…Every minute of our work on the Citizen has been rewarding and enjoyable. We feel the product we created was a valuable asset and resource for Ypsilantians and we stand behind what we have created.

However, it is with a somber feeling that we announce the Ypsilanti Citizen will no longer be providing news to the Ypsilanti community. This is effective immediately.

We do not view the experiment of creating a professional Web-based news platform for Ypsilanti as a failure. The Citizen was always able to deliver accurate information to the community that was often over-looked by other media outlets in the area. The Citizen was also able to garner profit and continual growth every quarter with no exceptions.

The Citizen was the only locally-owned news source in Ypsilanti and we are proud to have offered that for the amount of time we could. We did this as two residents and community members and we ran it on an experimental Internet-only platform.

As the Citizen is locally owned by two residents, who are recent Eastern Michigan University graduates and young journalists in the area, it is heavily impacted by whatever is happening in our personal lives. Likewise, our personal lives were often heavily impacted by the success of the Citizen.

Although we have seen continual growth, it has not achieved sustainable profit margins that would allow us to rely on the Citizen as a sole source of income. In addition, recent developments in both of our personal lives has created a situation where we find it difficult to effectively run the business….

I know that Dan and Christine have been busting their asses for a long time, trying to make the Ypsi Citizen economically viable, and I applaud them for their efforts. As some of you might recall, I once had dreams of starting up an online, Ypsi-focused “newspaper” of my own. I, however, never took the big step. I knew what it would take in terms of commitment, and I wasn’t willing to make the sacrifice. Fortunately, Dan and Christine were, and Ypsi, these past two years, has been better for it. And, for that, I think that we all owe them a big “thank you.” The Ypsi Citizen will be missed.

Actually, I should mention right up front that it doesn’t involve either being alone with me, or the removal of any clothes… Video equipment, however, may be involved.

So, here’s the deal.

Last year, while making my way around Ypsilanti’s annual Heritage Festival, I happened to notice a large, black Humvee in the park… It was hard not to notice, as it was blasting rap music and surrounded by military personnel… As I made my way toward the vibrating, black military vehicle, which I seem to recall had giant speakers mounted in the back, I noticed a group of young African American teenagers approaching from the other direction.

The men in uniform, not surprisingly, turned their attention toward them (and away from the overweight, middle-aged white guy) and began their rap about the military (I believe it was the Army) and why it was a great place for a young man to spend a few years. The two things I distinctly remember are 1) that the recruiters said if they signed up they’d get to drive around in cool vehicles like this tricked-out Humvee, and 2) that lots of famous rappers had served in the military. I can’t remember the names of the rappers, but they rattled off a list and then said something like, “All of those guys got their start in the Army.” At some point, I think it became apparent that I was eavesdropping and the recruiters ushered the candidates around to the other side of the Hummer.

I personally don’t have a problem with the military, and, in fact, I think it can be really good for some people. So, I’m not suggesting that they not be allowed to recruit at community events like these. What I found offensive, however, was the fact that their pitch was so carefully crafted for an “urban” demographic. From, “I bet you’ve never been in a ride this expensive before,” to “he learned to rap in the military,” the pitch was honed to perfection. There was no talk, at least that I could hear, of the danger involved, or even the service that one might feel compelled to offer their country. There was no talk of the skills that would be learned, or the potential to have college tuition paid for. They weren’t there to talk about the realities of life in the military, or the current challenges we face in the Middle East. They were there fishing… luring in young kids with lots of bass and a big, shiny car.

So, this year (assuming they’re there again) I was thinking that maybe I’d get someone to go down with a mic, so we could all hear what’s actually being said… Unfortunately, I’m a bit out of touch with the high school demographic… and I don’t feel like going the route of Gene Wilder in “The Silver Streak” and trying to pass for young and black.

Maybe I’ll put up an ad on the new Craig’s List: Ann Arbor.

From left to right are Ingrid, Laura, George, and a bloated creature that resembles a much older, slower, and huskier version of yours truly. (One can only imagine what the poor, swollen fellow must have done to have received such a look contempt and disdain from the usually very polite and gracious George.)

As for the project, things are going well. The design and architecture are well underway (thanks mostly to the efforts of Theresa, Linette and George), and we’re hoping to launch the site later this summer… If you want to know more about last night’s meeting and what was covered, you’ll find a more detailed post at the Ypsi-Dixit site. And, if you’d like information as to how you can participate, just send me a note. Once we get up and running, there will be virtually no end to our need for volunteers.

And, in the meantime, if you’re curious as to the potential of citizen reporting, check out these local stories presently being covered by my fellow Ypsi bloggers:

- Coleus on An Early Morning Basement Fire on W. Cross St.

- Ypsi-Dixit on The Danger Our Historic Hydro Facility is Facing. (For more information, like what it’s going to cost us to demolish the beautiful, old building, see Part 1.)

- East Cross on The New Slumlord at the Parkview Apartments.

…He made a modest fortune selling Chinese medicine around the country, and now he’s started the Chinese Public Opinion Surveillance Net – one of four million blogs in China.

