Public comment about proposed wind turbine ordinance in Pottawattamie County
Credit: Nov 29, 2023 | Abbie Petersen | ketv.com ~~
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More than 100 people showed up to a public hearing in Oakland, Iowa, Wednesday night.
Some spoke for and against a proposed ordinance that would make it more difficult for any new wind turbines to be built in Pottawattamie County.
People took the podium in front of the Pottawattamie County Board of Supervisors Wednesday night, and it has to do with the possibility of new wind turbines in the area.
“I enjoy gazing at the stars. I can’t imagine that, enjoying it being pierced by hundreds of blinking red beacons,” said Brandon Vorthman.
Like Vorthman, many are in favor of recommended setbacks from the planning commission.
The proposed ordinance, now in front of the board, would require a turbine to be one-half mile from a dwelling and 1,500 feet from a property line.
And some in favor want the setbacks to be even stricter.
“A wind turbine within a thousand feet of my property line does not give enough clearance for a helicopter to go up and come back down, turn around in order to spray our crops. That’s our livelihood,” said one farmer.
Worried about a family farm, just like another man who spoke.
However, the two have different views of the setbacks.
“The RWE wind project plans to have between 40 and 60 wind turbines where the lease payments are a steady annual income for a family farm,” said Dan Storjohann.
Others in opposition to the setbacks say if approved, the setbacks would essentially ban wind energy in Pottawattamie County.
“It seems pretty apparent that the recent setback proposals have one clear objective and that’s to kill the Treynor wind project,” said Patricia Fuller.
Now, the board is discussing the public input and where things go from here.
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