Clinton County resident urges action after substations blamed for constant noise

A Clinton County resident told officials at a Jan. 6 meeting that noise from substations installed near his home has made it impossible to open his windows or enjoy his property and urged county leaders to require mitigation or use project revenues to pay for it.

"I can't enjoy my home because this county approved these substations that are directly behind my house," said Todd Wall Street, who gave his address as 3677 North County Road 50 East. He said one substation sits directly behind his house and another to the north and offered a video he recorded on Nov. 6 documenting the sound.

Wall Street said he met with AES representatives in May, whom he identified as Garrett and Liz, and that AES planted 14 trees as a mitigation measure that he called ineffective. "Fourteen trees is not gonna do anything to that noise," he said, adding that many of the new plantings were not staked and that some were later found lying on the ground.

Wall Street said he has been advised he would need to hire an attorney and pay appraisal costs if he pursues compensation, estimating an initial $2,500 and later rates of about $415 per hour. "Why do I have to spend $2,500 to get a demand letter?" he asked, urging the county to take moral or financial responsibility.

When asked who approved the substations, an unidentified meeting participant said the project went through the area plan process. Wall Street repeatedly asked county representatives who signed off on the siting and whether the county or area planning office would take further action.

Wall Street proposed planting "three layers of trees" across adjacent land he identified as belonging to Mr. Oster as a sound buffer, saying corn that previously grew there had provided a noise buffer that soybeans do not. He also asked that the county use a portion of project revenue to fund mitigation; an unidentified speaker replied that the project generates roughly "$488,000" in the first 10 years before being placed on the tax roll and said the county would look into Wall Street's request.

The resident also raised maintenance concerns about dead shrubs and missing soundproofing matting near other homes, naming a Mr. Yoder as a nearby neighbor. Board participants told Wall Street they would continue to follow up; one said, "We'll keep working on it here for you." The meeting record shows Wall Street plans to contact AES directly and said a new AES representative named Curtis is now at the company.

The public comment ended without a formal directive recorded in the transcript; county staff said they would 'look into' the questions about plantings and potential mitigation funding. Wall Street said he may pursue legal options but urged county leaders to act before he files suit.

What happens next: county staff and area planning were asked to review the complaint and the condition of plantings; no vote or formal order was recorded in the transcript.