Why We Fight...
Iron Pig Owner Ian Murphy speaking at Grand New Party event.
"Risk it for the Brisket...and the Republic!"
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Ian Murphy (owner of the Iron Pig Smokehouse in Gaylord, Michigan, operating through Moore Murphy Hospitality, LLC) has been a prominent local activist and plaintiff in legal challenges to large-scale solar farm developments in Otsego County.
His involvement stems from opposition to what he describes as state overreach via Public Act 233 (2023), which streamlines approvals for utility-scale renewable energy projects (like solar farms over certain sizes) and can allow the Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC) to override stricter local zoning. Murphy argues these projects industrialize rural farmland and forests against community wishes, while he supports local control and has solar panels on his own home. He is not broadly anti-solar but insists on consent and proper local processes.
His attorney in these matters (and prior COVID-related cases) is Gaylord-based David Delaney, who has over 25 years of zoning law experience. Murphy’s publicized legal strategy exploits a provision in PA 233: developments cannot proceed until all litigation is resolved. He has urged local planning commissions to approve solar applications (rather than deny them outright), which gives affected residents standing to file suit in circuit court and effectively freezes projects during litigation—preventing developers from bypassing locals directly to the MPSC. He has shared this approach with residents in multiple northern Michigan counties as a way to delay or deter projects through prolonged court battles and financial pressure on developers.
Otsego County (Primary Direct Involvement)
Murphy is a named plaintiff in a declaratory judgment/action lawsuit filed in February 2025 in Otsego County Circuit Court challenging the 45th Parallel Solar project (also called a 1,200-acre solar development by RWE Solar Development LLC, a unit of German energy giant RWE AG). The project involves installing solar panels on privately owned land (primarily leased from the Caple family) in Hayes Township, scattered between Van Tyle and Old Stump roads. It does not include state/DNR forest land after earlier plans for ~400–1,200 acres of public land were dropped amid public backlash.
Other plaintiffs include nearby property owners such as Gregory and Marcy Beauchesne, Jeffery and Rachel Davis, and Charles and Bernadette Pletcher (some of whose homes directly adjoin the site). Additional Otsego County residents have been invited to join as it is framed as a declaratory action.
Key claims (filed against RWE Solar Development LLC and Otsego County):
- The project violates state solar laws under PA 233 and county zoning ordinances.
- Otsego County failed to adopt a compliant “Compatible Renewable Energy Ordinance” (CREO) as required by the state law.
- PA 233 unconstitutionally delegates broad, indefinite authority to the MPSC (executive branch) without sufficient legislative standards or oversight; vague provisions (e.g., “dark sky-friendly lighting”) are challenged.
- The law’s restrictions on localities adopting stricter standards represent an invalid exercise of state power under the U.S. and Michigan constitutions.
- An MPSC order (October 2024) allegedly rewrote aspects of the statute improperly.
As of mid-2025 (per contemporary reporting), the lawsuit was active, no solar panels had been installed, and the case was seen as potentially precedent-setting for similar challenges statewide. Murphy has spoken publicly about the case in radio interviews (e.g., WKHQ updates) and planning commission meetings, emphasizing property rights, environmental concerns (e.g., tree clearing, construction impacts), and the need for local veto power. He has also opposed related DNR/state forest land proposals for solar.
Cheboygan County (Public/Advocacy Involvement, Indirect Legal Ties)
Murphy is not a named plaintiff in the primary Cheboygan County solar lawsuit, but he has been publicly involved through updates, advocacy, and connections via the same attorney (David Delaney). He has appeared on local radio (e.g., WKHQ “Otsego and Cheboygan County Solar Updates”) to discuss the status of litigation in both counties, framing them as part of the same regional fight against large-scale projects enabled by PA 233.
The main Cheboygan case is a separate lawsuit filed in September 2025 in the 53rd Circuit Court (Cheboygan County) by Grant Township residents (including Sherry and Joseph Long and others, some without directly adjoining property) against EDP Renewables (EDPR; developer of the Northern Waters Solar Park, a ~1,700-acre/800-acre fenced solar facility on private land in Grant Township, bounded by roads like Trudeau, Chamberlain, Twin Lakes, and North Black River). The project aims to generate power for ~30,000 homes at a ~$220 million cost and was approved by the Cheboygan County Planning Commission in August 2025.
