March 4, 2012
Ohio

Wind turbine ban considered in St. Henry

By Sam Shriver, Video Journalist, www.hometownstations.com 4 March 2012

The village of St. Henry in Mercer county is on track to become the first municipality in the state to ban wind turbines within corporation limits.

Council is taking a proactive approach to what could potentially be a major problem down the road.

The prospect of having wind turbines within the corporation limits is something that’s ignited a controversy in this southern Mercer county village.

“I personally hope they don’t come to the village,” said resident Deb Kremer. “I know a lot of the people in the area are ….we’re proud of our church steeples and proud of what we have here and I just think those wind turbines are really huge and they’re, I don’t know. We have a nice little community here and I don’t want those things to come in and make it not so pretty anymore.”

St. Henry village council is considering a ban on the construction of all types of wind turbines. It’s already been through a first reading.

“This discussion has been going on for probably about six months.” said Village Administrator Ron Gelhaus. “The Village Council thought it would be proactive to just get legislation in place and have it down in writing just to protect the folks here in the village from wind turbines going up within the corporation limits.”

The legislation is based on an ordinance approved a half dozen years ago that banned freestanding outdoor furnaces. Gelhaus says even though council has moved the proposed wind turbine ban to a second reading there’s still time for the public to comment on the proposal. St. Henry village council still has meetings scheduled on March 13th and the 26th at St. Henry Village Hall.

Both meetings start at 8 p.-m..

[update: video report now available]

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2012/03/04/wind-turbine-ban-considered-in-st-henry/