CIC Project - Community Mobilization/Activism Project

Community Mobilization/Activism Project

● Interested in using your information skills to help a local community group organize, mobilize and effectively oppose the building of a new Wal-Mart?
● Want to learn more about employing information and communication tools in community activism?
● Need a couple additional PEP points?

Project Description:
Residents of Pittsfield Township are organizing to oppose the building of a new Wal-Mart Superstore across the street from the local elementary school. The proposed site is directly across from three schools with over 2500 students. A development of this size brings an unacceptable level of risk to children due to traffic and public safety factors. Local residents feel Wal-Mart will be too intense of a use for the site and incompatible with neighboring school and residential areas. A Wal-Mart supercenter will bring an unacceptable level of traffic increase to already overburdened and unsafe roads. These qualitative factors form the basis for grounds for township officials and/or the local planning board to deny the proposal.

Most of the community members are new to community activism and are looking for advice, support and tools to help them be most effective. They are also interested in creating a web portal that aggregates information relevant to
this issue.

DFE Opportunity:
This project presents a real-life opportunity for SI students with an interest in community informatics to engage in a meaningful way over the course of the Winter 2005 semester. Students may have the opportunity to present their
findings before government officials. Depending on the arrangements that are made and the time spent, students can earn 1-3 PEP credits for their work on this project.

The residents would like help developing answers to the following questions:

Community Informatics: How can technology be used to keep residents informed? How best can a website be developed that can serve as a resource for community organizers, both in Pittsfield Township and elsewhere?

Zoning: The site is zoned for commercial properties that would serve the township. Is Wal-Mart really a regional business that should be located in a highway commercial district? Is this development in the correct zoning
category? If it is zoned correctly, what other factors should the planning commission be considering before making a decision?

Economic Impact: Will a new Wal-Mart bring additional revenue to a community or just shift sales from surrounding
businesses? What are the potential impacts to neighboring communities like Saline and Ypsilanti? Are the costs associated (costs for township services, road improvements, decline in property taxes, loss of other businesses, etc.) with a development of this size greater than the benefits it will bring to the community?

Public Safety: What is the public safety impact? Is a business operating 24/7, selling tobacco, alcohol and firearms a potential threat to school children and residents? What will the cost be to Pittsfield Township police and fire departments to safely serve this site? Will additional traffic cause gridlock that keeps police and fire personnel from responding to citizens?

For more information and to indicate your interest, please contact Prof. Gavin Clarkson - gsmc@umich.edu.