Arvon Township located in Baraga County in the upper peninsula of Michigan adopted a restrictive wind energy ordinance in 2019. Highlights of the ordinance are provided below. The full ordinance can be accessed at the links on this page.
Arvon Township located in Baraga County in the upper peninsula of Michigan adopted a restrictive wind energy ordinance in 2019. Highlights of the ordinance are provided below. The full ordinance can be accessed at the links on this page.
Provisions of the wind ordinance:
Turbine heights are not to exceed 330 feet to the blade tip at its highest point.
Turbines are to be setback a minimum of 2,500 feet from the property line
Only 1 turbine can be sited per square mile section and turbines are to be spaced at least fifteen (15) times rotor diameter apart from one another.
Turbines are to be sited a minimum of five (5) miles, or the recommended setback of the US Fish & Wildlife Service, whichever is greater landward from the shorelines of Lake Superior and Huron Bay.
The sound pressure level shall not exceed 40 dB(A) LMax measure at the property lines
Under no circumstances, shall a wind turbine or testing facility produce shadow flicker, or strobe-effect, on properties without a signed release from affected participating and non-participating landowners.
Applicants shall be required as a condition of approval to fund an escrow account for investigations into complaints for, but not limited to, shadow flicker, stray voltage, noise, and signal interference to the amount of $20,000 to be used at the discretion of the Arvon Township Board.
The amount of such security guarantee (surety) for the purposes of decommissioning the turbine shall be no less than $800,000 per WECS turbine.
Liability Insurance: The current WECS owner/operator shall insure for liability for the WECS without interruption until removed for at least $2,000,000 per turbine
