March 28, 2018
Kansas

County Commission to consider permit to place wind-measuring device west of Baldwin City

By Elvyn Jones | Lawrence Journal-World | March 27, 2018 | www2.ljworld.com

The Douglas County Commission on Wednesday will consider approving a temporary business use permit for the placement of a wind-speed measuring device about six miles west of Baldwin City.

Consideration of the permit request comes two weeks after commissioners agreed to a Douglas County Zoning and Codes Department suggestion that the temporary business use permit be used to regulate requests to place wind-speed measuring devices. Such devices were not anticipated when the county approved in 2016 a conditional use permit governing wind energy towers.

The permit will be considered at the 6 p.m. time slot commissioners reserve for matters requiring public hearings.

County zoning and planning director Sean Reid wrote in a memo to commissioners that Tower Associates LLC, of Florida, has made application to place the wind-speed measuring device in a field at 220 East 1100 Road. The device is about 8-feet tall and sits on a small flatbed trailer. It measures the scattering from atmospheric turbulence of the sonic waves it emits to gauge wind speeds at various levels.

County staff recommends the permit be approved, noting the device is remotely monitored and requires no traffic for servicing or data collection. No lighting or access road will be required for its operation or installation.

County commissioners noted earlier this month that the proposed wind-speed measuring device was unobtrusive, but wanted a transparent process to govern its placement because it could be the precursor for wind energy towers. Those owning property within 1,000 feet of the field on which the device will be installed were notified of the permit application.

In December 2013, news that NextEra Energy Resources, of Florida, wanted to place two wind towers testing the viability of permanent wind energy generating towers in southern Douglas county met with widespread opposition. It also prompted the County Commission to impose a series of moratoriums of wind tower applications with the county until regulations governing their installation were adopted. There have been no applications for wind-generating towers since a conditional use permit governing their installation was adopted in June 2016.

The County Commission meets Wednesday at the Douglas County Courthouse, 1100 Massachusetts St. To view the County Commission’s complete agenda, visit douglascountyks.org.

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2018/03/28/county-commission-to-consider-permit-to-place-wind-measuring-device-west-of-baldwin-city/