October 13, 2020: Planning Commission meeting to discuss public hearing comments on the draft CWECS regulations and will likely make some adjustments shortly after this meeting. No public comment is allowed. Depending on what changes in the draft, there may or may not be another public hearing prior to the draft being submitted to the County Commissioners for a final vote whether or not to accept the draft.
Hutch News Article: Wind Regulation Discussion Generates Some Heat
September 17, 2020: Public Hearing closed after 50 people had comments, NONE OF WHICH DEEMED THE DRAFT REGULATIONS ACCEPTABLE AS-IS. 46 speakers had issues with the draft. The other 4 speakers did not clarify whether or not the draft was acceptable. The Planning Commission deemed further changes are likely necessary.
https://www.renogov.org/DocumentCenter/View/8159/Draft-CWECS-Regulations "Sept 17 draft" of the draft regulations, Per Mark Vonachen's introduction at the beginning of the Sept 17 Public Hearing.
Wish to comment on how the draft-of-the-draft was introduced/handled? E-mail the following:
don.brittain@renogov.org
randy.partington@renogov.org
bob.bush@renogov.org
ron.sellers@renogov.org
ron.hirst@renogov.org
August 20, 2020: Reno County Planning & Zoning commission approved the Draft to amend Article 23 CEWCS regulations, and the Public Hearing date was set for September 17, 2020. https://www.renogov.org/DocumentCenter/View/8100/Proposed-Article-23---Public-Hearing-Draft-Copy--8-21-20
July 1, 2020: As stated during the 6/18 meeting, we may be in the 1st inning yet. The developer's attorneys filed a motion seeking to get an immediate appeal to a higher court about Judge Chamber's decision.
https://www.hutchnews.com/news/20200702/nextera-seeks-to-appeal-local-judgersquos-ruling
June 18, 2020: Reno County Planning & Zoning commission voted to update/amend the CWECS (wind farm) regulations at minimum. Thank you for providing the county with related data and considerations. A small subcommittee led by Public Works Director Don Brittain will provide a revised draft of the regulations for the PLZ and County Commission to approve.
Prior to June 18, 2020 meeting: Please send the commissioners any information needed to make an informed decision and have "a good sampling" of what the people want.
Also send any data to be used in determining regulation changes to:
Mark.vonachen@renogov.org
Bob.bush@renogov.org
Ron.sellers@renogov.org
Ron.hirst@renogov.org
May 21, 2020: Reno County Court rejected Nextera's appeal. Now, Nextera can file an appeal at the state court level. We will continue to be involved throughout any follow-on events.
May 21: Reno Planning & Zoning commission to determine if county regulations should be changed/amended. Once again, public comment was not allowed for this agenda item nor any non-agenda item.
March 3, 2020: Southeast section of Reno County is approved to be zoned. Note much of Reno County remains unzoned.
Nov 2019 to May 21, 2020: Legal battles at County Court level to combat Nextera's appeal. If Nextera won, the developer would have erected the wind "farm" in SE Reno. Your continued involvement, support, and generosity helped prevent turbines from being erected. We are truly grateful!
Donations can be sent to:
Reno County Citizens for Quality of Life
PO Box 183
Cheney, KS 67025
or,
GoFundMe link. Note the site's "donation tips" can be changed to "Other" instead of the default percentage.
07/02/2019: Nextera filed an appeal. They are attempting to invalidate as many protest petitions as they can in order to overthrow the necessity of the super majority.
6/13/2019: County Commissioners' meeting where the three Commissioners voted 2:1 for the CUP application, however, the decision was not unanimous, the application was rejected. The next step may be an appeal by the applicant, which would be determined in a court of law.
In April 2019, the Reno County Planning Commission voted and made a recommendation to the County Commission to reject the developer's CUP application for a permit to erect 88 wind turbines in Southeast Reno County and install the associated utilities.
6/11/2019: Reno County Commissioners voted to accept the protest petitions (needed a 20% minimum and have at least 46%). This means the CUP application had to be unanimously approved by all three county commissioners. Thank you to all land owners who helped with the protest petitions!
6/11/2019 Hutch News article regarding the county's decision to accept the protest petitions:
https://www.hutchnews.com/news/20190611/county-finds-protest-petition-on-nextera-project-valid
We all know that developers move in quickly and quietly. If a developer only wants to use unzoned ground, that project could be built with little to no consultation from the county. To say that the county has no knowledge of another project may be true, but if you look at a lease map, they already have a good start with eases in the un-zoned area around Pretty Prairie. Why would they need these leases if the original project was always going to stay north and east of the lake?