Representatives from No Wind Farms Montgomery County presented Montgomery County Commissioners with a petition Monday stating they are opposed to wind farms in Montgomery County.
Commissioners accepted the hand-delivered petition but made no comment.
During public comment at the conclusion of the meeting, and before the petition was presented, Commissioner John Frey said they had asked county attorney Dan Taylor to look into the 2010 Wind Energy Conversion Ordinance that governs the construction of wind farms. Frey reiterated what he had said two weeks ago about Taylor’s findings.
“We asked Dan to look into this issue,” Frey said. “We found out that it (stopping wind farms) will be difficult to do without planning and zoning.”
After the meeting Frey said when he reported the attorney’s findings to another group of residents not wanting wind farms, they petitioned commissioners for specific action to begin the process of writing a land use ordinance through planning and zoning.
“In the petition received two weeks ago, the group asked to serve on any steering committee that would look into a comprehensive plan so they would be represented when it came to wind farms,” Frey said.
During Monday’s meeting, Frey said he represents all residents and that he will do what he can to help, and he repeated the answer he received from legal counsel is that “the way to stop wind farms is through planning and zoning.”
“We are trying to help you, but we have to follow the law,” Frey added.
Linden resident Tisha Southwood asked commissioners to speak to Akuo Energy USA, which is the company planning one of two wind farms in the northern part of the county, to find out their construction plans. Southwood claims the company is on schedule to begin construction in 2018. She believes wind mills are a public health issue.
Southwood asked Commissioner Phil Bane if he had a signed an agreement for wind mills on his property in Coal Creek Township. Bane said presently he has no agreement for a wind farm.
“I do not have an agreement now, nor will I ever sign an agreement with anybody,” Bane said.
The petition presented Monday by the No Wind Farms group does not ask for commissioners to take any specific action. The heading on the 27-page document simply states “I am a Montgomery County, Indiana resident and I am opposed to Wind Farms in Montgomery County.”