From: Subject: Date: To:
Norm Stephens norm_stephens@hotmail.com five wind ordinances March 3, 2021 at 9:01 PM montcalmtwpclerk@gmail.com
1. The Almer Twp AND the Ellington Twp Commercial wind ordinances are attached. They are very similar to each other. Ellington Twp is our sister township abutting Almer Twp and we helped each other out in 2016-2017. You may not want to read the wind ordinances all the way through, but the most important issues are SETBACK, sound, shadow flicker and decommissioning. The Board may consider these TOO restrictive but the Pierson Twp IS restrictive. We want to try to avoid that if at all possible. If that's the case, I can make suggestions to modify and lessen the restrictions but still make it plenty "safe". I've helped over a dozen townships draft wind ordinances.
I would recommend our Almer Twp wind ordinance because it has been used as a template for several other townships without any issues from WIND companies or from their attorneys. I sent our wind ordinance to Casnovia Twp and they used it as a template and made our wind ordinance even more restrictive. They then shared it with Pierson Twp. Pierson Twps wind ordinance is OUR wind ordinance but on STEROIDS and they made it VERY difficult if not impossible for townships to build wind turbines. It's available on their website. so that would be a 6th wind ordinance. You can also go to kawkawlin twps website (Bay County) and read their most recent wind ordinance. 2019 I think is the date for that one. Any of the township wind ordinances shown here (Almer, Ellington, Larkin, Monitor and Novesta) would be absolutely excellent In terms of better and stronger regulations. I would say Pierson Twp's wind ordinance in Montcalm County is the most restrictive, then Almer, Monitor, Ellington, Novesta, and Larkin Townships. I can access more, but I doubt any township would seriously consider others after reading all of these. If you want a few more wind ordinances, I'll round them up. 3. Larkin Township ----> (Midland County) The COMMERCIAL wind ordinance starts on page 10. http://www.larkintownship.org/downloads/ordinance_269.pdf ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------4. Monitor Township ----> (Bay County) The COMMERCIAL wind ordinance starts on page 102. https://monitortwp.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Zoning-Ordinance-67Adopted-3-25-2019_Effective-4-29-2019.pdf