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 The application was denied by the Logan County Board in February
due to a tie vote among the members. In April, Relight returned to
the community of Mount Pulaski with proposed revisions to the
project and a desire to discuss concerns with the community.
Following those hearings, Relight has filed a new application, which
requires a new hearing process.
As the meeting began, Jan Schumacher, Vice Chairman of the
Commission, told the public that the Planning Commission looks at
applications as land use requests. The Commission also votes on
whether to recommend an application based on how well it fits into
the county economic Comprehensive Plan.
“It’s really a land use decision. Our vote is purely recommendation,
it is not a binding vote to the county board,” said Schumacher.
Wayne Woo and William Kelsey were present at the meeting on behalf
of Relight. Relight is based in Italy, and they are the developers
behind the Meridien Wind Farm. Woo is one of the owners of Relight,
and Kelsey is a consultant Relight has hired for the project. Kelsey
has previously worked on other wind farms within the central
Illinois area, such as the Railsplitter Wind Farm.
 According to the proposed revisions, the wind farm would be located
south and west of Mt. Pulaski, and it would still consist of 81 wind
turbines. The towers would generate a little under two megawatts,
which is reduced from the previous application. The towers would
measure under 492 feet, although a specific number was not given.
Setbacks from houses would measure between 1,000 and 1,700 feet, and
would generate ten percent less sound at night than the legal
limits.
In total, including a one-quarter mile footprint, the project would
encompass 22,500 acres. The towers would generate enough power for
60,000 households a year, and would represent an investment of
$310,000,000. Should the project be approved, construction would
begin in the first quarter of 2016.
Bret Aukamp asked about the effects on roadways due to construction
of the turbines. Kelsey answered, saying that before construction
begins, a transportation plan will be created with the help of the
county highway department. “We’ll survey the roads, and if they need
to be upgraded before construction starts they will be,” said
Kelsey.
Tom Martin of Mount Pulaski was the first guest to speak. Martin
said that he appreciates the efforts of the county to stick to the
Comprehensive Plan, but those plans should be carefully examined
over time and adaptable to change.
“I believe this does not fit in central Illinois agricultural
areas,” said Martin. Martin said he feels that many of the farmers
in the area will not be able to operate their business to the best
of their abilities. “We are farming, agricultural, and housing,”
said Martin. Martin said he is worried about the drainage tile
systems in the area. “A lot of that tile could be damaged or
impeded. If somebody is a leaseholder, they’re required to go in and
fix it, if they can find it,” said Martin. Martin said that as a
non-participant, a break in his tile may not be fixed. Martin also
said he is worried about the application of pesticides, and that
some crop-dusters would not fly in the area.
“We realize that one of the main ways you are able to farm is
because of the tile system in your farm fields. It’s not something
we take lightly at all,” said Kelsey. “We want the farming and the
wind farm to co-exist together.” Kelsey that tile inspectors are
on-hand as part of the construction process, and any broken tiles
will be replaced along the way.
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Helen Schmidt, another resident of Mount Pulaski, said that too many
acres of farm land would be given up for this project. “You said
you’re about land usage. Our soil - that’s where our profit is,”
said Schmidt.
Ryan Murphy asked if the Relight representatives could clarify the acreage
figure for the project. Kelsey said that the base of the towers themselves only
take up about three-quarters of an acre apiece, for a total of about sixty-one
acres if you only measured the towers. The total acreage figure represents the
entire size of the project, including the one-quarter footprint and all of the
setbacks from the turbines. Woo added that the ground around the turbines is
still farmable, and it has been farmed in other areas where turbines have been
built in the country.
Jim Vipond asked about access roads that would need to be built, and how much
acreage the access roads would take up.
Kelsey said he did not have a specific figure to provide as an answer. On the
topic of access roads, Kelsey added that Relight would work with each farmer
individually to design the road system, and that sometimes a turbine needs to be
removed from the plan if an agreeable design cannot be created. “We don’t want
to put the roads in places where they cause drainage problems or problems with
farm equipment access,” said Kelsey.
Blair Hoerbert asked if Relight has other projects in the country. Woo said they
have other projects in the design phase in the U.S, but this project is the
furthest along in the process.
Hoerbert also asked where the equipment would be kept during construction, or
what Kelsey referred to as the “lay-down yard.” Woo said that the storage area
would be located, tentatively, at the northwest end of the project area.
After the discussion ended, the Planning Commission unanimously voted to
recommend approving of the wind farm. The Zoning Board of Appeals will conduct
their hearing on the matter in July.
In addition to the hearing on a new wind farm application, Bret Aukamp nominated
a new member of the Bicycle Trail Subcommittee. Dawn Schaefer is an employee of
the Lincoln Park District. Schaefer said she is from Champaign, and she is very
familiar with bicycle trail plans. The commission approved of her appointment.
On a related topic, Aukamp said that the bicycle trail plan now has an official
name. The plan will be called the Abraham Lincoln Legacy Trail. The name was
suggested along with other suggested names from the public at the Logan County
Health Fair.
Commission members present were Jim Fuhrer, Bret Aukamp, Fred Finchum, Andy
Anderson, Jan Schumacher, Blair Hoerbert, Jeff Hoinacki, Ryan Murphy, Gerald
Lolling, and Jim Vipond, along with new members Scott Cooper and Dave Schonauer.
Zoning Officer Will D’Andrea was also present.
[Derek Hurley] |
