-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
THE BIRMINGHAM BUZZ
"It's the 2016 Plan, stupid."
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Buzz # 38 -- Feb. 5, 2003

Promoting intelligence and reason in city government. Our mission: To inform and involve all Birmingham citizens.

VISIT OUR WEBSITE at http://www.bhambuzz.org for:
-- Up-to-date news items
-- Resources such as the 2016 Plan.
-- A lively and (usually) intelligent discussion group

We want to hear from you! Please send questions, suggestions and feedback to info@bhambuzz.org
{{PERIOD}}
In this edition:

1) Opinion: Boulevard is among projects more worthy of tax money than Adams sidewalk
2) Letter: Sidewalk is a waste of money; decision was made only to show who is in control
3) City wants to slow Old Woodward traffic
4) City to help with pipe fixes
5) Opinion: Keep politics out of the PSD
6) Letters to Eccentric
7) Opinion: Who is Carney kidding?
8) Opinion: City should move on Booth Park
9) To be removed, send mail to info@bhambuzz.org


1) Opinion: Boulevard is among projects more worthy of tax money than Adams sidewalk

Feb. 5, 2003

With a few sensible changes, the plan to install a landscaped boulevard on North Old Woodward between Oak and Ravine, in the so-called gallery district of downtown, would provide a dramatic improvement for businesses, residents and visitors to Birmingham.

The plan was discussed at a public hearing Monday night, and the city's traffic consultant, Walter Kulash, lauded the design, saying it was faithful to the 2016 Plan, to which he was a significant contributor.

The improvement is long overdue. It would tie the whole district together, make it much more walkable, and significantly slow traffic. It will be a much nicer place to visit for residents and shoppers alike.

The $1 million-plus price would be well worth it.

The timing of the hearing, however, was curious, given that City Manager Tom Markus said we're at least two, maybe three years away from actually building the boulevard.

We simply don't have the money right now, said Markus.

That's in part because our City Commission has placed a higher priority on building a sidewalk to nowhere on the Adams Road bridge south of Big Beaver (see letter below).
This sidewalk will end up costing around $1 million, with the city contributing around $575,000.

The sidewalk is supported by about four city residents, all of whom sit on the Commission. Dante Lanzetta, Donald Carney, Gordon Thorsby and Seth Chafetz appear to be among the few people in Birmingham who actually think this is a good way to spend tax money. Lanzetta is the ring leader, and the other three appear too timid or too dumb to oppose him.

Out in the real world, where people think clearly, at least two neighborhood groups and numerous individuals have spoken out against this silliness.

The North Old Woodward boulevard is just one of many projects more worthy of our tax dollars. Unfortunately, until those of us with our heads screwed on speak out loudly enough, the insanity will continue.


2) Letter: Sidewalk is a waste of money; decision was made only to show who is in control

On October 21, 2002, the Birmingham City Commission voted 5-2 (Commissioners Russell Dixon and Dianne McKeon voted no) to construct a sidewalk on the west side of Adams Road over the railroad bridge with connections north and south.

Neither the city Engineering Department nor a citizens committee assembled to review proposed improvements to the bridge recommended the sidewalk because of the cost and the destruction to trees, vegetation and property. This report is available from the city.

The decision to construct a sidewalk was made without an on-site inspection by most of the members of the City Commission. After visiting the site and walking the route, Commissioner Rackeline Hoff asked the commission to reconsider the decision to build the sidewalk.

It was stated by Commissioner Dante Lanzetta that people from various areas of the city, including some from the other side of the tracks, were there in opposition to the sidewalk, but he will stand for the safety of the children.

There are no children from the Poppleton area walking to Harlan School. Harlan is an elementary school. Commissioner Hoff checked with Harlan and Derby and confirmed that there are no students walking the west side of Adams Road to go to school. There is a sidewalk on the east side that goes all the way to Big Beaver and a safe crossing with a guard at Derby.

In a nutshell, to build a sidewalk on the west side of the bridge, the following has to happen. Currently, a raised strip of concrete exists on the bridge. It goes nowhere. To connect this strip of concrete, the following would have to take place:

1. What is now a front yard of the house at the north end of the bridge would have to be dug up, including the removal of many trees. The sidewalk would go across the yard (a safe distance from the road) and bear east to connect to the bridge. Some sort of barrier would be placed along the side of the walk to protect people from the traffic.

2. Bunkers would be placed along the bridge walk.

3. At the south end of the bridge there is no sidewalk to connect to. The embankment would have to be enhanced to provide a safe, level strip of land. This strip would go south to Putney and bear west to connect to the neighborhood sidewalk on the other side of the interior road. The trees along this route would have to be removed, and the existing interior road would have to be moved approximately 14 feet west. Water and sewer lines would have to be moved along the sidewalk route.

All this is expected to cost city taxpayers over $500,000.

The vote to reconsider failed 4-3. Commissioners Dixon, Hoff and McKeon voted yes. Commissioners Donald Carney, Seth Chafetz, Lanzetta and Gordon Thorsby voted no.
I believe the decision to continue this sidewalk project was made for all the wrong reasons -- reasons that have nothing to do with a walkable city or safety, but a desire to show who is in control. This is not good government.

