In their appeal the Camp is refusing inspections, and declines to have their forestry management plan approved by the state. In addition they will not agree to protect endangered species, plants, or the wetlands as they develop their entertainment facility for the general public.
Embedded Files
Forest loss leads to nutrient-rich runoff, contaminating bodies of water with excess nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus
The Camp neglected to get proper forestry permits from Springfield Township and did not have a PA state approved forestry management plan
History...
History...
Overview
Haycock Camping Ministries (the Camp) began as a youth brigade in the 1960's. For decades it has operated as a tax-free, rustic Christian camp with seasonal zoning. In the last decade it's operations shifted to rentals open to the general public, which can be purchased online, with no ministry involved. Zoning permits from the township for this transition to an entertainment facility were not sought nor obtained by the Camp. This unpermitted Camp development is causing enormous upheaval in the community and creating dangerous traffic, significantly more shooting, including semi and automatic gunfire, high decibel noise at all hours in violation of township noise ordinances, and sewage odors and run off which threaten likely habitats of endangered species. Resource protected land, wetlands, and waterways are being impacted as haycock Run Creek flows from the Camp into Lake Nockamixon, then to the Tohickon Creek and finally the Delaware River.
Camp Expansion Leads to Concerned Neighbors
Despite decades of harmonious interactions, the Camp never mentioned their extensive expansion plans to the neighbors, that include: more outdoor gun ranges, a splash park, a gymnasium with lodging, several more kitchens and dining halls, 6 new homes for permanent staff year round, 10,000sq ft. "multi-purpose" building and offices, as well as more pavilions with mega audio systems, expanded go-kart tracks, paintball fields, lodge and cabins for rent, 4 RV slots, 160 parking spaces, a larger pool and expanded sewage treatment lagoon with spray fields spreading over 20 acres of land. The nuisance of the unpermitted operational changes grew and neighbor appeals to the Camp went unanswered. Finally the community learned of the 30-year expansion plans only when the township, obligated by law, sent a notice to those living within 500ft of the Camp. Swiftly the neighbors organized, circulating a petition, sending out flyers, holding home meetings, putting up signs and hiring a lawyer. These efforts brought hundreds of community members to the township hearings and their powerful testimony helped the Supervisors grasp the extent of the Camp's abuse of their original zoning status and their total negligence in obtaining required permits to build, log, encroach on wetlands, all while running their new "business" on resource protected land under the auspices of a non-profit.
Township Decision and Next Steps
Springfield Township voted to allow the 30-year expansion plans to proceed as long as 32 conditions, addressing community and environmental concerns, are met. These conditions include observing the original rustic camp restrictions to operate seasonally, and limit attendees to only patrons of the Camp, no longer renting Camp facilities to the general public; abandoning the rifle range in the wetlands and remediating the lead from the last several decades, building an indoor gun range, limiting shooting hours, with no shooting on Sundays, using nothing higher than .22 caliber; providing a traffic control officer during the busiest hours of Camp operation in the summer, and shuttling their day campers from an off site location; observing conservation practices of PNDI environmental review process for endangered species at the onset of any new phase of development, allowing the township to inspect the Camp annually, and setting up a dedicated e-mail account for the community to report grievances with the Camp, that will be closely monitored by the Camp and township; mitigating sewage treatment odors, showing evidence of a properly signed forestry management plan, logging and building permits; allowing no activity or adverse affect in delineated wetlands going forward. The Camp has appealed all these conditions listed, and more, which are at the core of the neighbor's concerns. At the conclusion of summer 2024 it has been one year from the date of their application filing, and it has cost the concerned neighbors $85,000 out of their own pockets opposing this expansion and they continue to unite in support of the township as they fight the Camp's appeal...If the Camp wins we ALL lose!
Here's How You Can Help The Neighbors
Join our fight to protect our communities and save our natural resources, wildlife and this wonderful place we all call HOME
Order a Yard Sign from thegoucks@gmail.com
Donate to gofund.me/209065d0
Follow and "Like" us on Facebook Concerned Neighbors of Springfield Township PA
e-mail address Neighborsofspringfield@gmail.com
Read the following articles for MORE details on Township Meetings, Conditions and Appeal:
Read the following articles for MORE details on Township Meetings, Conditions and Appeal:
All the Concerned Neighbors would like to express our gratitude and appreciation to Curtin & Heefner LLC and our lawyer Andrew P. Griffin for all your hard work in this matter as we continue our efforts to preserve our quiet rural properties... Thank You
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