Turbulent times for wind opponents in Henry County

Debate during the long-awaited action created considerable turbulence after Henry County Commissioners unanimously passed the revision on to the Henry County Planning Commission. More than 80 people attended Wednesday’s meeting in the old Circuit Courtroom of Henry County Courthouse, an appropriate venue considering the prosecution and defense tones used by citizens and officials alike.

Butch Baker, president of the Henry County Commissioners, said afterward the revised ordinance represented what he thought was a compromise.

“There were 19 things they complained about that we changed,” Baker said, referring to the anti-wind residents.

Baker emphasized that a well-crafted wind ordinance was important, otherwise developers could potentially come here and do whatever they wanted.

But it quickly became apparent in the public comment portion of Wednesday’s meeting that the revised ordinance didn’t go far enough in the eyes of an anti-wind group.

“In order to reflect the will of the people, it should say at the top that wind is not welcome in Henry County right now,” said Susan Huhn, who upset current county council president Nate LaMar in the May primary. “The will of the people is very clear that wind energy not come into the county – and everyone is affected by it. The people who cared came out and voted – and they said no.”

Some commissioners believed there was a rush to judgment on the 44-page revision and that opponents should take time to read it more carefully. The revised ordinance was first made available during Wednesday’s meeting – too little time for a thorough review, Cronk said. The ordinance is now online at www.henryco.net.

Setbacks – one of the most contentious issues concerning wind turbines – were increased in the revision, commissioners stressed. 

“The current ordinance is 1,500 feet from the primary residence and/or 1.5 (times the height of the tower) – it used to be 1.1 – from the property line, whichever is greater,” Cronk emphasized. “So that means it’s got to be a minimum of 1,500 feet from the house or, it could be anywhere up to 2,000 feet. Each situation is going to be different. Plus in any town, turbines have to be 2,500 feet away. I think it is (more restrictive). Henry County will have one of the largest setback requirements for wind farms in the state.”

Accusations of bias and personal interest continued to be aired after the meeting.

Jim McShirley called the revision “a $100,000 con job” and continued to maintain that language in the ordinance was changed to make it read more wind friendly at the instruction of “.. one of our county officials.” Baker said the alleged source of that information has, in a written document, denied ever making that statement.

Commissioner Ed Yanos said talk of his own personal bias on the issue couldn’t be further from the truth. Yanos said he had “no interest” in wind turbines and that, since purchasing land in 1975, his focus has been on farming and “he didn’t need anything else to get in the way of that.” 

Wind farm opponents reminded commissioners that whatever the planning commission decided, the buck would ultimately stop with them – and their legacy would ride on their actions.

“There’s been a lot of passing the buck the last two and a half years about who’s never approved what and never done what, but the three of you decided what would go into the WECS and regardless of what the planning commission does, you have the final say on it,” Huhn said. “I just wanted that to be on the record.”

Rodgers repeated his assertion that the wind issue amounted to “a theft of property rights” and “a violation of 4th and 5th amendments.”

“You three have officially set the future of development in Henry County in opposition to families and individuals anywhere outside of any city limits,” Rodgers said. “You three are ending the future of real economic development in this county. So, in two years, there will be another election and 125 to 140 people will be voting for you. The rest of the county by then will recognize the disaster you have created here. I feel sorry for you and your legacy.”

After the meeting, commissioners had a strong reaction to Rodgers’ contention, pointing out that Boar’s Head and MicroNutrients both came here in spite of the wind issue. 

It was also stressed that one of the largest property tax payers currently in Henry County is none other than the Duke Energy power plant in Cadiz, a facility that also faced intense debate and scrutiny when it was built in the 1990s.

The issue is far from over. Thursday morning, Darrin Jacobs, Henry County Zoning Administrator, told The Courier-Times that the planning commission would not be discussing the revised ordinance at its next meeting, scheduled Thursday. Jacobs said it was too soon for the commission to take on the ordinance and that it would be “July at the earliest, maybe later.”

“We need more time for notice of the public hearing,” Jacobs said.

The planning commission could take the revised ordinance and approve it, change it or reject it. In any case, it would come back to the commissioners for final action.