Current Landscape Protection Map (click to open)

On August 10, 2004 the Acme Township Board of Trustees adopted the Acme Township Farmland and Open Space Development Rights Ordinance. In November 2004 the township voters approved a 10-year 1 mill levy to fund the the Purchase of Development Rights (PDR) program. Through 2014 this millage is expected to raise approximately $3.1 million, and we are actively seeking additional grant funding.

The PDR program seeks to purchase the development rights to working farmlands from willing farm families. In exchange the community receives a perpetual conservation easement on the lands. This easement contains terms that encourage continued farming on the property, and can also allow for a limited number of new homesites to be developed for the families who work and live on the land. Farmers use the proceeds from their development rights sale to support their farming operation. By limiting residential development in working farmland areas, the ability to continue farming is enhanced because the land use conflicts that can arise (residents complaining of odors or noise associated with early morning or late night farm work) are minimized. The local economy remains diversified when agribusinesses thrive, and local fresh food is available. Farmland PDR can create a truly beneficial environment for everyone!

In 2005 the township developed a PDR Program Eligibility Map. This map was incorporated into the Acme Township Master Plan and is important both for defining the areas of the township where prime farmlands eligible for the program may be found and for eligibility to apply for and receive state and federal farm monies to match our millage funding. Our eligiblity is further enhanced because we have partnered with Grand Traverse County in this effort.

On June 1, 2006 we opened our first PDR application cycle. Four farming operations, operated by the Ken and Jan Engle, Rick and Donna Sayler, the Send Family and the Veliquette Family through their Cherry Country Cove corporation, offered over 800 acres of land to the program. The properties offered are displayed on the PDR eligibility map available above. Cherry Country Cove has also offered additional acreage surrounding the Shoreline Fruit processing plant on US 31 North for our second application cycle when it is opened.

On March 3, 2009 the Acme Township Board of Trustees adopted Resolution #R-2009-05, which approves a combination of development rights purchase and option offers negotiated with the Engle, Send and Veliquette families. They also adopted a motion approving an offer to the Sayler family, to which they will respond in the future as circumstances permit. We have issued a press release to share the good news with the world!

Acme Township owes a great deal of thanks to the farming communities in Acme, Whitewater, Elk Rapids, Torch Lake and Milton Townships. Farmers and governmental leaders in these communities began talking about the PDR concept in earnest right around the turn of the century, and working together to create a mutually beneficial program. We also owe a large vote of thanks to Gordon Hayward, Peninsula Township Planner and to Peninsula Township in general for pioneering PDR in the Grand Traverse Region, the American Farmland Trust for working with us to get the program off the ground, the Grand Traverse County Planning Department for staffing the County's PDR program with which our is closely linked, and the Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy. Their Farmland Preservation Specialist, Brian Bourdages, provides critical staff support to Peninsula and Acme Townships, and Associate Director Megan Olds and Director of Land Protection & Stewardship Matt McDonough provide invaluable leadership and a vast array of resources to the township for both the Farmland PDR program and our Shoreline Preservation Program.

Acme Township also has a Farmland Preservation Advisory, chaired by Bob Garvey, which is key to the process by working through details and making recommendations on budget and action items to the Board of Trustees. They meet on an as-needed basis, and you can review their minutes by going to the Farmland Preservation Advisory minutes page.