Mr. Li travels around China with an I.B.M. laptop and a digital camera, investigating cases of official wrongdoing. Then he writes about them on his Web site and skips town before the local authorities can arrest him…

All this underscores how the Internet is beginning to play the watchdog role in China that the press plays in the West. The Internet is also eroding the leadership’s monopoly on information and is complicating the traditional policy of “nei jin wai song” – cracking down at home while pretending to foreigners to be wide open.

I won’t comment on that part about the press playing the role of watchdog in the West except to say that according to a recent international survey the United States tied for 24th place when it came to the health of its independent media.

The meeting started on time. The volume on the microphones was set too high. There were few people in attendance, and, without exception, the people who were in the audience left after their particular portion of the agenda had been dealt with. Only one person, other than myself, and Township staff, stayed until the end. I suppose it’s possible that he was there to watch me. From what I understand, the city is keeping close tabs on our activities.

Of the ten items on the evening’s agenda, the most attention was given to the site plans for two proposed residential developments, both to be located off of Merritt Road in Ypsilanti Township. The first, Elliot Farms, a development including 73 single-family homes and 30 condos, is planned to be built at Stony Creek and Hitchingham. The second, Stony Creek Ridge, a development of 91 single-family homes, is planned for the west side of Stony Creek, north of Merritt.

Only two men from the audience came forward to raise concerns about the plans as they were outlined by representatives of the builders. The first, a man who indicated that he lived between the two proposed developments, began his statement by asking why he’d only been informed that afternoon, by way of letter, that this meeting was taking place. There was some debate back and forth between Township employees as to why this had happened, but the general consensus seemed to be that the Township wasn’t obligated to inform local residents of this particular meeting (as it was a follow-on to a previous meeting on the same subject), and that they had just sent letters out at the last minute as a courtesy. The man indicated that, had there been more notice, many of his fellow residents would have been there. He said that they, like him, were very concerned as to the ramifications of these proposed developments, at least one of which is seeking permission to exceed the population density criteria outlined by the present zoning ordinance… Present zoning of the 79.8 acre Stony Creek Ridge parcel would, if left unchanged, allow for the building of either 73 or 76 single-family homes (both numbers were cited during the meeting), and the developer is petitioning the Commission to allow 91 instead.

The Commission, I think, did a fairly good job of explaining the complexity of the situation and how they were trying to balance current zoning requirements, the desires of the builders involved, the quality of life of local residents, and the visual appeal of the proposed developments. According to the members of the Commission, current zoning, while allowing for fewer lots, would give the Township little control over the finished product. In return for allowing greater density, however, they’re given the opportunity to exert some control over the development, asking for additional elements deemed to be for the good of the community, like bike trails, soccer fields, undeveloped open space, etc. In the case of Elliot Farms, this translates to 35 acres of open space, 3 gazebos, 8 acres for protected wetlands, the paving of adjacent public roads, a bicycle path, and, I believe, a traffic light. In the case of Stony Creek, it means a water retention lake (complete with tiny waterfall), and a soccer field.

The fellow protesting the developments maintained that the bad, in this case, outweighed the good, and he asked why the commissioners had been willing to allow over 15% more homes than current zoning called for (in the case of Stony Creek) in exchange for superficial public benefit and a promise of better landscaping. He was of the opinion that, had the Commission not acquiesced, the developers might have left Ypsilanti for another community, where they could negotiated more agreeable terms. To paraphrase him, “They knew the zoning limits when they purchased the land, and there’s no reason why we should now allow them to increase density and maximize their profits. All we’ll get in return is increased traffic and a lessened quality of life.”

The other gentleman in the audience who came to express his concern about these developments was a farmer, a Mr. Elliot, who owns a large parcel in the area. His concern was that with the developments would come ATVs and motorbikes that would cross over onto his property. (He indicated that this had been his experience when a previous developer had initiated construction on a subdivision off Hitchingham.) He was asking for a fence of some kind to be erected between their properties… He, it should be pointed out, was generally complimentary toward the development plans and indicated that he someday might seek to do something similar with his land.

Other than that, there wasn’t a lot of activity. Two people were there requesting that their homes be approved as 12-child daycares. (Both were approved.) Someone was submitting plans for an automotive testing facility to be built at Ecorse and Parkwood. Someone else was asking permission to gussy up her gas station/convenience store at 2169 Washtenaw. (The Commission was happy to hear that the old place was being rehabbed and only asked that the owner, while she was at it, include a “Welcome to Ypsilanti Township” sign at the corner.) And, T Mobile was there asking permission to co-locate equipment on an existing cell tower. (A woman came to protest after receiving a letter in the mail showing the cell tower encircled by a ring that encompassed her home. She thought that perhaps it indicated dangerously high levers of radiation. She was told, however, that it only marked the 300-foot radius from the tower, the line inside of which the Township was required to notify homeowners. Relieved by that, and the T Mobile rep’s assurance that a cell tower wasn’t any more dangerous than a hairdryer, she got her coat and left.)

No one cried. No one was attacked.

If you’re interested, you can read/edit the meeting’s agenda here.

And, if you haven’t had a chance yet, please drop by a few of the other community reporting sites already in existence and make a note of what you like and don’t like. You can find a list of links here.

As for location of the meeting, it’s still up in the air, but I get the sense that we’re leaning toward Aubree’s (unless wifi is an issue). I should have an update shortly.