Detroit vacant land needs block level planning
A Vacant Lot Is Not Yet a Neighborhood Park
Doug Tribou’s post about Detroit’s vacant land puts a large number in front of us: about 100,000 vacant lots, including more than 59,000 owned by the Detroit Land Bank. That scale is difficult to picture from one block. On a neighborhood map, though, the question becomes more specific: which lots could actually serve people nearby?
The address matters Recreating neighborhood parks can be a good use of some land. But “some” is doing important work here. A lot beside occupied homes is different from a cluster separated by vacant structures. A parcel with clear ownership is different from one tied up in a title problem. A proposed park also needs a responsible department, a budget, a maintenance plan, and a deadline for deciding whether the plan is moving forward.
Start with the block, not the total Residents should be able to see the actual addresses under consideration and the criteria being used. Is the area short on safe outdoor space? Are children already using an informal play area? Can nearby residents help shape the design? Who cuts the grass and removes dumped materials after the ribbon cutting? Those are not small implementation details. They determine whether a new park becomes a shared resource or another neglected parcel with a nicer description.
A useful next step Detroit Future City’s proposal is worth examining at the neighborhood level, where land reuse can be compared with housing needs, stormwater concerns, walking routes, and existing parks. I would rather see a short list of specific parcels with owners, costs, funding sources, and maintenance responsibilities than another citywide promise built around a big number.