Current trends in conversion of land to residential uses indicates that in rural areas throughout the state, five acres or more land is being consumed for every house constructed. In many cases, individual residential building parcels are sized at 10.1 acres to skirt the Subdivision Control Act of 1967. Given the past trends of 15 new houses per year, the potential exists to experience the loss of open, farm and forested lands of 150 acres per year, an amount equal to 1 percent of the current non-residential land within the Township per year. In other words, given current trends, in 6 to 7 years, as much additional land may well be consumed for residential purposes as has been consumed since Forest Home Township was first settled.

 

Antrim County Equalization Department records show that over 10 new residential parcels are being created in Forest Home Township per year. This information indicates that some of the residential development taking place over the past five years has been consuming unoccupied residential building sites at a rate faster than new sites have been created. This means the number of existing vacant residential sites (which in the past were small lots located in subdivisions or half acre sized lake front lots) are being consumed, resulting in new larger acreage lots being created.

 

CHANGE IN PARCELS OVER TIME

 

Number of Parcels   Increase

Tax       Class and Type 1990       1995 Number Percent

 

101       Agricultural       120       126      6       5

201       Commercial       15       15      0       0

401       Residential       1452       1507     55      3.8

 

Total         1587         1648         61         3.8

Source: Antrim County Equalization Department

 

LAND VALUE

 

After a down turn for a period of time in the early to middle 1980's, the cash value of agricultural land and parcels has been increasing. A significant reason for the increase in the price of agricultural land is the land offers views of the lakes and a pastoral setting because of the lack of surrounding development.

 

The value placed upon agricultural land in Forest Home Township, has increased 40% in value between 1990 and 1995, but it has not kept up with the 88% increase in the value of residential land within the Township. This sharp increase in the value of residential land values can be attributed in part to the overall statewide increase in the price of housing.         The increase is

 

 

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