Author: Kara

Looking back over the past year, Springfield Township has gone through a lot of changes and shifts in how it handles large, controversial land-use proposals. It is no secret that the Township has not made this an easy process to follow along. Residents have endured hot meetings, both literally and metaphorically, with raised voices, interruptions,

After months of limited public communication about the proposed Levy/Burroughs Materials gravel mine on Ormond Road, there is finally a new update area on the Springfield Township website. A new Carlisle Wortman update page has been added under the Gravel Mine Application section of the Township website. As of now, the page includes three documents:

At the May 26, 2026 Springfield Township Planning Commission meeting, Township Planner Megan Masson-Minock of Carlisle Wortman provided the latest monthly update regarding the Levy/Burroughs Materials Corporation application for the proposed sand and gravel mine on Ormond Road. There does not appear to be any new substantive information from Levy/Burroughs at this time. On pages

Over the last two weeks, Springfield Township’s leadership structure has changed quickly. There is a lot happening and this is a long one, so I recommend you refill your drink and grab a snack. Here we go! Here is a snap shot: Timeline Overview & Documentation According to statements made at the May 18, 2026

Springfield Township has approved the creation of a temporary township Superintendent position while Supervisor Ric Davis remains on leave from in-person township duties. The decision came after township officials discussed how day-to-day operations would continue during Davis’s absence. According to discussion at the meeting, Davis notified the township that he would be out for an

Oko Environmental recently confirmed Supervisor Ric Davis’s leave of absence after submitting a FOIA request to Springfield Township. The township clerk provided a prompt response. The document, received through Oko’s FOIA, is a May 11, 2026 email from Supervisor Davis to the Township Board. In that email, Davis stated that he is taking a leave

At the April 28, 2026 Springfield Township Planning Commission meeting, the proposed Levy/Burroughs Materials sand and gravel mine appeared under “Communication” as “Levy Updates and Project Status.” The main update was the introduction of Megan Masson-Minock, AICP, of Carlisle/Wortman Associates. Carlisle/Wortman has been authorized by the Township Board to act as Project Manager for the

Several Springfield Township residents and STEP members attended the Board of County Road Commissioners- Oakland County public meeting on April 23, 2026 to speak during public comment and oppose any reclassification of Ormond Road related to the proposed Levy/Burroughs Materials sand and gravel mine. I attended the meeting through my work with Oko Environmental and

After several local township residents reached out to Oko Environmental reporting ongoing construction at the site of the proposed Levy/Burroughs Materials mine on Ormond Road, I took a drive to check out the site and equipment. Based on observations and photos shared among neighbors, plus previous emails from Reuben Maxbauer (Levy) to Ric Davis, this

Newly released FOIA records from the Road Commission for Oakland County add important detail to what many Springfield Township residents have long suspected: Levy is working with RCOC to reclassify Ormond Road from a Class B to a Class A, All Seasons Designated road. The emails show direct coordination with RCOC about what would be

A recent FOIA request submitted by Springfield Township resident Amber Keydel to the Road Commission for Oakland County (RCOC) produced a document that offers an interesting look at how Springfield Township’s road-related concerns were discussed during RCOC’s 2025 Strategic Planning process. The report, 2025 Strategic Planning Report: Volume II – Community Details, is a countywide

A porta potty is not exactly subtle. So when one appears at a proposed mine site, people notice. On Friday, April 18, several Springfield Township residents contacted Oko Environmental after observing a porta potty being delivered to the property today. According to a township source, the delivery is reportedly connected to preparations for an aquifer

Last week, I had the opportunity to tour the Hidden Ridge conservation easement in Springfield Township with Emily Duthinh of Blue Heron Headwaters Conservancy. What I saw was years of dedicated stewardship including removing invasive species, restoring native habitat, and carefully protecting this land. The Conservancy and the residents of the Hidden Ridge community have