NO DRILLING near our Schools or Homes
In 2012, Rochester Hills Mayor Barnett signed a lease contract with Jordan Development (an Oil and Gas drilling company) to use Tienken Park, Nowicki Park and Stoney Creek Cemetery for gas/oil exploration and mining of their resources. This lease contract is a violation of the City Charter Section 11.8 which states:
“City-owned parks and open spaces shall be used only for park and open space purposes and shall not be sold, leased, transferred exchanges or converted to another use unless approved by a majority of vote cast by the electors at an election”.
‘Converted to another use’ means changing the use of a park or open space, or a significant part thereof, from a recreation or conservation use to another use not directly related or incidental to public recreation or conservation.”
Charter violations are as follows:
- The City leased the park land without consent of Rochester Hills voters at an election.
- The City is converting a significant portion of the land (its subsurface) to a non-conservation use.
Jordan Development plans to run pipelines and wells along Tienken Road from Squirrel to Sheldon Roads. The first well is planned to be drilled near the corner of Squirrel and Tienken Roads. Other possible drilling sites are near the Tienken/Livervois intersection and the Tienken/Sheldon intersection. Another well is being investigated at Oakland University. Jordan Oil has the ability to horizontally drill 2 miles north and south of Tienken Road.
If you live between Dequindre & Squirrel, Avon & Dutton Roads, your homes and schools are within drilling distance. Here are the schools along this path:
- Adams High School
- Van Hoosen Middle School
- Musson Elementary
- Brewster Elementary
- Hart Middle School
- Long Meadow Elementary
- University Hills Elementary
- West Middle School
- Rochester High School
- McGregor Elementary
- North Hill Elementary
- Stoney Creek High School
What can you do?
- Attend the February 10th City Council Meeting (Next 2 are March 3 and March 17)
- Location: Rochester Hills City Hall, 1000 Rochester Hills Drive, off Avon, west of Livernois.
- Arrive at: 6:45 pm to complete a form to speak. Form must be turned in by 6:55 promptly.
- Need help with a 3 min. speech to council? Contact us at info@dontdrillthehills.org
- Communicate your opinion to your city government representatives:
- Mayor Barnett, mayorsoffice@rochesterhills.org, 248-656-4464
- Rochester Hills city council members http://www.rochesterhills.org/index.aspx?nid=343
- District 1 Council Rep. Stephanie Morita, moritas@rochesterhills.org, 248-841-2643
- Connect with us:
- Website: dontdrillthehills.org
- Email: info@dontdrillthehills.org
No drilling in our community!
Rochester has, as a strong family-oriented community, nurtutured and fully supported our precious environmental gifts. We have fully participated in the planning and maintenance of our extraordinary parks and green spaces. We believe that we are stewards of these fragile spaces and all of our beloved neighborhoods for the generations to come.
How is it even possible that a company is allowed to threaten our health, happiness and peace for profit without the approval of the people who will be affected?
I for one, protest even the preliminary testing to be done.
There is no room in Rochester Hills for a gas or oil company to do business. This is OUR community. WE own it. We pay for it. We govern it. We live here. We love it and will protect it!