Land Preservation Committee


Northfield Township Land Preservation Committee

Northfield Township is a beautiful place to live, work, and play, so it is no surprise residents are proud of our lakes, forests, wetlands, and fertile agricultural grounds.  We enjoy the rural character, scenic value, and the critical food security provided by our small family farms. Green spaces provide not only scenic views, locally grown produce, and field crops, but also the important ecological infrastructures that protect water, soil, and wildlife habitats. Over the years, resident surveys consistently show protecting lands and farms is a top priority.

In 2017, the Northfield Township Board of Trustees created the Land Preservation Committee (LPC) to explore ways to protect rural lands. The LPC consists of seven board appointed volunteers with varying experiences and backgrounds who share a love of natural beauty. The LPC hosts monthly meetings, which are open to the public. (Refer to the Land Preservation Meeting Schedule link on the left for more information.)

 Our mission is to protect and sustain Northfield Township’s unique beauty and rural character for current residents and future generations through the preservation of farmlands, wetlands, and key natural areas, the continued support to our local farmers, and educational outreach for the entire township.

We recognize the value of family farms and open spaces, and we are committed to preserving a green future of our community.

Residents Approve Farmland Preservation Millage
On November 8th, residents gave the green light to the first-ever Farmland and Adjoining Natural Areas Preservation millage, passing the ballot proposal with a 56% majority.

Residents took advantage of the beautiful day and showed up at the polls with 63% of registered voters casting ballots between the Township’s two polling locations.

The .6 millage will cost each household about $0.18/day* and generate about $200,000/year in revenue. With matching county, state, federal, and private funds, officials hope to preserve one or two farms per year.

Farmland preservation is completely voluntary. A property owner offers their development rights for sale to the township, and the Board of Trustees processes the request. If an agreement can be reached, the parcel will be forever preserved in its current state. The farmer retains ownership of the property and is free to sell their property or pass it to heirs, but the new owners may not change the land use.

The Northfield Township Land Preservation Committee (LPC) was created in December, 2016, and tasked with “researching strategies that would benefit the township”. In early 2022, the Board of Trustees agreed with the LPC’s recommendation to place a millage on the ballot and “let the residents decide” whether they wanted to fund farmland preservation.

Now that they have, the LPC would like to thank those who supported this effort and have committed to preserving land in Northfield Township.

*Based on the median household assessed value of $218,700 (per U.S. census data).

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LPC Na Sandhill Cranes      LPC Ag Barn


Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Northfield Township Land Preservation Committee?

Why protect land?

Are there other communities in our vicinity that are involved in land preservation?

What makes land desirable for preservation?

Is the size and location of the land a factor?

How does land get preserved? Does the township have to buy it?

If there are already land preservation programs that cover parts of Northfield Township, why does the township need to have its own land preservation program?

How are land preservation programs funded?

What if I don't want my land to be preserved?

What would happen if there were no land preservation programs?