According to a staff memo, a decades-old stone wall located between the Arb and the property at 5 Geddes Heights Drive – near the southeast corner of the park – was assumed to indicate the property line. A recent land survey found that UM owns 508 square feet of land on the side of the private property, and the private landowner owns 224 square feet on the university’s side of the stone wall. [City records indicate the property at 5 Geddes Heights is owned by Ilene Forsyth.]

The agreement approved by regents states that the university will “quitclaim” its 508 square feet to the 5 Geddes Heights landowner, who will in turn “quitclaim” 224 square feet to UM. The staff memo indicates that the university’s real estate policy allows for land exchanges of “incidental parcels” to settle this kind of boundary issue.

This report was filed from the Michigan Union’s Rogel ballroom, where the board held its July meeting.