CITY OF ANN ARBOR AND ANN ARBOR TOWNSHIP ADD 286 ACRES TO GREENBELT
GREENBELT HAS PROTECTED OVER 2, 000 ACRES TO DATE
Thanks to the City of Ann Arbor and Ann Arbor Township voter-approved millages an additional 286 acres owned by Charles and Catherine Braun was added to the list of farmland preserved surrounding the City of Ann Arbor. This brings the total acres that the City has helped to protect to 2, 150 acres!
The Braun farm was a high priority for both the City and Ann Arbor Township for a number of reasons. The farm consists of predominately prime farmland soils that also provides scenic views along Whitmore Lake and Joy Roads just north of the city limits.
In addition to protecting farmland and scenic views, we need to remember that only 5 years ago this property was going to be developed for manufactured housing with a stand alone waste water treatment plant. That treatment plant would have discharged just upstream of the City of Ann Arbor’s water intake that supplies 85% of the city’s drinking water and sat on the Village of Barton Hill’s Wellhead Protection Zone. Protection of this property also protects our drinking water.
In addition to the contribution from the Township, the City received a grant from the Farm and Ranch Land Protection Program that contributed $1,043,500.00 toward the purchase of the property.