Here’s a big “Thank You!” from our Zoning Guru, Rodney Nanney, to Shelley Tucker and the Michigan Townships Association for hosting such a great series of “Summer Evening” planning/zoning workshops across the state!

All four sessions were well attended, and all four venues were top notch. It was a pleasure to have the opportunity to present our (more…)

Solar panels OK for home, legal battle over for Canton couple

The push for alternative and renewable energy production in Michigan received a small but important boost recently when a Canton, Michigan homeowners’ association (HOA) backed down from its initial decision to deny the installation of solar cells on the roof of a home.  Here is an excerpt from the Detroit Free Press article: (more…)

2010 Michigan Townships Association Educational Conference Session

Thank you to everyone who attended our recent session on regulating small wind turbines at the recent Michigan Townships Association conference in Grand Rapids. Click here to view our PowerPoint presentation, and to download the handout materials. Click here to contact Mr. Nanney directly with any additional questions.

The following was adapted from an update prepared by Kurt Schindler at MSU-Extension; reprinted with permission from the author:

The Michigan Commission on Agriculture has adopted a new Generally Accepted Agricultural Management Practice (GAAMP) for farm markets (effective January 2010).

NOTE:  Under Michigan’s sweeping Right to Farm legislation, if the subject is covered by GAAMP standards issued by the Michigan Department of Agriculture, then it entirely preempts local zoning, including any special use approval or prohibition of the land use!

What is a “farm market” under the new GAAMP?

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The following case summary was adapted from one prepared by Kurt Schindler at MSU-Extension; excerpts reprinted with permission from the author. The Zoning Guru chose this case because it answers the $Million question elected officials face when confronted with a development-related lawsuit:

“Do we defend our master plan?“

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Apparently we should designate August as the “Planners in Literature Month” here at the Building Place Notebook.

It is true that the dog days of summer are a great time to enjoy a quiet evening with a little light reading.  We have a great “light” book to recommend today as part of the Building Place “planning fiction” series of short stories or vignettes.

Today’s posting is an excerpt from the Tom Bodett book, The End of the Road – a collection of light-hearted short stories about the people of the town of “End of the Road, Alaska.”  This book is a rarety in that it includes a couple of stories involving a professional land use planner (Mr. Emmitt Frank) as a major character.

A summary of The End of the Road from the back cover:

It’s a small Alaska town where people leave their pretensions back where they came from, and urban planners push more snow than pencils. Where New Age missionaries make appearances at the bowling alley, and the police chief weeps over the plight of Bambi. And where the Mayor stays in office mostly because folks don’t want the bother of trainin’ up a new one….

Excerpt from The End of the Road, by Tom Bodett

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Contact Building Place today to arrange for Mr. Nanney to speak to your group on this or other planning and economic development topics.

“What’s all the fuss about alternative energy production these days?”

That’s a question heard far less often now that we have experienced gasoline prices above $4 per gallon (and creeping up again), and huge increases in home heating and electricity costs this past winter.

Alternative and renewable energy facilities are “in” these days, especially in the halls of state government in Lansing.  Governor Granholm has put the spotlight on new, Michigan-based wind turbine and solar energy manufacturing plants, and the state and federal governments are pushing for more “green” energy production through incentives and mandates.

Today’s renewable energy technology is a vast improvement over 1970s Do-It-Yourself passive solar installations and high-maintenance windmills.  Most importantly, the cost of solar cells, wind turbines, and geo-thermal heating/cooling systems have come down significantly as technology improves and production increases.

PLANNING FOR OUR ENERGY FUTURE:

Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholn recently signed into law the Clean, Renewable, and Efficient Energy Act (see below after the break for more information), which is intended to make Michigan a far more attractive place for investments into alternative and renewable energy projects and manufacturing operations.  Coupled with the state’s economic development efforts to move beyond an automobile manufacturing economic base, it is important for local communities to “plan for our energy future.”

Here are five things local communities can do to be ready for an alternative and renewable energy future in Michigan:

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