McLean Co Hearings on Horizon Project Continue, ZBA Approval Could Come This Week

Hearings before the McLean County Zoning Board of Appeals continued into their fourth day this week, and the Board could approve the project as soon as Wednesday, says an article in the Pantagraph:

A recommendation from the McLean County Zoning Board of Appeals on a proposed wind farm near Lexington, Colfax and Chenoa could come Wednesday night.

The ZBA listened to a third night of testimony Tuesday on Horizon Wind Energy LLC’s request for a special-use permit to build the Bright Stalk Wind Farm on about 37,800 acres in Lexington, Lawndale, Chenoa and Yates townships. The hearing will resume at 7 p.m. Wednesday evening in Room 400 of the Government Center in Bloomington. The county board will either accept or reject the recommendation in September or October.

But the project isn't without opposition in the county:

On Tuesday, Paul Kruse, owner and operator of Aerial Crop Service of Colfax, testified the proposed wind farm is within a half-mile of an airstrip runway on his property and could force him out of business.

“I have to be able to take off or land according to the direction of the winds,” Kruse said. “I have to be able to leave and return with an unobstructed path, according to FAA regulations. The proposed placement of the turbines directly disrupts my agriculture business that serves all of McLean County and would likely eliminate me as a competitor to the other agriculture applicators in the county.”

Frank Miles, attorney for Horizon, argued that the turbines wouldn’t be placed on Kruse’s land.

“Why do you think you have the right to fly over someone’s property and not allow that property owner to erect something on their own property?” Miles asked. “Doesn’t the property owner have a right to do that?”

One commenter to the story made some interesting points as well:

I use to live within 1/2 mile of Mr. Kruse. He had no problem "divebombing" my property while dumping his poisonous chemicals on adjoining farm fields. His aerial operation with its noise and spray drift contributed to my moving away. A wind turbine within 1/2 mile of his airstrip is not really a problem as I have observed his "acrobatics" up close and personal.

The "peace and quiet of the country" is not what it used to be. The primary reason I moved was because of other white trash neighbors constant barking dogs. I would have much prefered wind turbines over those neighbors and a cropduster. Cropdusters and farmers need much more regulation in their handling and dispensing of herbicides and insecticides. BTW I am the son of farmers, grew up in the country, have lived in the country most of my life, and am a retired Air Traffic Controller - I know what I'm talking about.