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Residents ask for protections as commissioners direct planning staff to study wind rules
Summary
A Capon Springs resident urged the commission to block industrial-scale wind development near homes; the board directed the county Planning Commission to research ordinances and examples for wind regulations, expanding the study beyond West Virginia.
A resident of Capon (Capen) Springs urged the Hampshire County Commission on Jan. 28 to take action to regulate industrial-scale wind projects after learning plans call for 18–25 turbines of roughly 700 feet tall near Spring Mountain.
Jacob Kirk told commissioners that many homes in the area have views of Spring Mountain and that the planned turbines would sit within about 1–2 miles of most properties and as close as 250 yards of some homes. Kirk asked the commission to adopt a moratorium on industrial wind and solar, amend the subdivision and land development ordinance to require larger setbacks and protections, exclude large-scale wind and solar from the county comprehensive plan, and adopt narrow zoning rules to limit industrial wind and solar development.
Commissioners declined to adopt those specific regulatory changes immediately but did move to direct the Hampshire County Planning Commission to research existing wind ordinances and the county’s options. Commissioner Cannon moved the directive; the motion was amended on the floor to instruct planning staff to look both inside and outside West Virginia for regulatory models and then carried by voice vote.
Commissioners discussed the practical limits of local authority and the possibility of state preemption. Commissioner Nance warned that state-level preemption efforts are active and urged residents to engage state lawmakers if they want local control. Several commissioners said the county’s primary regulatory lever would be a zoning ordinance or amendments to the subdivision and land development ordinance; commissioners noted that adopting simpler, targeted zoning could require community buy-in and, possibly, a public vote.
The board’s directive requests the Planning Commission to report back with options, examples from other jurisdictions and suggested statutory paths; staff and commissioners said future public hearings or planning meetings would be scheduled to gather local feedback.
