Ann Arbor Parks and Greenbelt Open Space Program

Official Policy
January 28, 2004

The Ann Arbor Area Chamber of Commerce supports the following key principles with regard to implementing the Ann Arbor Parks and Greenbelt Open Space Program.   The Chamber urges the City of Ann Arbor, the surrounding townships and the appointed commission charged with overseeing the Greenbelt Open Space program to incorporate these principles. 

1.  Development should be encouraged to further strengthen the area’s economic engine and tax base.  The greenspace purchases should serve to channel development, not slow or stop development.
2. Higher density development should be encouraged in the city and in corridors outside the city as part of a commitment to responsible growth.
3. Business representation should be included in all decisions made to purchase land and/or development rights.
4. The purchase of land and/or development rights should be part of a broader regional planning strategy, which the Chamber has long supported.
5. In order to minimize cost, reasonable efforts should be made coordinate purchases with other governmental units.
6. As land is contemplated for purchase, consideration for maintenance of the land should also be part of the planning process to ensure adequate resources are available, and to ensure careful use of the business community’s tax dollars.
7. While it is recognized that real estate negotiations must be confidential, other aspects of the process to purchase land or development rights should be made public.