Archive for November, 2012

Joel Slemrod, chair of the University of Michigan’s economics department and a tax policy expert, is interviewed for The Washington Post’s Wonkblog about the impact of possible changes to the U.S. tax code: “Myself, I believe that it would be good for the economy if we deal with the long-term fiscal imbalance sooner rather than later, so I would be in favor, at some point, of a package which has a substantial amount of tax increases in it. The policy question, though, is, ‘When is that moment?’ The recovery is still fairly fragile, I think, but there’s a lot of consensus that in the long term, you need a debt plan that involves raising taxes nontrivially. But it may be … [Full Story]

Ann Arbor planning commission meeting (Nov. 7, 2012): Planning commissioners took a range of actions at their most recent meeting, and said farewell to one member.

Citing concerns over placement of the building on the site, commissioners postponed making a recommendation for a proposed retail development at 3600 Plymouth Road, immediately west of US-23. Called The Shoppes at 3600, the building is oriented with its back facing Plymouth. Commissioner Bonnie Bona, acknowledging the difficulty of positioning the building on this parcel, suggested that “perhaps this development is not right for this site.”

Also during the meeting, the commission continued the city’s ongoing annexation of township property by recommending the annexation of a Pittsfield Township parcel at 2503 Victoria, east of Packard Road. The recommendation includes zoning it for single-family residential (R1C) – a house is already under construction there.

An amendment to the city’s off-street parking ordinance was also recommended for approval. The change would allow more flexibility for temporary off-street parking for special events, such as hockey games at Michigan Stadium. Planning manager Wendy Rampson noted that there was not as much urgency to this amendment now, in light of the recent cancellation of the NHL’s Winter Classic at Michigan Stadium.

The commission also passed a resolution retroactively enabling three commissioners to attend the Michigan Association of Planning’s annual meeting, held on Oct. 17-19. The action enables commissioners to be reimbursed for their expenses.

The meeting closed with remarks of appreciation about and from commissioners Tony Derezinski and Evan Pratt, who are ending their terms. Derezinski, the commission’s representative from Ann Arbor city council, is leaving council after being defeated in the August Ward 2 Democratic primary by Sally Petersen. [Derezinski was subsequently, on Nov. 8, appointed by the council to planning commission as a citizen representative. It's expected that Sabra Briere (Ward 1) will be joining the commission as the council's next representative.] Pratt, elected as Washtenaw County water resources commissioner in the Nov. 6 general election, will be required to attend Tuesday evening meetings of the Washtenaw County parks and recreation commission, precluding membership on the planning commission, which also meets on Tuesdays. Pratt has served on the planning commission since 2004.

In the absence of chair Kirk Westphal, vice chair Wendy Woods led the Nov. 7 meeting. [Full Story]

The public address announcer at University of Michigan football games always reminds the fans that they are part of the largest crowd watching a college game anywhere in America. What he could also brag about these days is that those same 112,000 or so people sitting in Michigan Stadium are making the game the most photographed event anywhere in America that day.

At the Nov. 10 University of Michigan game against Northwestern, local journalist Lynn Monson documented that no matter where you look on Game Day, someone has a camera raised. Here’s a small selection of the people who decided to freeze moments in time before, during and after the game won by UM in overtime, 38-31.

[Full Story]

In the context of a recent expansion at Zingerman’s Deli in Ann Arbor, Crain’s Detroit Business published a Q&A with co-founder Paul Saginaw. The wide-ranging interview includes discussion of the philosophy behind the business: ”We invite everyone to come in to help us run the businesses and make decisions. And we give people all the tools that are at our disposal to do so. To me, everyone that works here understands that they are personally responsible to help run the business. We share the information and the winnings. We teach rules of finance [to] keep score and share the winnings.” [Source]

Whether your candidates won or lost this week, we can all rejoice that it’s finally over. Or, we think it is. We can’t be sure anymore, can we?

