October 21, 2015
Michigan

Moore Twp. voters to have say on wind farm ordinance

Nicole Hayden | Times Herald | October 20, 2015 | www.thetimesherald.com

Moore Township voters will be asked to consider an ordinance amendment Nov. 3 regarding zoning of wind energy developments.

Invenergy, a company based out of Chicago, announced plans to build wind turbines on 25,000 acres of private property in Moore, Argyle, Lamotte, and Wheatland townships in February.

In response, the Moore Township Board passed an ordinance in May that detailed zoning rules for the developers.

The ordinance stated that turbines, or affiliated equipment, have to be set back 1,320 feet, or about a quarter mile, from houses; turbines have to be one and a half timed the height of the turbine away from any road, power line or non-participating piece of property, which is about 700 feet.

Residents could opt to participate, allowing the company to build on their private land and lease the space for a financial return, or opt not to participate, meaning they wanted no turbine development on their land.

Moore Township Supervisor Greg Dorman said the ordinance line that caused contention was how far away the windmills were allowed to sit from non-participating parcels.

Dorman said some residents thought the distance should be farther away, while the township board thought that would be too restrictive for the developers.

Raymond Ellis II, of Snover, submitted a petition on June 16 requiring the ordinance be brought to a vote of the residents.

Dorman said if voters approve the language, the ordinance goes into effect as is.

If voters reject the language, a new ordinance would need to be written, he said.

“A vote ‘no’ doesn’t mean we won’t have windmill development,” Dorman said. “It just means we will would have to re-write the ordinance and the present it to the township board with the new wording.”

The number of turbines and the construction deadline has not yet been announced by Invenergy.

Ballot language

On May 6, 2015 the Moore Township Board adopted an amendment to the Moore Township Zoning Ordinance that would allow the development of utility grid wind energy systems as a use permitted after special approval in the agricultural residential zoning district in Moore Township. Should this ordinance amendment be approved?


URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2015/10/21/moore-twp-voters-to-have-say-on-wind-farm-ordinance/