Brown Recommended for N. Main Group
At its May 23, 2012 meeting, the Ann Arbor public art commission (AAPAC) unanimously recommended that Connie Rizzolo Brown be nominated for a position on a task force to study the corridor along North Main Street and the Huron River. That recommendation will be forwarded to mayor John Hieftje.
The task force was established by the city council at its May 7, 2012 meeting, with membership to include the following: one member of the park advisory commission, one member of the planning commission, one resident representing the Water Hill neighborhood, one resident representing the North Central neighborhood, one resident from the Old Fourth Ward, one resident representing the Broadway/Pontiac neighborhood, two business and property owners from the affected area, and one member of the Huron River Watershed Council.
At its May 21 meeting, the two sponsors of the resolution that created the task force – Ward 1 councilmembers Sabra Briere and Sandi Smith – proposed adding three additional representatives: a member of the city council, someone from the boating/fishing community of river users, a representative from the Huron River Citizens Association. Tony Derezinski (Ward 2), who also serves on AAPAC, then proposed an amendment to add an AAPAC member to the task force. The AAPAC addition was passed by council on a 6-5 vote. [See Chronicle coverage: "Positions Added to North Main Task Force"] Appointments are expected to be made at the council’s June 4 meeting.
At AAPAC’s May 23 meeting, Derezinski told commissioners that “basically, we need someone at the table.”
The task force is charged with delivering a report to the city council more than a year from now – by July 31, 2013 – that describes “a vision to create/complete/enhance pedestrian and bike connection from downtown to Bandemer and Huron River Drive, increase public access to the river-side amenities of existing parks in the North Main-Huron River corridor, ease traffic congestion at Main and Depot at certain times of a day and recommend use of MichCon property at Broadway; …”
Earlier than that – by the end of 2012 – the task force is to make recommendations on the use of the city-owned 721 N. Main parcel.
Brown has served on AAPAC since early 2009, and has chaired the commission’s projects committee. She is a principal of Rizzolo Brown Studio, an Ann Arbor architecture firm.
This brief was filed from the basement conference room of city hall at 301 E. Huron, where AAPAC held its meeting. A more detailed report will follow.
My understanding is that we are to use our compost containers for the leaf pickup this year. See [link]. Those leaves along the side of the road are a real hazard for bicyclists. Good on the neighbors: the leaves in the gutter can leach nutrients into the streams.
Yes, the city will not be doing a street leaf pickup this year but clearly the message is not getting across. And we want to avoid nutrients in the streams – we are already the subject of an enforcement action for the phosphorus in the Huron.
Nick’s right of course about the containerization (which also allows for paper bags) approach for leaves this year — people shouldn’t be raking leaves into the street [it sounds like what Vivienne observed was not that, but rather a rearrangement of leaves already in the street.]
Here’s a four-year old trip down bicycle-memory lane from now defunct ArborUpdate on leaves in the street: [link]
No, actually it was clear that both households had raked their leaves into the street. They were regular, consistent rows of freshly raked leaves.
The information is unclear. Are we responsible for leaves that fall in the street?
If so, will we soon be told to shovel the streets when it snows as well.
Perhaps this informative video by the Newshawks will help to clarify the policy. [link]
“Are we responsible for leaves that fall in the street?”
No. You’re also not responsible for those that fall in your yard — you can leave them there or not. Leaf collection policy is only about what you need to do in order for the city to pick them up and haul them away. And starting this year, they’ve got to be containerized.
We purchased our container months ago, and it has yet to be delivered.
I’ve seen a lot of containers being delivered this week in a couple neighborhoods.
I ordered a compostables cart some weeks ago, and received an email message that the cart would be delivered between Sept 28 and Oct 8. The message also included this information:
“The city no longer provides bulk street leaf pickups. Please use your compost cart and paper bags for the weekly compostable pickups (through November 30), or a mulching mower to handle your leaves on-site. Free drop-off of bulk leaves (Sept 1 through Dec. 30 ) is available at the city’s Compost Center, open weekdays 8-4, at 4150 Platt Road. More information at http://www.a2gov.org/leaves.”