Watching the political contests and the sporting contests this week, I got to thinking: Which is sillier: playing politics, or playing sports?

As silly as sports are – and I seem to devote half my commentaries to that very subject – after watching the 2012 campaigns, I can tell you, it’s not even close: Playing politics is sillier, in a landslide.

In the sporting world, you’re not supposed to badmouth your opponent, or even talk about them very much. Coaches always say, “I’m just focusing on my team.” And then – amazingly – that’s what they actually do.

In politics, badmouthing the other guy is just about all they do. And if there is any expectation of clean play anymore, I must’ve missed it – along with just about every single candidate. [Full Story]

The New York Times reports on the Nov. 6 defeat of state Proposal 2 in Michigan. The proposal would have amended the state’s constitution to protect the rights of public employee unions. Despite that defeat, the article notes that a different ballot proposal backed by unions – to repeal the state’s emergency financial manager law – was passed. Michael Traugott, a University of Michigan political scientist, explained a possible rationale for voters’ support of that proposal: “it seemed undemocratic to put a person in place with all those powers.” [Source]

On a 10-0 vote, the Ann Arbor city council has opted out of the new transit authority – called The Washtenaw Ride – that was incorporated on Oct. 3, 2012, a little over a month ago. Incorporation of the new transit authority under Act 196 of 1986 had been preceded by the development of a 30-year transit master plan and a five-year service plan by the Ann Arbor Transportation Authority, over a more than two-year period.

At the Nov. 8, 2012 council meeting, when the Ann Arbor opt-out vote took place, Jane Lumm (Ward 2) described the effort that had gone into planning for The Washtenaw Ride as a colossal waste of time and money. Carsten … [Full Story]

Tony Derezinski will stay on the Ann Arbor planning commission at least through June of 2013 as a result of his confirmation by the city council at its Nov. 8, 2012 meeting. Derezinski’s last meeting as a city councilmember was Nov. 8, and up to that point he had served by annual appointment as the council’s representative to the planning commission. But because he did not prevail in his August Democratic primary race in Ward 2, he could not continue to serve on the planning commission in that capacity. Instead, it’s expected that Sabra Briere (Ward 1) will serve in that role. The confirmation by the council came over the dissent of Jane Lumm (Ward 2), who did not feel … [Full Story]

A task force that’s looking at future planning for the North Main Street and Huron River corridor has been expanded so that it eventually can include outgoing councilmember Sandi Smith (Ward 1). She was appointed to represent the council on the group, but did not seek re-election to her council seat. The vote to expand the task force came at the council’s Nov. 8, 2012 meeting. Smith was also nominated and confirmed in a one-step process serve as an additional citizen member.

Mayor John Hieftje had indicated at the council’s Oct. 15, 2012 meeting that he would be moving to expand the task force in this way. The resolution was sponsored by Smith’s Ward 1 cohort, Sabra Briere. At the meeting, Briere … [Full Story]

Approvals have been given by the Ann Arbor city council for two separate projects featuring pedestrian and non-motorized improvements. One is a Safe Routes to School project on Green Road. And the other involves a Michigan Dept. of Transportation (MDOT) project to install a pedestrian island on Huron Street between Thayer and Ingalls. The action came at the council’s Nov. 8, 2012 meeting.

What the council authorized for the Safe Routes to School project – in connection with Thurston Elementary School – was an agreement between the city and MDOT for the installation of bike and pedestrian safety improvements on Green Road. The agreement is required as a condition of the federal funds used for the project – a total of … [Full Story]

The number of firefighters authorized in the current year’s budget for the city of Ann Arbor nudged upward by one, to 86, as a result of city council action taken at its Nov. 8, 2012 meeting. The position will be funded for the rest of the current fiscal year by tapping the general fund balance reserve for $50,000. For the full year next year, the additional position would cost about $82,000.

