Navigating a Moratorium

Across the country, communities are using moratoriums when questions about proposed developments heat up. In many cases, these pauses are driven by organized opposition, but moratoria can also signal that local leaders feel under-informed, overwhelmed or unheard.

Throughout 2025, Aileron worked alongside our client to navigate a moratorium in Comstock Township, Michigan. While the Township already had a battery energy storage ordinance in place, newly elected officials placed a pause on applications to reevaluate their regulatory language after citizens voiced concern.

Rather than viewing the moratorium as a project killer, Aileron and our partners recognized the opportunity for continued local collaboration. The team doubled down on education and dialogue with officials, residents and stakeholders.

Key elements of the approach included:

• Addressing misinformation with clear, constructive and simple facts in public meetings and publicly available memos.

• Engaging independent experts to answer safety questions and address local concerns in a public setting.

• Spending meaningful time in the community – showing up consistently, respectfully answering questions (often the same question, many times).

After months of meetings, the Planning Commission and Township Board approved ordinance language that addressed community concerns and created a clear path for battery energy storage systems in the community. 

The Takeaway: Intentional engagement and education can move a community forward, even during a moratorium.

Read more here: Comstock Township OKs reading of changed zoning rules for battery storage systems