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The supervisors visited two townships where wind turbines have been built and are in operation. They said the supervisors there seemed pleased with the company and the turbines. Wachob said both townships have ordinances that require setbacks (distances away from dwellings) that are 3 1/2 times the height of the towers, or about 1,250 feet.
Sharon Gilmore said studies she has seen would require that a wind turbine be located no less than 2 to 3 miles from a dwelling.
"I'm not just pulling numbers out of the air like the company (Iberdrola) is," she said.
Supervisor Darryl Beatty said an ordinance should be drafted to regulate an activity but it cannot be so rigid as to make a legitimate business impossible.
Gary Swope said the township cannot write a weak ordinance due to the fear of litigation and Sharon Gilmore added that if the ordinance does not contain restrictions that will protect the health of all residents, litigation could come from residents.
The supervisors agreed that an ordinance is necessary and said they had the ordinances from both townships they visited as well as other ordinances sent to them by the state association of municipalities and townships.
They asked the Gilmores and Swopes to serve on a committee to draft the local ordinance, prompting one resident to ask why only the people who are opposed to the wind turbines were to be on the committee.
Supervisors Chairman Les Wachob said he doesn't think the parties are opposed, to which the resident responded, "It sure sounds like it to me."
Charlie Muth added that he would only ask the supervisors to write an ordinance that would allow those landowners who want a turbine on their property to be able to have one.
Beatty said he thinks it should be an open meeting and all three supervisors agreed that the meeting will be open to the public. They set the meeting for 7 p.m. Monday, July 20, at the township municipal building. Any residents interested in an ordinance to control wind turbines are welcome to come.
