News and Notes on the
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Marshall Mega-site Part 1 - By Regis Klinger
* Marshall City Council and Marshall Twp Board have approved of Land Transfer from Marshall Twp to Marshall City after public hearing speakers were overwhelmingly opposed to it. The Marshall City Council and Marshall Twp Board have now both agreed to the Public Act 425 land transfer from Marshall Twp to the City of Marshall, even though input from speakers at the public hearings were mostly against the land transfer and the process it would start. This land transfer starts off the process for the City of Marshall and the Marshall Area Economic Development Association (MAEDA) to prepare the transferred land as a Mega-site for heavy industrial use. While this land transfer has been planned by MAEDA, The City of Marshall and Marshall TWP for some time, it has only recently been brought to the attention of the residents and taxpayers of the City and Twp. The public hearings were the first opportunity for input from the public on this transfer and project. Marshall is a small, but vibrant, town which is one of the main reasons people chose to stay here and move here. Most Marshall residents are for economic development and the benefits of added jobs and money it brings into the community. They are not for growth and development which will drastically change the size and character of the town and area they live and work in. Citizens want to have input on economic development to advise planning leaders on what is wanted and what is not. * Mega-site would be up to 1,900 acres when only a small portion of that is actually is needed for a large industrial plant. Smaller sites at existing industrial parks or brownfield sites could be developed instead. The proposed Mega-site area would be up to 1,900 acres and stretch from 12 Mile Rd to 15 Mile Rd along C Drive N in Marshall Twp (to become Marshall City after the land transfer is completed). It has been suggested that the site will be for a battery assembly plant or semiconductor plant. A review of the 4 battery assembly and related plants that General Motors has announced in Delta Twp (Lansing), Orion Twp (Auburn Hills), Spring Hills TN and Lordstown OH, show that those plants are planned to be between 2.5 million sq ft and 3.0 million sq ft at existing plant sites. That area is the equivalent of 58 to 68 acres. If additional land is assumed for parking, storage, distribution and landscaping, at 5 times the original area needed, that area is still only 290 to 340 acres. This is a similar size to the new battery component plant being built near Big Rapids. What is going to be done with the other 1700 acres? We can only assume that there will be multiple plants in addition to the original mega-plant. The effect of a single battery or semiconductor plant bringing in 2,000 to 3,000 jobs would greatly impact the city and surrounding area. A large number of these types of plants or feeder plants, would drastically change the character and size of the region into a metropolitan area. Most people in Marshall and the surrounding Twps live here, or have moved here, to get away from metropolitan areas. * Mega-site is primarily farmland which will be permanently lost if developed for heavy industry. Unfortunately, the Mega-site is primarily farmland and located very near to the north side of the Kalamazoo River. The loss of 2000 acres of prime farmland is significant especially in this county because of all of the recently installed marijuana-grow farms, solar farms and windmill farms in the rural areas. Additional lose of this farmland would mean that these 1,900 acres would be gone forever. In the case of a heavy industrial site, it would be very unlikely that this land could ever be returned to farmland. The cost to remove and cleanup the site would be prohibitive to return to farmland, with the only possible reuse being more industrial uses. I have been involved in the planning, design and construction of large projects for many years. I know the amount of planning, coordination and resources it takes to develop a project of this size. I also believe that the old way of doing economic and project planning is outdated and needs to be changed. It needs to be changed because of climate change, increasing human population and resource use, and loss of farmland to drought, flooding and urban sprawl. We need development, but not at the expense of clean air and water, loss of farmland to feed the increasing world population, and just as important, preserving the lifestyle that people have chosen in this area. Marshall would be much better off developing on a smaller scale. A scale that can be better controlled and regulated. Development that preserves the character and lifestyle of the residents and taxpayers of the area If you want to help keep the Marshall Mega-site from becoming a reality and keep Marshall development under control, go to http://www.michiganmegasite.com Sign the petition and contact the Save Marshall group to help. Summary * Marshall City Council and Marshall Twp Board approved of Land Transfer from Marshall Twp to Marshall City after public hearings where speakers were overwhelmingly opposed to it. * Mega-site would be up to 1,900 acres when only a small portion of that is actually is needed for a large industrial plant. This implies multiple plants are expected and planned for. * Mega-site is primarily farmland which will be permanently lost if developed for heavy industry. Regis Klingler Marshall Resident
