We are a group of residents of Waterford Township, Michigan who found out in 2020 that former state park land in our township was being sold for income by the Road Commission for Oakland County to a private developer as a residential development. Being part of a treasured greenway outside the popular park entrance, listed in our master plan as "conservation/recreation," and a significant part of a memorial highway for our young lost soldiers in Iraq, as well as having been reassured by the county commissioner that the land was not intended to be developed, we grew concerned that our township had no protections at all to keep permanent developments from completely covering our township, as has been done in urban municipalities. Our fledgling advocacy didn't succeed in preserving this lot, despite securing some natural land in the site plan; but we organized COWL to bring more tools to the cause. We have a few remaining parcels of wild land serving as a proper refuge for our wild birds, animals, plants, and pollinators, and we'd like to help protect and expand them in the public interest, and to make them accessible for their physical and mental health benefits to our considerable population.

If issues arise where we can raise awareness about further loss of wild land, we are happy to hear them and if possible, to take action at the local level.

We have open meetings every quarter, and will appoint our leadership board in the first quarter of every year via election. 

We are now a full 501c3 charitable organization, and are able to raise funds properly as tax-exempt, charitable contributions (button at top of page.) Please check out our social media links at the bottom of the page! 

Parcel IDs: 13-31-200-002, 13-31-200-004, and 13-31-401-001.

**Click for Updates**

• Forest, historical buildings, and open land given for the public benefit. At very high risk of being sold off to developers for private benefit. OCC has expressed desire that the property should continue its historical purpose, to serve the public the way it always has, but they indicated their plans to develop the entire nature reserve early-on. They have only stated the nature will be respected *if* they can find a developer willing to do so.

• GoFundMe: https://gofund.me/47faedc1 (Donations go to us)

• Change.org petition: https://chng.it/XJRSgXPKZM (Donations do not go to us, they go to Change.org)

• Contact: OCC Committee Chair Judy Insley - email address: judyinsley@cowlmich.org 

• Upcoming events are visible on our calendar at cowlmich.org/meetings 

• Oakland County Farmer's Market table sign up sheet: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/19ApUUDxUWtTGe8xz9oKhWbjsL_lwhfR4Cq_eg3zS154/edit?usp=sharing 

• We propose: 

  • That the Luellen Woughter nature reserve be protected with deed restrictions before the sale. A conservation easement can be arranged by a nonprofit conservancy such as Blue Heron or Six Rivers, typically accompanied by a donation. The most critical portion is the western block, because of its shared border with other natural areas.

  • That the draft master plan for Waterford township edit the future land use map to remove the newly added "single family" zoning of the nature reserve in favor of "conservation/recreation". The new master plan has unfortunately been implemented (2024) in such a manner as to support residential development of this property. As in the past with Williams/Hatchery, we will remember that the township board of trustees is not beholden to the master plan in rezoning decisions.

  • That the Waterford Township Parks and Recreation Department Oakland County Parks Department purchase the nature reserve with assistance from the Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund, the Six Rivers Regional Land Conservancy's acquisition assist program, any available grants, and funds COWL is able to raise by our ongoing fundraisers (please donate). Waterford Township did not even consider purchasing the natural areas in their deliberations - only a small connector to Hess-Hathaway. This may have been to respect OCC's original plan to develop the natural area, as was leaked via this document, and then loudly denied by OCC, which contains edits by OCC (the R1C language) and OC Parks after being provided clean by Waterford Township.

  • That the Oakland County Parks department be involved to help preserve the Lu Woughter Nature Reserve so it may continue to serve residents and provide the connector trail between Hess-Hathaway and possible future trails which could span all the way to the Riverwalk, Drayton Plains Nature Center, and the proposed new Drayton Plains downtown area.

• Social sentiment is generally negative about the sale, but preserving all of the land for public use is popular. 

• The nature reserve shares a border with the Hess-Hathaway township park to the west and the school district land to the north, providing sufficient ecological range for the species which require it.

• It is becoming rare to have such a large range of nature so close to the urban sprawl, and therefore more valuable to residents and visitors. Natural buffers increase property values for the 15 billion dollars of homeowner wealth in the vicinity of 5-10 miles. Even a one percent drop would be 150 million dollars of taxpayer value destroyed.

• The account has been opened! The first $220 has been invested in low-fee broad market ETFs (about 60-70% total market ETF, 30-40% extended market ETF.)

• As long as we retain our nonprofit status, there are no expected taxes or fees of any kind, at any time.

• Should be a great way to leave something behind after we're gone. There is tremendous potential for this account to become a large boon for the community, despite starting as a small seed today. If one day's wages were invested 80 years ago, it's estimated we'd be able to fund $5,563,630 worth of conservation today, or $52,512,934 in 20 years. And all that tax-free!

• Contributions should be directed to our Facebook "donate" button at the top of our page: https://www.facebook.com/COWLMich/ along with a message to that page requesting the amount intended for the posterity fund.

Our large township population stands to benefit more than most, by enjoyment of the thousands of species visible and audible in our greenspace. We have a small amount of park land, but much of it is mowed lawn. The wild portions would need more walking/biking trails to be appreciated fully. Therefore we would like to seek opportunities to expand and make accessible the township portfolio of naturally-occurring wildlife land. Elizabeth Lake Woods is a very fine example of wildland conservation, but there is no bridge over the river in the middle, and the trails are overgrown, so the use and enjoyment is limited. We would like to see a simple trail and bridge from one side to the other that allows kayakers to easily proceed under it.

• Applicant has requested the variance request be tabled until a date to be determined.

• Mostly wetlands, there are some upland forests to build on. We are concerned for many reasons, but primarily due to this being a wild, untouched, natural parcel, which is becoming very rare in our community. The zoning is already residential, and the property is already privately owned, so it will likely be developed.

• Political sentiment among township officials is (still) that taxpayer money will not be used to buy any such parcels for the community, despite the DNR offering up to 75% of the purchase funds. Approximately 2% of the entire township is protected by the township as natural areas.

• Small wetland fill permit granted to the owner years ago for the south-side entry road a few years back. 

• Owner is seeking Zoning Board of Appeals approval for building 166 units (80 units allowed by ordinance on the acreage.)

  • We have proposed a conservation easement on the undeveloped portion. Best done by a third party nonprofit group such as Blue Heron or Six Rivers. This should be a condition of the zoning board approving the density bonus, and may be tied to a per-unit stewardship fee that increases with the number of units granted in the variance. When presented with a conservation easement from Blue Heron Headwaters Land Conservancy, the owner declined it, offering no negotiation of terms, and then stated to the township board that they are open to doing one.

  • We have proposed a walkway on the north end for the public, on a smaller island of oak, as another possible condition.

• Stunning location, surrounded on all sides by water, currently full of mature birch and oak, used for recreational vehicles as evidenced by tracks. 

• Water level patterns are unknown due to recent development of the area to the north (Suburban Ford dealership) which now empties stormwater into the wetlands. Township engineer is solely responsible for this consideration.