Over 100 people attended and more than two dozen people spoke during a public hearing Monday (07.29) night on proposed changes to the ordinance regulating the construction of wind turbines in Floyd County.
The Board of Supervisors’ meeting in the Youth Enrichment Center on the Floyd County Fairgrounds allowed attendees to express views for and against amendments developed by the Planning and Zoning (P&Z) Commission.
Invenergy, which started the Chickasaw Wind Energy Center north of New Hampton last year, is seeking to erect some 40 wind turbines from Floyd and Nora Springs towards Marble Rock and Rockford. Isaac Lampa represented the company and landowners who have signed easements with them.
Supervisor Mark Kuhn read a letter from a landowner against wind turbines in general.
Other concerns expressed by landowners include setback distances, noise pollution, effects on children with autism, development of sinkholes caused by wind turbine construction, and taking land out of farm production.
Kuhn also read a letter on the financial benefits of wind turbines from Tim Fox with the Charles City Area Development Corporation.
After about four hours, the public hearing was still not complete and Supervisors voted to extend proceedings to next Tuesday (08.06) at the YEC.
