He Found the Loophole That Could Stop Solar Farms Across Michigan

Ian Murphy says his legal strategy could delay or stop large-scale solar projects across Michigan by keeping control in local hands.

GAYLORD, Mich. — Ian Murphy, owner of the Iron Pig Smokehouse in Gaylord, isn’t just serving up barbecue—he’s leading a grassroots battle against what he calls a dangerous overreach by the state of Michigan to industrialize rural land with solar farms.

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Murphy has become one of the most vocal critics of Public Act 233, a state law signed in 2023 that gives the Michigan Public Service Commission the power to override local governments when it comes to approving large-scale solar and wind developments. The law is a cornerstone of Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s aggressive push for the state to become 100% reliant on renewable energy by 2040.

But Murphy believes the consequences of that plan haven’t been fully considered, and he says he’s found a way to fight back.

“We’re not talking about a couple of solar panels on your house,” Murphy said. “We’re talking about thousands of acres of farmland and forest being turned into industrial solar plants—against the wishes of local communities.”

Murphy’s hometown is at the center of the battle. A 1,200-acre solar farm is planned for Otsego County, with developers eyeing another 400 acres of state-owned land nearby. That second part of the project was ultimately canceled after public pushback, but the larger development remains active.

To fight it, Murphy is leveraging a lesser-known provision in Public Act 233 that requires all litigation to be resolved before development can proceed. His strategy? Encourage local planning commissions to approve the solar applications—so that residents can then challenge the approvals in local courts.

“It sounds backward, but it’s the only way to keep these cases out of the state’s hands,” Murphy said. “If locals deny the permits, the developers can just bypass them and go straight to the state. But if locals approve it, we can sue—and that freezes everything.”

So far, Murphy’s strategy has worked in Gaylord. The local planning commission approved the solar project after his urging, giving his legal team standing to file suit. That lawsuit is now active, and not a single solar panel has gone up.

Murphy’s attorney, who has over 25 years of experience in zoning law, believes the case could become a precedent for stopping similar projects across Michigan. Murphy is now sharing the strategy with residents in other counties, including Sheboygan, Roscommon, and Antrim, where solar proposals are being considered.

“The longer this drags out in court, the more money these companies lose,” Murphy said. “Eventually, they’ll walk away.”

Murphy insists he is not anti-solar. In fact, he has solar panels on his own home. What he opposes, he said, is forcing communities to accept massive industrial projects without local consent.

“I believe in personal property rights, but not when it’s at the expense of everyone else around you,” he said.

Murphy hopes that with enough legal pressure—and potentially a shift in political power after the 2026 elections—Public Act 233 can be repealed altogether.

“This is about local control,” Murphy said. “And we’re not going to give that up without a fight.”