February 20, 2020
Missouri

Planning and Zoning propose commercial wind turbine ban

By Clayton Anderson | News-Press NOW | St. Joseph News-Press | Feb 19, 2020 | www.newspressnow.com

The Buchanan County Planning and Zoning Commission proposed a total commercial ban for wind turbines in a meeting Wednesday night.

This was proposed after discussions regarding potential restrictions, and what would be the setback for the wind turbines, which initially was between a half-mile and a mile. Steven Reardon of Marion Township proposed a motion for a total ban on wind turbines in the county. After further discussion, the proposal was put to a vote. The commissioners voted in favor, 8-4.

Reardon said he was going to want to make adjustments to each line of the potential restrictions and thought after the public hearings that most were in favor of a commercial ban.

“I just thought it would make it easier to have a simple, declarative statement that wind turbines are banned Buchanan County,” Reardon said. “Local government in the way that it responds to people’s wishes is why this is the best way America works.”

Reardon said that he represents the township that was targeted by NextEra (the Florida company that wanted to install turbines), and that he did not hear from one person in past public hearings that was in favor of the wind turbines.

“There was no one that spoke for them (turbines),” Reardon said. “We are a fairly urban county, which would make adding wind turbines difficult.”

The proposal is going to the County Commission for a vote. If the commissioners vote against the proposal, it will go back to the Planning and Zoning Commission to make restrictions.

The vote from the Planning and Zoning Commission resulted in applause from the audience at the Buchanan County Courthouse.

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2020/02/20/planning-and-zoning-propose-commercial-wind-turbine-ban/