Re-Elect Mayor John Hieftje

A friendly, vibrant Downtown.

John envisions a pedestrian and bicycle friendly Downtown with a new park/plaza, more public art, rejuvenated retail, green buildings and more transit and parking options. Planning is underway for a new greenway along the edge of Downtown that will join our beloved Huron River Greenway.

State law makes it all but impossible for cities to require more creatively designed, energy efficient buildings. But the Mayor is willing to push limits in this direction. The city is very close to having its OWN version of intelligent design guidelines.

While savoring the unique character of Downtown Ann Arbor, Mayor Hieftje continues to advocate measured, environmentally sustainable development. He was the only member of City Council to vote for a building height limit in November 2007. Since then, five council members have agreed to reopen the question.

We all love our Downtown, but there are some concerns.

There have been some empty store fronts as retail continues to struggle through the deep slump in Michigan’s economy. This affects every city in Michigan. Fortunately for Ann Arbor new businesses are moving in despite high rents for commercial space downtown.

From studying other cities we know: more residents living downtown are critical to bringing back locally-owned retail and creating a vibrant city center for years to come. Increased housing choices downtown will accommodate some of the substantial workforce joining the UM Life Sciences-Hospital complexes, new businesses such as Google and many other offices downtown. More people living near their work will cut down on commuting needs, reducing traffic congestion and air pollution.

*Key streets and downtown blocks we all love are predominantly within protected historic districts.*  And yet, even while preserving much of what is best about Ann Arbor now, we still must plan carefully for the next 25 years and beyond. 
Downtown visioning efforts have sparked a broad community conversation.  Numerous interactive workshops and public hearings over a period of four years have resulted in an unprecedented degree of community input and healthy debate.

Finally, summarizing these discussions, A2D2 has developed zoning recommendations and design guidelines, which will be presented to City Council later this year. Among community endorsers for these goals are the Huron River Watershed Council, the Downtown Neighborhood of Small Business Owners and Residents and the Michigan Environmental Council.