Title
Resolution to Approve Participation in the Purchase of a Conservation Easement on the Heydon III Property in Scio Township, Approve a Participation Agreement with Scio Township, and Appropriate $295,000.00 (8 Votes Required)
Memorandum
This resolution approves a participation agreement with Scio Township for the purchase of a conservation easement on approximately 38 acres of property owned by the Heydon family in Scio Township. The resolution also appropriates $295,000.00 (49.6% of purchase price) from Open Space and Parkland Preservation Millage proceeds for the purchase.
The landowner applied to Scio Township's land preservation program in 2025. The Township commissioned an appraisal, with a value date of January 16, 2026, that determined the fair market value of a conservation easement on the property to be $595,000.00. The Township is the lead agency and will be the holder of the conservation easement. In addition to the acquisition costs below, the Township will cover due diligence and closing costs.
Heydon III Property, Scio Township
The Heydon III property is approximately 73 acres and is on the corner of Stein Rd and N Maple Rd in Scio Township. Much of the land along Stein Road is protected by conservation easements. Commodity crops are currently grown and some animals raised on the land's loam-type soils. A building envelope will be described around the farm buildings. Protection of this property was evaluated as a standard Greenbelt project, however there is some surface water in the woodlot that we believe drains into the Boyden Creek tributary to north, which is a priority creekshed for the Bluebelt.
The property scored a percentile rank of 83% of agriculture applications received by the Greenbelt Program in the scoring system developed and approved by the Greenbelt Advisory Commission. The Greenbelt Advisory Commission considers this parcel a priority for acquisition due to its proximity to other protected properties, prime farmland so...
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