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Solar Talks Lead to Heated Discussion at Elkton Village Council Tuesday (Video)
Chelsea Dickens
Tue, 14 Aug 2018 23:24:07 EDT
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Leasing with Cypress Creek Renewables brought heated discussion at the Elkton Village Council Meeting Tuesday evening after the village received a $1,000 check for a renewal of Option to Lease.
Community members, as well as Jeff Zarnke, were concerned about the leasing of land for a "likely" forty year period which the company has the option to do once they take over the lease. This will not happen though until Detroit Edison approves the company's application which, Cypress Creek representative, Kathy Weber, said they are "dragging their feet in."
A citizen by the name of Connie had several questions to ask on the matter. She was not only concerned on the term of the contract lease but also how it would benefit the community and bringing business into Downtown Elkton.
Weber shared that the lease length was due the fact it takes several years to turn profit. President Randy Haley shared that in rent payments for the full term the village could see over a million dollars in profit. The Downtown Development Authority would not directly see any revenue from the solar farm but the businesses and community would most likely be seeing money from workers in the farm buying food, accommodations, etc.
Resident Terry Heck suggested that in order to implement a solar farm Cypress would have to re-zone a "residential area" to be a "commercial or industrial area." Weber stated that there would be no re-zoning the Village of Elkton would have to approve ordinance for the solar farm.
The possibility for a pollinator garden for monarchs and bees, in cooperation with local bee keepers would also be a viable option for the "green" company.
Jeff Zarnke stated that he had his reservations on the lease term but in order to bring in money to the village it was a "sound revenue stream, it made sense." The Village Council seemed to agree for the most part.
A video of the conversation may be viewed as part of the article.
