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City advances climate and stormwater work: Butterworth landfill solar, CAP workshop and green infrastructure investments
Summary
Staff reviewed climate action and adaptation planning, proposed solar at the Butterworth landfill, continued investments in parks and trees, and stormwater oversight metrics; commissioners asked for prioritization and timelines for the CAP and for planning materials on daylighting and large green infrastructure projects.
City staff presented a set of health, environment and stormwater investments linked to the city’s climate action and adaptation plan (CAP), wastewater and water system priorities, and ongoing green‑infrastructure work.
Staff said the CAP public hearing was held and that the city is proposing a workshop‑style engagement so the commission can identify priority actions to implement in FY26. Staff asked commissioners to review an action matrix and provide a prioritized list of roughly 20 items the commission would like to focus on in the coming fiscal year.
Butterworth landfill was a focal point of the discussion. Staff said the landfill site covers about 90 acres; current planning that was described to the commission focuses on 1.5 to 2 megawatts of solar generation on roughly 15 acres of the site for municipal consumption. Staff said the state awarded $3,000,000 to extend the primary circuit to the site and that the city expects to release an RFP this summer after designs reach 30% completion. Staff also said the city is exploring other uses for portions of the landfill site, including short‑term parking and other non‑solar uses, but said a full community solar approach is constrained by state policy and current grid interconnection realities.
On stormwater and green infrastructure, stormwater manager Dan Taber and staff reported a recent 441 acres treated toward a cumulative goal of 921 acres and installation of 89 infiltration basins in the most recent reporting period; staff noted a net increase of 507 trees across projects. Taber described ongoing work to remove legacy contamination and improve on‑site stormwater treatment at the water resource recovery facility (the fly‑ash lagoon removal project) and cited continued audits and pause‑checks with EGLE on erosion and control permit compliance.
Water and wastewater activities presented to commissioners included lead service line replacement mapping and a FY26 replacement goal of about 1,900 service lines, ongoing distribution of home filter kits through a participatory‑budget allocation ($500,000), and progress on renewable gas and phosphorus‑recovery programs at the wastewater plant that generate operating revenue.
Commissioners asked for clearer prioritization and timelines for CAP actions; for more public materials about Butterworth options and site constraints; and for briefings on daylighting opportunities, such as Silver Creek or other sections of covered waterways. Staff committed to return with prioritized CAP action lists, RFP timing for Butterworth solar, and additional stormwater project materials.