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 An open letter to Governor Whitmer and other leaders in our community:
Dear Governor Whitmer, I am writing to you today as a concerned citizen of Marshall township and previous citizen of the City of Marshall. Earlier this month, I was informed of the proposed "megasite" to be developed near the Marshall Township Building. Since then, I have kept up to tabs on the firestorm of opposition from locals and have attended a heated Marshall Township hall meeting where they inevitably approved the motion transferring the properties involved in the proposed "megasite" from the township to the City of Marshall. Through all of this, I have tried to keep a level head. I have tried to read between the lines of blame assigning, mud raking, and political rhetoric cast during this heated discussion and while the facts have yet to be seen, I still find myself on the side of those opposed to developing the 1800+ acres outside Marshall. I am very opposed to this development for a couple reasons: 1.) I am VERY concerned for the environmental impacts development on current greenspace and undeveloped land may have. I like to think of myself as a "green" thinker, and paving over farmland and woods, not to mention developing what is expected to be a battery plant next to a critical water source seems like a VERY bad idea. I recognize the need for Michigan as a whole to position itself for a "green" future and cementing its role as a provider of key infrastructure for an electric-vehicle economy, but such a site as the one here in Marshall I feel is a completely inappropriate choice. I grew up in Flint, and bore witness to the immense and numerous eyesores of unused factory buildings. I've seen them all over the state - Detroit, Jackson, Lansing, Battle Creek - they all have huge facilities that would be perfect opportunities to reuse and revitalize both their buildings as well as the local economies. Doing so would also prove so much more environmentally responsible than clearing over 1800 acres of plants, animals, and environment. 2.) I am also VERY concerned about changing the way of life so many of us love in Marshall already. I am a young man of only 29 years. I moved here for work at Eaton's proving grounds south of Marshall and have absolutely fallen in love with this small town. Its quaint charm is second to none in my humble opinion. I look forward to starting my family here and staying here to make a mark on this town and community. I seem to hear this a lot as well. People truly love the small historic town of Marshall. While I recognize the demographic of this town isn't particularly diverse with a seeming majority of the population being older than the rest, I don't think this is a simple "the elders don't want their town changing." Us up and comers in this town also love the small town feel while still retaining a forward-thinking outlook on the area's future. I would like to instead propose that the land signed over from the township be utilized for either one of three uses: 1.) Calhoun County's first state park. Such a development (I recognize this would be developing the site) would be a huge improvement for the City of Marshall, Calhoun County, and the state of Michigan as a whole. Having a state park in our backyard would be such an awesome opportunity to get out and enjoy the beautiful land that Calhoun County has to offer, while likely providing an economic boost to the local area through camping fees and other sources of revenue that can be generated through a state park. 2.) Double down on protecting our environment and list the land as a protected nature preserve. Provide for our environment by eliminating invasive species and encourage the growth of native plants and animals and put Marshall and Calhoun County on the map for another reason - a town that invests in the environment from the ground up. 3.) Combine the two above ideas into one and make a truly forward-thinking green space. Reserve some of the land for recreational purposes - Mountain biking paths, walking trails, and/or campsites. Reserve some of it for preserved nature preserves, recognizing the need to encourage natural biodiversity and conservation of an endangered ecosystem. And reserve some of it for a community garden. A place where locals from all over Calhoun county can come and contribute to a locally-sustainable food source for all of us to share in and enjoy. Give our kids and adults an opportunity to learn about and from nature by providing courses on wildlife and natural resource conservation. In closing, I believe Marshall can be an innovator and leader in the state of Michigan in this changing climate and world. But I don't think the site as proposed is the appropriate place for a battery plant. I think Marshall can spearhead a movement in true green thinking from the ground up. Thank you for your time and consideration - I truly hope that you listen to your constituents and oppose this "megasite” as it is currently scoped for Marshall, and instead choose a different site to host the proposed battery plant or other uses. Robert Weiss |
Concerned CitizensWe are concerned residents who are oppossed to the State of Michigan's plant to create a 1,600 acre industrial park outside historic Marshall, Michigan. Instead we wish to see a 1,600 acre recreational area on this site which runs along two miles of the Kalamazoo River. Save Historic Marshall, Save Michigan's Agricultural Land and Protect Michigan's green spaces! Archives
May 2023
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