Wind farm moratorium approved
Staff writer
Nearly a year after owner Orsted began talking to landowners in four southwest townships about expanding its Sunflower Wind farm, county commissioners Monday passed a one-year moratorium on the company applying for permits.
Seventeen onlookers gathered in the commissioners’ meeting room and hallway to watch what commissioners did after voting a week earlier to draft a six-month moratorium.
Several had spoken at previous meetings about their concerns regarding potential spread of the wind farm. On Monday, they asked that the six-month moratorium commissioners last week had asked county counsel Brad Jantz to write be extended to a year.
One wanted to know whether a moratorium would halt all progress toward expanding the wind farm, including Orsted talking to landowners.
The moratorium means the county will not accept applications for conditional use permits. It does not preclude Orsted from discussing leases.
Goessel City Council member Amanda Voth told commissioners said Goessel would like to see a 10-mile radius in which no turbines would be allowed. Council members have several concerns about wind farms, including possible effects on drinking water and existing business.
She encouraged commissioners to research why other counties had imposed moratoriums.
A woman who contended turbines at some wind farms had leaked oil onto farmland beneath them told commissioners that the wind farm companies doesn’t deserve their representation.
“Your citizens do,” she said.
Planning and zoning director Sharon Omstead said she thought she could reviewing the county’s wind farm overlay and propose needed changes to county regulations within six months.
Commissioner Kent Becker said the commission had heard mostly from opponents and a few wind farm supporters.
“It’s pretty much a consensus that they want a permanent moratorium,” Becker said.
The moratorium suspends county action on any application for a commercial renewable energy project.
It will review its comprehensive plan to provide additional guidelines with respect to such development in unincorporated areas and consider amendments to zoning regulations.
Commissioners also voted Monday to approve a conditional use permit for Merle and Michelle Flaming to use a county lake cottage as a short-term rental.