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Rock County Commissioners tabled a conditional use permit request for construction of two wind turbines west of Luverne in Luverne Township.
In Tuesday’s 4-to-1 vote, commissioners will consider the issue again at their Sept. 10 meeting.
Commissioner Gary Overgaard cast the lone “no” vote. He said the permit applicants met the ordinance requirements and should be allowed to proceed with the wind energy project.
The Sept. 10 commissioner meeting begins at 9 a.m.
Representatives from Juhl Energy Development of Chanhassen, Minnesota, and Gevo Inc. of Luverne requested a conditional use permit for a planned Rock County Wind Fuel project.
The project involves lowering Gevo’s reliance on coal-generated electricity by erecting two 2.4-megawatt wind turbines 2 1/2 miles west of the existing Gevo production plant.
In their 160-page application, Juhl Energy outlined the project and addressed findings for the commissioners to consider.
Resident John Jarchow addressed commissioners Tuesday stating the wind turbines potentially hinder his enjoyment of the current landscape and lower his property values.
Jarchow was unable to attend the Aug. 26 public hearing with the planning and zoning commission. A similar statement written by Jarchow was read at the hearing.
Commissioners wanted more time to review the permit and to possible visit Jarchow’s acreage.
Eight conditions were added to the conditional use permit by the planning and zoning commission with all eight conditions met before the wind turbine project can begin.
If all the conditions are met, construction will begin before year-end.
Conditions include:
1.) Evidence of a power purchase agreement and related documents with Gevo/Agri-Energy, Missouri River Energy Services, the city of Luverne Municipal Utility and Juhl Energy Development.
2.) Evidence of decommissioning security including the description, type of security, entity holding the funds, and the manner in which the funds can be assessed.
3.) Evidence of setback waiver agreements or presentation of setback waiver agreements for each adjacent property owner within the Rock County Renewable Energy Ordinance property setback of three rotor diameters in the east/west configuration and five rotor diameters in the north/south configuration from the location of the turbine.
4.) Evidence of land and wind energy system site control (leases and easements), rights of entry for the turbine locations and the associated construction requirements.
5.) Evidence of underground utility easements.
6.) An operating agreement with Rock County for the terms and conditions and use of the county roads, plus provisions if there should be damage for restoration, repair or payment, and the permit the placement of underground utilities beneath the roads.
7.) Identify a key contact for both wind energy conversion systems.
8.) Evidence of all applicable federal, state and local permits (Federal Aviation Administration, Minnesota Public Utilities Commission, Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, Minnesota Department of Transportation and Rock County.)
Gevo manufactures bio-based jet fuel, ethanol and isobutanol using corn at the Luverne plant. High-protein animal feed, a byproduct of the fuel-making process, is also sold from the plant.
Electricity generated from the two turbines is expected to offset the majority of the plant’s annual electrical needs. The plant will continue to have access to the electrical grid in times of low turbine production.
Due to the small capacity size of the planned wind production project, permitting for the turbines falls under the county’s jurisdiction. The wind fuel request is the first request under the county’s revised Renewable Energy Ordinance adopted last fall.
Conditions come from last week’s permit hearing
The Rock County Planning and Zoning Commission recommended the County Board approve Gevo’s conditional use permit after a two-hour meeting Aug. 26.
Planning and zoning leaders debated whether or not wind production would be a permitted use on agricultural land in Luverne Township sections 17 and 19.
Chairman Cliff Schilling abstained from voting, citing conflict of interest. At the time of the vote, Vice Chairman Gawaine Diekevers conducted the meeting.
The commission had already granted Rock County Wind Fuel organizers a variance to the county’s renewable energy ordinance. They were unable to meet setback distances of 1,142 and 1,903 feet from neighboring property lines.
Input from landowners from the July 1 variance hearing led project organizers to move the turbine in Section 17 farther south than the originally planned.
Juhl Energy completed several assessments before choosing the sites for the two turbines. Six residences near the turbine on property owned by Greg Gabrielson of Luverne were studied for potential shadow flicker and noise levels.
The closest residence at the Section 17 site is 2,250 feet east of the turbine location and is a home and a separate worship building owned by the Assembly of God Church.
Mike Powers with Juhl Energy said there are no west-facing windows and a grove of trees blocks potential shadow flicker estimated to be nine hours per year at the church location.
Tests projected turbine noise at decimal levels of 40 aBA or the noise level of a library or a quiet suburban area at nighttime.
Brad Ver Steeg is the next closest resident at 2,500 feet east of the turbine. Other residences range from 2,600 to 4,600 feet.
Ver Steeg spoke at the conditional use hearing along with Randy and Sarah Van Nieuwenhuizen, who live 3,600 feet northeast of the turbine.
The Van Nieuwenhuizens were concerned about health effects and sleep disturbances while Ver Steeg was concerned about property values and the other disturbances to the neighborhood. He pointed to two of five points the commission considers when considering a conditional use permit.
“Personally my feeling is it visually changes the landscape long term,” Ver Steeg said. “It is kind of a shock factor but you’ll probably get used to them after awhile.”
John Jarchow also objected to the planned turbine located in Luverne Township section 19 on property owned by Kirk Gabrielson of Winston, Georgia.
Jarchow was able to attend the Aug. 26 hearing and submitted an email that was read by Land Management Office Director Eric Hartman. Jarchow was also concerned about property value.
“I assume the project will affect my property in a negative way,” the email stated.
“Kathy and I recently purchased our acreage and, in the process, we looked at different properties that were in areas where towers were. The value of these properties was considerably less money than what we paid for our current property because of the impact of the wind towers.”
Jarchow also objected to how the towers look and sound when fully operational.
Commission member Brad Petersen noted the frustration property owners are experiencing about an unknown entity changing the look of the neighborhood. Prairie Rose Wind Farm, consisting of 110 turbines, borders his land in northwest Rock County.
“In my experience, the red lights and the noise, we don’t hear it … for the most part we don’t have issues,” Petersen said.
“To be honest with you, these guys seem a lot more open … if there is a problem they seem willing to take care of it.”
The wind turbines are estimated to have an operational expectancy of 25 years.
No meteorological tower is planned for the project.
In their presentation, the organizers referenced a study by Lawrence National Laboratory for the Center of Rural Affairs. Out of the 50,000 home sales, no evidence was found that wind turbines negatively affected home sales.