- Grass Lake preparing a "workable" rather than "compatible" renewable energy ordinance (CREO).
- "Workable" ordinance will be stricter than one "compatible" with Public Act 233.
- Township extends its moratorium on new big solar projects to give itself enough time to adopt and test new ordinance.
- Video shows Township Board meeting, neighbors and Township officials, a local solar array, and lawn signs opposing big solar.
- DIGITAL EXTRA BELOW: GRASS LAKE TOWNSHIP SUPERVISOR JOHN LESINSKI'S EXTENDED REMARKS ON THE ORDINANCE IN DEVELOPMENT
(The following is a transcription of the full broadcast story)
“Large-scale solar is essentially a utility, so it doesn’t belong on agricultural land, and or residential land,” says Grass Lake neighbor Sarah Hogle.
With renewable energy a priority in our state, and companies eager to break ground on big solar farms, the question of where to locate them has Grass Lake neighbors and officials up in arms.
Here's the latest on what the Township is doing to keep big solar at bay.
"…and — all of a sudden — you know, solar farming — or solar utility was on agricultural land," recalls Sarah Hogle, seeing a solar array go up on Francisco Road.
Hogle is one neighbor anxious about the future of solar farming ahead of November 29th, when Michigan's Public Act 233 takes effect.
"I don't know how that was passed," she says, "but it's not right."
Public Act 233 lets energy companies appeal restrictive local solar ordinances to the Michigan Public Service Commission for an override...which could bring big impacts for municipalities like Grass Lake.
Tuesday the Township extended a moratorium on big solar…in place since last October.
The goal, according to Township Supervisor John Lesinski, is "to get in place what we need to get in place."
Lesinski says there is an option that could limit solar:
"What we're looking at is doing a 'workable' ordinance that's going to maybe push setbacks — instead of being 50 feet like the state requires at roadside — maybe we can get away with pushing them back 100 or more…"
I asked Lesinski if "workable" essentially means pushing beyond standards laid down in Public Act 233, but not so far that it would be worth complaining to the Michigan Public Service Commission.
"That's a good way to put it," he said.
A strategy that Lesinski says puts his neighbors first:
"Is it right for us to just say 'Know what? We'll walk away from it. Let the state handle it.'? No."
WATCH GRASS LAKE TOWNSHIP SUPERVISOR JOHN LESINSKI'S EXTENDED REMARKS ON THE ORDINANCE IN DEVELOPMENT:
FIND OUR PREVIOUS COVERAGE OF GRASS LAKE'S ATTEMPTS TO KEEP BIG SOLAR AT BAY HERE.
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