According to a memo sent by city administrator Steve Powers to city councilmembers, as the budget planing cycle begins for FY 2014-015, he anticipates being able to maintain the 86 firefighter positions. Part of the rationale for adding the additional position was based on the fact that a recent hiring cycle … [Full Story]

The city of Ann Arbor’s affordable housing trust fund has been increased by $90,000, through a transfer from the general fund reserve. The action was taken at the Nov. 8, 2012 meeting of the Ann Arbor city council on a unanimous vote.

The amount of the transfer was keyed to the cost of a piece of city-owned property that the city sold recently to the Ann Arbor Transportation Authority. And the justification for the transfer was based on the council’s recent enactment of a formal policy on the use of the proceeds of city-owned land sales.

The $90,000 piece of land is a six-foot-wide strip on the former Y lot at Fifth and William, immediately to the south of the location for the … [Full Story]

The Ann Arbor city council wound up not considering a resolution that would have directed the city administrator to develop a defined contribution retirement plan to offer non-union employees hired after July 1, 2013. The city currently has a defined benefit plan.

The sponsor of the resolution, Jane Lumm (Ward 2), withdrew the resolution, saying that the city administrator and the city attorney had identified some concerns with the resolution. Possibly related to the resolution was a closed session held at the beginning of the council’s meeting, to discuss labor negotiation strategy.

Although the withdrawn resolution indicated specific action for non-union employees, it also included a goal to implement a similar change for union employees – which would have to be collectively bargained. The … [Full Story]

For the next three years, the Community Action Network (CAN) will not have to pay its workers at the level required by the city of Ann Arbor’s living wage ordinance.

CAN is a nonprofit dedicated to improving communities in underprivileged Washtenaw County neighborhoods, and receives allocations from the city through the city’s coordinated funding process to support human services. For fiscal year 2013, CAN was allocated $105,809 by the city for its Y.E.S. You CAN! program. Because those annual allocations exceed $10,000, CAN is subject to the city’s living wage ordinance, which currently requires that a minimum of $12.17/hour be paid to employees by employers who provide health insurance and $13.57/hour by those employers not providing health insurance.

However, Ann Arbor’s living wage ordinance has … [Full Story]

The city of Ann Arbor has now transferred responsibilities previously performed by Ann Arbor’s sign board of appeals (SBA) to the zoning board of appeals (ZBA). The action took place at the council’s Nov. 8, 2012 meeting. The change to the city’s ordinance had been given initial approval on Oct. 15, 2012.

The ordinance change was accompanied by a separate council action eliminating the seven-member sign board of appeals, which most recently has had only three members, according to the city’s online Legistar system. According to a staff memo accompanying the agenda item, during the fiscal year 2012 the SBA heard six appeals and none the previous year. Appeals previously heard by the SBA will now be heard by the … [Full Story]

Several changes to the PUD (planned unit development) supplemental regulations for Plymouth Green Crossings – a mixed-use complex off of Plymouth Road, west of Green Road – were given final approval at the Ann Arbor city council’s Nov. 8, 2012 meeting. At the meeting, the council also approved corresponding changes to the site plan for the complex.

The city planning commission had given its recommendation to approve the change at its Aug. 21, 2012 meeting. Six major changes were proposed: (1) adding parking or flexible space for special events as permitted uses in the ground floor of a proposed three-story mixed-use building, on the site’s northeast corner; (2) increasing the use of potential restaurant space within the site from 7,000 square feet to … [Full Story]

The Ann Arbor city council’s post-election Nov. 8, 2012 session was its last meeting before new councilmembers are ceremonially sworn in on Nov. 19. And current city councilmembers used the occasion to announce some issues that the new edition of the council will be asked to consider.

At the Nov. 19 meeting, two proposals will be brought forward on the city’s public art ordinance. The changes stem from the fact that a proposed public art millage failed at the polls on Nov. 6 by a 10-point margin (55.8% opposed and 44.14% in favor).