Claims focus on environmental (potential PFAS leaching from panels into protected waterways/lakes/streams/wildlife areas), health (electromagnetic frequency/EMF concerns, e.g., for a plaintiff with a pacemaker), and property value impacts. Delaney represents these plaintiffs; EDP has moved for summary disposition and disputes all claims (citing studies showing no leakage, EMF comparable to household appliances, minimal property value effects, and economic benefits like $24+ million in local taxes and construction jobs). The case remains active as of late 2025.
Murphy’s role here appears to be as a vocal regional advocate and strategist—sharing tactics, providing public commentary, and tying the cases together in media appearances—rather than a direct litigant. Cheboygan County planning documents also reference ongoing solar-related litigation and ordinance updates (including moratorium considerations and repeals of prior renewable energy rules), reflecting the broader pushback he supports.
Overall Context and Outcomes
These solar lawsuits represent “other” litigation for Murphy beyond his well-known COVID-19 challenges (which also used Delaney and Otsego County Circuit Court Judge Colin Hunter in some phases). As of early 2026 reporting, the Otsego case had not been fully resolved in public records, and Murphy continued promoting the “local approval → lawsuit” approach as a way to slow or stop similar projects across Michigan by leveraging court delays and local standing. He has described it as protecting rural communities from state-driven industrialization while emphasizing economic and environmental local impacts.
No final appellate rulings or project completions are detailed in available sources up to the current timeframe; both efforts remain part of ongoing regional opposition to utility-scale solar under Michigan’s renewable energy mandates. Murphy has used platforms like radio, social media (e.g., Facebook), and interviews to rally support and invite residents to join suits where eligible.
Iron Pig, Ian Murphy, David Delaney Build Record Fighting Government Overreach
The Iron Pig Smokehouse in Gaylord, Michigan (originally at 143 W. Main St. downtown, with a recent expansion), is a barbecue restaurant and bar known for low-and-slow smoked meats, a full menu, and a casual vibe. It gained notoriety primarily through its owner's very public defiance of COVID-19 public health orders in 2020–2021.
Owner Ian Murphy opened the Iron Pig Smokehouse around June 2017 after he and his wife took out a second mortgage on their home to launch it. Murphy had roughly 22 years of restaurant/business experience by the early 2020s. The place quickly built a local following for its BBQ, full bar, and takeout/catering options, employing up to about 25 people at times.
The “notorious” reputation stems almost entirely from Murphy’s decision to keep the restaurant open for indoor dining (and reportedly without mask mandates) in defiance of Michigan’s emergency orders and local health department enforcement during the pandemic. When cases rose in late 2020, state rules limited or shut down indoor operations for restaurants. Murphy argued that adults should be able to assess their own risk, that the mandates were economically devastating, and that the orders exceeded governmental authority.
The restaurant faced:
- Multiple fines (including a $5,000 penalty).
- Temporary suspension of its liquor license and food service permit.
- Threats of closure and regulatory hearings.
Murphy and his attorney (David Delaney) fought back in court, contending the enforcement violated separation of powers and constitutional limits. In January 2022, Otsego County Circuit Court Judge Colin Hunter overturned the $5,000 fine, ruling that key parts of the public health law used for the orders were unconstitutional. Additional court wins followed in later years (including a notable 2024 ruling on the legality of the restrictions), framing the saga as a “COVID vindication story” in some coverage. Murphy has described the period as the most challenging in his career, saying the business was on the brink of bankruptcy from takeout-only rules before they chose to stay open.
The defiance drew both strong local support (including a large COVID protest rally at one point) and backlash, with the restaurant becoming a symbol in Michigan’s debates over pandemic restrictions versus business and personal freedoms. There were also scattered negative reports, such as a 2020s Facebook group complaint from a former employee alleging unpaid wages (a single public claim that does not appear to represent the full employee experience or any resolved legal action in public records).
In December 2024, Murphy expanded the Iron Pig to a second/fuller location at 4029 Old U.S. Hwy 27 South. He called it a “full circle” moment because the building had hosted what he described as the largest local gathering protesting COVID restrictions in January 2021. The business continues operating today with its original downtown spot and the new site, emphasizing its BBQ, prime rib nights, steaks, and catering.
In short, the Iron Pig’s story is one of a locally loved Northern Michigan smokehouse that became nationally noted (in pandemic-policy circles) for Murphy’s willingness to risk fines, licenses, and closure to keep it open and challenge the rules in court—and largely prevail. The restaurant remains open and has grown despite (or, some say, because of) the notoriety.
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