April 28, 2015
Letters, North Dakota

Wind project is not compatible with future development of Stark County

By Corre Hofland from Dickinson on Apr 28, 2015 | The Dickinson Press | www.thedickinsonpress.com

How do you envision the future of Stark County? Stark County has a comprehensive plan outlining how the county looks at future development. The Concerned Citizens of Stark County think it is important for Stark County residents to know the comprehensive plan contains numerous goals, objectives and strategies that make the proposed Dickinson Wind Energy Center incompatible with Stark County’s future development plans.

The Stark County comprehensive plan contains the following goals, objectives and strategies:

Stark County does not support development that depreciates land values of neighboring property.
Goal: Assure that the use of land is properly planned and compatible with adjacent land uses.
Objective: Provide safe and healthy living conditions for residents of the county.
Objective: Avoid conflicts between land uses.
Stark County supports and promotes the ideal of the family farm.
Objective: Discourage the misuse of productive agricultural land.
Objective: Protect the agricultural integrity of rural areas.
Stark County supports the identification of prime and unique farmland locations.
Stark County supports protecting farming practices from contrasting interests of non-farm residents and businesses.
Stark County supports the preservation of open spaces and natural features in private and public developments.
Stark County supports the prohibition of the approval of spot zoning, except at established farmsteads or other sites which meet the county’s requirements.
Stark County supports the establishment of rural subdivisions in accessible, easy to service areas.

In addition, most of the land within and around the proposed wind project area is zoned agricultural. The landowners within and around the project area should be able to retain their right to develop their property in accordance with the various uses that are expressly permitted by the Stark County zoning ordinance.

These “permitted uses” include farming, ranching, single-family residences, churches, schools, libraries, fire stations, police stations, home businesses, public parks and recreation centers and animal hospitals. Who is going to want to move to the project area or undertake any of these permitted uses when there are 87 45-story wind turbines next door?

When considering the proposed wind project, deference should be given to “permitted uses” over “conditional uses” and the county should be mindful of the goals, objectives and strategies that it has set for itself and residents in the comprehensive plan,

Corre Hofland,

Dickinson

URL to article: https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2015/04/28/wind-project-is-not-compatible-with-future-development-of-stark-county/

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