Ann Arbor’s Greenbelt looks to add another 51 acres of farmland

The Gould Farm could prove to be quite the green space nugget for Ann Arbor’s Greenbelt Program. The City Council will decide whether to approve purchasing the development rights to the farm Thursday night.The 51-acre farm is located near the corner of Whitmore Lake and Joy roads in Ann Arbor Township. If the purchase is made, the land will remain in its current state for the foreseeable future.”It’s all farmland,” says Ginny Trocchio, program manager for Ann Arbor’s Greenbelt.Earlier this year, the Ann Arbor Greenbelt targeted the Gould and the nearby 286-acre Braun farms in Ann Arbor Township. Both are considered a high priority for preservation by the township and the city. The City Council could agree to pay half of the purchase price of $269,000. The rest of the money will come from Ann Arbor Township and Federal Farm and Ranch Land Protection Program grant. The Greenbelt program has utilized such federal grant programs in the past to the tune of $750,000. 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 XXX acres.Source: Ginny Trocchio, program manager for Ann Arbor’s GreenbeltWriter: Jon Zemke