State Rep. Mark Tisdel voted to give $1.3 million to the City of Rochester Hills for green space land acquisition.

The money will be used to purchase a 9-acre plot of undeveloped land on S. Rochester Road, near the existing Cloverport Green Space. The land, which was once home to an apiary, is needed so the city can establish a trailhead and build a path that will connect to the rear of Rochester Christian University and the Clinton River Trail.

The money for the land acquisition comes from Michigan’s Natural Resources Trust Fund, meaning it is not taxpayer money. The NRTF is funded by mineral and oil and natural gas royalties. The state constitution requires that the money from it get used to improve parks and natural areas.

“There were 18 land acquisition projects and 35 recreational development projects approved this year; I’m happy to report that this is one of them,” said Tisdel, R-Rochester Hills. 

The funding is contained in Senate Bill 817, which was approved with wide bipartisan support. The bill now goes to the governor for her expected signature.