The papers document Cross' work as an environmental activist and businessman. The bulk of the collection includes material related to the Kimberly Hills Neighborhood Association (KHNA) in Pittsfield Township in Ann Arbor, Mich. and its fight to preserve neighborhood natural area by preventing it from commercial development. Other material documents antiwar and political activism. The collection is organized into two series, Politics and Activism and Kimberly Hills Neighborhood Association.
Ann Arbor, Mich. native, Bradley Cross received Bachelor's degree in Forestry and Outdoor Recreation from the University of Michigan in 1972. Following graduation he spent three years in Colombia with the Peace Corps and continued environmental and land management consulting in South America while he was enrolled in the University of Michigan Master's program in Wild Land Management. He completed his Master's degree in 1982 but was not able to continue consulting in South America due to political changes that affected environmental policies in those countries. In 1978 Cross opened the Harmony Hollow Bell Works in Ann Arbor. He also served as Membership Chair of Ann Arbor Alliance of Neighborhoods (AAAN)--organization of Ann Arbor neighborhood associations.
In the late 1970s-early 1908s Cross was among members of the Kimberly Hills Neighborhood Association (KHNA) in Pittsfield Township fighting to preserve 17.6 acres of undeveloped area lying on the southeast side of the city near the intersection of Packard Road (later Packard Street) and Stone School Road along Gladstone Road (later Gladstone Avenue).
KHNA formed in 1974, for general purpose of preserving what members regarded as the special qualities of the neighborhood, in particular, semi-rural atmosphere of the area: the large number of trees, the dirt roads, the spacious lots, and "mixture of economic groups and occupations." The original purpose of the organization was to fight the installation of storm sewers and paving on Independence, Kimberly, Gladstone, Powell, Columbia, Calumet, and Emerald Roads. Realization of the ultimate disposition of the Straith (later Dion) property would have a significant effect on the character of the neighborhood, and the organization has fought to prevent multiple family development of that property and to establish a natural area there. At the time the KHNA included close to 170 lots with approximately 100 family homes. KHNA proposed to buy land from the realtor, Dion Ventures of Ann Arbor, and donate it to the City of Ann Arbor for use as a nature preserve/park. Donations from neighborhood residents were to pay one half and federal matching funds (administrated by the state of Michigan) for the other half. Over 40 households within the neighborhood collected $27,000 in legally binding pledges toward the purchase of a part of this land for viable nature study area, matching a successful city-sponsored preliminary applications to the State Department of Natural Resources (DNR) for the same amount yielding a total of $54,000. However, in September 1978 the Ann Arbor City Council passed at first reading the rezoning of this land to RIC (single-family housing). Then two weeks later this same Council passed a resolution approving the final application to the DNR for matching funds to purchase the natural area. Thus, the City found itself taking two different and conflicting actions on this piece of property. After a series of KHNA's alternative proposals and negotiations with the developer fell through, KHNA went to court in 1979. In April 1982 the Appeals Court of Michigan reversed the lower courts finding which had been in favor of protecting the natural resources, by way of a permanent injunction under the Michigan Environmental Protection Act. The Court decided that the natural resources were not of statewide significance nor did endangered species inhabit the area so protection was not warranted. KHNA appealed to the Supreme Court of Michigan to reverse decision by the Appeals Court but the case was closed in September 1983 when the Michigan Supreme Court denied motion for reconsideration.
