Washtenaw County state legislators Morgan Foreman, Jimmie Wilson Jr., and Jason Morgan want to reign in the University of Michigan regarding land purchases.
The representatives have introduced bills to strip U-M of its unilateral authority to buy land. They come in the wake of controversial purchases of the Ann Arbor Concordia Campus and for a data center in Ypsilanti Township.
Wilson says U-M is buying parcels but is less open on what it plans to do with them.
“You should at least be presenting plans to planning commissions, local governments and getting approvals. If it’s a good plan, if it’s a good idea, you shouldn’t have any issues with the local government and the community.”
A House joint resolution would amend the state Constitution to require U-M to comply with all local land ordinances. House Bills 6120 and 6121 would extend local governments zoning laws to cover new properties U-M buys.
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