County tweaks wind rules; Amendment seekers disappointed  

Credit:  Jennifer Linn Hartley - Staff Writer, Ludington Daily News, www.ludingtondailynews.com 20 May 2011 ~~

The Mason County Board of Commissioners adopted an amendment to the Mason County Zoning Ordinance Thursday night, and then made a few changes of its own — altering how wind turbine noise is measured and reducing the amount of shadow flicker allowed.

The Mason County Planning Commission had recommended changes to the County Zoning Ordinance and had been working to come up with a recommendation since January, calling for stricter standards for wind turbines in the county. On Thursday night those recommendations were adopted, as was a resolution including additional amendments proposed by District 4 Commissioner Charles Lange.

District 7 Commissioner Mary Nichols also requested an additional amendment — calling for a turbine setback of 1,300 feet from the property line of an unpooled parcel — which did not pass.

Lange’s resolution included language changes to several areas of the of the zoning ordinance, including removing references to C-weighted decibels from several sections — something Consumers Energy had been requesting since a public hearing on the zoning amendment last month.

Consumers Energy has proposed a wind farm of 56 476-foot-tall turbines in Riverton and Summit townships, and the planning commission is in the process of familiarizing itself with and reviewing the special land use application.