November 2, 2016
Iowa, Letters

Coalition for Rural Property Rights Formed

Emmetsburg News | November 1, 2016 | www.emmetsburgnews.com

The Coalition for Rural Property Rights has been formed in response to the Supervisors’ acceptance of a wind energy ordinance that favors the wind companies but does not protect the rural citizens of Palo Alto. This ordinance affects everyone who owns land or has a rural home.

We agree with the Planning and Zoning’s recommendation of 2640 foot setbacks from homes, not 1500 feet the wind company demanded.

We want 1000 foot setbacks from property lines that include the blades, not 1.2 x the height of the turbine from the tower which equals about 360 feet.

We want the Supervisors to take the advice of Jim Hudson, the drainage attorney who said that the connecting cables “must be the lower of 7 feet below the surface or 2 feet below any known and existing district or private tile”, not just 5 feet of cover.

We want a setback of 1 mile from sensitive wildlife areas, not 1500 foot.

If these turbines are built and if there is a problem with noise or shadow flicker or with tiling or aerial applications what recourse will citizens have? Mid American may offer money but only if that landowner then signs a contract with again the same sort of easement that the turbine hosts sign. One where they have a perpetual easement over and under all the landowner’s land that can be sold or re-leased at the wind company’s discretion. That won’t fix the problem either. If we wanted to be bought, we would’ve already signed a contract.

This energy does not supply our area. Iowa may have excess energy when the wind is blowing and Mid American is using its power of eminent domain for power lines to ship the energy out, making it not a utility but a commodity. The closest area that even “needs” this energy would be at the base of Lake Michigan which has more available offshore wind energy than all of Iowa but the folks living on the coasts do not want wind turbines in their views.

Our right to peace for our homes and our right to protect our businesses is not for sale. Support the people and businesses that are already here paying into the tax base.

I ask that the people who want wind turbines stop destroying our signs. Your opinion would be voiced with 50-story wind turbines. If you want any kind of respect for your opinions, please respect ours.

(signed) Janna Swanson

for: coalitionforruralpropertyrights.com

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2016/11/02/coalition-for-rural-property-rights-formed/