Springfield Township, Oakland County, Michigan
| Springfield Charter Township, Michigan | |
|---|---|
| Charter township | |
| Motto: Come Home to Springfield Township | |
 Location of Springfield Township within Oakland County, Michigan |
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 Springfield Charter Township, Michigan
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| Coordinates: 42°45′6″N 83°30′0″W / 42.75167°N 83.50000°WCoordinates: 42°45′6″N 83°30′0″W / 42.75167°N 83.50000°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Michigan |
| County | Oakland |
| Area | |
| • Total | 36.7 sq mi (95.2 km2) |
| • Land | 35.6 sq mi (92.2 km2) |
| • Water | 1.2 sq mi (3.0 km2) |
| Elevation | 1,017 ft (310 m) |
| Population (2010) | |
| • Total | 13,940 |
| • Density | 380/sq mi (150/km2) |
| Time zone | Eastern (EST) (UTC-5) |
| • Summer (DST) | EDT (UTC-4) |
| FIPS code | 26-75760 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1627110 |
Springfield Charter Township is a charter township of Oakland County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the township population was 13,940. The township was named for the numerous springs in the area.
The Township has no incorporated villages and five unincorporated communities within:
Springfield Township was established by the Michigan Legislature on March 2, 1836. Civil government was first organized April 3, 1837. Springfield, one of the very first settlements in the area, began with a hotel along the Detroit and Saginaw Turnpike, now known as Dixie Highway. Andersonville, located at the intersection of Andersonville Road and Big Lake Road, was settled shortly thereafter in 1833, followed three years later by the hamlet of Davisburg.
The Detroit and Milwaukee Railway (now part of the Canadian National Railway) was built in 1856, and two stations were in the township, in Andersonville and Davisburg. The railroad provided a major impetus to growth. Agriculture was the mainstay of the local economy and trains allowed the farmers to ship produce and live stock to market and to receive supplies and equipment. By 1860 Springfield Township's population was 1,425.
In 1924, Dixie Highway was paved from Pontiac to Flint. With the decline of agriculture as a major economic activity in the township, residents began commuting to Pontiac and Flint for employment in the developing automotive factories, marking the beginning of the township's decline. By 1930, Springfield Township's population had fallen to 923. The township's decline would unexpectedly be reversed in the 1960s with the construction of Interstate 75. The accessibility provided by two interchanges accelerated residential growth in the late 1960s and 1970s. Population improved, going from 1,825 in 1950 to 2,664 in 1960, 4,388 in 1970, 6,502 in 1976, and 8,295 in 1980.
Springfield Township has had a long-standing commitment to zoning and planning dating back to the early 1950s. The Township Board adopted an interim zoning ordinance in early 1952, which contained five zoning districts. In 1965 an ordinance which contained 13 different zoning districts was adopted. Planning and zoning functions were coordinated with the adoption of the township's first Master Plan in 1972 and subsequently the adoption of an entirely new zoning ordinance the following year. The 1973 ordinance serves as a basis for the current zoning ordinance.
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