Jan. 7, some on the council asked under what circumstances would the city challenge the decision of a mayor-appointed board or commission. City administrators never mentioned Lewis’ appeal, which was filed Dec. 21. Instead, they used a general example of how the Board of Zoning Appeals might disagree, creating an inharmonious land-use situation.

Jeff Rowes with the Institute for Justice said he’ll ask the appeals board on Wednesday to let the tents return, but as a more temporary and regulated housing option. Anyone in them who is offered permanent housing would have to take it, he explained. Tents would be limited by number and put on platforms to give a uniform appearance. Because a neighboring senior living facility drove many of the complaints, plots would be restricted to areassaid.

"I can see utility companies paying for the roofing for customers," he said. "It would save them money on building power plants because the solar shingles can act like individual little power plants."

The solar power industry has mushroomed 35 percent a year for the past decade. Government incentives have sped up the pace of solar power installations in several countries, including Germany, Spain, Japan, China and the United States.

For the Great Lakes Bay Region, the technology could mean billions of dollars of investment and hundreds of jobs at Dow.

"Easily," Cleereman said. "It just has to take off."

John Russell, president and chief operating officer of Consumers Energy, said alternative energy makes up 5 percent of the utility's power pool, and he expects the figure to grow to 10 percent