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Stephen Pulich, business developer for BP Alternative Energy, is heading up the effort to put a wind farm in the area. BP purchased the assets of Okemos-based Wind Energy Conversions last December.
Pulich said BP is considering a wind farm in the area of Claybanks, Grant and Montague townships.
"Once we started developing this wind farm, we found the wind ordinance (in Montague Township) to be rather restrictive," he said.
Pulich appeared before the White River Township Planning Commission in April making similar arguments about the setbacks in its ordinance.
In the case of Montague Township, however, Pulich brought in representatives from Environmental Resource Management (ERM) to give a presentation comparing the township's ordinance with model ordinances developed by the Great Lakes Renewable Energy Association and by the State of Michigan.
The presentation was designed to show the relatively few areas where BP could place wind turbines under the current ordinance when compared to less restrictive setbacks.
ERM's Steve Koster discussed the differences between the township's ordinance and others in the state, while Heather Heater explained maps showing the area that could be used for turbines under existing setbacks.
"In some ways, you are on the leading edge of ordinance development," Koster told the board. Montague Township passed a wind ordinance in 2004. Koster said that many of the restrictions and setbacks in Montague Township's ordinance made sense when first enacted, but did not match current developments in the industry.
"A lot has been learned in the industry in the last few years and so the model ordinances have the benefits of the additional years," he said.
Montague Township limits turbine height to 410 ft (with the blade in a vertical position), and turbines must be 1000 feet from dwellings and 1,200 feet from property lines. The turbines must also be the turbine height plus 50 feet from road right of ways.
Under those restrictions, there were very few places within the township that developers could place a wind turbine - and that's without factoring in the township's noise ordinance of 45 decibels at property lines.
And most turbines, said Koster, are now higher than the township's limit.
"Most of the turbines being designed and built in Michigan now are at minimum 80 meters to the hub," Koster said. "Actually, more and more of them being built and proposed are 100 meters to the hub," resulting in a turbine that stands just under 500 feet high with a blade in vertical position.
The model ordinances, in comparison, did not place limits on turbine height and recommended setbacks related to turbine height, such as 1.25 times turbine height from a dwelling and 1.1 times turbine height from property lines.
"In those small spots, you could not build a wind turbine," Pulich said of the space available under the current ordinance. "Right now, I can't even contemplate building."
Under the model guidelines, however, more area would be available. "We're talking just a handful," said Pulich. "We're not going to load up the township with turbines."
Questions from the board and audience focused on the increased cost to consumers as well as safety issues. Koster cited a 2005 study that found no injuries to passersby or neighbors of wind turbines.
"I just don't understand why we have to have these things just because some politician tells us we have to have renewable resources," said Township Trustee Pete Staal.
Staal also questioned whether the turbines would bring an increased cost for energy to township residents. Koster said the increased electric rates were statewide.
As the meeting came to an end, Pulich addressed the board.
"I'm not asking you to change a thing," said Pulich. "I'm just offering a service (the presentation) I don't think any other developer is offering."
Pulich said BP plans to place a wind farm in Claybanks and Grant townships. The company would feed the power, up to 100 megawatts, into a connection point near Villa Venafro. Whether that power is generated, in part, within Montague Township or simply passes through, is up to the township.
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