On the agenda: Washtenaw County Agricultural Lands Preservation Advisory Committee — data center (Oct 27)

ALPAC
Tuesday, October 27, 2026
7:00PM – 8:30PM

Parks Administration, 2230 Platt Road

Agenda topics
Call to Order

Hannah Weber

Approval of the Agenda

Hannah Weber

Approval of the August 5, 2026 Minutes

Hannah Weber

Public Comment
Report of Chair

Hannah Weber

Old Business:
Progress/Status Report on In-progress Properties

Staff

New Business:
Recommendation – Ingleheart Conservation
Easement

Staff

Review and prioritization of 2026 ALPAC
nomination slate

Staff

Adjourn
NEXT MEETING

Tuesday, November 17, 2026

MINUTES
AGRICULTURAL LANDS PRESERVATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE
August 5, 2026
7:00 pm
Parks Administration
MEMBERS PRESENT:

Trilby MacDonald
Jeff Plakke
Hannah Weber
Charlie Koenn
Francina Canada-Buchanan

MEMBERS ABSENT:

Crystal Lyte
Dominick Stoops

STAFF PRESENT:

Ginny Leikam, WCPARC staff
Matthew Bertrand, WCPARC staff

PUBLIC PRESENT:

None

CALL TO ORDER/ROLL CALL: Chair Weber called the meeting to order at 7:07 PM. A quorum
was present.
APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA: It was moved by MacDonald and seconded by Canada-Buchanan
to approve the agenda as presented. Motion carried unanimously to approve the agenda.
APPROVAL OF THE AUGUST MINUTES: Moved by MacDonald, seconded by Canada-Buchanan
to approve the minutes of the May 26, 2026 meeting. Motion carried unanimously to approve
the minutes.
PUBLIC COMMENT: None.
REPORT OF CHAIR: None.
OLD BUSINESS
PROGRESS/STATUS REPORT – Staff provided a status update on active projects including a
financial update. The financial sheet includes rough pre-appraisal projections for potential
acquisition costs for many properties, assumptions regarding potential grant awards, and
estimates for future tax revenues through the 2030 expiration of the NAPP millage.
It was moved by Canada-Buchanan, seconded by MacDonald to accept and file the
progress/status report. Motion carried unanimously.

UPDATE ON APPRAISALS AND COMPARABLES
Staff provided an update on discussion from the prior meeting regarding appraisals and
comparables. Mr. Koenn had provided several comparables for consideration that showed
higher sales for easements than what are appearing on appraisals. Staff discussed with Alcock,
an appraisal company with which we contract regularly, and learned that one of the appraisals
was new to them, that it hadn’t been listed on MLS. Staff developed a plan to work with
Equalization and partners to ensure that we capture all transactions of protected land so that
we can ensure that our appraisers have the most recent comparables available. The
comparable shared by Mr. Koenn was used in the Seabury appraisal discussed in New Business.
OLD BUSINESS
RECOMMENDATION – ZAHN PROPERTY, SALINE TOWNSHIP
Staff provided an overview of this 156-acre farm located in Saline Township, owned by Richard
O. Zahn and Carol A. Zahn, considering the property’s agricultural, scenic, and open space
value, as well as the results from a recent NATAC site visit and prioritization discussion. An
appraisal was completed in December 2025. The appraised value for the conservation
easement was determined to be $940,000 ($6,000/acre). The appraisal determined a “before”
valuation of $1,566,000 and an “after” valuation of $626,000. A grant application was
submitted to the USDA ACEP-ALE program, which has been awarded in the amount of
$460,600. Thus, WCPARC’s total contribution would be $479,400. Staff also mentioned the
potential option to submit this property to Saline Township in the coming months to request
partnership once Saline Township’s new purchase of development rights program becomes
active, with management by consultant Treemore Ecology and funding through the Saline
Township data center development.
It was moved by MacDonald, seconded by Canada-Buchanan to recommend to the Parks
Commission to accept the USDA grant and approve a sales contract with Richard O. Zahn and
Carol A. Zahn on the acquisition of a conservation easement on the 156-acre property in Saline
Township. Motion carried unanimously.
NEW BUSINESS
RECOMMENDATION – SEABURY PROPERTY, SHARON TOWNSHIP
Staff provided an overview of this 147.566-acre farm located in Sharon Township, owned by
Brett and Barbara Seabury. The farm was identified as a high priority in Round 25 by ALPAC,
scoring 59 points on the ALPAC scoring model. The property scored highly for its 100% prime
soils, for the large size of the parcel, the largely agricultural use of the land (86% agriculture),
high-septic suitability (75%) and adjacency to active farmland. The property had formerly been
managed as Golden Fleece Farm, a regenerative grazing operation that relied on permanent
pasture with rotational grazing practices, avoiding use of herbicides, pesticides, fungicides, GM
crops, antibiotics, or growth hormones. The farm operation is largely electrified, relying on
onsite wind and solar generation combined with geothermal heating/cooling and an electric
ORV for farm operations. The farm is now leased for hay production.

An appraisal was completed in July 2026. The appraised value for the conservation easement
was determined to be $470,000 ($3,200/acre). The appraisal determined a “before” valuation
of $1,105,000 and an “after” valuation of $635,000. A grant application was submitted to USDA
NRCS’ ACEP-ALE program, which was awarded in the amount of $230,300. Thus, WCPARC’s
total contribution would be $239,700.
It was moved by MacDonald, seconded by Plakke to recommend to the Parks Commission to
accept the USDA grant and approve a sales contract with Brett and Barbara Seabury on the
acquisition of a conservation easement on the 147.566-acre property in Sharon Township.
Motion carried unanimously.
ADJOURN: With no further business, it was moved by Canada-Buchanan, seconded by Plakke
"to adjourn the meeting” at 7:54 PM. Motion carried unanimously.

ALPAC MOTION
DATE:

October 27, 2026

TOPIC:

Conservation Easement – Iingleheart (Brooks-Miller)

PARTNER:

None

RECOMMENDATION: Recommend to the Parks Commission to approve a sales contract
with Sarah Ingleheart for the purchase of a conservation easement on the 20-acre farm in
Lima Township.

The 20-acre farm is currently owned by Sarah Ingleheart (formerly Brooks-Miller). The property
is located adjacent to 9088 W Liberty Rd, in Lima Township.
ALPAC prioritized the Ingleheart easement in round 25, then called the Brooks-Miller easement.
The farm is currently in active agricultural production for commodity crops. The property
contains 100% prime and local importance agricultural soils. Based on the ALPAC scoring
system, the property scored 57 points, for the quality of the farmland, its high-potential for
development pressure, and proximity to other protected land. There would be a 3.5-acre building
envelope allowing one single-family residence and farm buildings. At the time of prioritization,
ALPAC was especially interested in the property for its potential to sustain a small or beginning
farming operation, with its small-size and proximity to the Ann Arbor market.
An appraisal was completed in September 2026. The appraised value for the conservation
easement was determined to be $150,000 ($7,500/acre). The appraisal determined a “before”
valuation of $260,000 and an “after” valuation of $110,000.
Based on the quality of the farmland, ALPAC’s scoring and prioritization, and the property’s
location in a large block of protected land, staff supports a recommendation to the Parks
Commission to enter into a sales contract with the landowner.

ALPAC MOTION

ALPAC MOTION