Meeting discusses ways to improve Ypsi community

A public meeting regarding the Ypsilanti Master Plan for the city was held on Monday at the Student Center. The event was sponsored by Eastern Michigan University’s Student Government and EMU’s Office of Government & Community Relations.

Ypsilanti City Planner Theresa Gillotti conducted the Master Plan presentation, inviting the audience members to learn more and offer any comments or advice to officials about Ypsilanti.
Gillotti said that the plan was implemented to give residents a voice. The months of March and April of this year allowed for different focus groups to come together to go on tours and attend sessions and workshops about the city.

Gillotti said the focus groups provide ways for residents to think about what defines Ypsilanti and what should define the city.

“People do have an input and then a plan is laid out,” Gillotti said.

A PowerPoint presentation on the Master Plan highlighted many critical issues involving the city. Situations regarding transportation, land use and maintenance have been three of many focal points concerning residents.

In respect to transportation, Gillotti said that many people from the focus groups mentioned they would like to see the conversion of one-way streets to two-way streets. She said that some residents have a desire to take shorter routes and think that two-way streets might alleviate the chances of crashes.

The presentation also focused on city demographics, the economy and Ypsilanti’s assets. Gillotti said the ultimate goal was to create a sustainable local economy for residents.

“We’re going to thrive, we’re going to survive,” Gillotti said.

One piece of the plan also involves the fact that EMU is an asset to the city, as well as the city being an asset to EMU. With enrollment numbers increasing, Ypsilanti is seeing more societal trends and student traffic throughout the city

Student Body President Desmond Miller said that another goal is to make the students more comfortable.

In regards to land use of the city, Washtenaw Community College student and president of the Kiwanis Club of Ypsilanti, Shataura Clayborne, said that a lot of people don’t even know where the parks are and what Ypsilanti has to offer in terms of recreation.

“I would like to see, especially on the south side of Ypsilanti, more public land use, more parks and better information about where they are, and the type of services that they have,” she said.

To learn more about the plan, go to the city’s Facebook page at facebook.com/Ypsi.Michigan.