Laketown Township turns down solar panels pitched for town hall - FOX 17 West Michigan News
Laketown Township turns down solar panels pitched for town hall
LAKETOWN TOWNSHIP, Mich. — A town in southwest Michigan voted not to power the township hall with solar panels after nearby homeowners objected.
On Wednesday, the board of Laketown Township, south of Holland and north of Saugatuck, discussed and denied a proposal to install 48 solar panels on Beeline Road, near the township hall, as a new way of powering the hall.
The board decided to veto the project for several reasons.
“It just doesn’t make sense,” said Trustee Jim Delaney, who argued the solar panels were incompatible with the surrounding area, which includes a baseball field, a pickleball court and a gazebo.
Other board members agreed with Delaney’s view. Clerk Amber Davis also pointed to recent feedback from homeowners and community members in the area.
According to a release from Laketown Township, residents thought the solar panels would negatively impact property values and disturb the peacefulness of a multi-use path along Beeline Road.
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Back in January, when the proposal was first introduced, several residents spoke during public comment and opposed the location of the solar panels as well as the lack of public information about the project.
Residents also shared concerns about the return on investment timeline.
Installing the solar panels would cost over $53,000, after tax rebates. However, according to township manager Al Meshkin, it would take 13 years for the s21.60-killowatt system to pay for itself.
Ultimately, Laketown Township trustees believed the solar panels were not the right move, though some suggested it could be re-discussed at a later time.
“I think we have a lot of technology coming,” said Davis.
The Allegan County township is no stranger to solar panels, however. In 2015, the township put up a system at the Felt Estate, making good use of the tax credits available at the time. Township Manager Meshkin says the system has not experienced many problems.
READ MORE: Solar power poised to surpass wind as Michigan's #1 renewable energy source
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Related Knowledge Center: ENERGY BASICS: solar
Declining costs and government encouragement have resulted in a rapid increase in solar energy production in the United States over the past 10 years, although solar’s share remains small: 1.6 percent of all electricity generation in 2018. That rapid growth is projected to continue.