Title
Resolution Authorizing Quit Claim Deed of City-owned Property to The University of Michigan (located adjacent to Observatory and Washington Heights) (8 Votes Required)
Memorandum
There is a resolution before you to authorize the City to convey three small strips of City-owned property totaling less than 0.1 acre by quit claim deed to the University of Michigan, a Michigan Constitutional corporation.
As part of the University of Michigan’s renovation of the Observatory Lodge building located at the southeast corner of Observatory and Washington Heights, a title search disclosed that the City owns three narrow strips of land. An internal search of the City’s archives did locate the original recorded deeds and a council resolution accepting the deeds, but no additional information was found to provide an explanation as to the purpose for the City’s ownership. Two strips are less than four (4) feet wide in one direction and the other two strips are four (4) and 16 feet wide, respectively in the opposite direction. The University claims that they have used and maintained these strips for more than forty years and had no idea that the land was not University property.
In accordance with Section 1:320(4) of the Ann Arbor City Code, the City Administrator recommends no appraisal be obtained in this matter. Pursuant to the City’s request, the University has provided the City with a title commitment issued by American Title Company of Washtenaw, which lists the City as the fee simple owner of three separate strips of land totaling less than 0.1 acre.
The Systems Planning Unit has reviewed the University’s request and has determined that the City is not using and does not need the property for any public purpose; and, has no objections to the conveyance.
The quit claim deed is in standard form and conveyed without cost to the City.
Authorization to execute a quit claim deed to be recorded at the Washtenaw County Register of Deed’s Office thereby transfe...
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