Watch out Mason county

[Willy]

I went to the meeting last night 6-28 at West Shore CC for the hearing on Consumer Energy request for a special land use. I was certainly suprised by some of the comments. According to County ordinance the special land use can only be approved if the 9 conditions for the special use are met. When Jay Kilpatrick of Williams & Works, the zoning Planner gave his opinion to the County Board I was amazed at what he said and he used a straight face when he said it. He said the 500 ft. towers met the criterea to be allowed in the agricultural district when clearly, according to the County's own ordinance requirments, they did not. This man must be working for Consumers and as far as I am concerned has lost all credibility as far as representing the County.

According to many of the citizens who spoke, CE, did not contact them if they were not involved with lease agreements regarding easements, so many of the people were left out of the loop even though the towers would adversely affect their lives. It seems that the land owners who signed leases formed a "pool " orginaization to deal with the zoning and other dealings that would arise.

According to other citizens:

1. Lease signers are banned from discussing the terms of their leases due to a "gag" clause in their contracts. So much for transparancy.

2. Leases have been signed by land owners in Freesoil and CE, so this will not be the limit of these turbines. CE has plans to blanket the county with them. 

No. 2 is why I titled this discussion as such.

Every independent study that stated adverse affects to real estate values and affect to human health were denied by CE experts. It truly was an amazing show.

Below are links to photos showing the beautiful vistas now to be seen in SW Mason county where these towers will be installed, a total of 59 I believe. These vistas are a part of the history and makeup of what makes this area a great place to be and they will be forever altered if these towers are allowed to be installed. If the link doesn't work then see the photos over in the photo section.

http://ludingtoncitizen.ning.com/photo/photo/listForContributor?scr...

 

 

 

[Robert]

The rule is 33' from the center of the road which I was clearly in violation of due to my rural location and 5' unmowed roadside weeds. A local man with a brush hog maintains 1.4 miles of shoulder, each direction, east/west on the road coming into town and my neighbor and groom with our mowers. Anyway, where there was once 1 sign there are now three, with one marked in red, 36 1/2'. Kind of feel for the employee sent to do the dirty deed but will remember the board come election time. Just petty bullshit and abuse of office for personal gain.

[Guidothesemipsuedocaptitalistpig]

You know the most interesting thing about what is going on up in Arcadia? Were we not told that if we did not go along with the wind farms here there were plenty of counties down south who wanted them in there counties? Were we also not told the largest reason why our area was better was because it already had power line tie in points??  Were are any of those things in Acadia?

I believe the reason CMU is fighting the transparency of the FOIA requests is because they boldly show the downsides to the who idea of wind farms in rural MI where much of the economy is based on land vistas and hunting and such.

And as for Eyes comments both here and other forums I will address a couple just for fun.

 

 

"PS:  I do not expect people to do anything they want on their property.  But there is still dispute whether these things fit the appropriate zoning criteria or not.  The courts may ultimately have to decide."

A very liberal to the point of being socialist point of view. Americans enjoy the right of true land ownership and doing as we want on that land this is one of the greatest freedoms and part of what makes the U.S.A. great

 

"I visited the McBain area when every turbine was spinning.  There was no noise from even 300 feet.  So I know for a fact that the noise issue remains unproven."

Were you downwind of those towers Eye? And usually in my own experience you hear them far more when the wind is gusting or changing direction much as when a motorcycle or truck uses its engine to slow down rather than braking.

And to paraphrase another sites entry it doesn't take a rocket scientist to read whats under our own noses here.

[AQUAMAN]

I think what EyE was saying is Who is right under our noses, not what.......or did I misinterpret? Either way, another new site to interpret what and who we all are is nothing less than a Behr/bare idea and probably a ploy/instrument and initiative for more lunacy.........lol.

[Guidothesemipsuedocaptitalistpig]

I stand by my use of the term what lol.....

[Marty Redman]

Don't be surprised if it ever comes out, that Consumers had an invisible hand in helping draft the County's wind turbine policy back when it was originally made.  If your setbacks are not changed now, before this gets passed by the County Council (Commission?), get used to seeing more of your county dotted with wind turbines.  It's happening all over.

[Robert]

Too late now (setbacks), Marty. A done deal and great to know all Consumers customers will see a $7.95 rate hike to finance this folly, in addition to everyone’s tax dollars.

[Sweater Cows!]

Seems time to go off grid if that is the case. But that is so expensive. Need to find a mom & pop company that can hook up wind/solar/hydro at the house, give them the money in stead of CE.

[Guidothesemipsuedocaptitalistpig]

Thanks to lower cost microinverters, It is getting less and less expensive to use your own windmills and solar panels and either go off grid or sell the power back to CE. Your meter will run backward when you are producing more than you use. I have noticed a huge number of PA residences selling power to the grid here because consumers are given a huge tax break which will pay for almost half of a PV or wind turbine homes power here. I would imagine MI has programs also but I have not looked.