MARSHALL, MI (WNWN/WTVB) – The Marshall City Council unanimously approved a rezoning request early Tuesday morning on a 741 acre parcel of the Marshall Megasite that is the site of the proposed BlueOval Battery Park.
The Battle Creek Enquirer reports the vote came at the end of a nearly eight hour meeting which featured multiple presentations and nearly five hours of public comment for and against the project.
The gavel to end the meeting did not sound until just before 3:00 a.m..
The City Council went against a recommendation from the city of Marshall and Marshall Township Joint Planning Commission which voted 4-2 last week against rezoning the property.
Those in favor of the electric vehicle battery factory project say it will create between 2,000 and 3,000 high-paying manufacturing jobs to the area.
Others are strongly opposed to the project saying it will kill off agricultural land. They also say the Marshall area will be unable to handle the population surge.
Meetings in recent months that had the project on the agenda have drawn standing room only audiences.