I invite people in the community to call me (248-649-6804) to discuss this letter and possibly meet to walk the route of the proposed sidewalk.
To the Turners whose home lies at the north end of the bridge, they deserve an apology from certain Birmingham elected officials who completely disregarded their concerns.

There is no justification for this callous waste of taxpayers' dollars.

From the other side of the tracks.

Dorothy Conrad
2252 Yorkshire
Birmingham


3) City wants to slow Old Woodward traffic

Feb. 2, 2003

From the Birmingham Eccentric
By Larry Ruehlen

Residents in Birmingham's art gallery district will be able to get across N. Old Woodward with ease next year if a plan to calm traffic moves forward.

"The speed limit would still be 25 mph, but the intent is to create conditions that would slow down the cars and make it easier for pedestrians," said Dennis Dembiec.
The city hired Florida-based traffic engineer Walter Kulash to design a whole new look for the area adjacent to the Mill Pond neighborhood.

Kulash will talk about the plan and get resident's input at an 8 p.m. Monday meeting at city hall at 151 Martin.

Currently, marked crosswalks, one of which has pedestrian-directed strobe lights, are the primary traffic calming measure.

But the fact that cars exit Woodward Avenue at 50 mph, then go down a relatively steep hill on N. Old Woodward as they head south into the art gallery row, often puts motorists at odds with pedestrians.

Kulash, the traffic consultant who worked on the Downtown Birmingham 2016 Plan, recommended traffic calming measures that are currently being put into action in either areas of Birmingham.

Some of his tactics involve narrowing passageways, making turns tighter and adding parking to streets to force drivers to be more cautious. Those concepts are now in play on Ring Road, and early reviews have been favorable.

Kulash suggests adding a median to N. Old Woodward that would effectively reduce traffic to one lane in both directions. It is now one and half lanes wide in each direction and motorists often treat it is as if it were two.

Kulash also recommends reconfiguring the parking scheme. His plan calls for a reduction of spaces, moving many of them to the west side of the street and having cars back in rather than pull into parking spaces. He said the plan would make it better for drivers and pedestrians and thus create a better shopping district.

"More often than not, we find the stakeholders in thriving business districts are overwhelmingly in favor of gaining these types of benefits for small losses in on-street parking," said Kulash, in a memo to the city.

Birmingham Police Chief Richard Patterson conducted a study to see if people liked the idea of back-in parking. He set up a seven-space study area that required back-in parking. Some 40 percent said favored back in parking, said Patterson.


4) City to help with pipe fixes

Feb. 2, 2003

From the Birmingham Eccentric
By Larry Ruehlen

A program to help Birmingham residents cope with costly sewer lateral repairs should be in place within four months, said Dennis Dembiec, director of engineering and public services.

"I think there were many successes in improving infrastructure last year, but one of my biggest frustrations was not getting this program off the ground," said Dembiec. "The way I'd like to approach this is to go out for bids ... then homeowners would get contract prices that the city negotiates."

In April 2002, residents complained that the city wasn't doing anything to help pay for the cost of replacing lateral sewer lines that are collapsing all over town. Birmingham City Manager Tom Markus said the city wasn't responsible because the pipes were private property.

Hundreds of residents have already had to replace Orangeburg pipes at a cost of $10,000 to $20,000. The city installed Orangeburg pipes from 1945-62 but does not have records that show where or how many were installed.

The majority of lateral sewer failures have occurred on the city's east side where Orangeburg pipe was installed on a wide-scale basis. That type of pipe - though considered by some to be the industry standard - was made of tar paper and later proved to be inferior to other types of pipe.

The city provided a 30-year warranty on the pipes but the warranties have expired. Adjacent cities didn't use Orangeburg pipe.

Dembiec is working to prepare two bid packages in the hopes that several companies will compete to become the official lateral pipe contractor for the city.

One bid would be for emergency jobs. The other would be for nonemergencies. Dembiec said some residents have had to "pay through the nose" for repairs after water flooded their basements. In those circumstances, bills approaching $20,000 are common.

Bringing in a contractor to repair many lateral sewers at a set price would be cheaper than individual homeowners paying for the repairs on a case-by-case basis.
Dembiec said he is concerned that the city's involvement could increase legal liability should a repair fail. He is working with the city's legal department to address that concern.

At a recent city meeting, members of the Birmingham City Commission urged Dembiec to proceed.

"The cost is going to be very marginal to the city and the benefit to the residents is going to be monumental, said City Commissioner Gordon Thorsby.


5) Opinion: Keep politics out of the PSD

Jan. 30, 2003
From the Birmingham Eccentric

The first salvo against the Birmingham Principal Shopping District was fired -- as expected -- at the city's all-day planning session Saturday.

It's no secret that some city officials are upset with the PSD and want to disband it altogether. Others want to see new faces on the PSD board.

