Detroit City Council greenlights more solar fields

State of play: Angela Whitfield Calloway was the only council member to object to two contracts and a resolution to move the solar project forward.

• Council President Mary Sheffield did not object, despite voting no on the first round of the program. Members James Tate and Gabriela Santiago-Romero were absent.

Catch up quick: City Council approved the plan's first phase this summer, with solar fields set to cover 104 acres in three areas of the city: Gratiot/Findlay, State Fair and Van Dyke/Lynch.

• This second phase is 61 acres in two east-side areas, Houston-Whittier/Hayes and Greenfield Park.
• The fields are placed in mostly vacant and blighted areas. Neighborhood resident groups applied to participate in the project, with homes near the solar getting energy efficiency upgrades paid for by the city.

The latest: The first phase is under way, with 27 energy assessments completed out of 156 homes to get efficiency upgrades, with the first of the work to start next month, city chief strategy officer Trisha Stein told council.

• The land will be turned over this spring to the developers that are building solar.