Ann Arbor expands ‘Greenbelt’ with purchases around city

Ann Arbor has bought two swaths of greenway around it, one of which will be for looking and the other will be for touching.

The latter is six parcels along Scio Church Road, just west of Wagner Road. The city is teaming up with Scio Township and the Washtenaw County Parks and Recreation Commission to purchase the property and turn it into a park with hiking trails. The parcels contain high-quality woodland and were nominated for preservation by the Washtenaw County Natural Areas Preservation Program.

The city will pay a $350,000 match of a $2.25 million asking price. Scio Township will contribute 10 percent of the purchase price.

The city also recently approved spending $576,000 on 82 acres in the Pittsfield Township for the city’s Greenbelt. The property is located between two Lillie Park and the Pittsfield Preserve.

The city’s Greenbelt Program provides funding to preserve and protect open space, natural habitats and farms in the Ann Arbor area by purchasing development rights. The city acquires these rights from willing sellers who apply to participate in the program. Ann Arbor voters approved a 0.5-mill millage over 30 years to establish the Greenbelt Program in 2003. Since then the program has acquired the rights to hundreds of acres or rural land

Source: City of Ann Arbor
Writer: Jon Zemke