LOCATION/TYPE

NEWS HOME

[ exact phrase in "" • results by date ]

[ Google-powered • results by relevance ]


Archive
RSS

Add NWW headlines to your site (click here)

Get weekly updates

WHAT TO DO
when your community is targeted

RSS

RSS feeds and more

Keep Wind Watch online and independent!

Donate via Paypal

Donate via Stripe

Selected Documents

All Documents

Research Links

Alerts

Press Releases

FAQs

Campaign Material

Photos & Graphics

Videos

Allied Groups

News Watch Home

Commission declines to grant a moratorium on wind projects in Davison Co. 

Credit:  By Evan Hendershot on Mar 8, 2016 | The Daily Republic | www.mitchellrepublic.com ~~

Concerns over wind energy projects continued to blow through Commission Chambers on Tuesday.

A representative of a rural Davison County resident is seeking a moratorium on wind energy until further impact studies can be completed regarding the renewable energy projects.

David Shelton, who represented a landowner during a dispute between Beulah Township residents and a company attempting to build a 9- to 11-turbine wind farm asked the Davison County Commission to freeze decisions on future wind projects at the five-person board’s regular weekly meeting.

No decision was made by the commission, but Commission Chair Brenda Bode assured Shelton and about a dozen others in attendance in the Davison County North Offices that the Juhl Energy wind project planned for Brad and Peggy Greenway’s land is dead in the water. The project was blocked during a February Board of Adjustment meeting.

The $40 million Juhl Energy proposal, which would have provided a total of $60,000 to $80,000 annually for the projected lifespan of the energy system, led to concerns from several county residents. Some were worried over the project’s potential impact on property values, noise and appearance.

Shelton was also informed the Planning and Zoning Commission will hold open forums at the Davison County Fairgrounds this fall where concerns will be heard about various zoning ordinances, including wind farms. Bode told Shelton the public forums would be the appropriate time to ask questions about wind energy zoning ordinances. No date has been set for the public hearings.

Of the 75 proposed ordinance changes, the Planning and Zoning Department already plans to consider the addition of an entirely new section to address wind energy systems. Included in Section 3:11 of the recommended changes are 12 zoning rules for projects like the one pitched in western Davison County.

Those rules would bar artificial lighting on wind towers other than than those mandated by the Federal Aviation Administration, limit noise levels to 45 A-weighted decibels and limit shadow flicker to fewer than 30 hours per year. It would also establish a 1,000-foot setback for non-participating residences.

The proposals are available on the Davison County Planning and Zoning Department web page.

County considers boost to courthouse security

On behalf of Davison County Treasurer Christie Gunkel, Emergency Management and Planning and Zoning Administrator Jeff Bathke presented a request to add ballistic glass and other protective barriers for the treasurer and auditors offices on the first floor of the Davison County Courthouse.

Bathke said the request comes in preparation for a state mandate that would bar residents from renewing their license plates if they owe money to the state.

“It’s going to cause some major issues in the courthouse,” Bathke said. “There will be more people angry.”

The county has recently approved other courthouse security upgrades, including ballistic glass in the clerk of courts office, having a sheriff’s deputy monitor the building’s entryway on a part-time basis and the addition of a new security camera system.

At the end of the discussion, the commission suggested acquiring a security profile of the building to prioritize its safety needs, but the commission did delayed Gunkel’s request to seek grant funding for the project that Bathke estimated could cost $80,000 to $100,000.

Auditor Susan Kiepke, whose office would be impacted by the ballistic glass, said one other option to improve safety used in other counties is the installation of a metal detector. Aside from that, she said the Davison County Courthouse safety compares favorably to other counties.

“I think Davison County is at the forefront of security from talking with other auditors,” Kiepke said.

Other business

• Sat as the board of adjustment and a plat of Lots 1 and 2 of L.M. Thue First Addition in the East 1/2 of the NE 1/4 of Section 30, T 103 N, R 60 West of the 5th P.M., Davison County at the request of Jim Thue and a plat of Lot 2 of D. & D. Long’s First Addition, a subdivision of Irregular Tract No. 3 in the NE 1/4 of Section 23, T 103 N, R 60 West of the 5th P.M., Davison County, South Dakota.; at the request of Devon Long.

• Approved the six-month probationary wage increase of 50 cents for Planning and Zoning and Emergency Management Deputy Administrator Mark Jenniges.

• Heard an annual report from Veterans Service Officer Jessica Davidson.

• Met with Ramon Shultz, of Tech Solutions, to inform the commission about the Dropbox file hosting service that will be used to make county documents more accessible to the public.

Source:  By Evan Hendershot on Mar 8, 2016 | The Daily Republic | www.mitchellrepublic.com

This article is the work of the source indicated. Any opinions expressed in it are not necessarily those of National Wind Watch.

The copyright of this article resides with the author or publisher indicated. As part of its noncommercial educational effort to present the environmental, social, scientific, and economic issues of large-scale wind power development to a global audience seeking such information, National Wind Watch endeavors to observe “fair use” as provided for in section 107 of U.S. Copyright Law and similar “fair dealing” provisions of the copyright laws of other nations. Send requests to excerpt, general inquiries, and comments via e-mail.

Wind Watch relies entirely
on User Funding
   Donate via Paypal
(via Paypal)
Donate via Stripe
(via Stripe)

Share:

e-mail X FB LI TG TG Share


News Watch Home

Get the Facts
CONTACT DONATE PRIVACY ABOUT SEARCH
© National Wind Watch, Inc.
Use of copyrighted material adheres to Fair Use.
"Wind Watch" is a registered trademark.

 Follow:

Wind Watch on X Wind Watch on Facebook

Wind Watch on Linked In Wind Watch on Mastodon