A Jackson native, I started my career as a broadcaster with Radio Free Europe in Prague. My work has taken me literally around the world. And, now, back to my home state and hometown.
Fayette Township is racing to adopt a Compatible Renewable Energy Ordinance ahead of the proposed expansion of the Heartwood solar project. The Township Board met Monday night at Jonesville High School to get the ball rolling.
“It’s a big road ahead. It’s a long battle ahead, but this is a good, firm step in the right direction,” said Steve Oleszkowicz, who runs the website NOSOLARFAYETTE.ORG.
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The Township needs a so-called “compatible Renewable energy ordinance”, or “CREO”, if it wants to avoid a state override of local control in accordance with Public Act 233.
The purpose of Monday night’s emergency meeting was to introduce such a draft ordinance.
“The Board hereby determines that it is in the interest of the Township for the Planning Commission to review the proposed compatible renewable energy ordinance, hold a public hearing, and submit a recommendation to the Township Board as soon as practicable,” announced Trustee Scott Playford.
Ranger Power is the company behind the Heartwood solar project already in progress on hundreds of acres on the Township’s West side. It now wants to expand on the Township’s East side, and presented its expansion plan last week — along with a letter giving the board 30 days to respond whether it has a CREO.
Oleszkowicz says this looks to him like the groundwork for an appeal to the Michigan Public Service Commission over the heads of Township officials.
“CREO would give us an opportunity to maintain local control over these projects. Without it, they can always have an override button where they can appeal to the state and circumvent local authority completely,” he says.
The draft ordinance will be published on the Hillsdale County website, and now goes to the Township Planning Commission, which will hold a public hearing on the ordinance. I reached out to Ranger Power for their comments on Monday’s meeting, but did not hear back.
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