The Berrien County Board of Commissioners is calling for the zoning of wind and solar energy projects to be placed back under the control of local governments.
At a Thursday meeting, the board considered a resolution in support of a Michigan Association of Counties ballot initiative that would undo a change in state law last year. It placed the zoning of renewable energy projects under the Michigan Public Service Commission.
Speaking Thursday, Commissioner Chokwe Pitchford had reservations about the board supporting a ballot proposal.
“It may be politically advantageous to stick it to the Democrats in Lansing and say we don’t want this to pass,” Pitchford said. “My point would be each commissioner, in their own capacity, to go to their communities, organize, get people to vote, sign petitions. I don’t know if the Berrien County Board of Commissioners should be endorsing something on the ballot.”
Pitchford quested whether the board has ever backed a ballot proposal. In 2018, it did the opposite, passing a resolution against the proposal that legalized marijuana.
Commissioner Teri Freehling said all on the body oppose the loss of local control, so why not say so?
“This is the mechanism with which we can speak,” Freehling said. “So, I am in favor of this because I am in favor of local control and keeping it in local hands.”
Chair Mac Elliott suggested removing references to the ballot proposal from the resolution and simply stating board support for local control. With that compromise in place, commissioners then approved the resolution.
