I can see how a visual buffer might be useful in some situations, but given our region’s historically suspect treatment of multifamily development, a required four-foot buffer has a bad ring. I can’t help but think of the infamous Detroit redlining wall, not that I think that’s the motivation here.

Any word on what other municipalities do?

I was present throughout the budget retreat and took notes. It was in fact Mr. Derezinski who raised the issue of (regional) collaboration and repeatedly stressed its importance. Mr. Fraser described just a few examples where it has been successful locally and downplayed any further use of this strategy in allaying budget stresses. The Washtenaw Corridor project was not discussed unless as a very brief aside.