October 25, 2011
Washington

Tuesday wind hearing offers chance to review, comment

By MIKE JOHNSTON senior writer, Daily Record, www.dailyrecordnews.com 24 October 2011

Kittitas County Planner Dan Valoff said the 6 p.m. Tuesday public hearing before county commissioners is to review and take comments on all 17 requests to change the county’s comprehensive land-use plan and development regulations. One of the 17 requests is from Columbia Plateau Energy Facility LLC to expand the county’s existing wind-power overlay zone.

Valoff said Columbia Plateau’s applied-for request is for a 5,760-acre westerly expansion as originally sought by Columbia Plateau in its application. He said that application has not been officially withdrawn, altered or resubmitted, and is the subject of the county Planning Commission’s recommendation and the county commissioners’ public hearing on Tuesday.

The Columbia Plateau has said it plans to reduce the size of the project by about 1,920 acres, at different locations, in response to concerns expressed by surrounding property owners.

The county has stressed that the Columbia Plateau proposal, at this time, is not for a site-specific wind-power project. It is a proposed change in the property’s land-use designation that would allow, in the future, the company to submit a specific project that would have to go through a separate review and public hearing process.

Valoff said written comments on the comprehensive plan changes will continue to be accepted by county Community Development Services staff until the end of the commissioners’ Tuesday hearing, at which time they will decide whether or not to officially close the comment period.

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2011/10/25/tuesday-wind-hearing-offers-chance-to-review-comment/