The Hagar Township Board of Trustees has approved a one-year moratorium on large wind and solar developments.
Hagar Township Supervisor Izzy DiMaggio tells us the board started talking about taking action when it heard from a developer looking to build a solar farm on 90 acres of property in the area.
“We found out about that, and we told the neighbors and they got up in arms,” DiMaggio said. “Nobody wanted a solar farm right in their backyard, especially on this prime agricultural property and residential property.”
DiMaggio says the township wants to regulate where such developments can be located.
“The state of Michigan took away local control from local governments. We all opposed it, but to no avail. So this moratorium for one year will stop any construction. In the meantime, we directed our planning commission to come up with an ordinance.”
The state has passed zoning authority on large scale wind and solar farms to the Michigan Public Service Commission, limiting how local governments can control such projects. However, DiMaggio says the township can limit where wind and solar farms can go.
It’s hoped the planning commission will have that new ordinance ready within one year so it can be approved by trustees.
