Green Corridors

On November 13, 2019, the Pittsfield Charter Township Board of Trustees authorized the Supervisor and Clerk to sign a grant agreement with the Southeast Michigan Council of Governments (SEMCOG) and use Tree Mitigation Funds for a green corridor on Textile Road adjacent to the Pittsfield Preserve, Marsh View Meadows Park, and the Platt-Textile Greenway.

On March 27, 2019, the Board of Trustees adopted Resolution #19-21 to apply for grant funding for a green infrastructure project on Textile Road adjacent to the Pittsfield Preserve, Marsh View Meadows Park, and the Platt Textile Greenway. In addition, Resolution #17-39, adopted by the Pittsfield Township Board of Trustees on July 12, 2017 provides for use of the Township’s Tree Mitigation Fund for tree canopy installation along Textile Road, between Hines Dr. and Platt Rd. A public forum was held on October 7, 2019 to get feedback about green infrastructure improvements along the Textile Road corridor and a concept plan was developed that proposes a green buffer, including landscape restoration and green infrastructure, along Textile Road. A copy of the presentation given at the October 7, 2019 public forum can been viewed below.

Concept Plan

Based on that discussion, the proposed project includes:

1. Restoring the corridor by creating a natural landscape appropriate for the Pittsfield Preserve and Marsh View Meadows by utilizing native plants based on historical records.
2. The installation of a rain garden to improve water quality by collecting and slowing the flow of water, allowing harmful materials to settle out before entering sensitive ecosystems and waterways. The garden  can also reduce flood risk, improve air quality, and provide a habitat for beneficial birds and insects. The project will be upstream of Washtenaw County Water Resources Commission (WCWRC) Pittsfield Drain #5 within the River Raisin Watershed and will be designed per the WCWRC standards to mitigate the first flush over the greenway.

This project is in line with the sustainability objectives in the Sustainable Pittsfield Master Plan that calls for 1) supporting the expansion and preservation of green space, 2) expanding a multimodal transportation network that reduces emissions and promotes public gathering spaces, and 3) maximizing dense, infill development and minimizing gray infrastructure or impermeable surfaces.

SEMCOG has awarded Pittsfield Charter Township $46,500.00 in pass-through funds for this project from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) to be used between July 1, 2019 and December 31, 2020. 

Select this link or the image below to view the presentation from the public forum held on October 7, 2019. 

Carpenter Road Green Corridor

Pittsfield Township, in partnership with the Washtenaw County Water Resources Commission, installed a rain garden along the heavily trafficked corridor of Carpenter. The intent, in keeping with the Green Corridor initiative, is to use the rain garden to filter run-off thereby improving not just the quality of the water and soil but also the visual aesthetics of the Carpenter Road corridor.