Wind country — turbines, leases, and who decides

Tuscola is part of Michigan’s Thumb, which has some of the biggest wind farms in the state. In several townships here you’ll see tall wind turbines spread across the farm fields, and there’s a good chance of more being proposed over time. For someone buying property, that cuts a few different ways.

If you’re buying farmland or a big rural parcel, hosting a turbine can mean a steady lease payment from the wind company — real income, and something that can add to a property’s value (or come with the land if a lease is already signed). On the other hand, some people don’t want to live near turbines because of the look, the blinking lights at night, or the sound, and that’s worth thinking about too. Wind has been a contested subject in the Thumb — some townships have welcomed it and others have passed rules to keep it out. One recent wrinkle: a 2023 state law moved the final say on siting large wind and solar projects away from local townships and toward a state commission, so the rules in this area are still settling. If wind matters to you either way, ask about any existing leases on a property and check the local zoning.