June 28, 2014
Michigan

Wind turbine controversy continues

by Jessica Stevenson | Posted: 06.27.2014 | www.uppermichiganssource.com

SCHOOLCRAFT COUNTY – Since the beginning, Garden residents have been divided over wind turbines, and their placement on resident’s property. In hopes of avoiding this, Schoolcraft County board members passed an ordinance requiring wind turbines to be built over 3,000 feet from a residence’s property line.

Although there are no wind turbines in Schoolcraft County at this time, Heritage Wind Energy said they are possibly interested in developing this territory.

The county residents are already divided on this issue.

“People don’t talk with each other, it’s not friendly anymore,” said concerned Cooks resident, Pat Carley. “You’re afraid to mention wind turbine, you don’t know what kind of reaction you’re going to get. It’s sad. I never in my whole life living here would have expected that to happen.”

Recently, board members have been meeting with specialists and the community. They are hoping to gather more information before deciding whether keep or change their recently passed ordnance.

Some residents who are in support of the wind turbines feel the ordinance is too restrictive.

“They’re quite frankly ridiculous,” said Cooks residents William Anderson. “They’re exclusionary, no place in Schoolcraft County can we have a wind turbine with the ordinance as it is written right now, today.”

Others support it and hope more counties will adopt it as well.

“I’m hoping that the community ordinance that was passed by Schoolcraft will stick and will stay and that perhaps Delta County could pass similar ordinances,” said Garden homeowner, Tracy Sommer.

Schoolcraft County board members are going to continue working on this ordinance until they are confident it protects their residents’ health, wellness and safety.

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2014/06/28/wind-turbine-controversy-continues-2/