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Bloomington attorney Frank Miles spoke on behalf of the Rail Splitter
Wind Farm project. Bill Whitlock, development director for Horizon
Wind Energy, who is overseeing the project, was also present to
answer questions.
The project request was made to the commission last month but was
delayed when it was found that not all the adjacent property owners
had received notice by mail of public hearings that would be held.
Miles opened with an apology to the property owners and said some
had been left out due to measurement of neighbors to the wind farm.
They’d been measured from property line to turbine, rather than
property to property line. This had been remedied with issuing new
letters.
Next a representative of Union Ridge residents, Glen Fogler, read
through a document reasoning opposition to the wind farm. That
document can be read below. The opposition
used pertinent areas of the Lincoln and Logan County Comprehensive
Plan to demonstrate that the turbines would be incongruous to the
stated land use for that area, and that there are areas that have
been set aside for that type of development.
Commission member Dave Evans asked Logan County zoning officer
Will D’Andrea about a letter received from the Illinois Department
of Natural Resources.
D’Andrea said that the IDNR would require the company to have
studies performed that would measure and monitor pre- and
post-construction, observing any change in wildlife habitat,
presence of certain species and impact studies. The results of those
studies could lead to the company’s construction times working
around mating seasons or migratory patterns.
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Commission members voted 10-0 to grant conditional use of the land
that will remain zoned agriculture, with the following stipulations:
Receipt of:
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FAA "no significant
impact"
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Property owner
set-backs waivers
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Signed road agreement
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Signed decommissioning agreement
Members present and voting were Bill Martin, Bill Glaze, Carol
Gustafson, Judy Graff, Dean Sasse, Dave Armbrust, Gerald Lolling,
Dave Evans, Dick Logan and Gloria Luster.
Commission members not present were Jean Ann Hutchinson, Derrick
Crane and Beth Davis-Kavelman.
The planning commission serves to review zoning and land use
matters. For zoning matters they gather information and make a
recommendation to the Zoning Board of Appeals.
The appeals board schedules hearings for the townships that are
affected, in this case Eminence and Orville townships. Those
hearings are set to take place at the Hartsburg-Emden Junior and
Senior High School on June 17, 18 and 19 at 7:30 p.m.
The appeals board will review all the information, gather public
opinion and make a recommendation to the governing body that has the
final authority. In this matter it will go to the county board.
[By JAN YOUNGQUIST] |
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Thank you for allowing us to address the Planning
Commission. Union Ridge Wind would like to read a prepared
statement. We would like to review with the Planning Commission the
Comprehensive Plan and what it means for Logan County.
What is the Comprehensive Plan?
The purpose of the plan is to serve as an advisor
guide for making decisions regarding the future development of Logan
County and its municipalities... It provides direction for the
review of future development projects and offers guidance on a
regional approach to related decisions on annexations, zoning and
capital improvements. (Page 2).
The plan presents guidelines for coordinated actions
that reflect the general, community-wide consensus in support of
sensible growth to preserve and enhance the quality of life for
residents of Logan County. (Page 2).
Additionally it identifies plans for the development
of future land use. The Comprehensive Plan is long range in scope.
It is generally designed to cover a period of approximately twenty
years to the year 2030. (Page 2).
The plan was adopted in 2006. (Cover Page).
What is the Role of the Planning Commission?
The role of the Regional Planning Commission has
assumed in the preparation of the plan will continue to be important
in achieving implementation of the plan's provisions. The Commission
is a key factor in communicating the goals of the plan to the
public, fostering cooperation among the county and local
governments, and promoting collaborative approaches to the issues
and priorities addressed in the plan. (Page 80).
A basic responsibility is participating in the
review of the comprehensive plan, as all other actions and programs
of the city to guide future development should be based upon the
comprehensive plan. (Page 80).
Once the plan is adopted, the planning commission
has a number of important responsibilities. It is responsible for
reviewing development projects for consistency with the
comprehensive plan. (Page 80).
Responsibility for the implementation of the
regional comprehensive plan begins with Logan County government.
(Page 79).
The goals, objectives and policies of the Regional
Planning Commission are to establish the framework of the
comprehensive plan by providing a means to evaluate existing
conditions and to shape future plans, as well as providing
guidelines for the review of future development proposals. (Page
39).
The Purpose of the Comprehensive Plan
Logan County's long range goal is for a healthful
and aesthetically pleasing environment that meets the physical,
social and economic needs of ALL segments of the population. (Page
VII).
Objective
Environmentally sound communities and regions with
clean air and water and abundant open space and natural areas to
provide or preserve scenic beauty, passive recreation, wildlife
habitat, and high quality farmland. (Page 39).
Policies
Require compact and contiguous development. (Page
40).
Develop a county wide zoning standard for
consideration and adoption by the County and municipalities to
promote consistent development standards and equitable distributed
development. (Page 40).
Restrict development in rural areas... through
zoning or other appropriate controls applied consistently throughout
Logan County. (Page 40).
Objective
Preservation and restoration of historic resources,
including the County's agricultural heritage, local historic sites
and connections to Abraham Lincoln and Route 66. (Page 40).
Policies
Encourage and support projects, programs, and events
that promote agriculture, Abraham Lincoln and Route 66 themes in
Logan County. (Page 40).
Ensure new uses that complement the character of
surrounding areas. (Page 40).
Objective
Land use patterns and intensities make efficient use
of land and resources and enrich the local quality of life. (Page
42).
