Three Washtenaw County townships had land preservation funding proposals on the ballot November 8 and all three won with substantial margins of support.
Scio Township’s proposal was a ten-year renewal of a millage that was first passed in 2004 and renewed in 2012, each for ten years. Scio’s program has purchased land as nature preserves and purchased conservation easements, where landowners convey certain “development rights” for residential construction, mineral extraction and commercial uses while retaining ownership and all rights not conveyed. Scio’s program has permanently protected over 1,700 acres including two centennial farms through its innovative “buy-protect-sell” process. Scio’s 0.5 mill proposal passed with 68% in support, mirroring previous results and will generate about $600,000/year.
“We’re pleased that the success of the Scio land preservation program provided a model and inspiration for other township programs in Washtenaw County,” said Scio Land Preservation Commission chair Will Weber. “The passage of our second renewal provides assurance for landowners that conservation options will be available for the next decade and that we will be able to continue protecting natural and agricultural lands.”
Northfield Township’s proposal was a long time in coming. Advocates there have been diligently building momentum for almost two decades but needed its Board of Trustees to place the question before voters. Northfield’s five-year, 0.6 mill proposal passed with an impressive 56% support and is estimated to generate $180,000/year, with funds to be used for conservation easement purchases.
“I’m grateful the Board of Trustees finally agreed to ask the residents,’ said Northfield Land Preservation Committee chair David Gordon. “I’m not surprised with the result because surveys for the last 25 years have shown land preservation to be our residents’ top priority. The only question was whether they were willing to pay, and that came through loud and clear.”
Dexter Township’s proposal was also a long time coming. Previous Boards of Trustees refused the pleas of its residents to be allowed to vote on a funding proposal; two years ago the former board was replaced by a group of six supportive women. Conserving the township’s productive and beautiful landscapes was a key element in their campaign platform. The ten-year, 0.5 mill proposal passed with a remarkable 63% in support and is expected to generate about $220,000/year, with funds to be used for conservation easement purchases.
“We’re thrilled that Dexter Township residents were in vast support of this proposal,” said township trustee and Open Space and Land Preservation Committee chair Laura Sanders. “It’s validating that the sense of the community is to preserve farmland and natural areas. That needed to be heard, with tax dollars behind it.”
Of the 11 publicly-funded land preservation programs in Michigan, eight of them are located in Washtenaw County: now a total of six townships, county-wide and the Ann Arbor Greenbelt. It’s clear residents here see the value and importance of conserving land and are willing to spend a few dollars to make it a reality. The programs work collaboratively, share the costs of purchasing land and easements and have attracted millions of federal, State and private dollars. Since 2000 when the first program was approved by voters, over 18,000 acres of land have been permanently conserved including woodlands, wetlands, stream corridors and agricultural lands, many of which have been converted to local food production by a younger generation of farmers. Washtenaw County has been at the forefront of these efforts; with these new funding sources, that will continue and expand.
