Manchester Township officials seek input on land preservation options
Manchester Township Hall
submitted by Manchester Township Board of Trustees and Planning Commission
Last year there was strong opposition to an application to install a utility-grade solar facility on Sharon Hollow Road, both north and south of Herman Road. One of the primary objections was that such a facility was not consistent with a major goal of the township master plan: to preserve rural character.
The final site plan has been approved and construction is expected to begin this fall or next spring. Nearby residents will be notified before work begins. Thorn Lake Solar has agreed to many conditions that accommodate some of the residents’ concerns. Manchester Township is committed to ensuring that the facility meets all of those conditions and will do everything it can to minimize conflicts with nearby residents.
The Township Board put a moratorium on such facilities and is in the process of updating that ordinance to ensure that any future solar facilities are appropriately sited, minimize conflicts with residences, and protect our agricultural and natural resources in a way that won’t significantly impact the rural character that we all value.
In addition, the Township Board and Planning Commission are committed to taking more proactive steps to ensure that our rural character is preserved into the future. Ordinances and polices are particularly important pieces of that puzzle. The participation of our residents in maintaining that rural character is equally important. This includes being part of the dialogue about how to preserve our rural character going forward, as well as considering activities on your own property that can enhance it.
Last February, Manchester Township hosted a presentation on land preservation options available to property owners in Washtenaw County. The township website has been updated and now includes many resources on what local townships and their residents can do. Please take some time to review this information and to provide us with your feedback. https://twp-manchester.org/land-preservation/
The Planning Commission has formed a land preservation sub-committee to research available options. The sub-committee will include a local resident. Interested residents are invited to apply to serve on the committee. An informational meeting is planned to propose options and receive feedback on various options the township could consider to help protect agriculture, natural resources, and the rural character we all cherish. We value your input.
We invite you to come to our regular meetings in the coming months where we will take your comments and begin to gather input to help guide our next steps. The Township Board meets at 7pm on the second Tuesday of the month and the Planning Commission meets at 7:30pm on the first Thursday of the month. You can also email us with any comments or call the office: Supervisor Ron Milkey at rmilkey@twp-manchester.org or Planning Commission Chair Mike Walter at michaelwalter111@gmail.org; 734-428-7090.
Additionally, the Manchester Mirror has agreed to publish a series of monthly articles about land preservation. While some of the information in the next few months will be specific to Manchester Township, much of it will be relevant to the wider community. The first in the series will be in early August and will provide more details on the aspirations of the series and how other local governments and residents can contribute. An article and editorial published in the Mirror on February 20, 2023, provides additional background and commentary.
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