Michigan Townships Association

Rule Changes

Supporting ballot initiative and repeal efforts

For decades, Michigan townships held sole authority over whether utility-scale solar farms and wind turbines could be built on local land. That ended in November 2023, when Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed Public Act 233, giving the Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC) the power to approve large renewable energy projects when local zoning rules are stricter than state standards. Now, nearly two years in, the law has moved from political fight to operational reality: the MPSC is reviewing five project applications across the state, local governments are filing lawsuits and ballot petitions, and counties like Huron are writing new ordinances designed to stay just compatible enough with state rules to keep their seat at the table.

Updated Feb 20