$160,000 anonymous donation helps fund one of two land preservation projects in Webster Township
A $160,000 anonymous donation helped pave the way for one of two land preservation efforts in Webster Township near Dexter.
Webster Township’s land preservation program purchased a conservation easement on the Farrell/Lawson farm on the north side of Walsh Road near Merkel Road for $333,000, said Barry Lonik, the township’s land protection consultant.
The conservation easement means the land will remain in private hands and can’t be developed.
The easement on 75 acres of the Farrell/Lawson farm was paid for with a $160,000 anonymous donation from the Legacy Land Conservancy, a $173,000 federal grant from the Farm and Ranchlands Protection Program and a contribution from the land owners, Lonik said.
The land includes a woodlot and wetlands and is near nearly 200 acres of agricultural and natural land already protected from development.
Voters first approved the four-year millage that funds the preservation program in 2005 and renewed the millage in 2009. It generates about $200,000 per year for the Webster Township Farmland and Open Space Preservation Program, Lonik said.
While development rights to the Farrell/Lawson farm did not tap the program’s funds, local taxpayer money was used to purchase the development rights to 75.4-acre Krupp farm on the southeast corner of Huron River Drive and Gregory Road near Hudson Mills Metropark. The development rights cost $330,000, including $163,800 from the township, $160,000 in federal grant money and the remainder a donation from the Krupp family. That property includes three streams, wetlands and old growth trees.
The deals have been in the works since February 2010 and concluded within the last few weeks, Lonik said.
Overall, the program has protected 1,159 acres on 12 properties in Webster Township, Lonik said. The efforts cost $1.5 million.
Juliana Keeping covers general assignment and health and the environment for AnnArbor.com. Reach her at julianakeeping@annarbor.com or 734-623-2528. Follow Juliana Keeping on Twitter
Comments
Goofus
Fri, Oct 7, 2011 : 1:43 p.m.
Unless the EyeheartA2 poster is somehow a taxpayer in Webster Township --- which i highly doubt --- he didn't help pay for anything. This was a Wesbter Twp. millage.
russellr
Mon, Oct 3, 2011 : 11:37 p.m.
Yes thats great news. I know it's the donors money, but haven't you and Scio Township hoarded up enough land. Do something with it that will matter. What about the hungry, what about helping someone with there gas, electric bill this winter. What about the homeless shelter. What about something for humanity???
EyeHeartA2
Wed, Oct 5, 2011 : 1:12 a.m.
Not the donor money. Half our money. We borrow it from the Chinese (and also pay taxes for a little bit of it)
EyeHeartA2
Mon, Oct 3, 2011 : 2:11 a.m.
Agreed. I'll have to hop in my Hummer and make a trip out there to see what I helped pay for. Maybe a delegation can fly over from China and see what they lent us money for as well.
EyeHeartA2
Mon, Oct 3, 2011 : 3:42 p.m.
ummm memo to Clownfish: This was a story about wasting money on land, not wasting money on a war. As expected though, you pulled this one straight out of your left front pocket. Move-on.org talking point? So, now that Obama is in charge, we will be out of there right? No, wait....
clownfish
Mon, Oct 3, 2011 : 12:37 p.m.
When finished, drive your Hummer over to Iraq to view all that you bought there. One big difference, other than the sums involved (trillions vs hundreds of thousands) is that in Washtenaw Cty the voters approved this self taxation via democratic voting, whereas the Iraq war was done by Presidential fiat and congressional ignorance of facts. IMHO. I am wondering if you favored the Iraq War or opposed it because it would involve borrowing from Asia? Did you oppose or support cutting taxes so that your kids could pay off the war debt?
Dan Ezekiel
Mon, Oct 3, 2011 : 12:16 a.m.
This is great news. Congratulations to Webster Twp. and Barry Lonik on another outstanding set of preserved properties.