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05/17/2017
THE MARTIN COUNTY BOARD TUESDAY WAS PRESENTED WITH A CITIZEN REQUEST TO CHANGE THE ORDINANCE PERTAINING TO SETBACKS FOR WIND TURBINES IN THE COUNTY. THE ISSUE WAS INTRODUCED BY COUNTY CITIZENS CHASE AND BETSY CRAWFORD, WHO SOUGHT THE CHANGE FOR LANDOWNERS WHO ARE NOT PART OF THE WIND FARMS COMPANIES ARE SEEKING TO BUILD IN THE COUNTY.
MARTIN COUNTY PRESENTLY HAS A 750 FOOT SETBACK FROM A RESIDENCE WHICH IS THE SAME AS JACKSON COUNTY. AN EXAMPLE OF GOODHUE COUNTY'S ORDINANCE WAS BROUGHT UP WHICH HAS 10 ROTOR DIAMETER SETBACK, WHICH FOR A 305 FOOT ROTOR TURBINE WOULD BE OVER 3,000 FEET. OTHER RESIDENTS FROM SOUTHWESTERN MARTIN COUNTY, ONE OF THE AREAS TARGETED FOR WIND FARM DEVELOPMENT, BROUGHT UP HEALTH ISSUES, ALTERED LANDSCAPE, NOISE AND LOWER PROPERTY VALUES AS THERE CONCERNS. BOARD CHAIR DAN SCHMIDTKE THANKED THOSE IS ATTENDANCE FOR VOICING THEIR CONCERNS BUT THE PLACE TO START WITH THE REQUEST WOULD BE THE PLANNING AND ZONING BOARD.
COMMISSIONERS WERE PRESENTED WITH THE BLUE EARTH RIVER WATERSHED ASSESSMENT. ASHLEY BRENKE, MARTIN COUNTY SOIL AND WATER DISTRICT DIRECTOR AND PAUL DAVIS WITH THE MINNESOTA POLLUTION CONTROL AGENCY WERE ON HAND TO EXPLAIN THE ASSESSMENT. IT INCLUDES SAMPLING FOR FUTURE WATER PLANNING EFFORTS. THEY SAID THERE ARE 80-85 SITES TO BE ASSESSED AND THEN COMPARED TO STATE STANDARDS WITH ABOUT 20 IN MARTIN COUNTY. THOSE FOUND TO BE LOWER THAN STANDARDS MAY BE DECLARED IMPAIRED WATERS AND SUBJECT TO FUTURE WATER PROJECT.
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ROD HALVORSEN
© 2015 KSUM KFMC
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