Comments on: Library Board Gets Update on Library Lot

By: Steve Bean

Steve Bean — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 06:36:08 +0000

My understanding is that the proposed “Library Lane” couldn’t be a public street because the necessary width couldn’t be accommodated in the space available, so it would need to be a private street.

I understand Prue Rosenthal’s frustration around the lack of planning for this area. We’ve missed an opportunity by not having had ongoing discussions between the DDA, AATA, the City, and AADL over the past 10 years.

By: Joan Lowenstein

Joan Lowenstein — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 19:38:22 +0000

A special task force, comprised of community members as well as councilmembers, considered the Library Lot as a possible site for the police/courts building. There was a great deal of public input and the site was rejected, primarily because most people thought a government building at that location would “deaden” the area. The idea that people have had no say in these decisions is just silly. As JCP2 notes, at some point elected officials have to vote, unless you want every decision to be made by referendum.

By: jcp2

jcp2 — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 17:24:57 +0000

We live in a representative democracy, not a direct one, so in a sense, your statement would always be correct, though not entirely accurate.

By: mr dairy

mr dairy — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 17:07:45 +0000

The people of Ann Arbor had no say on spending $50+ million (excluding a $1 million fountain) on an unnecessary city hall addition of which a new police and courts facility could have been built in cooperation and shared expense with Washtenaw County on the Library Lot.

The people of Ann Arbor had no say in going into further debt for another $50+ million for an underground parking structure to serve a privately owned for profit hotel/conference center of dubious necessity that requires a large public subsidy.

Now that some council members and the city administration has been found to be more than a little cozy with the Valiant Group and purposely misled the public, who had to rely on FOIA to get information about the above mentioned conference center, once again the people of Ann Arbor are getting jerked around with a dog and pony show that allows politicians to say that they’ve listened to us and then proceed with the Valiant Groups proposal as they originally planned in secret.