Commission denies Bull Butte Township’s request to change county wind setbacks
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Summary
Bull Butte Township asked the county to change the zoning setback for wind and solar farms from 1,400 feet to one mile; the commission denied the request after staff explained ordinance amendment and variance processes and after public comment flagged quorum and procedural concerns.
Bull Butte Township representatives asked the Williams County commission to change the county setback for wind and solar facilities from the current 1,400 feet to 1 mile from farmsteads. Township advocate James Horan told the board residents did not want towers within a mile of occupied or unoccupied farmsteads and requested the county adopt that change.
County planning staff explained the difference between a variance (typically applied to a specific project) and an ordinance amendment (which requires drafting, legal review, Planning & Zoning consideration, and public hearings). Planning staff and county counsel said any ordinance amendment would apply countywide and would not be retroactive to projects that had already submitted under current rules.
John McMaster, a Williston-area resident, questioned the validity of a township objection after reviewing township minutes and public records and urged the county to verify whether prior township actions met quorum requirements. Several commissioners said the process for ordinance changes or variances must be followed and cautioned against making ad hoc, project-specific rule changes during a pending project review. One commissioner moved to deny the Bull Butte amendment request; the motion carried on roll call.
The commission’s action denies the request to change the countywide setback at this time; township advocates and residents may pursue the formal ordinance amendment route through Planning & Zoning if they wish to request a countywide change.