DETROIT, May 3, 2024- Giffels Webster, a leading consulting firm specializing in community planning, infrastructure and land development solutions for public, private and institutional clients, garnered national recognition by the American Planning Association (APA) for developing the Springfield Township’s Comprehensive Plan.
The municipality received the 2023 Vernon Deines Honor Award for an Outstanding Small Town Comprehensive Plan from APA’s Small Town and Rural Planning (STaR) division. Located in Oakland County, Springfield Township’s Comprehensive Plan stands as a testament to the community’s commitment to strategic development and inclusive community engagement.
To develop this Comprehensive Plan, Giffels Webster collaborated with Springfield Township’s Planning Commission. Notably, the plan incorporates specialized sections addressing senior services and inclusivity. This innovative approach reflects a proactive response to local, state, and national demographic trends, particularly the projected growth of seniors in the region according to the Southeast Michigan Council of Government’s 2045 Regional Forecast.
“This plan provides Springfield Township with a clear roadmap for implementation, ensuring that short- and long- range land use decisions positively impact our community,” said Laura Moreau, Supervisor of Springfield Township. “It serves as a guiding document that not only keeps us focused but also raises awareness of the tangible impacts of our planning decisions. With this plan, we have a definitive path to turning our concepts and strategies into actionable realities.”
Shaping the Future through Community Engagement
In developing the Comprehensive Plan, Giffels Webster utilized its Picture This!TM platform. This online, interactive, GIS-based platform encourages participants to upload photos of features and places they like or want to see improved.
Additionally, the Springfield Planning Commission conducted workshops focused on specific topics and called in experts, such as a panel of seniors and the Parks Commission, to explore the issues and possible solutions to those topics together. The open house was held both in-person and online to increase participation and included interactive stations to gather input. Attendees were asked to prioritize activities within the Parks and Recreation Department’s budget, map where they would like to see road improvements and public utilities and build their own downtown using cutouts for the various buildings.
The high level of engagement and richness of feedback resulted in a clear vision for how the Township would like to move forward. The plan reflects this high quality of input, with clear content supported by graphics, illustrations, and photos that assist the reader in understanding the township’s vision and strategies to achieve it.
“The process and outcome have direct transferability to other townships and small towns that are looking to address the physical and social needs of its residents. The incorporation of senior services plans and inclusivity strategies fosters sustainability, supports public health, and encourages equity,” Bahm said.
About Giffels Webster
Giffels Webster is a collection of people — civil engineers, landscape architects, planners, GIS specialists and surveyors — who choose every day to make communities better. The Michigan-based firm serves public, private and institutional clients throughout the United States with their community planning, infrastructure and land development needs.
Since its inception in 1952, Giffels Webster has evolved to offer a broad scope of services centered on helping clients achieve their project or programming goals, including civil engineering, municipal consulting, planning, land development consulting, landscape architecture, traffic engineering, and GIS data creation and management. For more information, visit giffelswebster.com.
About the American Planning Association’s Small Town and Rural Planning Division
American Planning Association’s Small Town and Rural Planning Division strives to improve planning in small communities and rural areas through its membership. The division’s work focuses on protecting natural resources and increasing technical services to planning commissioners. It strives to strengthen communications among small town and rural planners, as well as with those in more urbanized areas. Contact Mary Howard by phone at 518.929.5866 or at mthdwh8000@yahoo.com.