Neighborhood Solar Initiative Timeline

Neighborhood Solar Initiative Launch 

  • In June 2023, Mayor Duggan announced the solar initiative. 

  • Neighborhoods interested in hosting solar fields will receive community benefits. 

  • In December, the request for proposals from potential solar developers opened. The deadline to submit closed on Friday, February 23rd. The City will evaluate the proposals along with the level of support to determine the final winning neighborhoods for the proposed solar arrays. 

Ongoing Community Engagement

  • Throughout the citywide initiative’s process, the Office of Sustainability and the Department of Neighborhoods are working closely with Neighborhood Solar Partners to engage community groups, block clubs, and area residents to ensure area residents’ considerations are addressed and prioritized.

  • Department of Neighborhoods hosted meetings in neighborhoods with 10 or more vacant acres to share the opportunity. The city partnered with long standing environmental community organizations to support neighborhoods in applying to utilize vacant land for solar generation, 19 neighborhoods applied.

  • Department of Neighborhoods held over 60 meetings in the neighborhoods to engage neighbors, get feedback and plan for the installation. At these meetings, residents drew the boundaries of the solar footprint and community benefits zone.

Final Neighborhood Selection

  • Neighborhood expression of interest petition deadline closed on February 15, 2024 

  • Communities with the highest number of resident buy-in became finalists. Nine finalists were selected last November, and now we're down to the final eight. 

  • Final site selections will require City Council approval.

  • Phase 1 of the Neighborhood Solar Initiative will transform 104 acres of mostly vacant, blighted areas into clean,
    renewable energy.

    • The first 3 finalist neighborhoods are: Gratiot/Findlay, State Fair and Van Dyke/Lynch.

Next Steps 

  • The plan is for the Office of Sustainability, The Department of Neighborhoods, our Neighborhood Solar Partners and the solar developers to work with the community and get their insight into how the sites will look.

    • There will be a negotiated and approved agreement between the developer and residents, which will include what the design, vegetation and maintenance will be for each solar neighborhood before any construction work begins.

  • To begin the next step of the process, the Mayor’s office has transmitted several documents to City Council for approval.  Those include:

    • Resolutions for the acquisition of private property in each of the three neighborhoods to assemble the land needed for the proposed solar arrays  

    • Contracts with two developers selected following a procurement process 

    • Resolution to create an equity fund for voluntary purchases of owner-occupied homes in the five remaining solar neighborhood finalist areas.  

  • Phase 1, covering 103 acres, will begin site preparation in late fall 2024. The city plans to select additional neighborhoods for solar array development in early 2025 and potentially more in 2026 to power city streetlights, ensuring a continuous expansion of the initiative.