Monday’s meeting of the Ann Arbor City Council consisted of much-discussed issues that had been postponed at the April 13 meeting.

The most controversial topic was the site plan for 413 East Huron Street, which includes plans to build a high-rise apartment complex. There were about 100 people in attendance, and many came to share their opinion on the site plan before the Council voted on it.

Over the course of several hours, 31 Ann Arbor residents voiced various reasons for opposing the proposed building complex. Several residents compiled a booklet that they referred to during their time at the podium. Issues included: configuration of the service drive, impact on landmark trees, increased shade in historic districts, lack of architectural detail and complications with logistics on East Huron Street.

One resident referred to the project as “a slum in the sky,” saying the complex's only benefit would be replacing City Hall as “the ugliest building in the city.”

LSA junior Kat Steih spoke on behalf of herself and her neighbors, who feel the presence of the new building would take away from the “down to earth” lifestyle of living in the Kerrytown district.

“I chose to live in Kerrytown because of the trees and the beauty and the old houses, and particularly the quiet, which one cannot easily come across in a college town,” Steih said. “We all chose to live there because of the character of the neighborhood, but also because we’re people who value quiet and the ability to think and reflect upon our lives.”

Steih added that she feels University students value Kerrytown and its place in Ann Arbor, and that the character of the neighborhood needs to be preserved and protected.

Ann Arbor resident David Olson said the decisions regarding the project will have lasting implications for everyone involved.

“This will create precedent for downtown development in general and we have to be very careful here about how it affects the general vision of Ann Arbor,” Olson said. “The character of Ann Arbor is why people want to live here and raise kids here and go to school here, and even develop here, but we have to maintain a sense of character, and this project disregards the intent to create a buffer zone between downtown and the residential neighborhoods.”

Ann Arbor resident John Floyd cited several city ordinances which he believed are in conflict with the site plan

“You know, every one of us is going to be remembered for something, and one of the questions asked tonight, in addition to ‘Do the laws of Ann Arbor have any meaning?’ is ‘What do you as a council want to be remembered for 20 years from now?’ ” Floyd said. “What do you want to be remembered for? Following the law, or choosing not to and causing irreparable harm to one of the jewels of the city.”

All remaining issues on the meeting schedule, including the approval of the Theta Delta Chi fraternity’s expansion plans, have been postponed until the next meeting on May 13.