May 30, 2007
Wisconsin

Zoning Committee accused of bias at Wilton hearing

Attorney Glen Stoddard, representing Focus on Monroe County’s Future submitted written testimony accusing the Monroe County Planning and Zoning Committee of a majority bias in favor of Invenergy at the Wilton public hearing last Thursday.

The Planning and Zoning Committee has set a 9 a.m. meeting for June 5 at the Monroe County Courthouse to make a decision in granting Summit Ridge Energy a conditional use permit to build wind turbines in the town of Wilton.

In his written testimony Attorney Stoddard alleged the Committee’s failure to make any findings of fact or conclusions of law of its own to support its approval of the Town of Ridgeville CUP (conditional use permit), which was followed by action at the behest of Invenergy’s lawyers to add phony “Findings of Fact” language after the fact and without proper notice, show that a majority of the Committee is biased in this matter and do not want to be confused with the facts or the law.

Stoddard further alleges that a majority of the Committee does not have any concerns about the public health and safety. Instead, a majority of the Committee has apparently become advocates for Invenergy.

Attorney Stoddard’s testimony claims that the conditional use permit application is incomplete because it did not include a map of the area showing the wind turbine sites and accessory structures. The testimony also claims that setbacks should be increased to three times the height of the turbines for public health and safety to avoid sleeping problems, headaches, dizziness, anxiety, tinnitus (ringing in the ears) and more.

At Thursday’s meeting, about half of the public were in favor and half were against the wind project, according to Monroe County Planning and Zoning Department Administrator Allison Phillips. Many of the same issues were brought up that were mentioned at previous public hearings.

By Keith Zukas

The Tomah Journal

29 May 2007


URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2007/05/30/zoning-committee-accused-of-bias-at-wilton-hearing/