Ann Arbor is Developing a Smart City Strategic Plan
October 30, 2019 – The City of Ann Arbor is in the process of developing a strategic plan as it continues to design and build a holistic and robust infrastructure to support Smart City initiatives. A solid Smart City foundation will enable the city to connect to a variety of systems to the city network and allow for remote monitoring and capture of data that can be used to make intelligent business decisions.
Smart lighting, smart water meters, smart parking, autonomous vehicles, traffic monitoring, public safety and environmental monitoring are just some examples where Smart City concepts can be applied to improve our community.
The city is currently in the analysis and assessment phase of Smart City planning. Public meetings are scheduled to explain what it means to be a Smart City as well as to gather feedback from the community that will assist in strategy development. Meetings will take place:
- Wednesday, Nov. 20 at Cobblestone Farm, 2781 Packard St., Ann Arbor, 48108. 6–8 p.m.
- Thursday, Nov. 21 at Ann Arbor STEAM at Northside, 912 Barton Drive, Ann Arbor, 48105. 6–8 p.m.
There will be a brief presentation on core elements of a Smart City, Smart City case studies, group dialogue and brainstorming activities, followed by a general question-and-answer session.
Technology continues to evolve at a very fast pace, and the city has been actively planning and building a sustainable and equitable foundation to accommodate Smart City initiatives for many years to come. The Smart City Strategic Plan will formalize the vision, goals, objectives and guidance needed to maintain and improve an innovative and vibrant community.
Those unable to attend a meeting can share feedback and questions with City of Ann Arbor Information Technology Director Tom Shewchuk at tshewchuck@a2gov.org.
