A proposed nearly 1,600-acre solar farm in Bingham Township has sparked controversy among Clinton County neighbors who packed a community meeting Wednesday night to voice their concerns about the project.
- RWE proposes nearly 1,600-acre solar farm near St. Johns that would power 28,000 homes
- Residents packed Wednesday's meeting expressing concerns about property values and community character
- Project needs Michigan Public Service Commission approval before construction begins, planned for summer 2027
WATCH: Solar farm proposal draws opposition in Clinton County
The solar farm, proposed by developer RWE, would be located about one mile northeast of St. Johns near M-21 and is designed to generate enough electricity to power 28,000 homes.
"I don't want an eyesore setting next to my house," one neighbor said during public comment.
Many neighbors expressed frustration about the potential impact on their community's character and property values.
"People move to this community, as I did, for the surroundings, and you're coming in to profit off that," another neighbor said.
Kevin Cole from RWE, along with lawyer Mike Vogt, addressed the crowd's concerns during the meeting. Cole cited research suggesting solar farms don't negatively impact property values.
"Several studies from various universities across the country indicate that solar farms have no meaningful impact on property values and in some cases it even improves," Cole said.
I spoke with Bingham Township Supervisor John Weber earlier in the day, who said the township has limited authority over the project.
"Hopefully we can at least slow it down or at least let them know that we really don't want it here. We have better use for that land," Weber said.
The next step requires RWE to submit an application to the Michigan Public Service Commission for approval. Cole said the goal is for construction to begin in summer 2027.
According to RWE, the solar farm would operate for 35 to 40 years before being decommissioned and removed from the site.
An outline of the project can be found here.
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