Ann Arbor City Planning Department
January 25, 2005

Land Use Issues

The City of Ann Arbor, before annexing this property and thereby removing the last major barrier to the construction of the school, might like to take a moment and consider the broader systemic effects on Ann Arbor and its surrounding communities. It has been well documented, by the Michigan Land Use Institute and others, that Michigan has led the nation in building large comprehensive schools in the last 10 years. This at a time when everything we know about both land use and educational outcomes tells us that this is an idea whose time has passed, and whose negative consequences will be felt for decades to come. While the evaluation of educational methodologies and structures may be outside the scope of this body, the consequences of improper land use are central to your mission.

Building an attractive new school will doubtless attract new families and therefore maintain the large per student school aid that Ann Arbor schools currently receives. However, this will create severe challenges for the surrounding infrastructure. School construction on undeveloped sites generates many new expenses for infrastructure and government services, which eventually raise taxes for business and property owners. The unintended consequences of these actions are to raise costs for Ann Arbor city residents, while encouraging suburban sprawl in the surrounding communities. Ironically, you end up with less affordable housing in the city, and a lower quality of life for everyone as existing green spaces disappear and young, upwardly mobile couples leave the city or choose not to live there in favor of locating near to the sparkling new school in newer more modern housing stock.

A far better alternative is to renovate and expand existing schools, build new school buildings in more populated areas, such as Pittsfield, and preserve the green spaces and quality of life that make Ann Arbor the attractive destination it has always been. We are sure that the commission does not want to see the diminishing of the unique nature of Ann Arbor. All research and evidence points to the construction of a large comprehensive school on the far outskirts of the city as a sure way to set in motion the chain of events that we have just described.

The State Superintendent of Public Instruction has exclusive jurisdiction over school buildings and sites, but in practice provides little oversight or direction. They will not exercise any strategic thinking or planning on behalf of Ann Arbor and its surrounding townships. It is therefore incumbent on this commission to act responsibly on behalf of the residents and our land and prevent this egregious instance of sprawl to be allowed to move forward.

At the very least, please do not act on this annexation until you have had an opportunity to read, study and discuss “Hard Lessons: Causes and Consequences of Michigan’s School Construction Boom” published by the Michigan Land Use Institute. There are far better alternatives for accommodating our school-age population, and it is up to you to make sure that they are properly investigated and considered.