photo by: Chris Conde/Journal-World

The Douglas County Courthouse is pictured Thursday, Dec. 22, 2022.

Douglas County commissioners on Wednesday will consider renewing temporary permits for several meteorological testing devices that are associated with potential wind energy developments.

All of the renewal requests come from NextEra Energy Inc., on behalf of Tower Associates LLC, and according to the meeting agenda materials, county staff is recommending that the permits be renewed for three years — from Feb. 2 of this year to Feb. 2, 2027 — with the possibility of a one-year extension.

One of the permits is for a 197-foot meteorological evaluation tower. The tower, which is on private property southeast of the intersection of North 400 Road and East 550 Road, is one of six meteorological testing devices in unincorporated areas of the county that are related to potential renewable energy projects.

The other permit renewal requests are for three sonar detection and ranging, or SoDAR, devices in Marion Township. SoDAR units, another type of device used to gauge the viability of wind energy projects, are meteorological instruments that measure wind speed, direction and turbulence. The SoDAR units are located at properties in the area southwest of the intersection of North 600 Road and East 450 Road; the west side of East 550 Road, between North 100 Road and North 1 Road; and northeast of the intersection of North 1 Road and East 150 Road.

All of these permits for testing devices were originally requested about a year ago. To this point, county staff has not received a permit application from NextEra for a wind farm.

According to agenda materials, the property located northeast of the intersection of North 1 Road and East 150 Road received a complaint from neighboring residents last summer related to “disruptive chirping sounds” during calm conditions and nighttime hours. The SoDAR unit was later moved to another area of the property, according to a memo from the Zoning and Codes department, and no further complaints have been received.

In other business, commissioners:

• Will consider authorizing county staff to negotiate a contract with Paymentus Corporation for its merchant card services.

• Will consider authorizing staff to negotiate a contract with U.S. Bank for banking and procurement card services.

• Will receive a legislative update from Topeka-based lobbying firm Little Government Relations about the first two weeks of the 2024 Kansas legislative session.

The commission’s meeting begins at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday at the County Courthouse at 11th and Massachusetts streets. The meeting can be viewed via Zoom, and the agenda packet can be found on the county’s website, douglascountyks.org.