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Residents press Ann Arbor staff on culverts, paving and special assessments; city says no SADs now
Summary
Residents raised specific concerns about Traver Creek culverts, repeated MDOT fence damage, erosion on Huron View and whether historical donations or the county could block or require paving; city staff said they collaborate with the county, will follow up on jurisdictional questions and are not planning special assessments at this time.
During the public Q&A portion of the information session, residents pressed the city on how cross-jurisdictional culvert work and road maintenance would be handled.
A Traver Road resident who identified herself as Libby thanked staff for the mailing and asked: "My biggest concerns are around Traver Creek," noting repeated flooding and asking whether the county would work with the city and pay for culvert replacement. Jennifer Lawson, the city's water quality manager, said the city "works pretty collaboratively with the county" and recommended residents submit maintenance pins or reports to the county's online system for immediate attention while the study identifies long-term needs.
A Huron View resident identified in the session as Phil described recurring erosion and winter traction problems, and said large trucks repeatedly knock down an MDOT fence, allowing animals onto the highway. The resident said the cul-de-sac where trucks turn is especially affected. Lawson said those concerns can be addressed as part of the public services area coordination and offered to raise proactive customer-service responses with roads and solid waste staff before final recommendations are drafted.
On the question of whether residents would face special assessments to pay for improvements, Lawson answered directly: "At this point in time, Libby, no. We are not looking to assess any residents for any improvements." She explained an SAD (special assessment district) would only be considered if a future recommendation included paving and that any assessment process would be separate from the study recommendations.
When asked whether a historical donation by the Leslies included a covenant prohibiting paving, Lawson said she had heard the anecdote but had not seen documentation and offered to look into the records; she noted prior local projects where residents requested that roads remain gravel to preserve a natural setting.
There were no votes or formal actions during the meeting; staff reiterated next steps for resident signups for walkabouts and for submitting photos and observations on the project web page.
