Morton County approves Longspur Wind Project special‑use permit with conditions

The Morton County Commission voted Nov. 25 to grant Minnesota Power a special‑use permit for the Longspur Wind Project, a proposed wind energy conversion facility on about 26,000 acres across several townships in Morton County. Commissioner Zachmeier moved the approval; Commissioner Tokach seconded and the motion carried on a roll‑call vote with all members present voting aye.

The commission found the project complies with the county’s 2045 Comprehensive Plan (citing future land use policy FLU 1.5 and Table 1 zoning compatibility) and with Section 5‑180 of the Morton County Land Use Code, and approved the permit with four conditions. Those conditions require that: developers may not build project components on properties zoned Residential even if inside the project boundary; the applicant must solicit and submit letters of acknowledgement from parties holding major infrastructure easements within the project boundary, stating any concerns, at least 90 days before construction; all lighting associated with the project be shielded and directed toward the ground unless another permitting authority requires otherwise; and a road use agreement satisfactory to the Morton County Engineer must be developed and executed before construction begins.

Why it matters: the approval clears a major land‑use hurdle for a large utility‑scale wind project in Morton County and attaches county‑level conditions that emphasize infrastructure protection, lighting mitigation and preconstruction roadway agreements. The permit approval does not itself authorize construction; it authorizes the special‑use permit under county zoning subject to the listed conditions and any other applicable permits or approvals.

The resolution and permit finding were presented to the commission as compliant with the Morton County 2045 Comprehensive Plan and the Land Use Code. The record in the meeting does not include public testimony or direct quotes about anticipated project benefits or impacts; the commission’s action was a formal concurrence and conditions were recorded in the motion and resolution.

Next steps: per the commission’s condition, Minnesota Power must submit the requested letters from easement holders and negotiate a road use agreement acceptable to the county engineer prior to starting construction. The county’s action returns the resolution to the North Dakota Department of Transportation or other permitting authorities as required by applicable procedures.