Proposed solar carport and EV chargers at Parking Lot 14 draw calls for neighborhood outreach

Township staff recommended placing a proposed photovoltaic carport and accompanying public electric-vehicle chargers at township-owned Parking Lot 14 in Binmar, a location staff said best meets the technical and space requirements for the sustainability infrastructure program.

Commissioner questions at the June 24 workshop focused on community impacts: parking lot 14 is bordered on three sides by residential properties and some neighbors use the lot because they lack driveways. One commissioner said the site "is very different than the Letington Library parking lot" because that library lot lacks nearby residences and asked how staff would inform and engage nearby residents. Paul Mhenny, director of public works, said the Letington site posed technical constraints tying the array to the building, so staff surveyed other township lots and identified Lot 14 as the highest‑ranked location. "If this was the final location and we're going to move forward, then the public outreach would begin," he said.

Staff and another presenter explained efficiencies in co‑locating solar and EV charging infrastructure: installing EV chargers while building the solar and electrical infrastructure can reduce costs and simplify construction. A staff member noted there are already public EV chargers a block away and said chargers will be distributed across the township based on demand and operational feasibility. Commissioners asked staff for usage statistics on existing chargers to support decisions about siting and distribution.

Why it matters: the proposal pairs renewable generation with EV infrastructure, potentially advancing sustainability goals and operational efficiency, but the recommended site raises neighborhood outreach and siting tradeoffs because of adjacent residences.

What happens next: staff said there is no immediate timing pressure; if the board does not want the project at Lot 14 staff will re-evaluate other surveyed locations. Commissioners requested data on charger utilization and promised community notification if Lot 14 remains the recommended site.