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got this from my friend christine and thought some of you would be interested .
lisa
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Christine Vehar
Date: Sun, 20 Mar 2005 14:30:56 -0500
Subject: Fwd: Fwd: [a2greenway] Sign on for the Future of Ann Arbor
To: Lisa Hsu , Victoria Li Fossum
, Alex Hsu ,
"arlandru Æ umich.edu" , Jeana D'Agostino
, Lisa Case , Daniel Georgiev
, Vinod K Natarajan , Aaron Weaver
, Connie Pagedas
Hey guys,
As you know I don't send many forwards, but this one seemed important
and harmless.
Christine
----- Forwarded message from Jonathan Liberzon -----
Date: Sun, 20 Mar 2005 11:53:16 -0500
From: Jonathan Liberzon
Reply-To: Jonathan Liberzon
Subject: Fwd: [a2greenway] Sign on for the Future of Ann Arbor
To: wordworks Æ umich.edu, sailing.team Æ umich.edu
Hey guys,
I'm convinced that any true-blooded Ann Arborite would love to support
this greenway project, and I hope other UM students would care enough
to make Ann Arbor a better place for the future. The petition only
takes 2 secs. (See below) -jon
> From: graceles Æ umich.edu
> Date: March 20, 2005 9:42:32 AM EST
> To: enact.info Æ umich.edu, environ.students Æ umich.edu,
> ej.info Æ umich.edu, pirgim.umich.edu Æ umich.edu
> Cc: catherineglorie Æ comcast.net
> Subject: [a2greenway] Sign on for the Future of Ann Arbor
>
> Hello all,
>
> Some of you may have heard of the Ann Arbor Downtown Development
> association's
> plan to build a series of parking structures and commercial buildings
> on three
> city owned properties in downtown Ann Arbor in the Allen Creek
> floodplain.
> Unfortunately, these three properties will be cost inefficient to
> build and lie
> directly in the path of the proposed Ann Arbor Greenway, a sustainable
> vision
> for the future of our city. The Ann ARbor Greenway is a proposed park,
> cycling
> paths and greenway system that will stretch through Ann Arbor from E.
> Stadium
> to Bandermeer Park. It will improve the future livability of Ann Arbor
> and
> guarantee the preservation of green spaces as the city continues to
> develop.
> Now is the perfect time to set aside the three currently unused city
> properties
> for the establishment of key parks in a bid to make the Ann Arbor
> Greenway a
> reality.
>
> We are building community support! We need fellow citizens of Ann
> Arbor to:
>
> -contact their Ann Arbor council members to ask them to support the
> Greenway
> initiative
>
> -attend the Downtown Development Association's presentation on their
> plan to
> develop the three aforementioned city properties to let them know that
> citizens
> want a full-scale Greenway, not a 22 millon dollar taxpayer-funded
> unnecessary
> parking structure and development in floodplains.
> Date: Monday, 3/21
> Time: 7:30 - 9:30 p.m.
> Place: City Council Chambers
>
> -sign the online petition in support of the Ann Arbor Greenway at
> http://aagreenway.org/documents/petition.html
>
> - You will find below a message prepared by Bruce Baker, a citizen who
> has
> stepped forward to speak out for the Ann Arbor Greenway. Please take
> a
> few moments to read this thoughtful letter, and let him know that you
> will
> sign the letter. Respond directly to Bruce (bruce Æ ebonsai.com) with
> your
> support.
>
> Please forward this message to friends and others interested in the
> future
> of a livable, vibrant Ann Arbor.
>
> Sorry about such a long email, please take the time to read it for the
> sake of
> Ann Arbor's future. FOr more information, please visit the Ann ARbor
> Greenway
> website or contact me, Grace Leung at graceles Æ umich.edu
>
> =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D
=3D=3D
> Message from Bruce Baker:
> =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D
=3D=3D
> Hello All,
>
> I have attached the text of a letter I intend to deliver to the Mayor
> and
> City Council that is critical of the DDA's proposal for a parking
> structure at the corner of First and William in the Allen Creek Flood
> Plain.
>
> I am not affiliated with any of the organizations mentioned in the
> letter,
> although I live on the Old West Side and support the idea of an Ann
> Arbor
> Greenway. The letter expresses only my personal point of view and
> should
> not be considered to represent the views of any organization.
>
> If you agree with this letter I request that you join me in signing it
> as
> a constructive challenge to the city to come up with a better plan.
> Please reply with your name(s) as you would like to see it (them)
> attached
> to the letter. We may print this letter in the Ann Arbor News with a
> list
> of supporters.
>
> Please forward this email to anyone and everyone you think might want
> to
> join us in signing it. I believe many people who would agree with this
> letter are unaware of at least some of the issues, so you will be doing
> them a favor by informing them.
