September 6, 2019
Michigan

Batavia to wait on wind turbine zoning

Don Reid | The Daily Reporter | Sep 6, 2019 | www.thedailyreporter.com

BATAVIA TOWNSHIP – The Batavia Township Planning Commission is not yet ready to tackle a wind turbine ordinance, Trustee Mike Crenshaw told the township board Tuesday night.

At the Aug. 26 planning meeting, Crenshaw said: “a lot of people stood up and told us what their wishes were.”

A petition of 96 residents plus six letters were given to the commission. The number of names has not increased to 122.

“The gist of it is they did not want them or they wanted to limit the height to 330 foot,” said Crenshaw. “We are listening to what people have to say. We are waiting on (Branch County Airport Manager) Joe Best.”

The airport board has an attorney reviewing the 1972 law to update it to current state and federal regulations.

Since the four southwest sections of Batavia Township that were proposed for wind turbines by DTE Energy are close to the airport “flight cone,” the airport ordinance may limit what the township can do.

The current airport ordinance has already limited cell tower heights in the area. Consultants McKenna and Associates has completed the proposed solar farm ordinance. A notice will be published for a hearing at the next meeting of the planning commission on Monday, Dec. 2.

In other news, the Batavia Township board will publish a notice that it plans to approve a moratorium on recreational marijuana establishments in the township at its Oct. 1 meeting. It could consider allowing them after zoning hearings.

The action is needed soon with the state intending to begin issuing recreational licenses in November.

In Michigan, 308 of the 792 cities and townships that passed Proposal 1 in November have prohibited recreational marijuana businesses.

In Branch County, only Gilead and Union Townships favored legalization along with the city of Bronson and Wards 1,2 and 4 in Coldwater.

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2019/09/06/batavia-to-wait-on-wind-turbine-zoning/