Planning commission urges adoption of comprehensive plan before new wind ordinance; developer says company remains active
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Summary
The planning and zoning chair told supervisors outside counsel recommended adopting the county’s new comprehensive plan before enacting a wind-energy ordinance; a renewable developer said it maintains an office in Humboldt and is continuing studies while awaiting a county ordinance.
Kevin Cordray, chair of the Planning and Zoning Commission, updated the board on the commission’s recent meeting with outside counsel and the timeline for a final comprehensive plan and related ordinances.
Cordray said the attorney recommended the county adopt the comprehensive plan before passing any new ordinance, including the proposed wind-energy rules. "She strongly recommended that we . . . get the new comprehensive plan in place first before adopting any new ordinance," Cordray said, summarizing the counsel’s advice.
Cordray said the commission received the final draft (about 106 pages) including new chapters and maps; the planning commission scheduled a review and a public hearing for Feb. 27 and the board could set a public hearing for adoption on March 9.
At the same time, a representative from RWE told the board the company maintains an office in Humboldt and has two full-time land agents working in the area while it remains in the MISO study phase. "We have 2 full time land agents who are out here weekly," the representative said, offering local contact information and saying the company is still interested in the project.
Supervisors and staff also discussed a broader legislative backdrop: several House and Senate files on wind energy and transmission were circulating at the state level, and one supervisor said multiple bills are being filed that could affect how local governments approach siting and rights-of-way.
What happens next: Planning and Zoning will review the final comprehensive-plan materials, hold a public hearing as scheduled, and return a recommendation for the board to consider setting a county-level hearing and adoption timeline. The board and staff also noted they are continuing to coordinate with developers as ordinance work proceeds.