What you should know: Ann Arbor officials are using two different methods to count city parkland – and the difference could cost you your parks and public land.

The official Parks and Recreation Open Space Plan (PROPs) counts ALL 2,210 acres (17.96 acres/1,000 residents), including Leslie Park and Huron Hills golf courses.

But the new Draft Comprehensive Land Use Plan uses a different method counting only 1,720 acres (13.9 acres/1,000 residents), conveniently excluding golf courses.

Why does this matter? Our City Charter requires voter approval to sell parkland. By reclassifying current parkland as "not parkland," officials could potentially bypass your right to vote on their future.

Several council members have openly advocated converting the golf courses to developments despite:

• Recent data showing Ann Arbor's population is actually declining by ~1.5%
  

• The CLUP projecting 30,000-45,000 new housing units (600% - 900% higher than SEMCOG forecasts) with no data source provided • No budget for replacing the courses' critical flood control functions ($30-40M)
  

• Loss of affordable recreation in neighborhoods where 21% lack cars

The same officials who reject modest EV charging for golf carts as "contrary to everything we stand for"support development that would eliminate 149 acres of tree canopy and require massive carbon-intensive infrastructure.