Farmland Preservation

State of Michigan Farmland Development Rights Agreements (PA 116)

 The State of Michigan offers incentives in the form of tax breaks for landowners that meet certain requirements. The PA 116 agreement creates a temporary restriction on the land between the State and a landowner, voluntarily entered into by a landowner, preserving their land for agriculture in exchange for certain tax benefits and exemptions for various special assessments. (commonly known as  PA 116).

• PA 116 Eligibility & Instructions
• PA 116 Application (To be submitted to your Township Clerk)
• Commercial Solar Facilities and PA116

Land Preservation in Washtenaw County

Washtenaw County's Natural Areas Preservation Program (NAPP) purchases unique natural areas to ensure their preservation for the benefit of all County residents, plants, animals and people! The Washtenaw County Parks and Recreation Commission manages the program, identifying and caring for lands with special ecological, recreational, and educational benefits. The NAPP nature preserves are open to the public from dawn until dusk daily.

The process begins when landowners nominate (PDF) their property to the program. Properties recommended by the Agricultural Lands Preservation Advisory Committee (ALPAC) are reviewed by the Washtenaw County Parks and Recreation Commission and the Local Unit of Government where the land is located. If the Commission decides to proceed with the acquisition, the landowner will be made an offer at fair market value, as established by a certified appraiser.

Lands purchased with NAPP funds are owned and maintained by the Washtenaw County Parks and Recreation Commission. WCPARC also partners with other land preservation organizations to find creative ways to protect and preserve natural areas. For example, in 2003 WCPARC partnered with The Southeast Michigan Land Conservancy (SMLC) to add 64 acres to their LeFurge Woods Nature Preserve. NAPP funds purchased a conservation easement on the 64 acres and SMLC owns and maintains the land. If you're interested in the details of all land transactions to date, take a look at the NAPP acquisition history. (Original content from NAPP website). 

Find more resources on the Land Toolkit

​Township-Level Land Preservation

• Ann Arbor Township Farmland and Open Space Preservation Board
• Augusta Township Farmland and Open Space Preservation Board
• Northfield Township Land Preservation Committee
• Scio Township Land Preservation Commission
• Webster Township Farmland and Open Space  Board

Other Local Land Preservation Programs

• Ann Arbor Greenbelt
• Legacy Land Conservancy
• Raisin Valley Land Trust (transferring all easements and assets to Legacy Land Conservancy)
• The Nature Conservancy
• The Southeast Michigan Land Conservancy