On the Ann Arbor ballot this fall is a proposal for a 20-year, 0.7-mill Parks
measure that would raise about $5.5 million, with matching funds boosting the
total to about $16.5 million.  This money would be used for purchasing of
development rights (or, in some cases, fee simple) of farm and forestland
in the townships surrounding Ann Arbor as a measure to prevent sprawl.

Critics of the plan (most vocally, the Home Builders' Association of
Washtenaw County) say that the plan would drive up home prices in Ann Arbor,
increase sprawl by causing development to leapfrog the preserved area, and
generally be a Bad Idea.

Is it worthwhile to use City tax revenues for PDRs on land in the townships?
What can be done to alleviate negative side affects (or are there none)?
Is anybody paying attention to this cf these days?

6 responses total.

Personally, I think this is a great idea. Some sprawl might "leap frog" 
the green belt but it isnt *that* likely. What it might do is cause 
people to look east towards Ypsilanti where there is lots of room for 
additional housing, especially if new developments are dense. Anyhow, 
as a property owner in Ypsilanti, this would totally benefit me. 

The Metroparks system was an early attempt to preserve green spaces around
Detroit.  

The main thing that will make this work or not work is the current Ann Arbor
city council/planning commission crusade to keep the heights of buildings low
in Ann Arbor.  The more they limit the heights, the less return a developer
can get on a particular parcel.  If they really want to ameliorate the effects
of sprawl, they will make denser development in Ann Arbor possible.  

On the other hand, Ypsilanti may become a very desirable urban area if it
allows for denser development and the eventual evolution of a truly urban
area.

Right now, Ann Arbor is working to keep itself a cute, old-fashioned small
Midwestern town.  Keeps the bus system from being sustainable, keeps the cost
of housing out of the reach of all but the very wealthy, and the greenspace
proposal will ensure that real estate of all sorts keeps going up in cost.

Y'know, I was *trying* to spread those issues across several items, if only
to keep my own personal opinion on the matter (which reads just like yours)
from defining the conversation.

I like the idea that Ypsi could prosper from this.  If there's one thing
that would cause Ann Arbor to reexamine its policies, it would be watching
Ypsi grow and thrive by adopting the policies that Ann Arbor thinks would
be harmful.  How do property values in Ypsi compare to Ann Arbor's right
now?  As an Ann Arborite, I'm going to assume "lower"; that would be an
advantage for luring development if Ypsi wanted to allow dense new
construction--have to buy something and knock it down to build a new
structure.

Yes, Ypsilanti's property values are much lower than Ann Arbor's. I 
have noticed that more and more people are moving out of Ann Arbor into 
Ypsilanti. The property values in Ypsilanti are rising. Still, there is 
all kinds of land. I am looking forward to seeing the Water Street 
project start up. I dont know when that is planned to start but it 
should be interesting to watch. I think if those condo units sell well, 
it will show builders that there is a lot of potential in Ypsilanti. 

Yeah, i bet the Builder's Ass'n is opposed to anything that might drive
up the cost of homes around Ann Arbor.  <snort>

The Builder's Ass'n's goal (multi-million-dollar homes on multi-acre lots
from the Atlantic to the Pacific) strikes me as a horrific waste of both
common resources and individual buyer's money.  No guarantee that this
idea will push development toward saner patterns, but let's try it.

I'd rather see that "greenbelt" broken up into ecologically sensible units
and corridors, scattered around the city, including in it or crossing it,
even if this means converting some current built-up areas to open space.
I realize, however, that that would have had to be planned before the
city expanded as it has. 

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