Solar permitting — Washtenaw County, Michigan

Setbacks & buffers

PA 233 standards for a solar facility (MCL 460.1226(8)): 300 ft from the nearest point on the outer wall of occupied community buildings and dwellings on NON-PARTICIPATING properties; 50 ft from the nearest edge of a public road right-of-way; 50 ft from the nearest shared property line of non-participating parties. Solar array may not exceed 25 ft above ground at full tilt, and must not generate more than 55 dB hourly average at the nearest wall of a non-participating property. These are the standards a local ordinance must not exceed to remain a Compatible Renewable Energy Ordinance; the Commission has siting authority for facilities of 50 MW or greater where no CREO applies — NOTE: the distances above are a STATE-level fallback, not a figure read from this county's own ordinance. We hold siting-rule records for this county which may include a stricter local limit we have not yet extracted. Verify against the county's own ordinance before relying on these.

Spacing requirements

None codified.

Size restrictions

None codified.

Penalties & bonding

No penalties or adjustments. Standard CUP/SUP process.

State-level permits & approvals

PA 233 of 2023 (HB 5120) — effective Nov 29, 2024: MPSC has siting authority for solar ≥50 MW, wind ≥100 MW, storage ≥50 MW / 200 MWh, unless affected local unit has adopted a Compatible Renewable Energy Ordinance (CREO) meeting state setback/height minimums. If CREO in place, developer must use local process; if no CREO or CREO is more restrictive than PA 233, developer may go directly to MPSC. MPSC may overrule local denial; if it does, local unit loses CREO status for future projects. 21 minimal conditions apply to all MPSC-approved projects (fencing, acoustics, decommissioning bond, etc.). As of Mar 2026, multiple townships and counties have sued MPSC challenging PA 233 implementation. Projects <50 MW solar / <100 MW wind: local CUP/SUP process governs under township/county zoning. MISO interconnection required. Most of MI in MISO; SE corner (Lenawee, Monroe, parts of Wayne) in PJM via AEP.

State incentive programs

Michigan Renewable Energy Standard (PA 295/PA 342): 15% by 2021 (met); Michigan EGLE: state agency oversees environmental permitting for solar under MI PA 233 (2023) and PA 235 (2023). MI PA 233/235 (enacted Nov 2023): new state preemption for solar ≥50 MW — county renewable energy overlay or state MPSC review. Net metering: PA 235 of 2023 raised DG cap to 10% of utility peak load; DTE Energy, Consumers Energy offer net metering programs. MI EGLE grants: Community Resilience Grant for local solar/storage. Utility: DTE Energy serves SE MI/Detroit metro; Consumers Energy serves mid-Michigan; Upper Peninsula Power (UPPCO) serves some UP areas; various electric cooperatives rural.

Grid & interconnection

MISO / Consumers Energy (CE) zone

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