Grand Traverse County Trails Millage Proposal


On November 3, 2026, Grand Traverse County voters will be asked to consider a new 0.3 mill County Trails Millage for a period of six years, beginning in 2026 and ending in 2031.


About the Proposal

The proposed millage would provide dedicated funding for the maintenance, development, improvement, administration, and enhancement of recreation and transportation trails within Grand Traverse County.

Millage revenues could be used to support:

  • Construction of multi-use trails and trailheads
  • Planning and engineering
  • Capital replacement
  • Acquisition of property and rights-of-way from willing landowners
  • Maintenance, including routine and operational activities such as mowing, trash removal, blowing, snow removal, and other ongoing trail maintenance.
  • Program administration


Ballot Language

This proposal will invest in maintaining, improving, and expanding Grand Traverse County's network of non-motorized recreation and transportation trails and amenities, creating safer mobility opportunities, improving community health, outdoor recreation, economic vitality, and quality of life; and help secure and leverage significant state, federal, private, and grant investments for trail efforts throughout the County.

Shall Grand Traverse County levy a new tax of up to 0.3 mill ($0.30 per $1,000 of taxable value) against all taxable property within the County for a period of six (6) years, beginning in 2026 and ending in 2031, inclusive, for the maintenance, development, improvement, administration, and enhancement of recreation and transportation trails within Grand Traverse County?

If approved and levied in full, the millage would raise an estimated $2,635,012 when first levied in 2026. The owner of a property with a market value of $100,000 (taxable value of $50,000) would pay approximately $15 per year.

Pursuant to state law, a portion of the revenues collected from this millage may be captured by tax increment financing authorities, including the Grand Traverse County Brownfield Redevelopment Authority, the Village of Kingsley Downtown Development Authority, the Village of Fife Lake Downtown Development Authority, and the Interlochen Downtown Development Authority.




On November 3, 2026, Grand Traverse County voters will be asked to consider a new 0.3 mill County Trails Millage for a period of six years, beginning in 2026 and ending in 2031.


About the Proposal

The proposed millage would provide dedicated funding for the maintenance, development, improvement, administration, and enhancement of recreation and transportation trails within Grand Traverse County.

Millage revenues could be used to support:

  • Construction of multi-use trails and trailheads
  • Planning and engineering
  • Capital replacement
  • Acquisition of property and rights-of-way from willing landowners
  • Maintenance, including routine and operational activities such as mowing, trash removal, blowing, snow removal, and other ongoing trail maintenance.
  • Program administration


Ballot Language

This proposal will invest in maintaining, improving, and expanding Grand Traverse County's network of non-motorized recreation and transportation trails and amenities, creating safer mobility opportunities, improving community health, outdoor recreation, economic vitality, and quality of life; and help secure and leverage significant state, federal, private, and grant investments for trail efforts throughout the County.

Shall Grand Traverse County levy a new tax of up to 0.3 mill ($0.30 per $1,000 of taxable value) against all taxable property within the County for a period of six (6) years, beginning in 2026 and ending in 2031, inclusive, for the maintenance, development, improvement, administration, and enhancement of recreation and transportation trails within Grand Traverse County?

If approved and levied in full, the millage would raise an estimated $2,635,012 when first levied in 2026. The owner of a property with a market value of $100,000 (taxable value of $50,000) would pay approximately $15 per year.

Pursuant to state law, a portion of the revenues collected from this millage may be captured by tax increment financing authorities, including the Grand Traverse County Brownfield Redevelopment Authority, the Village of Kingsley Downtown Development Authority, the Village of Fife Lake Downtown Development Authority, and the Interlochen Downtown Development Authority.



Page published: 30 Sep 2026, 05:24 AM