Mistakeholders
“City says: Talk to the neighbors.” AAIO says: Talk to the hand. (Sorry.)
It seems that the reason that all these proposals are passed by the Planning Commission and then rejected by council is that the developers aren’t seeking neighborhood input. Or they’re seeking it, but not doing anything about it, like walking away with their tails between their legs. So under a new Sabra-Briere-sponsored proposal, developers will be required to find out if the neighbors are, say, planning to carry out a terrorist attack if the new project passes. Then they must respond to these concerns, before any public hearing is held. “You involve the neighborhood stakeholders and you get their support, within reason,” says developer Peter Allen. “Stakeholders,” of course, are considered to be only those who live in the neighborhood currently.
At least you rarely hear a Planning Commission meeting speaker start out, “I’m Jane Smith, and I live at 11235 Golden Avenue. Well, I do in the alternate version of the future in which you approve this project, anyway.”
There is going to eventually be such a sick backlash to the NIMBY coddling in Ann Arbor. It’s really gotten ridiculous.
posted by (former) OFWinsurgent on February 4th, 2008 at 3:31 pmI can’t think of a better thread to announce this. It’s just too perfect.
We’re moving our distilling operations to Denver, Colorado this spring, and closing our bar in Ann Arbor at the start of summer.
Our lease expires in the summer, and shockingly (note heavy sarcasm), our landlords asked for an obscene amount per month in rent, so we’re done. This move has zero to do with the economy, or sales levels, as we are coming off of our strongest year of sales at the pub since we’ve been open. We moved here in 1998, and since that time our rent has tripled, and our new landlords want even more….because, of course, that’s what the market will bear.
I hope to run into you all before we leave, and I wish Ann Arbor the best. The business climate isn’t one that we can survive, however.
Cheers.
posted by todd on February 4th, 2008 at 5:06 pmTodd, I probably won’t be here any longer than you are, but I’ll miss you being here anyway. I wish you the best in Denver. This really deserves its own thread, though.
posted by ann arbor is overrated on February 4th, 2008 at 5:22 pmWell, there goes one of those few things I tell people to do in Ann Arbor.
At least this’ll make it easier to get your gin in LA, right? I tried with that GQ article a couple of times, and my local bar apparently made inquiries with their distributor, but they haven’t been able to get it yet.
posted by js on February 4th, 2008 at 5:47 pmOur first shipment hits Cali. in two weeks, JS. Ask the bar to call Pacific Edge, and they’ll take care of you.
Cheers, JS.
posted by todd on February 4th, 2008 at 5:52 pmSorry to hear it’s come to this, Todd. I too have many fond memories of your pub. Do you have a Colorado location yet? I visit there a few times a year.
posted by Nick on February 4th, 2008 at 6:08 pmThis truly sucks. Your place is my favorite A2 bar, and I am really sorry to see you go. Good luck in CO.
posted by Tom Brandt on February 4th, 2008 at 7:00 pmUh, just for the record, several cities in Colorado (including Boulder) have actually implemented the requirement of meeting with neighborhoods first, and that has greatly reduced problems later in the process. Denver and the City Planning Board’s relationships with their neighbors is no different than any in Ann Arbor. The only places where people don’t care about what happens around them are places no one wants to go. The smart developer does work with the neighbors because they have a lot of valuable input.
posted by Juliew on February 4th, 2008 at 10:09 pmTodd, who are your landlords? I’m sorry to see you go - I too have many fond memories of hanging out at your place.
posted by Lisa on February 4th, 2008 at 11:15 pmThis sucks. But, for the record, for the past two months there’s been something really awful (read vomit smell) in your beer. You’ve corrected it in the past two weeks or so, but I’ve been sticking to your booze in the meantime. This still sucks.
posted by wolverinejd on February 5th, 2008 at 12:35 amThis sucks. Leopolds is one of the best spots in Ann Arbor!
posted by Anonymous on February 5th, 2008 at 12:57 amJuliew - I’d be interested in seeing how these Colorado cities’ ordinances provide for citizen paramilitary action against developers who fail to sufficiently respond to neighbor input.
(This cheap shot is good for years of mileage! “See you on the [site plan] barricades” is the new “human companionship for goldfish.”)
posted by Murph on February 5th, 2008 at 9:36 amI know, this guy has no idea how much damage he did his cause! If being snarked about by bloggers for years counts as damage.
posted by ann arbor is overrated on February 5th, 2008 at 9:44 amit’s been awhile since i’ve been back (1959) but
posted by bruce wisniewski on February 5th, 2008 at 10:27 ami remember the hot chicks hung at the pretzel bell.
i generally drank my GOEBEL 22 jumbo in the car.
am i obsolete ??
I second the comment on the vomit smell/taste in your beer…which is why I’m surprised your sales have been good in the last few months…my friends and I stopped going after the second glass of vomit beer…
posted by poldys on February 5th, 2008 at 12:03 pmStay classy, San Diego.
posted by Dale on February 5th, 2008 at 12:10 pmOooh, Pacific Edge? Cool.
posted by js on February 5th, 2008 at 2:46 pm