A public hearing on wind facilities is slated for 5:30 p.m. Thursday before the Morton County Planning and Zoning Board at the commission room of the Morton County Courthouse.

In preparation for the meeting, a Planning and Zoning Subcommittee sifted through a wind generator policy and the application process this week.

According to County Auditor Paul Trauger, no applications for wind facilities have been received for generators, but there have been five inquiries.

"We've had one from Canada and one from Minneapolis," said Trauger. He said landowners in Oliver and Morton counties have signed leases, but no requests for special permits have been submitted to his office.

The subcommittee weighed how the wind generators would best be placed near homes, roads, ridge lines, bluff areas, county parks and more.

Some of the perimeters identified locating the generators in Morton County were:

• 1,200 feet away from a residence.
• 250 feet off a road right-of-way.
• With rotors that are 100 feet, each wind generator would have to be 250 feet apart.
• One-quarter mile away from a county park.

Discussion briefly touched upon the effects on airports in the area, but it didn't progress very far.

Transmission lines for the devices would be underground.

County Commissioner Andy Zachmeier said ridge line concerns are being focused upon along the Missouri River area.

"You've got the 100-year flood area, irrigated flood land and prime farm land that should be covered," said Zachmeier. "A mile setback from the Missouri River should get it back to the ridge line of the hills overlooking the river valley."

Zachmeier added the strength of the wind in locations like Huff would factor into the interest of placing wind devices there. "Who knows for sure," he commented. "It's so new to us that nobody has said the Missouri River valley is primed for wind turbine development."

They are carefully watching potential development near the Heart River bottoms, and Almont.

They said it could affect the view of the bluffs if the wind turbines were to be located on top of them.

"We don't know for sure because nobody has cited any of those areas," Zachmeier said.

"We have a policy that permits the use of land, but we don't have any details that says this is the criteria," Trauger said. "If the Planning Commission were to approve someone right now, they would have to make out each detail. What we are trying to do is to establish a guideline for each detail, saying this is how we judge that your project (qualifies)."

Trauger said the lease easements would be signed by landowners.

Concerns were aired that the wind generators could mar the view of portions of the Custer Trail en route to the Little Big Horn to Montana. "Historical areas need to be preserved," Zachmeier said. "Custer history must be preserved."

"We have the ability to site the towers," Trauger said. "We still would have to get approval from the PSC (Public Service Commission) as far as lines."

Zachmeier said the number of wind turbines or facilities requested will be on a case by case basis.

"We have had inquiries and we need to be prepared," he said.