December 18, 2019
Iowa

Page County windmill talks shift to Shenandoah

(Shenandoah) – Round 2 of the Page County Board of Supervisors’ series of discussions regarding wind turbines takes place tonight.

This time, The Bricker Room of Shenandoah’s Public Safety Center is the venue for another town hall meeting at 5 p.m. Tonight’s event follows the first town hall session at the Page County Courthouse’s Page Room in Clarinda Monday evening. At that meeting, pros and cons were aired on the development of wind energy production in the county. At least one person asked for a handcount of residents in attendance for or against wind turbines. But, Supervisors’ Chair Alan Armstrong rejected the request.

“You know, talk to your neighbors,” said Armstrong. “You guys are the decision-makers. We don’t have any decision over this. We don’t get to make a choice. You guys need to talk to your neighbors, and develop friendships or hatreds.”

Back in October, the supervisors approved an ordinance regulating wind turbine development in the county. Some residents at Monday’s meeting called for an ordinance amendment increasing setback regulations beyond the existing 1,250 feet. But, Supervisor Chuck Morris expressed opposition toward any action that could hinder wind energy development in the county.

“I cannot support any ordinance that would be a signal to the wind companies that we don’t want you,” said Morris. “I don’t feel comfortable telling wind energy people, ‘I don’t want you in Page County,’ because I know there’s people in this room who want it. And, I believe they should have the right, as a property owner, to put up a wind turbine.”

The supervisors indicated that any ordinance amendment won’t take place until mid-January at the earliest.

URL to article: https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2019/12/18/page-county-windmill-talks-shift-to-shenandoah/

Click here to print.