Better Plan, Wisconsin

THURSDAY--NOVEMBER 13---7:41pm UNION TOWNSHIP PASSES WIND ORDINANCE WITH HALF MILE SET BACK!!

The BPRC Research Nerd is writing this live from the town of Union board meeting where the wind ordinance is about to come up for a vote for adoption......

7:00 Town of Union opens public hearing on adoption of wind ordinance

7:02-- One of the land owners who has signed with the developer and wishes to host the turbines asks where a turbine can be put in our area if the half a mile setback is adopted. He objects to the half mile setback.

He's told by the town lawyer that landowners and neighbors can enter into an agreement with a windfarm developer that allows for a shorter setback if they sign off on it.

7:06 Planning and Zoning chairman Alvin Francis who has already signed on with the wind developer to host a turbine also questions the half mile setback. (Mr. Francis recused himself from the P&Z meetings concerning the ordinance)

7:08 The first land owner questions the town board's decision to not allow a met tower to be on the property line between two farmer's land, and wonders if the town will do the same if two farmers agree to a shorter set back. The town lawyer explains that the met tower decision has to do with an existing town ordiance and is not part of the wind statute.

7:09 BPRC Research Nerd testifies in support of the ordinance. Says she has spoken to people in Fond du Lac County who are reporting serious trouble with noise and shadow flicker due to turbines sited too close to their homes and that those people in Fond du Lac would have been grateful to have this kind of ordinance.

7:13 Planning commission member Doug Zweizig sends in a letter which is read which recommends adopting the ordinance. He says the work done on this ordinance was a result of extraordinary work and study on the part of the town of Union Large Turbine Study Committee, says the substance of the ordinance serves to protect the health and safety of the residents.

7:16 Letter from wind developer Gary Haltaufderheide, employee of EcoEnergy. He says if the ordinance is adopted it will restrict wind development in Union township. He questions the findings of the Large Wind Turbine Wind Study Committee, and says that no one he knows of is having trouble with living near turbines, and questions why there have been no positive findings about the wind farms by the study committee, asks the chairman to look out the window and see if he wants to provide the leadership the community needs.

 7:18 Resident says the problems seems to be that some people like turbines and some people don't. He asks if noise is the main issue.

7:25 Resident from Spring Valley says that he wants his township to adopt an ordinance like the one Union has created. He says it's a good, safe, ordinance and hopes they will adopt it. He mentions that WPPI, which is pushing this project, has solar panels, not wind turbines and if it's good enough for WPPI it should be good enough for us.

7:32 Public hearing closed.

7:35 Town board member says that some people are bothered by noise, turbines could be better designed, and that there is enough leeway in the ordinance to put up a tower if neighbors could agree. He said some people are going to love them and some are going to hate them and that's just the way it is.

7:37 Town board member says that turbines don't make electricity unless they are going 14 miles an hour, and that there are other designs. Says he spent two nights in a wind farm and that at night the lights came on at once and strobed all night. Said it drove him crazy but he didn't have to live there. Spoke about turbines not paying for themselves. Mentioned solar options, and houses off the grid.

7:40 Town board member makes motion to adopt the ordianance

7:40 Seconded-----

7:41 Vote taken

PASSES! UNANIMOUSLY!