2005 Master Plan Amendment
Key claim: The 2005 Master Plan Amendment adopted a dual policy of preserving prime farmland while designating specific areas of the county, via a zoning overlay, as suitable for commercial wind energy conversion facilities.
Abstract
County document “2005 Master Plan Amendment” (2 pp), published on https://www.co.huron.mi.us/building-zoning. Huron County Master Plan Amendment Agricultural Preservation & Alternative Energy Resource/Wind Energy Planning Recommended by: Huron County Planning Commission on July 6, 2005 Adopted by: Huron County Board of Commissioners on July 12, 2005 Agriculture: Huron County is recognized for agriculture. There are nearly 1200 farms and almost 430,000 acres of land devoted to farming in Huron County. The average size farm consists of 358 acres and 100 or more farms consist of 1,000 acres or more. Alternative Energy Resources -Wind Energy Conversion Facilities (WECF): There are some areas of Huron County which by virtue of strong prevailing winds and the absence of extensive development [due to extensive farming activity] are ideally suited for large scale development of wind energy conversions systems [WECF’s]. Agricultural land supports the largest industry in Huron County and, as such, it should be protected from encroachment from non-agricultural uses. A unique opportunity is emerging in Huron County due to the desire to preserve prime farmland and need for alternative energy resources. There is a collaborative goal to indelibly preserve prime farmland and, at the same time, establish a manageable alternative-energy land use policy in Huron County. This goal is to encourage farmland preservation as well as identify locations appropriate for alternative energy resource facilities [i.e., wind energy conversion facilities]. Accordingly, a zoning overlay strategy is proposed, which will identify specific areas of the county where commercial wind turbines (wind farms) can be located and other alternative energy resources developed. The Huron County Master Plan provides the following statement for developing an Alternative Energy Resources Policy. Supporting Attributes: There are physical attributes that support the development of Alternative Energy Resources. That is, these are the areas in the county that can best support this land use notwithstanding the limitations discussed on the next page. 1. Wind Availability: The Department of Energy’s Wind Program and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) recently published a new wind resource map for the state of Michigan. This resource map shows wind speed estimates at 50 meters above the ground and depicts the resource that could be used for utility-scale wind development. As a renewable resource, wind is classified according to wind power classes, which are based on typical wind speeds. These classes range fro
Why this matters
The 2005 Master Plan Amendment is the foundational policy document that reconciles Huron County’s two dominant land-use priorities — preserving prime farmland and accommodating commercial wind development via a zoning overlay. For property owners, it defines which parts of the county are pre-designated as appropriate for commercial wind facilities, shaping subsequent rezoning, ordinance amendments, and permit decisions.