Meeting Notes 4-23-24
Meeting Notes from the April 23, 2024 Meeting of the Ottawa County Board of Commissioners.
Meeting Packet: https://www.miottawa.org/CalendarDocs/2024/1713564369028-packet.PDF
Meeting Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N5folK1Z3-U
Sentinel Meeting Roundup:
Sentinel Tweet Thread: https://x.com/SentinelLeach/status/1782900610108408235
Post-Execution Ratification of Contracts: The Board voted to ratify all contracts for the period of March 1, 2024 to March 31, 2024 currently pending on the post-execution ratification list.
2024 Ottawa County Equalized Values: The Board approved the 2024 Ottawa County Equalized values Form 4037C for each jurisdiction in the County.
2024 Ottawa County Equalized Values L4024: The Board approved the 2024 Ottawa County Equalized values and to represent Ottawa County at State Equalization Hearings.
Resolution on Autism Awareness Month: The Board voted to approve a resolution recognizing April as Autism Awareness Month.
Resolution to Oppose Abortion: The Board voted 8 to 2 to approve a Resolution opposing Abortion.
I voted no on the Resolution because I believe that when we speak as a Board, we should seek to reflect and unite our community and not to create further division. Our community has strong and diverse opinions on this matter, and I do not believe it is our role as a Board to attempt to split the community in this way.
Resolution in support of Petition to overturn PA 233 of 2023: The Board voted 9 to 1 to approve a Resolution in support of Petition to overturn PA 233 of 2023:
I voted no on this Resolution because I am in favor of having as robust and as diverse a portfolio of energy sources as possible and I believe that this petition will negatively affect that by adding an additional layer of red tape to the process of starting wind and solar projects here in Michigan, especially on the larger renewable projects to which PA 233 are addressed. PA 233 is the model we use for other types of energy infrastructure, like natural gas and petroleum pipelines, and is likewise the model our neighboring states use for all large renewable energy projects. To have a different, more onerous model that would restrict property owners rights to site wind and solar projects on their own land I believe would unnecessarily affect both these property owners and a diversely-sourced energy future, on a number of fronts.
More on PA 233:
Public Act 233 of 2023, otherwise known as the Clean Energy Jobs Act, gives the Michigan Public Service Commission authority to permit large-scale renewable energy projects, with smaller projects remaining under control of communities. As part of that process, the MPSC has to consider what public benefits each project provides, as well as how much renewable energy has already been installed in a given community. The measures do not give the state power to use eminent domain for wind and solar developments and forces them to spell out the public benefits a development would provide to the local community. Wind and solar developers are also required to cover up to $150,000 in costs local governments incur while litigating a proposed project’s approval. The Act applies to solar projects over 50-megawatts (350 acres for a project that generates 7 megawatts-per-acre), wind projects over 100-megawatts (about 35 turbines), and energy storage facilities over 100 megawatts.
In addition to the requirements for local benefits and prevailing wages, the commission has to consider a host of other factors. Developers building on greenfields have to explain why they can’t use other land. Solar arrays need to be 150 feet from the nearby homes, and cannot extend more than 25 feet above the ground. For wind arrays, the distance to the nearest off site residence need to be 2.1-times the highest point on the wind turbine. Outdoor noise impacts to the nearest home are limited to 55 decibels, about as loud as a home refrigerator. MPSC already has authority to site other types of energy infrastructure, like natural gas and petroleum pipelines, and the Act simply levels the playing field beween renewable and non-renewable energy project proposals. Additionally, the approach proposed by this Act mirrors that of neighboring states like Illinois, Minnesota and Wisconsin, whose public service commissions oversee siting for large renewable energy projects, and would put Michigan on a more equal footing for renewable energy projects.
