Title
Resolution to Recommend Planning Commission and City Council Initiate the Process to Adopt The Treeline-Allen Creek Urban Trail Master Plan.
Memorandum
The attached resolution refers to The Treeline-Allen Creek Urban Trail Master Plan project that began in October 2015. The Treeline - a planned urban trail through the heart of Ann Arbor - is a transformative idea for connecting people and places across Ann Arbor. The Treeline will connect City-owned properties, neighborhoods, and downtown businesses while linking to the Huron River and the regional Border-to-Border trail (B2B Trail). The project extent connects the B2B Trail along the Huron River at the north end of the study to the South State Street and Stimson Street intersection at the south end.
Often referred to as the Allen Creek Greenway, the idea for an urban trail and improvements to the Allen Creek floodplain have been discussed for decades within the community. The Treeline Master Plan process - as directed by City Council - focuses primarily on identifying a non-motorized connection across the study area, while recognizing that The Treeline can provide a framework for additional improvements through parallel or future projects. The project team identified the following goals and objectives for the Master Plan, which describes a feasible approach for the future development of The Treeline and examines the critical factors influencing its feasibility and potential configuration:
* Enhance connectivity between neighborhoods, businesses, and the Huron River.
* Promote health and safety in our community.
* Protect and enhance environmental quality in the Allen Creek watershed.
* Strengthen Ann Arbor's character and identity.
* Support economic vitality in Ann Arbor.
The Treeline responds to a number of design principles and best practices. Many of these principles arose from the stakeholder and community engagement processes, reflecting the values and desires of key, future trail users:
*...
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