BOARD OF TRUSTEES
LINCOLN CHARTER TOWNSHIP
BERRIEN COUNTY, MICHIGAN
NOTICE OF ORDINANCE SUBMITTAL
PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that the following is a summary of the text of the proposed Ordinances which were received for the first reading by the Lincoln Charter Township Board of Trustees at its regular meeting held on November 11, 2025.
AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND SECTION 230.201.19, 230.332, AND 230.960 OF THE ZONING ORDINANCE OF THE COMPILATION OF ORDINANCES TO PROVIDE FOR SMALL-SCALE AND UTILITY SCALE SOLAR ENERGY FACILITIES
THE CHARTER TOWNSHIP OF LINCOLN DOES HEREBY ORDAIN AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Amendment of Section 230.201.19. Section 230.201.19 of the Lincoln Charter Township Zoning Ordinance is amended to include the following definitions which are inserted in alphabetical order:
Solar Energy Collector or System: A system or facilities (including Solar Collector Surfaces, panels and/or ancillary solar equipment) either affixed to a permanent principal or accessory building or functioning as a freestanding structure, that collects, stores, and/or distributes solar energy for heating or cooling, generating electricity, or heating water. Solar Energy Systems include, but are not limited to, photovoltaic (PV) power systems and solar thermal systems.
Section 2. Amendment of Section 230.332. Section 230.332 of the Lincoln Charter Township Zoning Ordinance is amended to read in its entirety as follows:
SECTION 230.332 SMALL-SCALE SOLAR ENERGY SYSTEMS
Applicability. This section applies to Small-Scale Solar Energy Systems. This section does not apply to solar energy collectors mounted on fences, poles, or on the ground with collector surface areas less than five (5) square feet and mounted less than five (5) feet above the ground, nor does this section apply to the larger Utility Scale Solar Energy Systems, which are regulated in Section 230.960.
Section 3. Amendment of Section 230.960. Section 230.960 of the Lincoln Charter Township Zoning Ordinance is amended to read in its entirety as follows:
SECTION 230.960 UTILITY SCALE SOLAR ENERGY SYSTEMS
A. General Requirements.
- Unreasonable Safety Hazard. No Solar Energy System shall be installed in such a way as to pose an Unreasonable Safety Hazard.
- General Compliance. All Solar Energy Systems must conform to all applicable federal, state and county requirements, in addition to other applicable Township Ordinances, as well as any applicable industry standards.
B. Site Plan Required. An application for special land use approval for a Utility Scale Solar Energy System shall include a site plan in accordance with Article 10, drawn to scale and dimensioned and certified by a registered engineer licensed in the State of Michigan. In addition to the information required and other requirements for a detailed site plan in Section 230.1002, all applications must also include all of the following:
Section 2. Publication. Within fifteen (15) days of its adoption, this Ordinance or a summary thereof, as permitted by law, shall be published by the Township Clerk in a newspaper of general circulation in the Township.
Section 3. Effective Date. This Ordinance shall be effective seven (7) days after its publication, or a publication of a summary thereof, in a newspaper of general circulation in the Township.
PLEASE TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that the complete version of proposed Ordinance is on file in the Office of the Township Clerk at the address set forth below.
PLEASE TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that this Ordinance will be considered for adoption by the Township Board at its next regular meeting to be held at the Township Hall on December 9, 2025 commencing at 7:00 p.m.
The Township will provide necessary reasonable auxiliary aids and services, such as signers for the hearing impaired and audio tapes of printed material being considered at its meetings, to individuals with disabilities upon four (4) days’ notice to the Township Clerk. Individuals with disabilities requiring auxiliary aids or services should contact the Township Clerk at the address or telephone number listed below.
Michael Brown, Clerk
Lincoln Charter Township
2055 West John Beers Road
Stevensville, MI 49127
(269) 429-1589