This past weekend, the City of Ann Arbor was flooded, yet again. Coverage in the local paper, The Ann Arbor News, included an article featuring photos from readers of the damage the water extracted. A synagogue was among the flood’s victims. Another piece showed fraternity brothers frolicking in the rain. This increasing rainfall doesn’t surprise city and county regulators, who say that climate change will ensure more storms in the coming years. Their concerns have made them modern day Noahs, and led to tough standards for stormwater control for those embarking on building and renovation in Ann Arbor. But I was surprised to learn that the city’s largest landowner, the University of Michigan, isn’t subject to those standards. As a public University, it only needs to meet state requirements, which are far less stringent. As it embarks on extensive building around campus, the University has exceeded the state standards in some instances, but city and county officials say it doesn’t come close to meeting what the city and county require. I was able to probe this situation in-depth in this article I wrote for The Ann Arbor Observer. It was fascinating to learn how the University operates so independently of the town in which it is located. As the city and county fear major damage from upcoming storms, that’s caused significant “town/gown” tensions. And it’s raised questions about the role the University plays in addressing environmental concerns. I appreciated having the chance to explore this important issue and hope to continue tracking the developments in this area.
Here are the links I included, in case you can’t access them via the hyperlink:
http://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/index.ssf/2015/06/residents_hit_social_media_aft.html
http://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/index.ssf/2015/06/flash_flood_watch_in_effect.html
http://annarborobserver.com/s/storm_over_the_u-m_full_article.html
Julie Halpert 