Ordinances governing wind energy systems, which are to be developed within a county, have a wide ranging effect on the local geography and economy.  Local participation in ordinance drafting is a great advantage of county lawmaking.  This leaves an opportunity for county commissioners to make the public, its local residents, “partners” in this lawmaking.  There should be little uncertainty in ordinance language, it should be transparent, and the end product should favor open public participation in wind farm applications.

Legal Zoning/Planning South Dakota

To view the entire Friends of the Huron Mountains press release click here or on the document icon on this page. 

Zoning/Planning Michigan

After hearing the complaints, the planning commission voted unanimously to create a committee to look at the issue of wind turbines in the township. The committee will consist of nine members: three commission members, three residents who are for the wind turbines and three who are against them.

Zoning/Planning Michigan

Wind turbines [can] now be placed a minimum of 1,000 feet from a home’s foundation, with other setbacks for roads, powerlines and waterways. Michael Woodyard of the Ad Hoc Citizens Committee for Property Rights spoke to the board Monday to voice concerns about safety, the environment and property rights.

Zoning/Planning Illinois

A supermajority vote is needed to pass the elimination of one of two substations and placing the five-plus mile interconnect line underground as opposed to overhead.

Zoning/Planning New York

Speaking to the Board of Commissioners, Woodyard requested that the County Commissioners place a six-month moratorium on the ordinance, citing that the Regional Planning Commission, which oversees these types of activities, has rarely met to discuss the ramifications of installing wind turbines in Morgan County.

Zoning/Planning Illinois

KAWKAWLIN TOWNSHIP, Mich. - The drama over a new wind farm is boiling over again in Bay County. At Monday night’s Kawkawlin Township board meeting the topic was not on the agenda but that didn’t stop residents from voicing their frustrations.

Zoning/Planning Michigan

Because the Chautauqua County Planning Board voted to disapprove the proposed amendments, Hanover, like Villenova, is in the position of needing a supermajority approval (four out of five members voting yes) to pass the proposed amendments. 

Zoning/Planning New York

The Farmersville Town Board has cancelled a public hearing on its proposed wind turbine law set for Monday night because the Cattaraugus County Planning Board has not reviewed the plan. Additionally, Cattaraugus County lawmakers are waiting to see how their proposed resolution blocking large-scale wind energy projects will be received.

Zoning/Planning New York

The anti-wind crowd got a couple of big laughs Tuesday at the fact that not one single person stood up at the Henry County Planning Commission to speak in favor of the ordinance on the table about wind turbines.

Zoning/Planning Indiana

The committee passed a mandatory setback of 1½ miles from municipal limits, while leaving a 1½- to 3-mile setback window at the discretion of city officials, which was endorsed by DeKalb Mayor Jerry Smith and Sycamore Mayor Curt Lang, who also attended the meeting. Committee members also passed a 1½-mile setback from forest preserves and amended a previously passed component about tower decommissioning.

Zoning/Planning Illinois

The Ford County Board’s zoning committee finalized a package of proposed changes to the county’s ordinance regulating wind farms Tuesday morning, including a proposal to more than double the distance that wind turbines must be from homes. ...The committee re-voted on the proposed ordinance to include a setback of 2,250 feet from primary structures, or four times a turbine’s tip height, whichever is greater. The amended proposal was approved unanimously.

Safety Zoning/Planning Illinois

The Henry County Planning Commission voted to send the "wind energy conversion system" ordinance back to the county commissioners with no recommendation. The final decision is now in the hands of commissioners.

Zoning/Planning Indiana

The Henry County Planning Commission voted to send the "wind energy conversion system" ordinance back to the county commissioners with no recommendation. The final decision is now in the hands of commissioners. The proposed ordinance would allow a wind energy company to build turbines 1,500 feet from any house or 750 feet from somebody's property line. 

Zoning/Planning Indiana

The turbines also must be no less than 2,500 feet from the nearest property line. ... It cannot be taller than 335 feet. There are also restrictions on how much noise and shadow flicker can be made by the turbines.

Zoning/Planning Pennsylvania

Greenwood residents Monday overwhelmingly approved proposed amendments to the commercial wind farm section of town ordinance, effectively banning such farms through a new tower height restriction. The vote was 206-41.

Zoning/Planning Maine

SHERWOOD TOWNSHIP — After four lengthy sessions, the Sherwood Township Planning Commission can only agree on a few rules for regulating commercial wind turbines.

Zoning/Planning Michigan

If the committee approves the proposed changes, the ordinance would advance to the zoning board of appeals and planning commission, and those two panels would then vote on whether to concur with the recommended changes before the full county board would take its own vote to approve the revised ordinance.

Zoning/Planning Illinois

Many property owners have expressed concern about what they say are possible negative effects of wind turbines in areas such as noise, health, scenic resources, wildlife and property values. One new ordinance provision – the height restriction on turbine towers – would effectively ban commercial wind projects, according to town officials.

Zoning/Planning Maine

Zoning/Planning Illinois