August 28, 2014
Michigan

Commissioners hire firm to update county’s turbine noise rules

By Kelly Krager, Editor | Huron County View | 2014-08-28 | huroncountyview.mihomepaper.com

HURON COUNTY – The Huron County Board of Commissioners unanimously voted Tuesday to hire Acoustics by Design to assist with the development of an updated noise ordinance as it applies to commercial wind turbine noise.

The firm, an independent acoustical consulting firms headquartered in Grand Rapids, will be paid $10,500, plus expenses, to review the county’s ordinance and suggest changes so that it better protects residents from the potentially negative effects of living near a wind farm.

Board Chairman Clark Elftman said the Wind Energy Subcommittee, which was formed last year to review the turbine noise rules in the county’s ordinance, will meet once Acoustics by Design submits its recommendations, and then it will be disbanded.

“The ad hoc committee has achieved the purpose for which it was intended,” Elftman said.

Also during Tuesday’s meeting, commissioners:

• Authorized the services of LegalShield to be offered to all county employees at no cost to the county. Any interested county employee, including part-time employees, are invited to attend one of two informational meetings, which are scheduled for Sept. 3 and 4 in the Board of Commissioners meeting room.

• Granted permission to the Huron County Suicide Prevention Coalition to place a display for Suicide Awareness Week on the lawn of the County Building from Sept. 8-13.

• Approved an application to allow acreage into P.A. 116 in Gore Township, as requested by Arnold and Albert Kessel.

• Opposed the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s proposal to garnish wages without a court order.

• Adopted an ordinance that prohibits smoking within a 25-foot radius of any building owned by the county, with the exception of the jail, the jail garage and the 9-1-1 Central Dispatch center. The ordinance will take effect Oct. 24. Violators will be subject to a civil infraction and a fine of up to $100 for the first offense and up to $500 for subsequent offenses.

• Published notice of adoption of the Building Official’s Civil Infraction Citation Authority Ordinance, which was adopted May 27 and will go into effect Oct. 24.

• Published notice that a public hearing will be held during the Sept. 23 Board of Commissioners meeting for the adoption of a Huron County Memorial Airport Zoning Ordinance.

• Employed Randy Smaglinski as a part-time deputy sheriff in the corrections department.

• Paid bills in the amount of $829,683.

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2014/08/28/commissioners-hire-firm-to-update-countys-turbine-noise-rules/