Milan News-Leader:
Open Letter
Daryl Lukasik
Ann Arbor News:
Aretta Schils
September 13, 2000
Percy Barnevik
Chairman, Board of Directors
General Motors Corporation
300 Renaissance Center
P.O. Box 300
Detroit, Michigan 48265-3000
Dear Mr. Chairman,
We are writing to share our deep concern about the behavior of General Motors with regard to the residents of Milan Township, Michigan. The people of Milan Township and Monroe County have clearly and repeatedly said "NO" to the Ann Arbor Railroad Properties/GM Intermodal Distribution Center in Milan Township, yet work continues on GM's behalf to force the project into our community.
Let us share with you a short overview of the proposed project:
On behalf of General Motors, AAR Properties has been trying for 2 years to develop the country's largest auto-distribution center in rural Milan Township, Monroe County, Michigan. AAR Properties is a wholly owned real estate company of the Ann Arbor Railroad. AAR Properties is seeking to build this railyard on approximately 1,000 acres of prime agricultural land. They plan to operate 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, introducing the noise and light pollution of a 1,000 acre industrial complex into a rural neighborhood with no transitional zoning. They propose to build a 405 acre parking lot to store up to 50,000 new GM vehicles, causing storm water run-off, flooding and water table problems. AAR Properties projects an increase of 900-1400 daily truck trips (50 trucks an hour at peak times) to the traffic volume on US-23, causing air quality concerns from diesel fumes as well as road safety issues. They estimate daily train traffic would increase by 8 to 12 train trips, blocking essential emergency vehicle routes and causing traffic delays. A fiscal impact study done by the Michigan Land Use Institute found minimal or no economic benefit to the township or its residents.
On January 13, 1999, Patrick O'Meara, president and owner of the Ann Arbor Railroad assured the Milan Township Board of Trustees and community members that AAR Properties would proceed with their plans to build this site only with the support of the community. Milan Township and Monroe County residents have repeatedly turned down this project.
 | On July 14, 1999, the Monroe County Planning Commission voted down a rezoning recommendation 6-1. |
| Following the Township Board's 3-2 vote approving the rezoning, area residents gathered approximately 10 times the petition signatures necessary to bring the rezoning issue to a referendum vote of the people. |
| On February 22, 2000 the voters in Milan Township turned down the rezoning request at the polls with the largest voter turnout in township history. |
| On July 10, 2000, the Monroe County Road Commission refused a request by AAR Properties for a technical review of road improvements. |
| On July 25, 2000, the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality denied an AAR Properties application for wetlands removal. |
| On August 8, 2000, four local candidates who publicly opposed the proposed railyard won seats for the five person township board in the primary election. These candidates are running unopposed in the November election. |
In spite of this clear message, AAR Properties, on behalf of GM, continues to disregard the will of the people. Railroad officials are proceeding with surveying work at the site. Currently they are also working with state officials to remove this farmland from the Farmland Preservation Act as they try to move forward with their plans against the wishes of township and county residents. AAR Properties and GM are clearly attempting to thwart the democratic process.
We believe we speak on behalf of the majority of area residents, many of whom currently work for General Motors, are retired from a GM plant or drive GM vehicles. We do not understand why General Motors is trying to circumvent the democratic process that is the foundation for our country. We do not understand how a company that prides itself on its good community relations could decide to force its way into a rural community that has clearly said NO. We do not understand how a company that views itself as a "Green Business" could consider destroying 1,000 acres of prime farmland and open space against the wishes of the community.
We believe that General Motors should respect the democratic wishes of the people of Milan Township and stop moving forward with this project. You have the opportunity before you to show the people of Michigan that General Motors is a company that values its partnership with local communities by responding positively to the wishes of local residents to protect farmland and open spaces and preserve their rural quality of life. We look forward to your response.
Respectfully,
On behalf of Milan Area Concerned Citizens James McCrae HokensonCarol McCrae-Hokenson
15005 Cone Road
Milan Township Residents
Maybee, Michigan 48159
Mary E. B. Carek
Milan Township Resident
12531 Crowe Road
Milan, Michigan 48160
cc: Members of the Board of Directors for General Motors
Daryl Lukasik
To the Editor,
In February 2000, the voters of Milan Township voted (in a referendum) to
overturn a decision made by the Milan Township Board to rezone 1100 acres of
prime farm land, from agricultural use to light industrial use, for the
General Motors Auto Distribution Center. If referendums can be overturned by
the power of large corporations, where does that leave the future of our
Representative Republic, and democracy? Issues like this will ultimately
effect the whole country.
Gerald Holmes, a GM spokesperson stated that, "we understand the vote", but
stated that the site is desirable and the best option they'd found. In other
words, in my opinion, what he is saying is: it doesn't matter what the
voters want, it only matters what GM wants! GM has generated a large volume
of sales and profits from representative republics, since democracies tend
to develop large middle classes. Perhaps the people of Milan Township, the
people throughout Michigan, and the U.S. should vote with their money, in
the free market place, to boycott products made by companies, such as GM. It
is my opinion, that GM does not respect the rights of voters, or the
principles of democracy, or representative republics. This is the one way
remaining for people to protect their freedom against assault by major
corporations. Perhaps, if people like Gerald Holmes are put into the ranks
of the unemployed, they will understand the will of the voters in
referendums.
Given the drought situations that are occurring throughout the country, and
may continue to occur throughout the country, does it make sense to remove
this acreage from farming and use it for an Auto Distribution Center? Where
will future generations get their food? From desert regions using water from
the Great Lakes?
Is GM being denied an area for an Auto Distribution Center in Michigan? NO!
The Willow Run facility, next to the closed GM Assembly Plant, would be an
excellent site.
What should come first, the desire for corporations to maximize profits, at
the public's expense, generous Executive Bonuses, or the preservation of
democracy, and farm land for food? You decide.
Finally, to the people of the city of Milan, if this auto distribution
center is built, you may encounter 30-minute or more of delays at the
railroad tracks. This will be due to the long trains that will be necessary
in order to carry vehicles. Imagine what this will do to the Milan school
bus schedules. Response time for the Milan Fire Department, Milan City
Police and ambulance service will also be increased.
Daryl Lukasik
Aretta Schils
To the editor,
I am one of those against the auto-distribution center that was featured in
the Friday, September 15 AA news. If the Ann Arbor Railroad and General
Motors force this into our community, it will be 100 feet from our front
door. Does anyone in their right mind think this sort of industrial facility
belongs that close to residential area?
I met with AARR's owner, Patrick O'Meara, two years ago when I first heard
about this. Mr. O'Meara said he would present it to the community and if
they didn't want it, he would not pursue it. He even repeated that statement
in January ,1999 when he presented this before the citizens at a public
meeting. The people have said they don't want this. What happened to people
"keeping their word"?
People say to look at all the money the developer has spent. I say, what
about all the money, time and energy we neighbors have collectively invested
into our homes and property. Proportionately, we have a far greater
investment than GM because our assets aren't nearly as large as GM's.
We purposely live away from industrialized areas so that we can breath
cleaner air, have less noise, less light, and drive in less traffic. Some
live here because their health dictates that they can't live near industry.
If this development were to come in, why should we be forced to move away
from here to healthier places or, worse yet, have to stay here and endure
living next to this? Why should neighborhood children be forced to breathe
diesel fumes from trucks, cars, and trains residing in that development?
We are not telling General Motors and Ann Arbor Railroad not to build this
at all. We are telling them that it doesn't belong in a residential
neighborhood such as ours and there are already existing industrial areas
and brownfields that are much more proper for this.
Thank You.
Aretta Schils