So at the Nov. 8 meeting, two different proposals were floated on the city’s existing public art ordinance – based on possibly differing interpretations of the expressed voter sentiment. … [Full Story]

Washtenaw County commissioners debated options for changing their compensation, ultimately giving initial approval to boost their base salaries from $15,500 to $15,750 annually and replacing per diem payments with stipends, effective Jan. 1, 2013. The 8-2 vote took place during the board’s Nov. 7, 2012 meeting. Voting against the increase were Dan Smith and Rolland Sizemore Jr. Ronnie Peterson was absent. A final vote is expected at the board’s Dec. 5 meeting.

On Nov. 5, two days before their meeting, board chair Conan Smith had emailed commissioners a draft proposal that he described as “a straw-man policy to poke at.” [.pdf of proposal emailed from Smith to the board] The basics of his proposal remained in place, though some amendments … [Full Story]

The expansion of transit services throughout Washtenaw County appears to be taking turn away from some specific approaches that have been intensively discussed for the last couple of years.

At its Nov. 8 meeting, the Ann Arbor city council is now scheduled to vote on the question of opting out of a newly incorporated countywide transit authority – an initiative that the city of Ann Arbor had been expected to help lead. With Ann Arbor’s withdrawal, this particular approach to expanding transportation services would be effectively ended.

Update: The Ann Arbor city council did decide to opt out of the transit authority, on a 10-0 vote taken at the Nov. 8 meeting.

And the topic of transit has already been raised at the post-election Nov. 7 meeting of the Washtenaw County board of commissioners. Dan Smith, a Republican who represents District 2 covering northern parts of the county, had been prepared to introduce two transit-related resolutions at the meeting, but wound up placing only one of them on the agenda. The one he brought forward was a proposal to rescind support for a metro Detroit regional transit authority (RTA) – which the board had given in September of 2011. Although board chair Conan Smith has been a champion of legislation to enable an RTA, Dan Smith’s resolution passed on a 6-4 vote.

More significantly, Smith had also considered bringing forward a resolution to dissolve The Washtenaw Ride, a new countywide transit authority created under Act 196 of 1986 when the county filed articles of incorporation last month with the state. [.pdf of resolution to dissolve The Washtenaw Ride]

The Oct. 3 filing was undertaken as part of a four-party transit agreement between the county, the cities of Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti, and the Ann Arbor Transportation Authority, which is leading this initiative. Since then, all but five of the 28 municipalities in the county have voted to opt out of the new authority. However, those that are still participating include several of the county’s largest population centers: Ann Arbor, Ypsilanti, Ypsilanti Township, and Saline.

Dan Smith’s resolution indicated that because so few municipalities are participating, the Act 196 authority should be dissolved. He held off introducing it, however, in part because of pending action by the Ann Arbor city council the next day. As The Chronicle reported in mid-October, Ann Arbor city councilmember Stephen Kunselman had said he planned to pursue the possibility of Ann Arbor opting out – because he felt he’d have the required six-vote majority after the new city councilmembers are sworn in on Nov. 19.

But now the city council will take up the issue of withdrawing from the new transit authority at its Nov. 8 meeting. And that withdrawal will be accomplished with the support of at least some of those on the council who previously advocated to expand the AATA’s governance and service area through incorporation of the new authority. A resolution on withdrawal of Ann Arbor from the Act 196 authority was added to the Nov. 8, 2012 agenda the day before the meeting – sponsored by not just Kunselman, but also mayor John Hieftje, and councilmembers Sabra Briere, Christopher Taylor and Marcia Higgins. That indicates the city council’s resolution on withdrawal is almost certain to pass.

