HUTCHINSON, Kan. — This next week will be a busy one starting Tuesday when officials consider whether to accept the protest petitions that were slowed by legal issues.

The county received more than 250 petitions fighting the NextEra wind farm project. Out of that, about 40% have been deemed invalid because the landowner is not eligible. Only landowners within 1,000 feet of a property with a turbine are allowed to protest.

County Consultant Russ Ewy will give a presentation over those petitions during the regular Reno County Commission meeting.

That meeting starts at 9 a.m. Tuesday in the Reno County Courthouse.

Whatever the commission decides will set the stage for a special meeting at the Fox Theatre over the request by Pretty Prairie Wind, LLC, representing various property owners, for a conditional use permit to construct a commercial wind energy conversion system for the purpose of converting wind energy into electricity. The properties are currently zoned AG – Agricultural District.

The Reno County Planning Commission had recommended that the commission turn down the request, however, the county commission can vote against that recommendation, send it back to the planning commission, or turn down the request.

The special meeting starts at 6:30 p.m. Thursday at the Fox Theatre in Hutchinson.