SG-W:/ Newmarket

["jmarine" <jmarine@gateway.net>]

After spending most Thursday evenings (including a late night this past
Thursday) at the Pittsfield Township Hall listening to our Planning
Commission work with the NewMarket developer to produce a "Bulletproof" plan
(I guess that this means a plan that will stand up if/when this issue winds
up in the courts), I can't help but to chime in about NewMarket.

Jack, last night for who knows how many times, I suggested that this type of
development would be great if planned for Detroit, or even certain portions
of Ypsilanti.  During the public hearing last fall, dozens of residents
suggested the same thing (though not a single remark from a citizen
suggested that this development should be built in the central agricultural
region of Pittsfield).  I have also asked time and time again, why this
commission would want to repeat the mistakes of Canton, or my home town, the
Northwest suburbs of Chicago.  Aside from the commissioners looking at their
watches while I speak, there is little if any noticeable response.

Kristen, I agree with Christina that while we advocate high density
development in appropriate areas, it would be inappropriate and
irresponsible to approve this type of development in this portion of
Pittsfield.  I would be glad to send you a map from last year's Tour de
Sprawl to follow our route from Stone School Road south Ann Arbor (Rt. 94)
all the way to the Braun Farm in York Township, adjacent to the Saline City
limits, which was a long ride past almost completely agricultural or natural
open spaces.  To suggest that this area is currently undergoing rapid
development (as was done by the consultant hired by the Pittsfield PC to
advise on NewMarket) is absolutely ludicrous.  To suggest that since the
Northwest and Eastern portions of Pittsfield have been overdeveloped means
that all areas of Pittsfield are growing at the same rate is simply
incorrect.  However this is the type of reasoning that the pro-development
forces are using to try to force through multiple subdivisions in areas that
do not have the infrastructure to support this growth.

We may eventually lose this battle, but not without a fight, and if we lose
Pittsfield will be lost.  Then those who have been willing to write off
Pittsfield for development, hoping that this will keep growth out of their
more rural areas, will then have to face the same problems that we are
facing today.  The current pressure on Pittsfield may be to fill in the
"Hole in the Doughnut" between AA, Saline and Ypsi, but next it will
increase the growth pressure between Ann Arbor and Dexter, Dexter and
Chelsea, Chelsea to Manchester, Saline to Milan...  I would like to suggest
that some of you that will have the next battles may want to join us at
Planning Commission Meetings to see what you're up against.  Our PC has
divested itself of the Citizen Advisory Role that they were appointed to
perform and are now working as advocates for the developer (from Bloomfield
Hills).  They no longer represent the interest of the current township
residents, but are working for the rights of those that will be induced to
move into our township by all the subdivisions that they are approving.
They don't concern themselves with the effects on the schools systems, but
are interested in helping to design the new sidewalk planters to accommodate
the trees since they are destroying the trees that naturally grow in the
areas they plan to pave over.  The lack of sewer capacity for new
developments means nothing to them since they will try to use tax dollars
from current residents to purchase more capacity, in essence asking the
taxpayers to subsidize the developer for undesired growth.  Finally, our
commissioners have no problem allowing the developer stand in front of them
and say anything regardless of the facts.  This is easy for them because
they don't take any initiative to do simple fact finding to know the
difference (ignorance IS bliss).  It was suggested to me that these
commissioners must be getting paid off by someone to act so flagrantly
against the best interests of the township residents, however I do not know
or believe this to be true.  What I do believe is that they should be
getting paid by the developer as planning consultants as they spend hours
helping to design details of a final site plan for this subdivision.  This
is what we are up against, and don't be surprised when other Township and
City Officials act in the same incomprehensible manner when "there are too
many exterior pressures for development not to happen" in your area.

Yes, I too have rambled on.  So thanks if you've managed to get to this
point.

Jeffrey Marine



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