A new wind farm could be under construction soon, after Navajo County supervisors approved 4-1 a resolution for a special use permit for Iberdrola's Dry Lake II project. Although the request for the resolution came with a recommendation for approval from the planning and zoning commission, the matter, discussed at the supervisors' Tuesday meeting, was not passed quickly.
A new wind farm could be under construction soon, after Navajo County supervisors approved 4-1 a resolution for a special use permit for Iberdrola's Dry Lake II project. Although the request for the resolution came with a recommendation for approval from the planning and zoning commission, the matter, discussed at the supervisors' Tuesday meeting, was not passed quickly.
HOLBROOK - A new wind farm could be under construction soon, after Navajo County supervisors approved 4-1 a resolution for a special use permit for Iberdrola's Dry Lake II project.
Although the request for the resolution came with a recommendation for approval from the planning and zoning commission, the matter, discussed at the supervisors' Tuesday meeting, was not passed quickly. At the public hearing that was part of the meeting, a large number of county residents made a last ditch effort to have the matter tabled until the proposed county policy regulating alternate power sources was passed or not to allow the wind farm at all.
"Dry Lake II is about two miles from Snowflake's town boundary but is five to seven miles from downtown …
... more [truncated due to possible copyright]HOLBROOK - A new wind farm could be under construction soon, after Navajo County supervisors approved 4-1 a resolution for a special use permit for Iberdrola's Dry Lake II project.
Although the request for the resolution came with a recommendation for approval from the planning and zoning commission, the matter, discussed at the supervisors' Tuesday meeting, was not passed quickly. At the public hearing that was part of the meeting, a large number of county residents made a last ditch effort to have the matter tabled until the proposed county policy regulating alternate power sources was passed or not to allow the wind farm at all.
"Dry Lake II is about two miles from Snowflake's town boundary but is five to seven miles from downtown Snowflake," Deputy Public Works Director for Planning and Zoning Greg Loper said. "There are a number of people from Cedar Hills and Hay Hollow as well as Antelope Valley who want to speak to you.
"To put this in perspective, in 2008, when Iberdrola proposed the first wind farm, there was no public input. The project was more or less in the middle of an isolated area. With the success of the wind farm, we were inundated with requests for other (test) towers."
After the special use permit requests from NZ Legacy for wind/solar projects created a furor, he said, the county decided to step back and take a look on how to move forward with an ordinance.
Michael Terrill, vice-president of farm operations and livestock procurement for Farmer John, whose pig farm is to the northeast of the project, and Stephen Brophy, president of Aztec Land and Cattle Company, each wrote letters in support of the wind farm project. Aztec Land and Cattle Company borders the project site for 14 miles. Most of the other surrounding properties are either state or federal land. In a letter, Snowflake Town Manager Paul Watson said that, after a presentation by Christopher Bergen, of Iberdrola, councilors expressed their support for the project.
"One thing we learned from the NZ Legacy experience was that we needed to go out early to address those concerns," Loper said, before turning time over to Bergen.
"The county did a good job," Bergen said. "They talked to all concerned parties. We've come a long way since the Dry Lake wind farm. It has exceeded our expectations."
After Board Chairman Jesse Thompson opened the public hearing,several new arguments were made against the wind farm - the blasting that has to be done to install the wind turbines and the fact that, no matter how many wind farms are constructed, the use of coal-powered electricity will continue. The number of local jobs created by the wind farm will be nominal and property values near the projects will decrease. There needs to be a firm reclamation process in place before construction begins. Again, supervisors were asked to delay the project until the new ordinance has been set.
One resident who lives closer to the site of the second project said that, even now when the Dry Lake wind farm turbines go out her kitchen cabinets start to shake.
"Why are the developers here in Arizona? They are given wonderful incentives, get tax breaks. They are here but you need to be informed."