Another township moves to block wind farm
From an article by Scott De Laruelle in the DeForest Times:
Heeding the concerns of a vocal segment of area residents, the Arlington town board approved an ordinance Wednesday that would effectively keep large wind farms out of the township. The plan commission voted 6-0 Monday to recommend the ordinance to the board.
The vote was unanimous but was not without some debate or concern. Supervisor Tom Klahn said the difference between the 1,000-foot setbacks of wind turbines from residences allowed by the state Public Service Commission and asked for by Wind Capital Group and the 2,640-foot setback in the ordinance was “huge” and would prevent any wind farms in the town. The ordinance also calls for 1,320-foot setbacks from public roads and residences of people “hosting” a wind turbine. . . .
Arlington Plan Commission member Don Plier said the group based its ordinance on “sound science” taken from the town of Union’s ordinance, as well as information such as a Minnesota Department of Health Study that outlined potential health risks.
“There’s more than two-and-half pages of scientific studies, including the World Health Organization,” he said.
Plier said Arlington does not have the time or resources to spend 14 meetings on the subject, as Union did in creating its ordinance.
“We are relying very largely on their research,” he said.
There are companion bills working their way through both houses of the Wisconsin legislature that could take away local control of siting wind farms, a point of emphasis for plan commission members, who wanted to get an ordinance on the books before a state law was established. Clark said town officials were on an “accelerated pace” to adopt the ordinance, something Klahn also took issue with.
“I disagree with the process here,” he said. “The reason we have a plan commission is to research this … the plan commission gives the appearance of setting up roadblocks (for the wind farm project). That’s not due process. (But) I’m going to support the decision of the plan commission.”
The Wind Capital Group has identified Columbia County as a possible site for a wind project.
