The Ann Arbor 'chicken ordinance' gets the go ahead to advance

Over the objections of two members, the Ann Arbor City Council voted to hold public hearings on the possibility of keeping up to four hens, with proper fencing and shelter for the chickens and tacit approval from nearby neighbors.

We find this interesting, amusing, but in a way, we can also see that the next door neighbor who may not want to live near chickens, could be cast as the 'heavy' in all this (As Mayor John Hieftje who we dog on a lot brought to light, very correctly). "Everything was fine until my jackass neighbor said no". So we'll keep watching, and listening to those on both sides and see where this goes.

We DO wonder the press this might get in mmmm, say the Columbus Post-Dispatch as Ann Arbor becomes "Chicken Town"...

Remember the speed limits A2 Mayor John Hieftje didn't want and the State Police did? Victory for drivers

We really do have to wonder if the Ann Arbor Mayor really is out of touch with Ann Arbor (and others elsewhere who may visit Tree City or work there) drivers and voters. The state has done intensive testing on these stretches of roads, on North Main Street and Washtenaw Avenue and decided to raise the speed limits:

The speed limit on Washtenaw Avenue will become 40 mph from Hill Street to Brockman Boulevard and 45 mph from Brockman to East Stadium Boulevard. The existing speed limits along that stretch of Washtenaw currently are either 30 mph or 35 mph.

But here's the Mayor's take:

"I don't think we should be subjecting our residents to any higher speeds than are there now"

SUBJECTING? Are you serious!? In fact, the Ann Arbor Mayor, who we can't find any background in policing or road engineering for, said he doesn't believe the state models for speeds. GREAT John, we're glad you can so easily dismiss years of study because you don't want to agree with speed limits going up.

We here at YCD have a pretty good idea why the Mayor is against raising speed limits no matter how safe----his Ministry of Ticket Money that he currently lords over. Less tickets for speeding cuts into the city budget. Tell us again a large portion of money doesn't come from the MoTM. If it was a drop in the bucket the Mayor wouldn't be so opposed.

This is a victory for all of us, sans one....

City of Ann Arbor to blow things up real good

Ann Arbor City Council has voted to demolish the old downtown Y by spring. By a City Council vote of 9-1, they decided to demolish the building. Mayor John Hieftje said it could be down by February or March. The city will be asking the DDA (Downtown Development Association) to spend the 1$ million to demolish and dispose of the asbestos inside.

Disposing of asbestos is far more expensive in Washtenaw County these days since Monroe County found out where we USED to dump it all for free.

"Blow it up REAL GOOD"

Some speed limits around to to go UP

As some of our readers will recall, the State of Michigan TOLD Ann Arbor that it was safe, sane and fine to raise speed limits in certain areas around town. Of course some in the city of Ann Arbor, namely Mayor John Hieftje, said he didn't want ANY speed limits going up. Hieftje as you'll recall is not only Mayor but Head Minister of the Ministry of Ticket Money. There is your REAL reason some didn't want speed limits raised, REVENUE.

So, the state told Ann Arbor the speed limits WOULD raise and to save face the city says they have 'compromised' with the state and are allowing (allowing ha ha) limits to increase, most likely by the end of the year at the following stretches of raod:

*Washtenaw Avenue from Stadium Boulevard to Hill Street
*Main Street near M-14

The city says further review is needed (guess what's STILL going to happen) before speed limits are raised along Business 94 (Washtenaw and Huron Street) west of Hill Street to I-94.

A2 City Council votes to approve new multi-million dollar City building

The Ann Arbor City Council voted 7-4 to approve an architect going forward with plans to build a new multi-million dollar city building. The vote did not address what is expected to also need to be addressed, that being a new courts (the city currently rents court space form the county who will NOT renew the lease after 2009) building and police HQ. Currently the police HQ and city building are one in the same.

That could present a problem. So could the fact the tax base just too a massive Pfizer-sized hit.

City council members see the project costing between 33$ and 57$ million. The 57$ million number is the 'bells and whistles' proposal even though the architect hasn't begun drawing up plans as the vote was to merely give the go ahead on a design.

Ann Arbor Mayor John Hieftje is opposed to the project saying:

"This is not the time for us to go out on a limb with a new building".

Council Member Leigh Greden, D-4th Ward, disagrees with Hieftje:

"We need a new courthouse. We need a new police station, It's really that simple."

Heftje called the vote to give the architect the go ahead to design the new building:

"We are at a point of no turning back."

The NO voters were Hieftje and Council Members Ron Suarez, D-1st Ward, Bob Johnson, D-1st Ward, and Stephen Kunselman, D-3rd Ward.

Ann Arbor's reluctance in raising speed limits, have anything to do with ticket revenue?

The Michigan State Police traffic specialists want to RAISE the speed limit in certain areas of Ann Arbor. Their suggestion:

"State Police traffic specialists said last spring that speed limits along the Washtenaw/Huron/Jackson corridor and on Main Street near M-14 should bump up by 5 to 10 mph depending on the spot"

Seems like a fair, good, and reasoned approach.

Not to Ann Arbor's money making machine, the Ann Arbor Ministry of Ticket Money. Ann Arbor Mayor John Hieftje said:

"We are probably fairly far apart. I am not interested in raising speed limits on residential streets in Ann Arbor."

Of COURSE you aren't John, it'd cut into your ticket monies. Can't have that. Despite the science behind the decision, despite the years of study that have gone into the State police's reasoning, Ann Arbor is more interested in MONEY. Don't believe it? Do you REALLY think they are doing it for safety or do you REALLY think they are doing it for revenue stream? Do you see police out on the roads pulling people over to remind them to be safe or do you see them pulling people over and writing huge tickets?

Citizens, this is GOING TO GET DONE. The state can and it sounds like WILL step in and do the right thing and raise speed limits. YCD will give the last word to State Police Lt. Thad Peterson:

"It's just trying to make the law match the behavior of the people who use our roads," Peterson said. "That's how democracy is supposed to work - the laws are supposed to represent the behavior of the majority, not make it illegal. And we know it causes less crashes when we set limits that accommodate the behavior of the driving public. The delays ... undoubtedly cause motorists to receive speeding tickets for driving at speeds that are essentially in the norm. And they'll be paying for these tickets for years, with increased insurance premiums."