Under the terms of the four-party agreement, once the city of Ann Arbor withdraws from the Act 196 authority, the city can terminate the entire agreement. The council’s resolution indicates encouragement to the AATA to continue to work towards regional transportation, but not with the mechanism of this Act 196 authority.  [Full Story]

At their Nov. 7 meeting, Washtenaw County commissioners gave initial approval to a 2013 general fund budget of $102.84 million, with a net increase of one full-time position. A final vote and public hearing on the 2013 budget will be held on Dec. 5 – the board’s last meeting of 2012. [.pdf of proposed 2013 budget]

The county works on a two-year budget planning cycle. In late 2011, commissioners set the budget for 2012 and 2013. However, state law mandates that the board must approve the budget annually. So on Nov. 7, commissioners voted on a budget “reaffirmation” for 2013, including several proposed adjustments. The original 2013 budget proposed a year ago was for general fund revenues and expenses of … [Full Story]

A one-year extension for a pilot program using a “coordinated funding” model to support local human services was given final approval by the Washtenaw County board of commissioners at their Nov. 7, 2012 meeting. An initial vote had  been taken on Oct. 17.

The county is one of five partners in the coordinated funding approach. Other partners are the city of Ann Arbor, United Way of Washtenaw County, Washtenaw Urban County, and the Ann Arbor Area Community Foundation. The Ann Arbor city council approved the one-year extension at its Oct. 15 meeting.

The process has three parts: planning/coordination, program operations, and capacity-building. The approach targets six priority areas, and identifies lead agencies for each area: (1) housing and homelessness – Washtenaw Housing Alliance; … [Full Story]

Taking another step toward addressing a year-long controversy over how much to pay for animal control services, the Washtenaw County board authorized contracting with the Humane Society of Huron Valley for $500,000 annually. The action – a 7-3 vote taken at the board’s Nov. 7, 2012 meeting – enables the administration to contract with HSHV for up to four years, with the option of adjusting the contract for inflation based on changes to taxable value of property in the county. Voting against the resolution were Dan Smith, Wes Prater and Rolland Sizemore Jr. Ronnie Peterson was absent.

The county would not likely pay that entire amount, however. According to a staff memo accompanying the Nov. 7 resolution, county administrator Verna … [Full Story]

The site plan and rezoning request for a new retail development – The Shoppes at 3600 – was postponed by the Ann Arbor planning commission at its Nov. 7, 2012 meeting. Commission discussion raised questions about the location of the building in the site plan, and about whether, if the site plan were not approved, the site should be rezoned. No date for reconsideration was set. The project would be located on the south side of Plymouth Road, west of US-12 US-23 and east of Green Road.

The plan calls for separating a 1.15-acre parcel off of an existing 10.85-acre hotel site, where the Holiday Inn North is now located. The smaller parcel would be rezoned from R5 (motel-hotel … [Full Story]

Changes to the Ann Arbor city code – to allow more flexibility for temporary off-street parking at special events – were recommended for approval by the Ann Arbor planning commission. The recommendation, made at the commission’s Nov. 7, 2012 meeting, will now be forwarded to city council.

An amendment would be made in the city’s off-street parking ordinance (Chapter 59 of the city code). Currently, the ordinance bans parking in the “front open space” of private property. If vehicles aren’t parked in a legal parking lot or driveway, they could be ticketed.

According to a staff memo that accompanied the recommendation, Chapter 59 includes an exception that allows parking in the front open space on UM football game days and by permit … [Full Story]

Three Ann Arbor planning commissioners will be reimbursed for expenses related to an October conference in Traverse City, following action taken by the full commission at its Nov. 7, 2012 meeting.

Bonnie Bona, Ken Clein and Evan Pratt attended the Michigan Association of Planning’s annual conference on Oct. 17-19. They will be reimbursed for roughly $600 each to cover registration ($325 each) and lodging expenses ($273 each for two nights at Grand Traverse Resort). The planning commission bylaws allow for such reimbursements, assuming the commission approves the expenses.

According to planning manager Wendy Rampson, the city’s planning unit has a conference and training budget of $8,000 for the current fiscal year. That funding is intended to cover training for planning staff, planning … [Full Story]