Residents frustrated over solar project proposed to go on farmland

HAMPTON TWP., Mich. (WNEM) – A packed meeting was held in Bay County’s Hampton Township Wednesday night over a proposed solar project that could cover more than ten acres of farmland.

Residents packed the room to hear about a proposed solar project, and many came ready to push back.

“You can agree with solar energy,” said Neil Spencer, a local resident. “But you disagree with it being in your backyard and that’s what this project is kind of being a part of.”

The project comes from Pivot Energy, a Colorado-based developer looking to build a roughly 11-acre solar array near West Center and Nebobish roads.

Rows of solar panels would be installed across open farmland to generate electricity. Power from those panels would then feed into the local electric grid.

For many residents, the meeting quickly turned into a list of concerns. Some questioned whether developers fully understand the land in this part of Bay County.

“I am opposed to it,” said Andrew Smith, a local resident. “Because I think there’s other areas, other options for solar. Not on fertile farm ground.”

Others worried about the financial burdens, home depreciations, seeing solar panels in their front and backyards, and potential environmental impacts — including how chemicals or stormwater runoff could damage the farmland.

“I mean, what is this doing for us? There’s no benefit,” said Smith. “I’m not going to get a reduction on my energy or on my electricity because of these solar panels.”

Frustration grew when many residents realized no township officials were present at the meeting. Some also said they never received notice about the proposal until days before.

“I think as leaders of the community, you have an obligation,” said Smith. “Especially on something that’s like a sensitive topic like this. They should be here.”

After the meeting, many residents were saying that they are not ready to see the solar panels on the farmland.

“This company isn’t from this state,” said Smith. “They don’t have any projects that are currently active in this state. They haven’t been around that long. It’s kind of a big unknown of looking at something for the next 30-plus years.”

Inside the meeting, neighbors urged each other to take the conversation to township leaders directly, encouraging people to attend the next board meeting.

“A lot of decisions are made by local politicians and it’s up to the residents to voice those concerns to politicians,” said Smith.

Developers said the meeting was meant to gather feedback before submitting a formal permit application, a conversation many residents said they are not interested in having.

“If the people don’t want it, we should not have this,” said Smith. “This is where we live.”

Pivot Energy shared the following statement when TV5 asked why all of the township was not notified of the town hall:

When TV5 asked how the township will benefit directly from the proposed project, Pivot Energy shared the following statement:

Pivot Energy shared the following statement when TV5 asked about the project’s timeline:

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