Turbines have adverse property value impact 

Two reputable real estate agents, one in Fond du Lac County concerning the Johnsburg project and one here in Calumet County, both agree that the wind turbines are what are called an adverse condition to a parcel of property. If a wind turbine is even within sight of a property, the seller will not get 100% of property value. The property value decreases because of the wind turbines visual impact noise, flickering, and strobing. According to the two real estate agents, these are just a few of the reasons that will deter a buyer from being interested in, or even looking at, the parcel of property that is for sale.

Energy representatives, such as Mike Donahue of Midwest Energy, say that wind turbines will not affect your property value. In a sense, what Mike Donahue says is somewhat correct. However, what Mike Donahue fails to mention to you is that no one will buy your property because of the wind turbines, you as a seller will not want to sell due to the drastic 15%-30% reduction in property value and thus the property value, as well as the property taxes, will remain the same.

The two real estate agents informed me that the equation to determine the percentage loss in property value is as follows:

At least three parcels of property have to be sold below the property value. The number of dollars that is lost in the sale of these three properties will determine the numerical percentage of the property loss. Until these conditions are met, the property value will remain the same because no one will want to buy the property for what it is worth and the seller will not want to sell the property because of the drastic reduction in the sale of the property. This could be referred to as a “Catch 22” situation.

The real estate agent from Fond du Lac County informed me that his business had two prime parcels of property for sale in the Marshfield area, but due to the placement of wind turbines in the surrounding area, these two parcels of land have not sold. Instead, these two parcels of land were taken off the market, No Sale!

Landowners who have decided against putting wind turbines up on their property will have land worth the weight of gold. Buyers will look for rural property not within sight of wind turbines and will pay a hefty price per acre for that land, if and/or when the land goes up for sale.

It took three generations of hard work, trust, and friendship of one another to build this community. A community in which a handshake was all that was needed to do business.

Our parents had to make some very difficult decisions while we were growing up. Every decision made, had the health and safety of their children in mind. We all in one-way or another protect our children. It is a parent’s natural instinct. The next generation will also be faced with some very difficult decisions. They too will keep their children in mind while making those decisions.

My daughter attends the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, and on the wall in her dormitory is a saying that caught my attention. It says, “We may not have it all together, but together we have it all.”

Please think about it and make the right decision.

Thank you.

John Ott

Tri-County News

29 November 2007