John Hantz is pressuring the City Council to sell nearly 2000 vacant lots on the East side to him. Last week, in spite of an informal agreement that this deal would be put on hold until the Detroit Agricultural Policy was in place, Rob Anderson, the Director of the city’s Planning and Development Department urged the council committee to approve the deal. The council’s Planning and Economic Development Committee, chaired by Councilwoman Saunteel Jenkins, declined approval awaiting more specifics. Mike Score, President of Hantz Farms told the committee he would work with the planning staff to have a planning agreement for their approval before this week’s session.

And that is the core of the problem. At best, this committee will have a day to review a planning agreement that will cover the largest single land sale in the history of the city. This deal is 3 times as large as the Poletown debacle. It holds implications for the residents of the area and has persistently been weak on specifics. As Councilman Kenyatta commented at the hearing, “No one thinks this deal is so Hantz can cut the grass on vacant lots.”