City approves first Blue Belt purchase to protect drinking-water watershed

The Ann Arbor City Council on Feb. 19 approved a participation agreement to acquire the Davenport property as the first project under the city's newly created Blue Belt source-water protection overlay.

City staff described the purchase as "the very first project" under a Blue Belt approach that extends the Greenbelt program's reach upstream to protect drinking-water quality. A staff speaker said the Blue Belt grew out of Greenbelt strategic planning dating to 2019 and a 2024 ordinance revision adding a source-water district overlay.

Council members welcomed the purchase as longstanding work to preserve farmland, open space and watershed protections. Council member O'Malley (who noted work at the state Department of Agriculture) said the acquisition is timely amid farmland loss and rising agricultural land prices. Council members also pointed to the Greenbelt program's track record: staff said the Greenbelt began in 2003 and is approaching 8,000 acres preserved and that the city has proposed nine city-owned parcels for affordable or "missing middle" housing development funded by the affordable housing millage.

The council voted to approve the participation agreement; council members praised staff coordination with partner jurisdictions and said staff will provide a repair quote and timing for related facilities as appropriate.

What happens next: staff will finalize the participation agreement with Scio Township and Washtenaw County and proceed with acquisition steps under the Greenbelt/Blue Belt program.