May 24, 2017
Letters, South Dakota

Letter: Wind tower zoning ordinance protects citizens

Argus Leader | May 23, 2017 | www.argusleader.com

The wind turbine saga continues in Lincoln County. The wind speculators are now trying to override a recent ordinance passed by our county commissioners updating the setbacks from homes for their massive industrial towers. The previous ordinance, required setback of around 1,200 feet from a home (that’s about the distance from the Food Court to JC Penneys at The Empire Mall). It was written more than a decade ago, when towers were not the massive structures they are today. That severely antiquated ordinance, also played a reckless game with people’s safety, health and property rights in the wake of larger and noisier turbines.

After several years of research and deliberation, the Lincoln County Commissioners updated this ordinance to protect human safety by passing an ordinance requiring that industrial wind turbines be at least 2,640 feet from any home (about a round trip JCPenneys to Younkers and back). Please note, this ordinance does not ban industrial turbines, it merely places them at a distance from people’s homes that helps protect them from health dangers, blade and ice throw, property devaluation, constant loud noises and more.

Which, by the way, is exactly the job of our elected county commissioners – to protect its citizens health, safety and rights under the law.

So please, do not sign a misleading petition trying to change what our commissioners have so diligently put in place. And if this does go to a referendum vote of all of Lincoln County; remember that this ordinance affects everyone in Lincoln County. Any ordinance allowing closer siting of turbines to any home means siting closer to every home (city or rural) in the county. The truth, no matter what they tell you, is that if you live anywhere in Lincoln County it could very well affect your home, property and safety.

Cindy and Tom Thomas

Canton


URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2017/05/24/letter-wind-tower-zoning-ordinance-protects-citizens/