Ann Arbor Mayor Chris Taylor won the city's August mayoral primary against a critic of how Ann Arbor is growing. Now, he faces someone in the general election with similar concerns.
Longtime resident Eric Lipson, running unaffiliated with a political party, says he believes high-density developments are being approved in areas that don't make sense and that neighbors don't want.
"I would like to see the people of Ann Arbor have the final word on what the city will look like in the future," he said. "The problem is that they're not listening to the people in the area, it's just been a one-size-fits-all approach."
But Taylor, a Democrat who has been mayor for eight years, said Ann Arbor has a serious supply and demand problem. He said new housing is necessary, and should be built along transit corridors to give new residents the option of commuting via public transportation.
"You know all successful cities change, all successful cities grow, and Ann Arbor is not immune to those factors," he said. "It's incredibly important that we build more units so people who work in Ann Arbor can also live here."
University of Michigan visiting scholar Dylan Manna has also joined the race as a late-entry independent write-in candidate.
