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07/26/2006Proposed wind farm on holdCompany to wait for township to draft ordinanceCEDAR — Possible plans for a wind farm in Centerville Township are on hold until at least next year while the township drafts a zoning ordinance to regulate commercial windmills. Tim Johnson, township planning commission chairman, said Noble Environmental Power agreed to not submit a formal application until the ordinance — which would apply to wind energy projects proposed by Noble or any other developer — is complete. The Connecticut-based company, which specializes in wind energy, earlier this year identified about 8,000 acres of land along County Road 645 north of Cedar as suitable for a cluster of wind turbines that each would stand nearly 400 feet tall and could generate up to 1.5 megawatts of power. A committee of two planning commissioners and eight township residents is drafting an ordinance to address wind energy equipment — a land use not covered in the township's existing zoning regulations. The panel started meeting in May and researched the commercial wind energy ordinances of other local governments, including Otsego County, and established a timeline for drawing up Centerville's regulations. David Wurm, a planning commission member appointed to the committee, estimated the commission could see a draft ordinance by January. He said the primary focus would be on tower height, density and property setbacks. "Now we're really trying to get into the meat and potatoes of the ordinance," Wurm said. Noble initially said the land could house between 40 and 60 turbines. But Johnson said a Noble representative told him the company reduced that number, and Noble had not as of May signed easements with any landowners to place wind turbines on their property. Noble officials were unavailable for comment. After the planning commission reviews the proposed ordinance, it will hold a public hearing. The proposal then would go to the Leelanau County planning commission for review before going back to the township board for final action. The next meeting of the windmill ordinance committee is scheduled for 7 p.m. Thursday at the Centerville Township Hall. See related stories:
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