RENSSELAER — The Jasper County
Commissioners on Monday unanimously approved the wind ordinance
amendments previously requested by the county’s plan commission.
That
approval brings some measure of resolution to what has been a long,
controversial decision-making process over what many feel the county’s
relationship with renewable energy should be.
When
the floor was opened for public comments before the vote, one person
asked if a proposal to ban wind turbines was out of the question.
Commissioner Kendell Culp said that a portion of the county will not be
allowed to have wind turbines, although “the word ‘ban’ is not included
in the language.”
Based
on the new committee’s discussions, the Jasper County Plan Commission
recently approved amendments to the wind ordinance by a 7-1 vote. Those
were the same amendments that were later approved by the commissioners
on Monday.
Among the changes
the committee made are that each utility grade wind turbine system will
at least 1,760 feet away from any non-participating property line,
instead of the original 1,320 feet. Turbines must also be placed as much
as 2,400 feet away from nearby properties, roads or places of worship.
Minimum
setbacks from existing land currently zoned R1, R2, VR, M1 and M2 will
be 2,400 feet as well, along with land from any platted residential
subdivision with 10 or more lots. Also, each utility grade wind turbine
system shall be a minimum distance of 1.5 times the tip height from any
public road or above-ground utility.
A
“no turbine zone” will also be established for the area of Jasper
County which lies north of County Road 1200 South, to protect the
Jasper-Pulaski Fish and Wildlife Area, and to protect and provide an
aviation buffer with respect to the Jasper County Airport and
established military operations within the county.
By
noon Monday, the local anti-wind group Save Jasper County, which mainly
operates through a Facebook page of the same name, declared victory,
saying that “this essentially eliminates wind development in all of
Jasper County.”
After the
commissioners promised changes to the older legislation in February, the
group tried to hold them to their word by filing a petition calling the
then-current setbacks “inadequate.” This petition had at least 567
signatures around the time that it was filed with the Jasper County
Recorder’s Office.
Members of
the group have clashed with county commissioners before, to the extent
that Culp felt the need to publicly defend himself and his colleagues
from accusations made on the page, during a meeting in February.
After
the amendments were passed Monday, Commissioner Dick Maxwell said he
was offended by accusations which had been made against him and the
other commissioners, saying that they had taken bribes from wind
companies and/or swindled property owners of their rights and values.
“I’m
very disappointed in a few people,” Maxwell said. “I take personal
offense to that. And I will not forget who was involved in that. We’ve
got attorneys looking at it now for further action, if we decide to do
that.”
In any case, Save Jasper County did show appreciation for the commissioners’ work on Monday.
“Do
not waive the protection this new ordinance affords you,” the group
stated. “None of us should. Thank you, again, Jasper County
Commissioners!”