Greenbelt advisory commission recommends $500,000 Legacy Land Conservancy services agreement

The Ann Arbor Greenbelt Advisory Commission voted April 9 to recommend that City Council approve a three‑year general services agreement with Legacy Land Conservancy to provide baseline documentation reports and ongoing monitoring for conservation easements.

Staff told the commission the contract would be not to exceed $100,000 per year for three years with an optional two‑year renewal, for a total potential commitment of $500,000. Rosie, a Greenbelt staff member, said the work covered by the agreement includes appraisals, surveys, environmental site assessments, baseline documentation reports and annual monitoring for each easement.

“For the last three years, we have been contracting with Legacy Land Conservancy to do baseline documentation reports, and monitoring,” Rosie said, adding that the city issued a public RFP for accredited land trusts and that Legacy was the only applicant. She said the city posted the RFP on its procurement website and sent it to locally operating accredited land trusts and the statewide umbrella organization Heart of the Lakes.

Commissioner Elizabeth Riggs moved to forward a resolution recommending the agreement to council; members voted in favor and the motion carried. Chair Roseanne Plumer said she needed to abstain from the vote. The commission did not record a full roll‑call tally in the public portion of the record other than members signaling their approval by saying “aye.”

The recommendation now goes to Ann Arbor City Council for consideration; if council approves the contract, Legacy would provide the described services for easements led by the Greenbelt program. The commission noted the work is intended to relieve staff of time‑intensive baseline and monitoring tasks and allow staff to focus on strategic initiatives such as the Blue Belt program.

Next steps: the matter will appear on a City Council agenda for council review and action.