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Residents urge Ottawa County to intervene in proposed Silver Maple solar project
Summary
Speakers from Zealand and Jamestown townships urged Ottawa County to join legal challenges and act as an intervener against RWE's proposed 2,000-acre Silver Maple solar project, citing farmland loss, infrastructure impacts and state law (PA 233) that they say reduces local control.
Residents of Zealand and Jamestown townships pressed the Ottawa County Planning and Policy Committee on Monday to intervene in a proposed 2,000-acre utility-scale solar project known as Silver Maple.
Christie Mufflank, who identified herself as from Zealand Township, told the committee the developer RWE 'has applied to the Michigan Public Service Commission and is attempting to convert prime farmland into an industrial zone. "RWE's proposal would convert a large stretch of working farmland into an industrial zone, overriding the townships planning, its safety concerns, and the voices of the people who actually live there," Mufflank said, and she asked the county to consider legal action to protect county drains, water and roads.
Cadence Debre, a Zealand resident and property owner in Jamestown Township, framed the issue as a broader test of local authority under Public Act 233. "The Silver Maple Project is this giant behemoth trying to plan itself right here in Ottawa County," Debre said, and she urged county leaders to provide a "historic" legal and political defense so townships are not left to fight alone.
Both speakers said local groups have retained Foster Swift, a Michigan law firm, and noted a recent court decision that allowed counties to participate as interveners in MPSC proceedings. Mufflank and Debre said the county's involvement is important because infrastructure managed at the county level—drains, roads and water—would be affected if the project proceeds.
Why it matters: The public remarks tie a local land-use dispute to statewide processes under PA 233; residents told the committee that court filings and an MPSC application are already underway and asked the county to evaluate intervention to protect farmland and local governance.
What the committee did: The committee heard the public comments and did not take immediate formal action on the Silver Maple request during this meeting. Members did not vote on a referral or motion to intervene; speakers said they would return to the committee at a later date to seek additional support.
Next steps: Residents said they will return to the committee on July 28 to press for further county involvement; any formal county legal intervention or board referral would be subject to future committee or board action.
