posted by Angela Martin-Barcelona on 30. July 2008

Thought this would add to the Voter Guide discussion:

The Arts Alliance conducted a survey of local candidates running for public office throughout Washtenaw County to learn their positions on arts and culture. The survey, conducted annually in advance of the primary and general elections, was distributed to candidates throughout Washtenaw County for the offices of state representative, county commissioner, mayor, city council member, township supervisor and township trustee.

The Arts Alliance received responses from 48 candidates in 24 of the 45 races that will be decided in the August 5th primary election. In addition, 8 candidates responded in races that will be decided in the November general election.

37 Democratic, 10 Republican, and 1 Write-In candidate responded to the 2-question survey (1. What is your position on public funding for arts and culture? 2. If elected, what measurable actions will you take to ensure that arts and cultural offerings survive and thrive in Washtenaw County? Please be specific.)

Candidates were given 2 weeks to submit their answers.
Among the findings:
• 30 candidates (25 Democratic and 5 Republicans) or 63%, expressed support for public funding for the arts
• At the County level, 48% of candidates (11) running for Commissioner responded to the survey
• In Ann Arbor, both mayoral candidates and 8 of 9 candidates for City Council responded to the survey

Click here to view the Candidates’ Survey: Final Report

ArborUpdate Sheriff's Race: Bielec vs Clayton vs Minzey

Posted by Nancy Shore on 30. July 2008

For the final installment of our ArborUpdate Voter’s Guide, we have the county sheriff’s race. Iva Bielec and Jerry Clayton both responded to our requests for comments, Sheriff Dan Minzey did not.

Comment [104] • Read More »

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