by Joseph Schultz
Disappointed residents at a sparsely attended special meeting of the Wayland Township Planning Commission Wednesday learned too late that the commission’s public hearing on the solar project from Apex Clean Energy – Blazing Star Solar LLC was postponed.
Blazing Star Solar submitted its application for a special use permit to the township in January. The township requested a month to review the voluminous application and scheduled a hearing for March.
However, the commission added amendments to the township’s solar ordinance during this time, and because of those changes, Blazing Star Solar submitted amendments to its own application, causing the hearing to be pushed to April 8.
The township tasked Professional Code Inspections (PCI) with providing notification of the hearing. While PCI published the notice in the Allegan County News & Gazette, it failed to mail notifications to neighbors of the proposed solar farm 15 days prior to the hearing.
State law insists the township had to postpone the hearing until all notification requirements are met. The hearing now has been rescheduled for 6:30 p.m. May 13 at Sts. Cyril & Methodius Catholic Church.
Kirk Scharphorn Jr., partner with PCI, assured township officials that he will personally verify that the notifications are sent on time. Township officials will also verify that requirements are met.
It was also learned that Pathfinder Engineering, the firm hired by the township to review the application, has only completed two of four reviews. Township Planner Rebecca Harvey stated that the reviews would be completed by the May 13 meeting.
During public comment, a resident asked how far along the project is in the process. Commissioners said though Blazing Star Solar has been attending meetings for three years, the formal review for the special land use permit did not start until the application was submitted last January.
Harvey explained that the township’s engineers will report their findings to the planning commission. A public hearing will be held so the public can provide comments, which will assist the commission in its “finding of fact.”
As the request is for a special land use permit rather than rezoning, the commission members must determine if the standards in the ordinances have been met. After deliberations, they will make a recommendation to the township board.
In other matters, a review from the township’s attorney on the amendments made to the solar and battery energy storage system (BESS) ordinances has not been completed. Further work on those amendments is on hold pending that review.
Finally, Planning Chairman Larry Brenner informed the commission that Township Supervisor Roger VanVolkinburg has requested a data center ordinance be crafted. No date has been set for when work on that ordinance will begin.
