June 29, 2016
Indiana

Public comment on wind farms draws about 150 people

By Ken Hartman | Clinton County Daily News | June 28, 2016 | www.clintoncountydailynews.com

Approximately 150 people attended the wind farm meeting dealing with public participation concerning the current wind farm ordinance Monday night at the Skanta Theatre in the Frankfort Community Public Library. Area Plan Commission President Clark beard felt the meeting was what he had hoped for.

“I was determined to make sure that the audience felt like it was their meeting, to talk to us and to direct their concerns about the wind ordinance to us,” said Beard. “I felt like we accomplished that.”

A total of 23 individuals signed up before the meeting as requested in order to speak. Of those who spoke, only eight said they were for wind farms. Those who were against were concerned with setbacks, property values, noise and health concerns for both humans and animals. Another concern dealt with the impact of construction on the land and roads.

Beard was asked by an individual who spoke how long it would be before a decision would be made on the subject.

“It’s going to be a pretty long process and it gets down into very mundane detail before it’s all over with,” said Beard. “We’re absolutely looking at line by line. We hope we don’t have to look at every line, but we will look at lines where comment was made tonight that had no line for that. In that case, we will create some.”

Individuals who were for wind farms wore lime green thumbs up signs that said “Wind for Clinton County.”

“Those who are against this are trying to destroy economic opportunities with setbacks,” said Nancy Cline, who supports the wind farms. “The benefits are more than the inconveniences.”

In all, the event, which was scheduled for two hours, took just under 80 minutes for public comment and another 20 minutes of miscellaneous comments from the audience.

The next meeting for the Area Plan Commission will be 7 p.m. on Tuesday, July 5, in the Commissioners Room of the Clinton County Courthouse.


URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2016/06/29/public-comment-on-wind-farms-draws-about-150-people/