Resigning Planner Compliments Staff

Ann Arbor Planning Commission Chairman Clinton Hewitt is resigning nis post-because of hls move to the University of Minnesota as planning director for that institution. Hewitt was appointed to the Planning Commission in 1970 and last August was I elected its chairman. He has been at the University as assistant planner sinoe 1963. In announcing his resignation, Hewitt complimented the P' nning Department stafi He noted the st and commission fcas been '■- th past few montns. Il suppose i relationship be11-nthataL oming elections. We WÊ often cast a. .üe 'I ad guys' on most Rues. f "However, it has bt my experience 'working with the mem jrs of this commission that +ev are vivy dedicated people who tak. erio isly the responsibility of ad l'i the y Councú on planning mau.-s," Hewit aid. "This commission canr t be labelea a ■ rubber stamp group whi Is ■ istic cf many commission. 't if I had to ■ leave any advise it wou! ne that tne I commission should foUow . 3 'team ■ proach' and when a decisior is made by I the commission every me "oer should ■ concéntrate on seeing that e decisión ■ is carried out to the greate iegree ■ sible," he said. The retiring chairman expressed the I hope that the many citizens who take an I interest in planning will work together I "to achieve the kind of city desired by I everyone." But he added that "the city I must give special attention to getting a I much larger segment and greater I I tv of the community involved, in a very I positive way, in deciding the future of I the city. A perspective of positive 1 vement, up to this point and in my opinI ion, has not been developed." Hewitt also urged that the energy going inte planning matters be mobilized to "seek solutions to some of the real social implications of city planning decisions I and implementations, especially the ïnI volvement of black people in determinI ing what the future of Ann Arbor should I be for them. ..." _ ', On hand for last night's Planning ComI mission meeting was the largest audience I s'ace the Briarwood hearings. An es1 timated 150 persons were in attendance j to voice objections to various proposed I PrCoemïng under fire from the audisnee I were proposals for a service station at Stáclium and Pauline, a proposed R4B I multiple family development on Gladstone at Packard, and the proposed Packard-Platt Plaza at Packard and Platt. The commission could take no action last night because it did not have a quorum so all items listed last night will be on the next regular meeting agenda. The Planning Department staff has expre=sed opposition to the Gladstone project and the p r o p o s e d commercial development at Packard and Platt. Those commissioners present received the revised plans for the Aim Arbor Muncipal airport and generally agreed with the concept which resulta ma smaller operation than contemplated under the 1969 airport master plan