COLDWATER, MI (WTVB) – Residents from Union Township and from other parts of northwestern Branch County jammed their way into the Board of Commissioners meeting room Tuesday afternoon to once again ask the county to help them in their fight against DTE Energy’s plans to put in wind turbines.
The group Concerned Citizens of Branch County is asking the County to intervene on their behalf especially after an effort they supported to have the Union Township Board adopt an ordinance that would have created a Planning Commission lost at the ballot box last Tuesday by 25 votes, 268-243.
Right now, there is no zoning in Union Township. Anna Keim from Sherwood Township said their citizen group is getting no help from the Union Township Board on the wind turbine issue.
Shelly Barkley from Matteson Township said most of the farm land has already been leased.
An effort to have a Branch County ordinance on the books that would cover industrial wind turbines has taken a first step.
County Administrator Bud Norman said during last Thursday’s Board of Commissioners work session the request will go before the county’s planning council December 13, 2018.
Currently, any decisions on zoning ordinances to govern the impact of wind turbines lies with the township boards around Branch County.