>
> If you have questions about the letter, or do not agree with its
> contents,
> please feel very free to email me at bruce Æ ebonsai.com or call me at
> 678-0335. I welcome discussion.
> -----
> Here is the text of the letter:
> -----
> Now that the Downtown Development Authority has made its proposal for
> developing the boundary area between the downtown and the historic Old
> West Side residential neighborhood, we concerned residents would like
> to
> issue a series of challenges to Ann Arbor's Mayor and City Council. We
> believe that Ann Arbor must manage its inevitable growth with
> creativity,
> vision, integrity, and sensitivity to the qualities that make it such a
> great place to live and visit. We believe that if we work together we
> can
> do something unique and wonderful, something that makes Ann Arbor a
> better
> place, and something of which we will all be proud for the rest of our
> lives.
>
> We acknowledge the work of the DDA as well as concerns of the merchants
> who combine their efforts to create that special atmosphere that draws
> out-of-town visitors at the same time it makes downtown living a
> pleasure.
> We also note that it is the small businesses in small, often
> historic,
> buildings that have been most successful in Ann Arbor's downtown; while
> huge, mixed-use structures built without regard to the unique
> character of
> the downtown, such as Tally Hall, have been dismal failures. Without
> adequate community involvement in the process the DDA's plans would
> likely
> result in similar failures.
>
> The most controversial aspect of the DDA's plan is the proposal to
> construct a parking structure in an environmentally sensitive location
> squarely in the middle of the proposed Ann Arbor Greenway. We believe
> that the full-scale Greenway is a visionary concept for the future that
> will become a magnet making the city even more desirable, spurring more
> growth and vitality in downtown business than would any aspect of the
> DDA's plan.
>
> We do not view the conflict between these two visions for the future
> to be
> a conflict of growth versus environmentalism, nor business versus
> residential interests. Rather, we simply believe that the demands of
> growth can best be met without building a parking structure in the
> Allen
> Creek flood plain. We believe that common sense dictates that we
> restrict
> parking to higher ground outside of the flood plain, while taking
> advantage of a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to create a real
> downtown
> Greenway that will also filter polluted runoff so it won't end up in
> the
> Huron River.
>
> So, we issue the following challenges to the City of Ann Arbor:
> =E2 =A2We challenge you to lead the development of a better plan for the
> future
> of a healthy and vital Ann Arbor which we will proudly pass on to our
> children's children.
> =E2 =A2We challenge you to include the DDA, the Historic District Commission
,
> the Old West Side Association, the Friends of the Ann Arbor Greenway,
> the
> Washtenaw County Drain Commissioner, and any and all interested
> residents
> to work together as equal members of the team that will develop that
> better plan.
> =E2 =A2We challenge you to suspend all building in the Allen Creek Flood
> Plain
> and to treat this historic natural feature of the downtown with the
> same
> respect and care that we now understand our historic buildings deserve.
> =E2 =A2We challenge you to study existing parking use and traffic patterns .
> We
> challenge you to explore and present all realistic alternatives for new
> parking on ground outside of the flood plain. We challenge you to
> explore
> and present alternatives for increasing the height of existing parking
> structures.
> =E2 =A2Finally, we challenge you to stand in the center of the First and
> William
> surface lot envisioning each of two competing scenarios:
> 1. A beautiful park in a unique natural amphitheater connecting
> the
> downtown with the historic Old West Side and connecting the downtown
> to an
> extensive system of green pathways and parks, or
> 2. A massive parking structure only three blocks from three other
> under-utilized structures.
> Then we challenge you to imagine returning to the same spot in the
> future
> and explaining your choice of plans to your grandchildren.
>
> We believe that in the end, what makes Ann Arbor such an incredibly
> special place to live has as much to do with its historic buildings and
> its natural features, as it does with the uniquely giving and
> collaborative community that occupies it. Please accept our challenges
> and accept a leadership role to ensure that what we do now will become
> our
> treasured legacy to the City of Ann Arbor.
>
> Respectfully,
> Bruce Baker and Genie Wolfson
> and many others.
>
> Bruce
> (734) 222-8044 office
> (734) 222-5490 fax
> (734) 678-0335 mobile
> www.ebonsai.com
>
> =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D
> You can help to spread support for the Ann Arbor Greenway:
> - Contact Bruce Baker and sign on to the letter.
> - Forward this message to interested friends.
> - Sign the e-petition in support of the Greenway, on the Friends of the
> Ann Arbor Greenway web site: www.aagreenway.org
> - Hold an Ann Arbor Greenway meetup discussion with your friends. Call
> 665-0248 or visit www.aagreenway.org for meetup information.
>
>
>
>
>
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