The Logan County Regional Planning Commission placed its seal of approval on a land use zoning request that would allow 29 wind turbines to be built in northern Logan County.

Bloomington attorney Frank Miles spoke on behalf of the Railsplitter Wind Farm project. Bill Whitlock, development director for Horizon Wind Energy, who is overseeing the project, was also present to answer questions.
The project request was made to the commission last month but was delayed when it was found that not all the adjacent property owners had received notice by mail of public hearings that would be held.

Miles opened with an apology to the property owners and said some had been left out due to measurement of neighbors to the wind farm. They'd been measured from property line to turbine, rather than property to property line. This had been remedied with issuing new letters.

Next a representative of Union Ridge residents, Glen Fogler, read through a document reasoning opposition to the wind farm. That document can be read here. The opposition used pertinent areas of the Lincoln and Logan County Comprehensive Plan to demonstrate that the turbines would be incongruous to the stated land use for that area, and that there are areas that have been set aside for that type of development.

Commission member Dave Evans asked Logan County zoning officer Will D'Andrea about a letter received from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.

D'Andrea said that the IDNR would require the company to have studies performed that would measure and monitor pre- and post-construction, observing any change in wildlife habitat, presence of certain species and impact studies. The results of those studies could lead to the company's construction times working around mating seasons or migratory patterns.

Commission members voted 10-0 to grant conditional use of the land that will remain zoned agriculture, with the following stipulations:

Receipt of:

• FAA "no significant impact"
• Property owner set-backs waivers
• Signed road agreement
• Signed decommissioning agreement

Members present and voting were Bill Martin, Bill Glaze, Carol Gustafson, Judy Graff, Dean Sasse, Dave Armbrust, Gerald Lolling, Dave Evans, Dick Logan and Gloria Luster.

Commission members not present were Jean Ann Hutchinson, Derrick Crane and Beth Davis-Kavelman.

The planning commission serves to review zoning and land use matters. For zoning matters they gather information and make a recommendation to the Zoning Board of Appeals.

The appeals board schedules hearings for the townships that are affected, in this case Eminence and Orville townships. Those hearings are set to take place at the Hartsburg-Emden Junior and Senior High School on June 17, 18 and 19 at 7:30 p.m.

The appeals board will review all the information, gather public opinion and make a recommendation to the governing body that has the final authority. In this matter it will go to the county board.