County leaders north of St. Joseph, Missouri are being asked to ban wind farms in Buchanan County.
The county zoning and planning committee spent two days last week listening to the arguments of residents who are fighting efforts of a Florida company to build the wind farm.
Several concerns with the ordinance were addressed, including a rule that the turbines not be built within a 2-mile radius of St. Joseph city limits, but no limits on how close the turbines can be to the property of those in the county according to the St. Joseph News-Press.
Some of the residents questioned why St. Joseph city residents get a 2-mile setback but the rest of the country doesn’t.
“On what basis do the citizens of St. Joseph get a 2-mile setback but the rest of us do not,” DeniseColhour of Easton, Missouri asked. “If you do not have research backing your decision, then it appears to be capricious and perhaps even discriminatory.”
Others expressed concerns for how the large, white structures would affect property value. Mike Simon of Marion Township said he began researching the issue in August, and found a statewide study on wind farms’ effect on property.
“By doing the research, I discovered it could be anywhere from a 25% to 40% drop in values, depending on the proximity of the turbine,” Simon said. “That was my main concern, because someday we will leave this to our children or, hopefully, we won’t ever have to sell it.”
Many citizens said they did not want to see the natural beauty of rural Buchanan County be marred by the objects, with some asking how the turbines would affect the bald eagles that are in the area. Others argued against the noise caused by the giant turbines.
A group called Friends of Buchanan County presented a united front, as all its members wore blue shirts and asked those in attendance to sign a petition to ban wind turbines in Buchanan County.
Source: St. Joseph News-Press