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Meeting Tonight on Solar Development in Arbela Township
Mary Drier
Wed, 29 Oct 2025 05:19:41 EDT
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Plans to develop a solar park in Southern Tuscola County are moving forward.
The Arbela Township Planning Commission will meet at 6 p.m. tonight (Wednesday Oct. 29). The meeting, which will be at the township hall 8935 Birch Run Road, is regarding the proposed commercial scale solar farm development of 1,540-acres.
Ranger Power LLC, will be requesting special land use permit and a site plan for the farm's development at tonight's meeting.
Earlier this month, the township officials approved some amendments to the zoning ordinance to regulate energy storage facilities, solar, and wind turbine systems.
Representatives of the Birch Valley Solar project have attended township meetings to explain their proposed 170-megawatt (MW) solar project that is being developed by Ranger Power. Solar energy is being touted as a clean, locally generated power source with "significant environmental and economic benefits for the community."
The township had previously tightened its solar ordinance and regulations. However, that didn't matter due to the bill that was signed into law in 2023 giving the Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC) zoning authority.
In an effort to head off any conflict over the change in zoning control, the state is offering municipalities a compliance incentive of $5,000 per megawatt with a ceiling of $3 million to allow the MPSC to control land development without an issue.
The proposed development in Arbela Township would be the fourth commercial solar farm in the state that has either taken over productive farmland or destroyed forests to allow for development.