The board was established several years ago as a tool to bolster the downtown shopping district. It does promotional activities and sponsors programs throughout the year with the aim of bringing more people into downtown Birmingham. That's more important than ever with the closing of the Jacobson's stores and the continuing challenge posed by the shopping malls.

The PSD functions on a special tax levied on businesses within the confines of the PSD area, which essentially covers downtown Birmingham.

Critics of the PSD on the city commission have said it may be time for some new blood on the board. They have a point, since some members have been on the board since its inception in 1992. Some new voices may be needed.

But some disturbing comments have been made by some city officials that the PSD members have no business getting involved in city elections, by supporting candidates.

This is dangerous territory to approach and underlies what appears to be the real motivation of some critics of the PSD who are still upset that some merchants actively campaigned for city commission candidates in the last election.

Everyone in this country has a right to speak up and support the candidate of their choice. For a city official to imply that is wrong is nothing more than intimidation.

The city needs to examine the PSD on its effectiveness, not politics.


6) Letters to Eccentric

Is this for real?

Sometimes you have to pinch yourself when reading the Eccentric to find out if you are awake or dreaming.

The first few pages of Sunday's Eccentric (Jan. 19) mentioned a potential bike path on Woodward "from Ferndale to Birmingham." The $81,000 grant for the feasibility study is no less preposterous than the proposed $16 million to $48 million dollar total cost of this eyesore. Who comes up with these crazy ideas? Did they ever own and operate a business? Do they spend their own money this foolishly? I certainly hope that grant didn't come from any taxpayer supported agency.

Any "bike path" may be as simple and inexpensive as painting a red "bike area" on the sidewalks on both sides of Woodward. The very few pedestrians walking on Woodward could use the "inside" sidewalk area closest to stores, the very few riding bicycles could use the "outside" part of the sidewalk nearest the traffic and parked cars.

As far as the small bit of proposed additional sidewalk on North Adams, it would be much less expensive to use part of the existing street, narrow the traffic area a bit, enforce the speed limit and provide safety barriers to protect the occasional walker.

Another article mentioned that the median improvements on Woodward near Maple cost "$815,000, which was nearly $300,000 over the original estimate." It would be interesting to find out if ALL of the sprinklers and landscaping from Big Beaver to Hickory Grove cost as much. I'll bet not.

R. Rosenbaum
Birmingham


Reusing Jacobson's

I agree entirely with the editorial, "Heed the warning of Jacobson's," which states that the city commissioners and the merchants of Birmingham are going to have to work together to fill the gaping hole that Jacobson's has left in the heart of the downtown shopping area.

What's done is done, and that's the election. It's about time the commissioners and the merchants put their bitterness and differences aside in order to restore the heart of the city to its bustling livelihood.

Right now, I think it is crucial that the principal shopping district board stays intact until a solution comes out of this situation.

One way in which I think the downtown area could improve could be to turn part of the old Jacobson's into some kind of recreational club for kids and teenagers to go to on otherwise boring weekend nights. Seeing globs of teenagers loitering all over the sidewalks of downtown Birmingham is not exactly the most attractive sight. If kids had another place to go, with activities to do, then the overall attraction to downtown Birmingham of older adults would increase. This, in turn, could bring in more money. While the kids are out of the way, people would be spending more money so stores would not be going out of business right and left.

Katherine Barkel
Birmingham


Shabby station

Folks in Birmingham, we were recently at your train station and sadly disappointed as to the shabby condition of your depot.

These are the following observations: no doors to keep the freezing winds out, graffiti everywhere, litter and dirt strewn all over.

Amtrak informs us that it is the responsibility of the town to maintain its own depot. Thus, my memo.

Candace Stein
Romeo


7) Opinion: Who is Carney kidding?

Jan. 29, 2003

Don Carney thinks the PSD would be less "political" if its members were appointed by the mayor.

He thinks the PSD should be treated more like other advisory boards until, of course, it has the gumption to offer advice with which he disagrees.

He thinks the board needs some fresh ideas, but (surprise!) doesn't seem to have any himself.

He thinks property owners shouldn't necessarily be represented on the board of an authority that taxes (guess who!) property owners.

Scotty, beam this guy back to whatever planet he came from!


8) Opinion: City should move on Booth Park

Jan. 29, 2003

Booth Park has been a mess since it was dug up for a huge sewer project nearly 10 years ago. What could be a beautiful park is just a big field of bad grass planted in hard dirt with a poorly designed plastic playground plopped in the middle of it. No level play field with proper turf. No shade trees. No proper landscaping. No picnic tables. No advantage taken of the park's prime location as a gateway to our city on the Rouge River.

Now that a whole generation of children has grown up without benefit of a proper park on the site, it's time for action. We've had enough talk. Enough waiting for a grant that we didn't need in the first place to be turned down. Enough excuses.

City voters approved more than a year ago a $25 million bond issue intended in part to improve our parks. Basic improvements to Booth Park would cost no more than $500,000, and probably much less.

Sheesh. Let's get on with it!

9) To be removed, send mail to info@bhambuzz.org