Commission okays proposal for wind farm zone expert

Whitman County commissioners Monday unanimously approved a change to zoning law intended to speed the application process for wind turbine farms.

The change to the county’s commercial wind zoning ordinance allows for a hearing examiner to rule on wind farm applications and projects valued more than $5 million.

The hearing examiner would be a private attorney with knowledge of wind farm permitting issues.

Prior to Monday’s change, such applications would have been heard by the citizen board of adjustment.

Three citizens at Monday’s public hearing criticized the change. They said bringing in an outside attorney to decide wind farm applications takes away a level of local control.

“It is self-evident that a citizen board is more democratic,” said Roger Whitten of Oakesdale, a critic of wind farms since the county began writing its industrial wind power ordinance in 2008.

But John Kramer of Pullman, 19-year chair of the Board of Adjustment, said the board has reached a consensus that the examiner position is necessary because of the intricacies of permitting a wind farm.

“It is outside the domain of most members of the board at the present time,” said Kramer.

Whitten, along with Rick and Carolyn Kiesz of Thornton, said the examiner would have a conflict of interest. The more projects an examiner permits, the more likely they are to be hired to hear other applications, the trio asserted.

Prosecutor Denis Tracy called those charges “ridiculous and insulting.”

Tracy said an expert would meet landowners’ right to have their development plans decided in a timely manner.

He added tying up the board of adjustment with reviews of complicated wind farm applications would be unfair to other residents seeking permits for their development projects.

Commissioner Michael Largent stressed the examiner would be paid by the county out of fees charged to the wind farm developers.

“If you don’t like it, the way you do that is you get rid of me and the other commissioners,” Largent told the critics.

Whitten earlier this month petitioned for a recall of Commissioners Pat O’Neill and Greg Partch. One of the contentions in his recall filing was that the duo failed to uphold their pledge of office by making decisions on wind turbines which Whitten contends threaten public health.

Whitten Monday proposed creation of a special citizen panel that would specifically hear wind farm applications. He said developers, scientists and educated citizens in Whitman County provide a rich pool from which to draw such a board.

Kramer pointed out citizen participation in existing land use boards is low. Finding volunteers for an additonal board may be a problem, he said.