Title
Resolution to Approve Participation Agreement with Webster Township and Washtenaw County Parks and Recreation and Appropriate $91,800.00 from the Open Space and Parkland Preservation Millage for Purchase of a Conservation Easement on the Ford-Goldsmith property (8 Votes Required)
Memorandum
This resolution approves a participation agreement with Webster Township and Washtenaw County Parks and Recreation for the purchase of a conservation easement on a 90-acre property owned by Spencer Ford and Susan Goldsmith in Webster Township. The resolution also approves an appropriation of funds not to exceed $91,800.00 (17% of purchase price) for the purchase from the Open Space and Parkland Preservation Millage Proceeds.
The landowners applied to the Webster Township Purchase of Development Rights Program and the Township has been the lead agency in the negotiations with the landowners. The Township commissioned an appraisal, completed in October 2017, that determined the fair market value of the conservation easement on the property to be $540,000.00. The Township also applied for and was awarded $264,600 in USDA-NRCS Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP) funding for this project. The Township is the lead agency and will be the grantee of the conservation easement.
Spencer Ford and Susan Goldsmith Property, Webster Township
The property is approximately 90 acres and is located in Section 28 of Webster Township with legal access from Daly Road. It is owned by Spencer Ford and Susan Goldsmith. The property scored in the top 1% of applications received to date by the Greenbelt Program in the scoring system developed and approved by the Greenbelt Advisory Commission. The property is mostly agricultural and contains approximately 80 tillable acres in one contiguous field, plus approximately 4 acres of woods and less than one acre of wetlands, and is located within the Huron River watershed. It is adjacent to the Nixon and Smyth Conservation Easements and within 0.5 mile of the Merkel/Heller Conservation Easement, all of which were purchased with funds from the Open Space and Parkland Preservation Millage. The Greenbelt Advisory Commission considers this parcel a priority for acquisition due to the quality of the agricultural features, proximity to other protected properties, and possibility to leverage funds with Township, County, and federal funding. The Commission recommended approving the participation agreement at their March 1, 2018 meeting.
Project Budget:
Washtenaw County Contribution: $91,800 (17%)
Webster Township Contribution: $91,800 (17%)
City Contribution: $91,800 (17%)
ACEP award: $264,600 (49%)
Purchase Price (Appraised FMV): $540,000
Approval of the resolution is recommended by staff.
Staff
Prepared by: Ruth Thornton, Greenbelt Program Manager, The Conservation Fund
Reviewed by: Derek Delacourt, Community Services Area Administrator
Christopher M. Frost, Senior Assistant City Attorney
Approved by: Howard S. Lazarus, City Administrator
Body
Whereas, Chapter 42 of Ann Arbor City Code establishes the Greenbelt district and authorizes City Council to enter into agreements for joint acquisition of conservation easements in the district with another governmental agency;
Whereas, Chapter 42 of Ann Arbor City Code authorizes the purchase of conservation easements with Open Space and Parkland Preservation Millage proceeds, of which there are sufficient funds for this purchase;
Whereas, The Ford-Goldsmith property is approximately 90 acres, located in Webster Township, and owned by Spencer Ford and Susan Goldsmith;
Whereas, The purchase price for the conservation easement on the Ford-Goldsmith property is $540,000.00, of which Webster Township has offered to pay $91,800.00 and Washtenaw County Parks and Recreation has offered to pay $91,800.00, and for which Webster Township has received a $264,600.00 USDA-NRCS ACEP award;
Whereas, Webster Township, as the lead agency on this purchase, will be the grantee of the conservation easement; and
Whereas, At its March 1, 2018 meeting, the Greenbelt Advisory Commission recommended entering into a participation agreement with Webster Township and Washtenaw County Parks and Recreation for the purchase of a conservation easement on the Ford-Goldsmith property, with the City contributing up to $91,800.00;
RESOLVED, That City Council approve a participation agreement with Webster Township and Washtenaw County Parks and Recreation for the purchase of a conservation easement on the Ford-Goldsmith property;
RESOLVED, That the Mayor and City Clerk be authorized and directed to execute the participation agreement and the City Administrator is authorized to execute any supplemental documents necessary to document the appropriation of funds for the purchase, after approval as to form by the City Attorney;
RESOLVED, That $91,800.00 be appropriated for the purchase of a conservation easement on the Ford-Goldsmith property from the Open Space and Parkland Preservation Millage proceeds for the life of the project without regard to fiscal year; and
RESOLVED, That the City Administrator be authorized to take all appropriate actions to implement this resolution.