Provide abundant open space and green way corridors
and linkages to meet ecological and recreational needs in developing
area. (Page 42).
Promote development that is contiguous in existing
communities... (Page 42).
Promote development that is compatible with and
complementary to adjacent land uses. (Page 42).
How Does the Comprehensive Plan Address Land Use?
Sensible growth recognizes the potential benefits of
population and economic growth, but sets high standards to preserve
and enhance the community for both present and future generations by
minimizing the economic and environmental cost of growth. (Page 1).
Sensible growth also occurs in harmony with the
natural landscape and environment. (Page 1).
Land use planning endeavors to balance the social,
economic, and environmental needs of the community. Both the
quantity and location of land developed for various uses have
enormous impact on the livability, economic soundness, and
environmental balance of the region. (Page 45).
The plan is concerned with outlining a basic course
of action to encourage development that preserves and enhances the
local quality of life. (Page 6).
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The County Land Use Plan is a guide for future
decisions regarding the growth and development based on the
designation of areas suitable for specific land uses. The
designation of land areas for a particular use is based on a variety
of factors. These factors include intensity of land use, proximity
to other uses, the preservation of resources and amenities, and the
potential of given land areas in the context of the goals and
objectives set forth in the comprehensive plan. (Page 45).
Both the quality and the location of land developed
for various uses have enormous impact on the livability, economic
soundness and environmental balance of the region. (Page 45).
Agriculture
Logan County is situated at the geographic center of
the state of Illinois, and exemplifies the rich natural resources of
central part of the state, particularly in its highly productive
agricultural areas. (Page 8).
More than 95% of the county's 618 square miles are
in active agricultural use, utilizing the area's fertile soil and
open topography. (Page V).
Certain principles of sound land use practice, as
reflected in the goal, objectives, and policies presented in Chapter
3, form the core of future land use designation. The first is the
preservation of irreplaceable natural resources, including prime
agricultural land, water resources, and other natural features.
(Page 46).
The overwhelming majority of Logan County's land is
dedicated to agricultural use, with less than 2% of the land area
used for urban development in municipalities. (Page 96).
… rural land uses will continue to dominate Logan
County for the foreseeable future. (Page 96).
Most of the land areas in Logan County is and will
continue to be used for active agricultural production. The County
is situated amidst some of the most productive and valuable
agricultural land in the nation and the protection of this vital
resource is the core principle of the comprehensive plan. (Page 53).
The primary threat to agricultural land lies in
aggressive development at the edge of urban areas... (Page 53).
IndustrIal
Atlanta
Land designated for new commercial development
totals more than 390 acres, much of which is easily accessible to
Interstate 55, Route 66 or the main rail line, or combinations of
the three transportation arteries. The TIF district also includes
slightly more than 20 acres of land designated for industrial use.
(Page 64).
Lincoln
Lincoln is expected to be the focus of considerable
new development during the period of this plan, with both commercial
and residential development anticipated. (Page 68).
The plan identifies 228 acres of commercial
development area, and over 400 acres of industrial development area
located primarily in the Woodlawn Road to 5th Street
East-West corridors leading toward Interstate 55. Industrial
development is also designated for locations on the northern edge of
the city. (Page VIII).
Areas suited for industrial and light industrial
use, approximately 140 and 275 acres, respectively, are located
primarily in the western part of the city between Woodlawn Road and
5th Street. (Page 69).
An additional parcel is also located to the
north-east of Union Street and bisected by a primary rail line.
(Page 69.)
Mt. Pulaski
A fifteen and one-half acre portion of land
designated for industrial use has been identified on the
northwestern corner of McDonald and Topper Streets. (Page 72).
Why the Proposed Rail Splitter Wind Farm is
Incompatible with the Intent of the Comprehensive Plan In Orvil and
Eminence Township
Horizon keeps saying the construction of the wind
turbines will not change the use of the agricultural land - that
farmers will still be able to farm the land, but you all seem to
forget that there are residential properties as well. It almost
seems like we are insignificant. We don't count. But we pay
residential property taxes; we contribute to the economy and the
community. We should be counted. It will not be healthful; it will
not be aesthetically pleasing for us. If will not preserve and
enhance our community. It will not be in harmony with the natural
landscape and environment; it will be in conflict with our land use.
It will adversely affect the character of our existing community. It
will not enhance the quality of our life, it does not promote
sensible growth, and it will not preserve our scenic beauty. It will
not preserve our wildlife habitat, it will not provide us with open
spaces, and it will not make efficient use of the land or its
resources. It will not be complementary to adjacent land uses, it
does not meet specific land use for our area, and it will not lessen
the impact on the environment. It does not preserve the
irreplaceable natural resources. The land will not be used for
active agricultural production. More importantly it will change the
core principle of the comprehensive plan for this area. It is an
aggressive development. It is a threat to agricultural land; it is
not the designated land use for the area, and this development is
not in accordance with the comprehensive plan.
By allowing the construction of the proposed wind
farm the dominant use of the area within the footprint of the wind
farm changes from Agricultural/Residential to Industrial.
In the Comprehensive Plan the industrial areas are
clearly designated to be located in Atlanta, Lincoln, and Mt.
Pulaski.
In closing we believe that IF the planning
commission votes to accept this proposed industrial wind project, it
will forever change this pristine agricultural, residential land
use.
[Text copied from file received] |
