Planning board: More info on 2 proposed wind districts
BY KATE HESSLING

Tribune Staff Writer

BAD AXE — Huron County planning commissioners took no action Wednesday on a request from RES Americas for two new wind overlay districts in Huron County .

“We don’t have a full application yet because I don’t have sufficient information to proceed,” said Huron County Building and Zoning Director Russ Lundberg during Wednesday’s county planning commission meeting.

In order have a wind overlay district — which is the fist step in a lengthy process to create a wind development — a public hearing has to be held and the requester has to show an adequate acreage of land is under lease, the district includes a solid block of agricultural-zoned land, and there are adequate wind resources and transmission capabilities present.

The information that was lacking in an application RES Americas submitted to the county Aug. 18 were affidavits from the Huron County Register of Deeds Office providing which parcels are under lease with RES Americas, Lundberg said.

He noted the company did submit maps with highlighted parcels in county- zoned townships that are under lease with RES Americas. However, they are not the proof the county’s ordinance requires developers provide in order to move through the process of establishing a wind overlay district.

Other information needed, in addition to an affidavit verifying each parcel under lease in the proposed district area (including leases in both county-zoned townships and townships that have their own zoning), include the scope, scale and size of the two proposed projects, noted Planning Commissioner Clark Brock.

It was noted RES Americas already has been contacted by Lundberg to provide the additional information needed to move forward in this process. No additional details were given to the planning commission Wednesday because there were not any representatives from RES Americas present at the meeting to provide any other details than what was given in the application and maps highlighting which parcels RES Americas says are under lease in county-zoned townships.

So planning commissioners reviewed those maps and got an idea of what areas would be included in the proposed districts, based on what was highlighted on the maps and what has been conveyed by RES Americas to Lundberg.

The first district is for a project called, Deerfield Wind Farm, located in the northeast portion of the county, including sections of Dwight Township , the northwest corner of Bloomfield Township , a small section in northeast Lincoln Township , possibly a few parcels in Gore Township , in addition to a large section of Huron Township , which is independent of county zoning. Planning commissioners wanted an idea of which parcels were under lease in Huron Township so the board would have the “big picture” of what the proposed project would be.

The second requested district is for a project called, “Pheasant Run Wind Farm,” and is located in three county zoned townships and at least two others that are in townships that have their own zoning. The three county-zoned townships include Winsor, Grant and Fairhaven . According to parcels highlighted on the maps submitted to the county by RES Americas, the majority of leased parcels for this project, out of the three county-zoned townships, are in Winsor Township . However, Lundberg noted RES Americas has indicated there are a large number of parcels under lease in Brookfield Township , which has its own zoning. Also, RES Americas has indicated there will be some parcels included in Oliver Township , which also has its own zoning. It’s also possible there could be parcels included in Sebewaing Township , which also has its own zoning. If that’s the case, RES Americas would have to work with four different zoning jurisdictions — i.e. the county and Sebewaing, Brookfield and Oliver townships — to create the project boundaries, Lundberg said.

He said he believes the wind developer realized it was going to take some time to create the districts, and the idea was to get the process moving by submitting the highlighted maps to the county so planning commissioners had a heads up that there would be two new projects that would need consideration. Lundberg added a list of parcels under lease already have been submitted to the Huron County Register of Deeds and currently are under review.

Planning commissioners noted there was not enough information to proceed with any action, such as setting a public hearing, on the two new wind districts. The board noted the application would be considered at a future meeting when there is enough information given to the board in order to proceed with this process.

The next regular Huron County Planning Commission meeting is set for 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 6 in Room 305 of the County Building .

Kate Hessling • (989) 269-6461 • khessling@hearstnp.com

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