Morton County returns Minnesota Power's Longspur wind project to planning board with conditions

The Morton County Commission on Oct. 28 voted to send Minnesota Power's Longspur Wind Project back to the county Planning and Zoning Board for detailed review and recommended conditions.

The project, described at the meeting as covering roughly 26,000 acres across multiple sections in T140N–R87–89W and T139N–R87–88W, was returned to the Planning and Zoning Board for examination against Future Land Use Policy FLU 1.5, objectives cited in Goals 1 and 2 of the Morton County 2045 Comprehensive Plan, Table 1 Zoning Compatibility, and Section 5-180 of the Morton County Land Use Code. Commissioner Zachmeier moved the referral and Commissioner Morrell seconded.

The commission asked the Planning and Zoning Board to consider a set of recommended conditions before any permit is granted: that project components not be sited on parcels zoned Residential even if inside the project boundary; that the applicant solicit letters of acknowledgement from holders of major infrastructure easements within the project boundary and submit any such letters at least 90 days prior to construction; that all lighting be shielded and directed toward the ground unless another permitting authority requires otherwise; and that a road use agreement acceptable to the Morton County Engineer be executed prior to construction.

On the roll call vote, Commissioners Zachmeier, Morrell and Chairman Nathan Boehm voted in favor; Commissioner Buckley voted against; Commissioner Tokach was recused from this item. The motion to return the matter to Planning and Zoning carried, and the board's review will be the next formal step recorded in the county's land-use process.

The commission's action does not approve or deny the permit application; it asks the Planning and Zoning Board to evaluate whether the proposal complies with the cited plan policies and code provisions and to consider the enumerated conditions in its recommendation back to the commission.