MECOSTA COUNTY, Mich. — Gotion is calling it a "temporary delay" as they pause their request for rezoning a portion of land for their battery plant from agricultural to industrial.
"They're going to start right away with the first phase, the rezoning as part of the second phase, they want to get that first phase up and go on the land that they have targeted. It has been zoned for industrial use for 20 some years," said Green Charter Township Supervisor Jim Chapman.
Although the company is pausing its request for rezoning, Chapman said he's not concerned about any delays in the project that would bring more than 2,300 jobs to his community.
"No, no, there's no concern at my end about it," said Chapman. "This is just a process that a company's decided to go through. Always been fluid, but they're coming I believe, and to the full extent of what what they had originally planned."
In a statement, Chuck Thelen, Vice President of North American Operations for Gotion, said that the pause will allow the company to work better with community members to answer questions adding:
"We're confident that when the facts are presented, we can effectively resolve these questions and show the tremendous benefit to the community."
Thelen's statement goes on to say:
“This property, which is adjacent to the freeway, is currently zoned for agricultural use. Our long-term goal is to get this particular property zoned industrial like the rest of the land for the proposed project, but it’s not needed to get the construction phase started."
Thelen also said the pause will also allow Gotion to learn what a report says from CFIUS, a federal government committee that reviews foreign investments and nation security in the United States.
In the past, community members around Big Rapids and in Green Charter Township have expressed their concerns about Gotion's parent company based in China.
Supervisor Chapman said he's looking forward to the project progressing.
"8,900 people every day leave our county for work outside of our county," said Chapman. "How many families does that effect? Well, if we can keep a portion of those people in our county, the stability, family stability, not only financial but emotional support and so on is going to be huge."
Just last month the Green Charter Township board approved an ordinance that allows them to form a planning commission.
13 ON YOUR SIDE asked Chapman if the Gotion project prompted the vote. He said that it was more for the long term effects and growth after the project.
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