The Berrien County Board of Commissioners doesn’t want the state intervening in the approval or zoning of new wind and solar projects.
Speaking at a Thursday meeting, Commissioner Julie Wuerfel said a resolution is coming next week for commissioners to state their support for maintaining local control over the zoning of such developments.
“We felt it was necessary to bring a resolution forward,” Wuerfel said. “We’ve made as a county concerted efforts to instruct and to teach our local authorities, our townships and cities, on those zoning requirements and what things they can put in place.”
Governor Gretchen Whitmer has proposed giving authority over large wind and solar projects to the Michigan Public Service Commission, and Wuerfel said there’s legislation to that effect being discussed in Lansing.
The county has been working with township governments to help them understand best zoning practices with wind and solar projects.
Wuerfel said the commission’s resolution will be sent to state lawmakers and the governor’s office once it’s approved.
