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Terry Camp anchors ABC12 News First at Four and ABC12 News at 5:30. He also reports on issues in the Great Lakes Bay Region.
The Ingersoll Township planning commission voted early Tuesday morning to deny DTE Energy’s request for a special use permit for a proposed solar park project.
INGERSOLL TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WJRT) – The Ingersoll Township planning commission voted early Tuesday morning to deny DTE Energy’s request for a special use permit for a proposed solar park project.
The meeting, which ABC12 attended, started Monday night and ended after 1 a.m. Tuesday with more than 100 people in attendance. Many were against DTE’s Poseyville Solar Park proposal.
“No one here is saying renewable energy shouldn’t exist, what we are saying is this is the wrong place,” one attendee said.
A reduction in property values is a concern for residents.
“My property value would be reduced by 4.8%,” another person said.
The Ingersoll Planning Commission voted 5-1, determining that the solar park did not meet the standards required under the township’s ordinance for a special use permit. Planning Commission Chair Suzette Loeffler cast the lone dissenting vote, saying hours after the meeting she agreed with the professional planner’s opinion that the project met the standards of the ordinance.
The proposed project has divided the Midland County community.
“It’s tearing people apart,” said Kim Heisler, the township supervisor.
Heisler said the project would take up about 1,200 acres, with more than 600 acres having solar panels. He believes the five property owners whose land the panels would sit on will still farm the remaining property. He said three of those property owners are on the township board, though Heisler is not one of them.
“My personal feeling is I hope we don’t get sued because DTE could do that. Well, they are a lot bigger than Ingersoll Township,” Heisler said.
DTE could sue, or the company could use Public Act 233, which allows renewable energy projects to bypass local zoning approvals. Heisler said opponents claim the area will lose the rural feel with the solar panels, but he believes the controversy has already done that.
“It’s everybody getting along with everybody, and I just hope the people can get back to that,” Heisler said.
DTE Energy releasing a statement this afternoon, saying it is disappointed by the planning commission’s decision.
The company says it remains committed to advancing the project and is considering it’s next steps.
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Anchor/Reporter
Terry Camp anchors ABC12 News First at Four and ABC12 News at 5:30. He also reports on issues in the Great Lakes Bay Region.
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